Method and system to associate a gift certificate with an email address

Abstract

A system and method to associate a gift certificate with an email address is useful to permit on-line merchants to provide gift certificates that may be trusted while remaining used to customers. A gift certificate is purchased on-line and associated with a recipient's e-mail address provided by the gift certificate purchaser. An e-mail message containing confirm information used to authenticate the identity of the recipient is subsequently provided. This e-mail message may be sent when the gift certificate is purchased. This e-mail message may also be sent when a printed gift certificate is redeemed. The recipient of the gift certificate returns this confirmation information to complete the authentication process of the recipient's e-mail address. All subsequent activity of related to the use of the gift certificate may be authenticated using the e-mail address once confirmed.

1 . A system for providing electronic gift certificates for use in completion of sale of goods and services, the system including: 
 a commerce server module to create an order for sale of goods and services;    a payment server module to provide payment for the order, the payment server module including: 
 a gift certificate purchase module to sell an electronic gift certificate associated with a communications identifier of a gift certificate recipient; and  
 a gift certificate redemption module to redeem the electronic gift certificate associated with the e-mail address of the gift certificate recipient to at least partially provide payment for the order;  
   wherein an identity of the gift certificate recipient is authenticated using confirmation information, transmitted to the gift certificate recipient within an electronic message to the communications identifier, that is returned to the payment server module.    
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the communications identifier comprises an e-mail address.  
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the communications identifier comprises a communications identifier selected from a group of communications identifiers including an SMS address, an instant message (IM) address, a telephone number, and a network address identifier.  
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the commerce server module comprises an on-line auction service.  
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the commerce server module comprises an on-line catalog service.  
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the confirmation information transmitted to the recipient of the gift certificate within an e-mail message is contained within an e-mail message sent to the recipient that contains the gift certificate.  
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the confirmation information transmitted to the recipient of the gift certificate within an e-mail message is contained within an e-mail message sent to the recipient as part of the gift certificate redemption.  
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the payment server module is to maintain a payment service account for recipient of the gift certificate associated with the e-mail address of the gift certificate.  
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the payment service account for recipient comprises payment sources for use in providing payment for the order.  
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the payment source for the order comprises a payment source selected from a group of payment sources, the group of payment sources including electronic gift certificates, credit card accounts, electronic checks and balances maintained with the payment server module for an account associated with the recipient e-mail address.  
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein only one gift certificate is usable as a payment source for the order.  
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the payment server module is to communicate as a web server with the recipient of the gift certificate using a web browser.  
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the confirmation information comprises a hyperlink that when activated returns a unique confirmation code to the payment server module.  
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the confirmation information comprises a confirmation code.  
     
     
         15 . A method for providing electronic gift certificates for use in completion of a purchase transaction, the method including: 
 sending an e-mail message containing an electronic gift certificate to a recipient communications identifier;    receiving information specifying the purchase transaction from the recipient; and    redeeming the electronic gift certificate to pay in satisfaction of obligations imposed under the purchase transaction;    wherein the recipient of the gift certificate is authenticated to authorize redemption of the gift certificate upon return of confirmation information sent to the recipient communications identifier.    
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the communications identifier comprises an e-mail address.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the communications identifier comprises a communications identifier selected from a group of communications identifiers including an SMS address, an instant message (IM) address, a telephone number, and a network address identifier.  
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the purchase transaction is established by a successful bid on an on-line auction service.  
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the purchase transaction is established by an order place on an on-line catalog service.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the confirmation data sent to the recipient e-mail address is contained within the e-mail message containing the electronic gift certificate.  
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the confirmation data sent to the recipient e-mail address is contained within an e-mail message transmitted as part of redeeming the electronic gift certificate.  
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein payment source for purchase transaction includes at least one of a group of payment sources, the group including electronic gift certificates, credit card accounts, electronic checks and balances maintained with the payment server module for an account associated with the recipient e-mail address.  
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein only one gift certificate may be used as a payment source for the order.  
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein redeeming the electronic gift certificate comprises: 
 selecting a gift certificate for use as a payment source; and    verifying the recipient is authorized to use the selected gift certificate.    
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the verifying that the recipient is authorized to use the selected gift certificate comprises receiving confirmation data from the recipient as part of a soft confirmation when a hyperlink within an e-mail message is activated.  
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the verifying the recipient is authorized to use the selected gift certificate comprises successfully logging into a payment service using the recipient e-mail address associated with the selected gift certificate.  
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the confirmation information comprises a hyperlink that when activated returns a unique confirmation code to the payment server module.  
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the confirmation information comprises a confirmation code.  
     
     
         29 . A system for providing electronic gift certificates for use in completion of sale and order of goods and services, the system including: 
 means for sending an e-mail message containing an electronic gift certificate to a recipient e-mail address;    means for receiving information specifying the order for goods and services from the recipient; and    means for redeeming the electronic gift certificate to pay for the order for goods and services;    wherein    the means for redeeming the electronic gift certificate includes: 
 means for selecting a gift certificate for use as a payment source; and  
 means for verifying the recipient is authorized to use the selected gift certificate.  
   
     
     
         30 . The system according to  claim 29 , wherein the order for goods and services comprises a successful bid on an on-line auction service.  
     
     
         31 . The system according to  claim 29 , wherein the order for goods and services comprises an order place on an on-line catalog service.  
     
     
         32 . The system according to  claim 29 , wherein means for verifying the recipient is authorized to use the selected gift certificate comprises receipt of confirmation data sent to the recipient e-mail address is contained with the e-mail message containing the electronic gift certificate.  
     
     
         33 . The system according to  claim 29 , wherein means for verifying the recipient is authorized to use the selected gift certificate comprises receipt of confirmation data sent to the recipient e-mail address is contained with a e-mail message transmitted as part of redeeming the electronic gift certificate.  
     
     
         34 . A machine-readable medium storing a set on instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause of the machine to perform a method for providing electronic gift certificates for use in completion of a purchase transaction, the method including: 
 sending an e-mail message containing an electronic gift certificate to a recipient e-mail address;    receiving information specifying the purchase transaction from the recipient; and    redeeming the electronic gift certificate to pay in satisfaction of obligations imposed under the purchase transaction;    wherein the recipient of the gift certificate is authenticated to authorize redemption of the gift certificate upon return of confirmation data sent to the recipient e-mail address.