Promotional processing system

Abstract

A system for online sales with automatic rebate and coupon redemption provides customers making online purchases the advantage of automatically retrieving and redeeming all applicable rebates and coupons during an online purchase. Purchase orders from customers are selectively fulfilled and products are shipped to the customers either by the system for online sales with automatic rebate and coupon redemption or by other merchant or manufacturer environments. In one embodiment, the system makes purchases from merchants or manufacturers using all applicable coupons and rebates and then sells the products to the customers, passing the savings to them. In another embodiment, the system makes it possible to automatically retrieve coupons and rebates for items in a shopping cart during the activity of an online purchase at an electronic mall or an online merchant site. It also makes it possible to retrieve manufacturer's and merchant's coupons prior to an online purchasing activity for subsequent submission to an online merchant during a subsequent purchasing activity. In addition, the system provides coupons to potential customers via email, based on customer profile, geographical information, etc. Manufacturers and merchants can update coupon value and content based on ongoing sales and volume of customer activity.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method of processing a promotion, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a system of a promotion entity, information from or about a merchant regarding a promotion relating to a good or service being offered for sale by the merchant;   electronically identifying, by the system of the promotion entity, a plurality of potential buyers of the good or service, based on profile information of the plurality of potential buyers obtained by the system of the promotion entity during an electronic registration process for each of the plurality of potential buyers;
 electronically communicating, by the system of promotion entity, an offer to the plurality of potential buyers of the promotion relating to the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant; 
 receiving, by the system of the promotion entity, electronic payments from at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers, in connection with the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant; 
 electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers, coupons to be used by the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers in connection with obtaining the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant; and 
 paying, by the promotion entity, to the merchant an amount less than the electronic payment amounts received by the system of the promotion entity from the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers. 
   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the information received from or about a merchant regarding a promotion relating to a good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, comprises an identification of the type or a description of the good or the service. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the information received from or about a merchant regarding a promotion relating to a good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, comprises an amount to charge the plurality of potential buyers. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the information received from or about a merchant regarding a promotion relating to a good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, comprises a quantity of coupons desired to be distributed. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the electronically identifying, by the system of the promotion entity, of the plurality of potential buyers of the good or service is also based on the information received by the system of the promotion entity from or about the merchant. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the profile information of the plurality of potential buyers comprises information related to the geographical location of the plurality of potential buyers. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the profile information of the plurality of potential buyers comprises email information. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the electronically identifying, by the system of the promotion entity, of the plurality of potential buyers of the good or service is also based on information about the merchant. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the information about the merchant comprises information related to a geographical region for the promotion. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the profile information of the plurality of potential buyers comprises information related to the geographical location of the plurality of potential buyers. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the profile information of the plurality of potential buyers comprises email information. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , comprising providing, by the system of the promotion entity, a website that enables the plurality of potential buyers to review and select the promotion. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , comprising providing, by the system of the promotion entity via the website, one or more images of the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, a link to one or more images of the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, and/or a link to content of the merchant. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the website enables the receiving, by the system of the promotion entity, of the electronic payments from the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the website enables the communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers, of the coupons. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers, of the coupons comprises enabling download of the coupons via the website. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers, of the coupons comprises enabling printing of the coupons via the website. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising providing, by the system of the promotion entity, a website that enables the plurality of potential buyers to review and select the promotion. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the website enables the communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers, of the coupons. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , comprising providing, by the system of the promotion entity via the website, one or more images of the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, a link to one or more images of the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, and/or a link to content of the merchant. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers, of the coupons comprises enabling download of the coupons via the website. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers, of the coupons comprises enabling printing of the coupons via the website. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the website enables the receiving, by the system of the promotion entity, of the electronic payments from the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein at least a portion of the electronic payments occur using credit card information. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein at least a portion of the electronic payments occur using account transfer information. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, an offer to the plurality of potential buyers of the promotion relating to the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, comprises communicating via email. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , comprising providing, by the system of the promotion entity, a website that enables the plurality of potential buyers to review and select the promotion. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the website enables the communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers, of the coupons. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers of the coupons, comprises enabling download of the coupons via the website. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers of the coupons, comprises enabling printing of the coupons via the website. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 47 , comprising providing, by the system of the promotion entity via the website, one or more images of the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, a link to one or more images of the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, and/or a link to content of the merchant. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the website enables the receiving, by the system of the promotion entity, of the electronic payments from the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein at least a portion of the electronic payments occur using credit card information. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein at least a portion of the electronic payments occur using account transfer information. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, an offer to the plurality of potential buyers of the promotion relating to the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, comprises communicating via a website. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , comprising providing, by the system of the promotion entity via the website, one or more images of the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, a link to one or more images of the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, and/or a link to content of the merchant. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the website enables the receiving, by the system of the promotion entity, of electronic payments from the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the website enables the plurality of potential buyers to review and select the promotion. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers, of the coupons comprises enabling download of the coupons via the website. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers, of the coupons comprises enabling printing of the coupons via the website. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein at least a portion of the electronic payments occur using credit card information. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein at least a portion of the electronic payments occur using account transfer information. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers of the coupons, comprises emailing the coupons. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein each of the coupons comprises a bar code. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising generating, by the system of the promotion entity, authentication information related to the electronically communicated coupons. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 65 , comprising communicating, by the promotion entity, the authentication information related to the electronically communicated coupons, to the merchant. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising determining, by the system of the promotion entity, buying habits or patterns of the plurality of potential buyers. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising generating, by the system of the promotion entity, a list of the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers to enable coupon authentication. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein each electronic registration process comprises receiving, by the system of the promotion entity, information related to the geographical location of and email information of a potential buyer. 
     
     
         70 . A method of processing a promotion, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a system of the promotion entity, information from or about a merchant regarding a promotion relating to a good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, the information including the geographical region for the promotion;   electronically identifying, by the system of the promotion entity, a plurality of potential buyers of the good or service, based on profile information of the plurality of potential buyers obtained by the system of the promotion entity from each of the plurality of potential buyers;   electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, an offer to the plurality of potential buyers of the promotion relating to the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant;   receiving, by the system of the promotion entity, electronic payments from at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers, in connection with the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant;   electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers, coupons to be used by the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers in connection with obtaining the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant; and   paying, by the promotion entity, to the merchant an amount less than the electronic payment amounts received by the system of the promotion entity from the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers.   
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 70 , wherein the profile information of the plurality of potential buyers comprises information related to the geographical location of the plurality of potential buyers. 
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 70 , wherein the profile information of the plurality of potential buyers comprises email information. 
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 72 , wherein the electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, an offer to the plurality of potential buyers of the promotion relating to the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, comprises communicating via email. 
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 73 , comprising providing, by the system of the promotion entity, a website that enables the plurality of potential buyers to review and select the promotion. 
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 74 , comprising providing, by the system of the promotion entity via the website, one or more images of the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, a link to one or more images of the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, and/or a link to content of the merchant. 
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein the website enables the communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers, of the coupons. 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 76 , wherein the electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers of the coupons, comprises enabling download of the coupons via the website. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 76 , wherein the electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers of the coupons, comprises enabling printing of the coupons via the website. 
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 76 , wherein the website enables the receiving, by the system of the promotion entity, of the electronic payments from the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers. 
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 79 , wherein the electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers of the coupons, comprises enabling download of the coupons via the website. 
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 79 , wherein the electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers of the coupons, comprises enabling printing of the coupons via the website. 
     
     
         82 . The method of clam  70 , wherein the electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, an offer to the plurality of potential buyers of the promotion relating to the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, comprises communicating via a website. 
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 82 , comprising providing, by the system of the promotion entity via the website, one or more images of the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, a link to one or more images of the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, and/or a link to content of the merchant. 
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 82 , wherein the website enables the plurality of potential buyers to review and select the promotion. 
     
     
         85 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein the electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers of the coupons, comprises enabling download of the coupons via the website. 
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein the electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers of the coupons, comprises enabling printing of the coupons via the website. 
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein the website enables the receiving, by the system of the promotion entity, of electronic payments from the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers. 
     
     
         88 . The method of  claim 87 , wherein the website enables the communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers, of the coupons. 
     
     
         89 . A method of processing a promotion, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a system of the promotion entity, information from a merchant regarding a promotion relating to a good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, the information including the geographical location of the promotion;   electronically identifying, by the system of the promotion entity, a plurality of potential buyers of the good or service, based on profile information of the plurality of potential buyers obtained by the system of the promotion entity from each of the plurality of potential buyers;   electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity via email, an offer to the plurality of potential buyers of the promotion relating to the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant;   providing, by the system of the promotion entity, a website that includes one or more images of the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, a link to one or more images of the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant, and/or a link to content of the merchant, wherein the website enables the plurality of potential buyers to review and select the promotion;   receiving, by the system of the promotion entity via the website, electronic payments from at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers, in connection with the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant;   electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers, coupons to be used by the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers in connection with obtaining the good or service being offered for sale by the merchant; and   paying, by the promotion entity, to the merchant an amount less than the electronic payment amounts received by the system of the promotion entity from the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers.   
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the profile information of the plurality of potential buyers comprises information related to the geographical location of the plurality of potential buyers. 
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the profile information of the plurality of potential buyers comprises email information. 
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers of the coupons, comprises enabling download of the coupons via the website. 
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers of the coupons, comprises enabling printing of the coupons via the website. 
     
     
         94 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the electronically communicating, by the system of the promotion entity, to the at least a portion of the plurality of potential buyers of the coupons, comprises emailing the coupons.