Systems, methods, and computer program products for rewards integration for an online tool

Abstract

An online toolbar is provided to a user to add to a browser that allows the user to select a merchant website. When the user selects a merchant website, specific information about the user and the website to be accessed are used to build a personalized URL. The personalized URL, in turn, is used to connect to the website and initiate rewards program processing. After the user is taken to the requested website using the personalized URL, the user shops and is able to make purchases. In turn, a rewards program provider is notified of the purchase and information contained in the personalized URL. The rewards program provider then issues rewards based on predetermined business rules (e.g., 1× point, 2× points, everyday spend, non-everyday spend, etc.), and the rewards are awarded to the user according to a transaction.

1 . A method for communicating with a merchant, comprising:
 receiving, via a user interface, a selection corresponding to a merchant;   retrieving, from a first memory unit, a rewards manager uniform resource locator associated with a rewards manager;   retrieving, from a second memory unit, a reward value associated with at least one of the merchant and a cardmember;   retrieving, from a third memory unit, authentication data associated with the cardmember;   building a personalized uniform resource locator based on the rewards manager uniform resource link, the reward value and the authentication data; and   connecting to the merchant through a network using the personalized uniform resource locator.   
     
     
         2 . The method for communicating with a merchant according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the network, the personalized uniform resource locator;   obtaining from the personalized uniform resource locator, the reward value and the authentication data; and   reporting to a rewards provider system, at least one transaction associated with a rewards owner.   
     
     
         3 . The method for communicating with a merchant according to  claim 1 , wherein the authentication data includes a membership rewards identifier of the cardmember. 
     
     
         4 . The method for communicating with a merchant according to  claim 1 , wherein the authentication data includes a hash value. 
     
     
         5 . The method for communicating with a merchant according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the network, the personalized uniform resource locator at a rewards manager in connection with a merchant website access request;   obtaining from the personalized uniform resource locator, the reward value and the authentication data; and   redirecting the merchant website access request to a merchant website server along with the reward value and the membership rewards identifier.   
     
     
         6 . The method for communicating with a merchant according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the network, the personalized uniform resource locator at a rewards manager in connection with a merchant website access request;   obtaining from the personalized uniform resource locator, the reward value and the hash value;   retrieving, based on the hash value, a membership rewards identifier; and   redirecting the merchant website access request to a merchant website server along with the reward value and the membership rewards identifier.   
     
     
         7 . A client system for communicating with a merchant web service, comprising:
 a user interface constructed to receive a selection corresponding to a merchant;   a first memory unit constructed to store a rewards manager uniform resource locator associated with a rewards manager;   a second memory unit constructed to store a reward value associated with at least one of the merchant and a cardmember;   a third memory unit constructed to store authentication data associated with the cardmember;   a processor configured to build a personalized uniform resource locator based on the rewards manager uniform resource link, the reward value and the authentication data; and   a network interface configured to connect to the merchant through a network using the personalized uniform resource locator.   
     
     
         8 . The client system according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the personalized uniform resource locator is received from the network and the merchant system obtains from the personalized uniform resource locator, the reward value and the authentication data and reports to a rewards provider system at least one transaction associated with a rewards owner.   
     
     
         9 . The client system according to  claim 7 , wherein the authentication data includes a membership rewards identifier of the cardmember. 
     
     
         10 . The client system according to  claim 7 , wherein the authentication data includes a hash value. 
     
     
         11 . The client system according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the personalized uniform resource locator is received from the network in connection with a merchant website access request, and the merchant system obtains from the personalized uniform resource locator, the reward value and the authentication data, and redirects the merchant website access request to a merchant website server along with the reward value and the membership rewards identifier.   
     
     
         12 . The client system according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the personalized uniform resource locator is received from the network in connection with a merchant website access request; and the merchant system:
 obtains from the personalized uniform resource locator, the reward value and the hash value, 
 retrieves, based on the hash value, a membership rewards identifier, and 
 redirects the merchant website access request to a merchant website server along with the reward value and the membership rewards identifier. 
   
     
     
         13 . A computer-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instruction, the sequences of instruction including instruction which when executed by a computer system causes the computer system to perform:
 receiving, via a user interface, a selection corresponding to a merchant;   retrieving, from a first memory unit, a rewards manager uniform resource locator associated with a rewards manager;   retrieving, from a second memory unit, a reward value associated with at least one of the merchant and a cardmember;   retrieving, from a third memory unit, authentication data associated with the cardmember;   building a personalized uniform resource locator based on the rewards manager uniform resource link, the reward value and the authentication data; and   connecting to the merchant through a network using the personalized uniform resource locator.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 13 , further including a sequence of instruction which when executed by a computer system causes the computer system to perform:
 receiving, from the network, the personalized uniform resource locator;   obtaining from the personalized uniform resource locator, the reward value and the authentication data; and   reporting to a rewards provider system, at least one transaction associated with a rewards owner.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the authentication data includes a membership rewards identifier of the cardmember. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the authentication data includes a hash value. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 13 , further including a sequence of instruction which when executed by a computer system causes the computer system to perform:
 receiving, from the network, the personalized uniform resource locator at a rewards manager in connection with a merchant website access request;   obtaining from the personalized uniform resource locator, the reward value and the authentication data; and   redirecting the merchant website access request to a merchant website server along with the reward value and the membership rewards identifier.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , further including a sequence of instruction which when executed by a computer system causes the computer system to perform:
 receiving, from the network, the personalized uniform resource locator at a rewards manager in connection with a merchant website access request;   obtaining from the personalized uniform resource locator, the reward value and the hash value;   retrieving, based on the hash value, a membership rewards identifier; and   redirecting the merchant website access request to a merchant website server along with the reward value and the membership rewards identifier.