Systems and methods for providing transferable item prices

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided to associate a transferable item price with a first consumer and to determine that a second consumer is entitled to purchase an item in exchange for payment of an amount based on the transferable item price. In one embodiment, the first consumer arranges to purchase an item at a first price. The merchant transmits a transferable item price code to the first consumer. The first consumer sends the transferable item price code to the second consumer, such as by including the transferable item price code in an e-mail message. The second consumer transmits the transferable item price code to the merchant to establish that he or she is entitled to purchase the item at the first price.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of facilitating a transaction, comprising:
 determining, by a processing device, a first transaction involving a first consumer and a merchant;   determining, by the processing device, a transferable item price established between the first consumer and the merchant during the first transaction;   associating, by the processing device, the transferable item price with the first consumer;   determining, by the processing device, that the first consumer has transferred the transferable item price to a second consumer who was not involved in the first transaction, thereby determining that the second consumer is entitled to purchase, in a second transaction, an item in exchange for payment of an amount based on the transferable item price, wherein the determination that the second consumer is entitled to purchase the item in exchange for payment of the amount based on the transferable item price is based on information received from the second consumer; and   transmitting, by the processing device, a transferable item price code to the first consumer, wherein the transferable item price code is encrypted.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, by the processing device, the transferable item price associated with the first consumer.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the determination of the transferable item price is based on an offer received from the first consumer to purchase the item in exchange for payment of an offer price, the transferable item price being based on the offer price. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the offer received from the first consumer comprises a binding offer and the offer price is defined by the first consumer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first consumer defines the offer price via:
 (i) entering the offer price, or   (ii) selecting the offer price from a list of suggested prices.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said associating is only performed if the offer received from the first consumer is accepted. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the determination of the transferable item price is based on the first consumer purchasing the item in exchange for payment of a purchase price, wherein the transferable item price is based on the purchase price. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the determination of the transferable item price is based on an auction bid received from the first consumer. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the determination of the transferable item price is based on a price at which a third party offers to sell a similar item. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein an item price varies over time and the determination of the transferable item price is based on a time that the first consumer: (i) provides an offer, or (iii) purchases the item. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the item is available for sale at a retail price and the transferable item price is different than the retail price. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said associating comprises:
 determining if the transferable item price may be associated with the first consumer.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the determination if the transferable item price may be associated with the first consumer is based on information associated with the first consumer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the information associated with the first consumer comprises at least one of: (i) an address, (ii) demographic information, (iii) psychographic information, (iv) a prior transaction, and (v) a credit rating. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transferable item price is dynamic. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the transferable item price changes based on at least one of:
 (i) a period of time,   (ii) a number of consumers who use the transferable item price, and   (iii) a number of items sold at the transferable item price.   
     
     
         17 . An apparatus for facilitating a transaction, comprising:
 a processing device; and   a memory device in communication with the processing device, the memory device storing instructions that when executed by the processing device result in:
 determining a transaction between a first consumer and a first merchant; 
 associating, in the memory device and based on the transaction, a transferable item price between the first consumer and the first merchant; 
 determining that a second consumer is entitled to purchase an item from a second merchant in exchange for payment of an amount based on the transferable item price; and 
 facilitating a sale of the item from the second merchant to the second consumer. 
   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing device, further result in:
 determining the transferable item price associated with the first consumer.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the determining of the transferable item price comprises basing the transferable item price on an offer received from the first consumer to purchase the item in exchange for payment of an offer price. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the offer received from the first consumer comprises a binding offer and the offer price is defined by the first consumer.