Systems and methods for recalling a previously sold product

Abstract

In accordance with some embodiments, a plurality of sales by a seller are simultaneously managed by facilitating a first sale a unit of product to a first buyer at a first price, wherein the unit of product is sold subject to at least one buyout condition, such that the first buyer agrees as a term of the sale, and upon purchasing the unit of product, to surrender the unit of product back to the seller if the at least one buyout condition is satisfied in exchange for a payment amount; determining that the at least one buyout condition is satisfied; and facilitating a second sale of the unit of product to a second buyer for a second price after the first buyer surrenders the first unit of product to the seller in exchange for a payment amount.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for facilitating a recall of a previously sold product, the apparatus comprising:
 a processor;   a memory operable to communicate with the processor, the memory storing a program for controlling the processor, the processor being operable with the program to perform the following process for simultaneously managing a plurality of sales subject to at least one respective buyout condition pertaining to a plurality of distinct units of product sold by a seller:
 facilitate, via a first seller device, a first sale from a seller of a unit of product to a first buyer at a first price, wherein the unit of product is sold subject to at least one buyout condition, such that the first buyer agrees as a term of the sale, and upon purchasing the unit of product, to surrender the unit of product back to the seller if the at least one buyout condition is satisfied in exchange for a payment amount; 
 determine, by a second seller device, that the at least one buyout condition is satisfied; 
 cause a notification to be output to the first buyer, the notification informing the first buyer that the at least one buyout condition has been satisfied and requesting the first buyer to surrender the unit of product to the seller; 
 determine that the first buyer has surrendered the unit of product to the seller; 
 provide the payment amount to the first buyer in exchange for the buyer surrendering the unit of product to the seller; and 
 facilitate, via the first seller device, a second sale of the unit of product to a second buyer for a second price. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein determining that at least one buyout condition has been satisfied comprises determining an inventory level of units of product. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the payment amount is based on a minimum amount of value upon which the first buyer accepted the sale being subject to the at least one buyout condition. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the payment amount comprises at least one of (i) an amount of money, (ii) an amount of credit usable to purchase another product from the seller, (iii) a number of frequent flyer miles, and (iv) a substitute product available from the seller. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further operable with the program to:
 track a value of a variable associated with units of product sold to the first buyer; and
 wherein determining that the at least one buyout condition has been satisfied comprises determining that the value of the variable has changed to a predetermined value. 
   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the unit of product is a reservation for a seat on an airline flight. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein processor is further operable with the program to cancel the reservation for the seat upon determining that the first buyer has surrendered the unit of product to the seller. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first price for the unit of product as purchased by the first buyer is discounted from a regular retail price in exchange for the first buyer purchasing the unit of product subject to the at least one buyout condition. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second price is higher than the first price. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the payment amount is based on a difference between the first price and the second price. 
     
     
         11 . A method simultaneously manage a plurality of sales subject to at least one respective buyout condition pertaining to a plurality of distinct units of product sold by a seller, the method comprising:
 facilitating, via a first seller device, a first sale from a seller of a unit of product to a first buyer at a first price, wherein the unit of product is sold subject to at least one buyout condition, such that the first buyer agrees as a term of the sale, and upon purchasing the unit of product, to surrender the unit of product back to the seller if the at least one buyout condition is satisfied in exchange for a payment amount;   determining, by a second seller device, that the at least one buyout condition is satisfied;   causing a notification to be output to the first buyer, the notification informing the first buyer that the at least one buyout condition has been satisfied and requesting the first buyer to surrender the unit of product to the seller;   determining that the first buyer has surrendered the unit of product to the seller;   providing the payment amount to the first buyer in exchange for the buyer surrendering the unit of product to the seller; and   facilitating, via the first seller device, a second sale of the unit of product to a second buyer for a second price.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein determining that at least one buyout condition has been satisfied comprises determining an inventory level of units of product. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the payment amount is based on a minimum amount of value upon which the first buyer accepted the sale being subject to the at least one buyout condition. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the payment amount comprises at least one of (i) an amount of money, (ii) an amount of credit usable to purchase another product from the seller, (iii) a number of frequent flyer miles, and (iv) a substitute product available from the seller. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further operable with the program to:
 track a value of a variable associated with units of product sold to the first buyer; and
 wherein determining that the at least one buyout condition has been satisfied comprises determining that the value of the variable has changed to a predetermined value. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the unit of product is a reservation for a seat on an airline flight. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein processor is further operable with the program to cancel the reservation for the seat upon determining that the first buyer has surrendered the unit of product to the seller. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first price for the unit of product as purchased by the first buyer is discounted from a regular retail price in exchange for the first buyer purchasing the unit of product subject to the at least one buyout condition. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the second price is higher than the first price. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the payment amount is based on a difference between the first price and the second price.