System and method for providing extra lines of credit

Abstract

A system and method for upgrading existing credit cards with additional lines of credit is disclosed. Credit information associated with customers holding credit cards issued by a credit card issuer are analyzed to determine a level of risk associated with each customer. One or more extra line of credit may be established for selected customers based on the determined level of risk associated with each customer. Each extra credit line may be exclusively associated with a selected set of vendors that have a partnership agreement with the credit card issuer. The credit card issuer may allow customers to select vendors to be associated with the extra credit line or may automatically choose vendors for selected customers. Customers with established extra credit lines may purchase goods and/or service directly from vendor sites or at the credit card issuer's web sites. Purchases at selected vendor sites may be automatically applied to a customer's newly established extra credit line. Additionally, a customer may choose to apply purchases to their extra credit lines or their primary line of credit.

1 - 84 . (canceled) 
     
     
         85 . A system for editing a vendor table, comprising:
 a database;   a computer readable medium storing instructions; and   a processor configured to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising:
 providing at least one extra line of credit to a customer associated with a customer group, 
 storing, in the database, a vendor table associated with the customer comprising vendors at which the customer may use the at least one extra line of credit, 
 receiving, from a device operated by the customer, a customer selection of one or more vendors where the customer can use the at least one extra line of credit, and 
 editing the vendor table based at least on the selected vendors so that the customer can use the at least one extra line of credit at the selected vendors identified in the vendor table. 
   
     
     
         86 . The system of  claim 85 , wherein the operation of editing the vendor table comprises adding the selected one or more vendors to the vendor table so that the customer can use the at least one extra line of credit at the selected one or more vendors. 
     
     
         87 . The system of  claim 85 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to perform operations further comprising:
 identifying a level of risk associated with providing the customer with an extra line of credit;   classifying the customer as high risk or low risk based on the identification;   determining whether to accept the received customer selection based at least on the classification; and   editing the vendor table based on the selection.   
     
     
         88 . The system of  claim 85 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to perform operations further comprising:
 categorizing the vendors at which the customer may use the at least one extra line of credit into a plurality of vendor groups;   providing, to a device operated by the customer, a plurality of vendor groups for selection to use the at least one extra line of credit; and   wherein the customer selection of one or more vendors comprises a selection of a vendor group from among the plurality of vendor groups.   
     
     
         89 . The system of  claim 88 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to perform operations further comprising:
 rejecting the received customer selection of the vendor group; and   automatically selecting a second vendor group based at least on a customer profile associated with the customer.   
     
     
         90 . The system of  claim 85 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to perform operations further comprising:
 identifying a level of risk associated with providing the customer with an extra line of credit;   classifying the customer as high risk or low risk based on the identification;   categorizing the vendors into a plurality of vendor groups;   providing for selection, to a device operated by the customer, a first plurality of vendor groups at which the customer may use the at least one extra line of credit when the customer is classified as high risk; and   providing for selection, to a device operated by the customer, a second plurality of vendor groups at which the customer may use the at least one extra line of credit when the customer is classified as low risk.   
     
     
         91 . The system of  claim 85 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to perform operations further comprising:
 generating a customer profile based at least on demographic information associated with the customer;   associating the customer with a customer group based on the customer profile; and   providing the master list of vendors based on the association, the master list identifying at least a set of vendors associated with the customer group.   
     
     
         92 . A method for editing a vendor table, comprising:
 providing at least one extra line of credit to a customer associated with a customer group;   storing, in a database, a vendor table associated with the customer comprising vendors at which the customer may use the at least one extra line of credit;   receiving, from a device operated by the customer, a customer selection of one or more vendors where the customer can use the at least one extra line of credit; and   editing, via a processor, the vendor table based at least on the selected vendors so that the customer can use the at least one extra line of credit at the selected vendors identified in the vendor table.   
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 92 , wherein editing the vendor table comprises adding the selected one or more vendors to the vendor table so that the customer can use the at least one extra line of credit at the selected one or more vendors. 
     
     
         94 . The method of  claim 92 , further comprising:
 identifying a level of risk associated with providing the customer with an extra line of credit;   classifying the customer as high risk or low risk based on the identification;   determining whether to accept the received customer selection based at least on the classification; and   editing the vendor table based on the selection.   
     
     
         95 . The method of  claim 92 , further comprising:
 categorizing the vendors at which the customer may use the at least one extra line of credit into a plurality of vendor groups;   providing, to a device operated by the customer, a plurality of vendor groups for selection to use the at least one extra line of credit; and   wherein the customer selection of one or more vendors comprises a selection of a vendor group from among the plurality of vendor groups.   
     
     
         96 . The method of  claim 95 , further comprising:
 rejecting the received customer selection of the vendor group; and   automatically selecting a second vendor group based at least on a customer profile associated with the customer.   
     
     
         97 . The method of  claim 92 , further comprising:
 identifying a level of risk associated with providing the customer with an extra line of credit;   classifying the customer as high risk or low risk based on the identification;   categorizing the vendors into a plurality of vendor groups;   providing for selection, to a device operated by the customer, a first plurality of vendor groups at which the customer may use the at least one extra line of credit when the customer is classified as high risk; and   providing for selection, to a device operated by the customer, a second plurality of vendor groups at which the customer may use the at least one extra line of credit when the customer is classified as low risk.   
     
     
         98 . The method of  claim 92 , further comprising:
 generating a customer profile based at least on demographic information associated with the customer;   associating the customer with a customer group based on the customer profile; and   providing the master list of vendors based on the association, the master list identifying at least a set of vendors associated with the customer group.   
     
     
         99 . A computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 providing at least one extra line of credit to a customer associated with a customer group,   storing, in the database, a vendor table associated with the customer comprising vendors at which the customer may use the at least one extra line of credit,   receiving, from a device operated by the customer, a customer selection of one or more vendors where the customer can use the at least one extra line of credit, and   editing the vendor table based at least on the selected vendors so that the customer can use the at least one extra line of credit at the selected vendors identified in the vendor table.   
     
     
         100 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 99 , wherein the operation of editing the vendor table comprises adding the selected one or more vendors to the vendor table so that the customer can use the at least one extra line of credit at the selected one or more vendors. 
     
     
         101 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 99 , wherein the stored instructions cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:
 identifying a level of risk associated with providing the customer with an extra line of credit;   classifying the customer as high risk or low risk based on the identification;   determining whether to accept the received customer selection based at least on the classification; and   editing the vendor table based on the selection.   
     
     
         102 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 99 , wherein the stored instructions cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:
 categorizing the vendors at which the customer may use the at least one extra line of credit into a plurality of vendor groups;   providing, to a device operated by the customer, a plurality of vendor groups for selection to use the at least one extra line of credit; and   wherein the customer selection of one or more vendors comprises a selection of a vendor group from among the plurality of vendor groups.   
     
     
         103 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 99 , wherein the stored instructions cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:
 identifying a level of risk associated with providing the customer with an extra line of credit;   classifying the customer as high risk or low risk based on the identification;   categorizing the vendors into a plurality of vendor groups;   providing for selection, to a device operated by the customer, a first plurality of vendor groups at which the customer may use the at least one extra line of credit when the customer is classified as high risk; and   providing for selection, to a device operated by the customer, a second plurality of vendor groups at which the customer may use the at least one extra line of credit when the customer is classified as low risk.   
     
     
         104 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 99 , wherein the stored instructions cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:
 generating a customer profile based at least on demographic information associated with the customer;   associating the customer with a customer group based on the customer profile; and   providing the master list of vendors based on the association, the master list identifying at least a set of vendors associated with the customer group.