Method, System, and Software For Incenting A Surveyed Stored Value Account Holder To Transact Again With A Merchant

Abstract

A method, system and computer program for providing a loyalty engine for automated cause marketing. The method can include a charity linking merchants and sponsors to the loyalty system. Once the merchants and the sponsors are linked and the members are registered merchant defined rules can instruct a loyalty engine as to the level of donations in connection with one or more transactions by a member that is associated to the loyalty program. The loyalty system can include a reporting facility to allow the merchant to track transactions with members in a number of ways. A system is also provided that can consist of a server including the loyalty engine and a charity utility. The charity utility can provide the functions of the method and can be linked to the networked server.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving transaction information relating to a plurality of transactions conducted by a plurality of account holders and merchants, wherein the transaction information for each said transaction is derived from:
 the date, the time, and transaction amount for the transaction; 
 account holder transaction data including a logical address and an account number registered to an account holder; 
 a stored value account identifier associated with a stored value account involved in the transaction; 
 a currency amount of the transaction; 
 information for a merchant including a geographic address and a donation formula; 
 a donation receiver, having a geographic region, associated with the stored value account identifier; 
   for each said transaction:
 updating the currency amount for the stored value account corresponding to the stored value account identifier included in the transaction information using:
 the current value of the currency amount for the stored value account; and 
 the currency amount of the transaction; 
 
 generating an account holder identifier associated with the stored value identifier included in the transaction information; 
 and 
 upon determining that:
 the geographic address of the merchant is within the geographic region associated with t h e donation receiver; 
 and 
 the stored value account identifier is associated with the donation receiver; 
 
 then:
 updating the current value of the currency amount for the stored value account using a donation by the merchant to the donation receiver calculated using:
 the currency amount of the transaction; 
 the donation formula for the merchant; and 
 the current value of the donation by the merchant to the donation receiver; 
 
 sending a survey for delivery to the logical address of the account holder; 
 receiving, in response to the survey, a survey response from the account holder; 
 generating a promotional code using the account number; 
 and 
 sending to the logical address of the account holder, in response to the receiving of the survey response, the promotional code for use by the account holder in a forthcoming transaction with the merchant. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The method claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the steps further comprise:
 receiving a request from a client requesting service of a web page;   retrieving, using information in the request, data to be contained in the requested web page; and   serving, in response to the request, the requested web page containing the retrieved data, wherein the retrieved data is selected from the group consisting of:
 donation receiver information for the donation receiver; and 
 the information for the merchant. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , comprising the further step of the donation receiver defining rules under which the donation receiver will receive donations based on a purchase made by the account holder using a credit or debit account corresponding to the account holder. 
     
     
         4 . The method claimed in  claim 1 , comprising the further step of the donation receiver defining a rule that specifies the manner in which the donation is received. 
     
     
         5 . The method claimed in  claim 1 , comprising the further step of the donation receiver defining a rule that specifies the manner in which the donation is dispersed to a beneficiary of the donation receiver. 
     
     
         6 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the donation receiver receives the donation based upon a geographical location of t h e donation receiver and a geographical location where the transaction was conducted by the account holder. 
     
     
         7 . The method claimed in  claim 1 , wherein when the geographic address of the merchant is not within the defined geographic region associated with the donation receiver, updating a donation currency amount of the merchant for a different donation receiver using:
 the currency amount of the transaction;   the donation formula in the information for the merchant; and   the current value of the donation currency amount for the merchant for the different donation receiver.   
     
     
         8 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing software to perform on hardware the method as recited in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         9 . A system comprising:
 means for receiving transaction information relating to a transaction conducted by an account holder with a merchant, wherein the transaction information includes:
 the date, the time, and transaction amount for the transaction; 
 a logical address for the account holder; 
 an account number issued to the account holder; 
 a stored value account identifier associated with a stored value account involved in the transaction; 
 a currency amount of the transaction; 
 information for a merchant including a geographic address and a donation formula; 
 a donation receiver, having a geographic region, associated with the stored value account identifier; 
   means for updating the currency amount for the stored value account corresponding to the stored value account identifier included in the transaction information using:
 the current value of the currency amount for the stored value account; and 
 the currency amount of the transaction; 
   means for generating an account holder identifier associated with the stored value identifier included in the transaction information;   means for making a determination whether:
 the geographic address of the merchant is within the geographic region associated with t h e donation receiver; 
 and 
 the stored value account identifier is associated with the donation receiver; 
   and if the determination is made, then:
 means for updating the current value of the currency amount for the stored value account using a donation by the merchant to the donation receiver calculated using:
 the currency amount of the transaction; 
 the donation formula for the merchant; and 
 the current value of the donation by the merchant to the donation receiver; 
 
 means for sending a survey for delivery to the logical address of the account holder; 
 means for receiving, in response to the survey, a survey response from the account holder; 
 means for generating a promotional code using the account number; 
 and 
 means for sending to the logical address of the account holder, in response to the receiving of the survey response, the promotional code for use by the account holder in a forthcoming transaction with the merchant. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system as defined in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 means for receiving a request from a client requesting service of a web page;   means for retrieving, using information in the request, data to be contained in the requested web page;   and   means for serving, in response to the request, the requested web page containing the retrieved data, wherein the retrieved data is selected from the group consisting of:
 donation receiver information for the donation receiver; 
 the information t h e merchant; and 
 information for the account holder. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system as defined in  claim 9 , wherein when the geographic address of the merchant is not within the defined geographic region associated with the donation receiver, the system further comprises means for updating a donation currency amount of the merchant for a different donation receiver using:
 the currency amount of the transaction;   the donation formula in the information for the merchant; and   the current value of the donation currency amount for the merchant for the different donation receiver.   
     
     
         12 . The system as defined in  claim 9 , further comprising means for providing a web interface for the donation receiver to define a rule under which the donation receiver will receive a donation a merchant in connection with the transaction. 
     
     
         13 . The system as defined in  claim 9 , further comprising means for processing the transaction for the donation receiver based on the transaction between the account holder and the merchant based on the donation formula defined by the merchant. 
     
     
         14 . The system as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the donation receiver receives the donation based upon a geographical location of the donation receiver and a geographical location w h e r e t h e transaction is conducted by the account holder with the merchant. 
     
     
         15 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing software executed by the system recited in  claim 9 . 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 receiving transaction information relating to a transaction conducted by an account holder with a merchant, wherein the transaction information includes:
 the date, the time, and transaction amount for the transaction; 
 a logical address for the account holder; 
 an account number issued to the account holder; 
 a stored value account identifier associated with a stored value account involved in the transaction; 
 a currency amount of the transaction; 
 information for a merchant including a geographic address and a donation formula; 
 a donation receiver, having a geographic region, associated with the stored value account identifier; 
   updating the currency amount for the stored value account corresponding to the stored value account identifier included in the transaction information using:
 the current value of the currency amount for the stored value account; and 
 the currency amount of the transaction; 
   generating an account holder identifier associated with the stored value identifier included in the transaction information;   if:
 the geographic address of the merchant is within the geographic region associated with t h e donation receiver; 
 and 
 the stored value account identifier is associated with the donation receiver; 
   then:
 updating the current value of the currency amount for the stored value account using a donation by the merchant to the donation receiver calculated using:
 the currency amount of the transaction; 
 the donation formula for the merchant; and 
 the current value of the donation by the merchant to the donation receiver; 
 
 sending a survey for delivery to the logical address of the account holder; 
 receiving, in response to the survey, a survey response from the account holder; 
 generating a promotional code using the account number; 
 and 
 sending to the logical address of the account holder, in response to the receiving of the survey response, the promotional code for use by the account holder in a forthcoming transaction with the merchant. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method as defined in  claim 16 , wherein when the geographic address of the merchant is not within the defined geographic region associated with the donation receiver, the method further comprises updating a donation currency amount of the merchant for a different donation receiver using:
 the currency amount of the transaction;   the donation formula in the information for the merchant; and   the current value of the donation currency amount for the merchant for the different donation receiver.   
     
     
         18 . The method as defined in  claim 16 , further comprising providing a web interface for the donation receiver to define a rule under which the donation receiver will receive a donation a merchant in connection with the transaction. 
     
     
         19 . The method as defined in  claim 16 , further comprising processing the transaction for the donation receiver based on the transaction between the account holder and the merchant based on the donation formula defined by the merchant. 
     
     
         20 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing software to perform using hardware the method as recited in  claim 16 .