System and method of delayed billing for on-demand products

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a binding request for an on-demand identity product from a consumer. The method also includes attempting to provide the on-demand identity product. The method further includes, responsive to the binding request, ascertaining delayed-billing settings that are applicable to the on-demand identity product. In addition, the method includes delaying billing of the on-demand identity product until it can be confirmed that the identity-product provision system has complied with the delayed-billing settings.

1 . A method comprising:
 on an identity-product provision system comprising at least one server computer, receiving a binding request for an on-demand identity product from a consumer;   the identity-product provision system providing the on-demand identity product;   the identity-product provision system ascertaining delayed-billing settings that are applicable to the on-demand identity product; and   the identity-product provision system delaying billing of the on-demand identity until it can be confirmed that the identity-product provision system has complied with the delayed-billing settings.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the delaying comprises:
 determining, based on the delayed-billing settings, whether consumer authentication needs to be performed;   responsive to a determination that consumer authentication needs to be performed, performing consumer authentication;   responsive to a determination that any consumer authentication is successful, determining whether the delayed-billing settings require product-delivery verification;   responsive to a determination that the delayed-billing settings require product-delivery verification, determining whether delivery of the on-demand identify product was successful;   responsive to a determination that the delivery of the on-demand identity product was not successful, delaying billing the consumer for the on-demand product; and   responsive to a determination that the delivery of the on-demand identity product was successful, billing the consumer.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the delayed-billing settings comprise consumer-authentication criteria. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the consumer authentication criteria require that at least a portion of the consumer's personally identifying information be verified as correct prior to billing. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the consumer authentication criteria require that the consumer be authenticated as owner of a set of personally identifying information prior to billing. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the delayed-billing settings comprise delivery-verification criteria. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the delivery-verification criteria comprise one or more product-delivery factors; and   the determining of whether delivery was successful comprises evaluating the one or more product-delivery factors.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more product-delivery factors are varied depending on whether the on-demand identity product is a credit product or a non-credit product. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the on-demand identity product comprises a credit product. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more product-delivery factors require receipt of an acknowledgement from at least one credit bureau prior to billing. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the on-demand identity product comprises a non-credit product. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more product-delivery factors require that the consumer be successfully added to receive a service prior to billing. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the billing comprises authorizing a third party to charge the consumer. 
     
     
         14 . An identity-product provision system comprising:
 at least one server computer, wherein the at least one server computer is operable to perform a method comprising:   receiving a binding request for an on-demand identity product from a consumer;   providing the on-demand identity product;   ascertaining delayed-billing settings that are applicable to the on-demand identity product; and   delaying billing of the on-demand identity product until it can be confirmed that the identity-product provision system has complied with the delayed-billing settings.   
     
     
         15 . The identity-product provision system of  claim 14 , wherein the delaying comprises:
 determining, based on the delayed-billing settings, whether consumer authentication needs to be performed;   responsive to a determination that consumer authentication needs to be performed, performing consumer authentication;   responsive to a determination that any consumer authentication is successful, determining whether the delayed-billing settings require product-delivery verification;   responsive to a determination that the delayed-billing settings require product-delivery verification, determining whether delivery of the on-demand identify product was successful;   responsive to a determination that the delivery of the on-demand identity product was not successful, delaying billing the consumer for the on-demand product; and   responsive to a determination that the delivery of the on-demand identity product was successful, billing the consumer.   
     
     
         16 . The identity-product provision system of  claim 15 , wherein the delayed-billing settings comprise consumer-authentication criteria. 
     
     
         17 . The identity-product provision system of  claim 15 , wherein the delayed-billing settings comprise delivery-verification criteria. 
     
     
         18 . The identity-product provision system of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the delivery-verification criteria comprise one or more product-delivery factors; and   the determining of whether delivery was successful comprises evaluating the one or more product-delivery factors.   
     
     
         19 . The identity-product provision system of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more product-delivery factors are varied depending on whether the on-demand identity product is a credit product or a non-credit product. 
     
     
         20 . A computer-program product comprising a computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein, the computer-readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method comprising:
 receiving a binding request for an on-demand identity product from a consumer;   providing the on-demand identity product;   ascertaining delayed-billing settings that are applicable to the on-demand identity product; and   delaying billing of the on-demand identity product until it can be confirmed that the identity-product provision system has complied with the delayed-billing settings.