System for Online Sales With Automatic Rebate and Coupon Redemption

Abstract

An online sales/automatic rebate and coupon redemption system provides online customers automatic retrieval and redemption of all applicable rebates and coupons during purchase. Purchase orders from customers are selectively fulfilled and products are shipped to the customers either by the system for online sales with automatic rebate and coupon redemption or by other merchant or manufacturer environments. The system purchases from merchants using applicable coupons and rebates and then sells the products to the customers, passing the savings to them. The system makes it possible to automatically retrieve coupons and rebates for items in a shopping cart during the activity of an online purchase at an electronic mall or an online merchant site. The system provides coupons to potential customers via email, based on customer profile, geographical information, etc. Manufacturers and merchants can update coupon value and content based on ongoing sales and volume of customer activity.

1 . A promotion system comprising:
 a server that supports promotion services between a plurality of sellers and a plurality of buyers in a communication network;   said server receives for each of the plurality of sellers, seller input creating a promotion offer, the seller input comprising an identification of a plurality of parameters that define the promotion offer;   said server hosts each promotion offer created;   said server delivers via the communication network to each of a plurality of buyer's computers, a buyer interface that displays one or more hosted promotion offers;   said server receives a from a given buyer of the plurality of buyers, via a buyer interface and the communication network, a selection of one of the hosted promotion offers associated with a given good, service and/or a seller;   said server identifies additional promotion offers related to the selection by the given buyer; and   said server causes display on the given buyer's computer, the additional promotion offers.   
     
     
         2 . The promotion system of  claim 1 , wherein the server identifies the additional promotion offers based on goods, services and/or sellers that are one or more of: similar to the given good, service and/or seller, from the same seller of the given good and/or service, from a different seller than that of the given good and/or service, in the same product, service and/or seller category as the given good, service and/or seller, and associated with the given good, service and/or seller. 
     
     
         3 . The promotion system of  claim 1 , wherein said server delivers a seller interface via the communication network to each of a plurality of seller's computers, for receiving the seller input creating the promotion offer. 
     
     
         4 . The promotion system of  claim 3 , wherein the seller interface comprises one or more web pages and the buyer interface comprises one or more web pages. 
     
     
         5 . The promotion system of  claim 1 , wherein said server constructs, for each promotion offer created, a visual representation of the promotion offer based on the corresponding plurality of parameters. 
     
     
         6 . The promotion system of  claim 5 , wherein the buyer interface displays one or more constructed visual representations corresponding to one or more hosted promotion offers. 
     
     
         7 . The promotion system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of parameters comprises an amount or value of a promotion offer and one or more goods and/or services associated with the promotion offer. 
     
     
         8 . The promotion system of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of parameters comprises
 a quantity of the promotion offer.   
     
     
         9 . The promotion system of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of parameters comprises one or more geographical regions to which the promotion offer applies. 
     
     
         10 . The promotion system of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of parameters comprises a time limit or expiration date of the promotion offer. 
     
     
         11 . The promotion system of  claim 1 , wherein the buyer interface comprises one or more web pages. 
     
     
         12 . The promotion system of  claim 1 , wherein the server communicates a coupon corresponding to a given promotion offer to a buyer's computer, for purchase of an associated good and/or service at a local store. 
     
     
         13 . The promotion system of  claim 1 , wherein the server generates a buyer interface for a given buyer of the plurality of buyers based on a profile created by the given buyer. 
     
     
         14 . The promotion system of  claim 13 , wherein the buyer interface comprises an email. 
     
     
         15 . The promotion system of  claim 13 , wherein the server automatically updates the profile of a given buyer based on a transaction history of the given buyer. 
     
     
         16 . The promotion system of  claim 1 , wherein the server generates a buyer interface for a given buyer of the plurality of buyers based on a transaction history of the given buyer. 
     
     
         17 . The promotion system of  claim 1 , wherein the server categorizes the hosted promotion offers into categories based on one or more of goods, services and/or sellers. 
     
     
         18 . The promotion system of  claim 17 , wherein the server presents the categories to a given buyer via the buyer interface and the communication network. 
     
     
         19 . The promotion system of  claim 18 , wherein the buyer interface comprises a web interface that enables the given buyer to browse through the categories. 
     
     
         20 . The promotion system of  claim 1 , wherein the server comprises a search engine that enables a given buyer to utilize search terms to locate one or more promotion offers from a plurality of hosted promotion offers. 
     
     
         21 . A promotion system comprising:
 a server that supports promotion services between a plurality of sellers and a plurality of buyers in a communication network;   said server receives seller input creating a promotion offer, the seller input comprising an identification of a plurality of parameters that define the promotion offer;   said server hosts each promotion offer created;   said server delivers via the communication network to each of a plurality of buyer's computers, a buyer interface that displays one or more hosted promotion offers;   said server receives a from a given buyer of the plurality of buyers, via a buyer interface and the communication network, a selection of one of the hosted promotion offers associated with a given good, service and/or a seller;   said server receives from the given buyer, via the buyer interface and the communication network, input concluding a transaction associated with the selection; and   said server causes presentation on the given buyer's computer, of one or more additional promotion offers that can be used with one or more additional transactions.   
     
     
         22 . The promotion system of  claim 21 , wherein said server delivers a seller interface via the communication network to each of a plurality of seller's computers, for receiving the seller input creating the promotion offer. 
     
     
         23 . The promotion system of  claim 22 , wherein the seller interface comprises one or more web pages and the buyer interface comprises one or more web pages. 
     
     
         24 . The promotion system of  claim 21 , wherein said server constructs, for each promotion offer created, a visual representation of the promotion offer based on the corresponding plurality of parameters. 
     
     
         25 . The promotion system of  claim 24 , wherein the buyer interface displays one or more constructed visual representations corresponding to one or more hosted promotion offers. 
     
     
         26 . The promotion system of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of parameters comprises an amount or value of a promotion offer and one or more goods and/or services associated with the promotion offer. 
     
     
         27 . The promotion system of  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of parameters comprises a quantity of the promotion offer. 
     
     
         28 . The promotion system of  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of parameters comprises one or more geographical regions to which the promotion offer applies. 
     
     
         29 . The promotion system of  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of parameters comprises a time limit or expiration date of the promotion offer. 
     
     
         30 . The promotion system of  claim 21 , wherein the buyer interface comprises one or more web pages. 
     
     
         31 . The promotion system of  claim 21 , wherein the server communicates a coupon corresponding to a given promotion offer to a buyer's computer, for purchase of an associated good and/or service at a local store. 
     
     
         32 . The promotion system of  claim 21 , wherein the server generates a buyer interface for a given buyer of the plurality of buyers based on a profile created by the given buyer. 
     
     
         33 . The promotion system of  claim 32 , wherein the buyer interface comprises an email. 
     
     
         34 . The promotion system of  claim 32 , wherein the server automatically updates the profile of a given buyer based on a transaction history of the given buyer. 
     
     
         35 . The promotion system of  claim 21 , wherein the server generates a buyer interface for a given buyer of the plurality of buyers based on a transaction history of the given buyer. 
     
     
         36 . The promotion system of  claim 21 , wherein the server categorizes the hosted promotion offers into categories based on one or more of goods, services and/or sellers. 
     
     
         37 . The promotion system of  claim 36 , wherein the server presents the categories to a given buyer via the buyer interface and the communication network. 
     
     
         38 . The promotion system of  claim 37 , wherein the buyer interface comprises a web interface that enables the given buyer to browse through the categories. 
     
     
         39 . The promotion system of  claim 21 , wherein the server comprises a search engine that enables a given buyer to utilize search terms to locate one or more promotion offers from a plurality of hosted promotion offers. 
     
     
         40 . A method performed by a promotion system that supports promotion services between a plurality of sellers and a plurality of buyers in a communication network, the method comprising:
 receiving from each of the plurality of sellers, seller input creating a promotion offer, the seller input comprising an identification of a plurality of parameters that define the promotion offer;   hosting each promotion offer created;   delivering via the communication network to each of a plurality of buyer's computers, a buyer interface that presents one or more hosted promotion offers;   receiving from a given buyer of the plurality of buyers, via the buyer interface and the communication network, a selection of one of the hosted promotion offers associated with a given good, service and/or a seller;   identifying additional promotion offers related to the selection by the given buyer; and   causing display on the given buyer's computer, the additional promotion offers.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , comprising identifying the additional promotion offers based on goods, services and/or sellers that are one or more of: similar to the given good, service and/or seller, from the same seller of the given good and/or service, from a different seller than that of the given good and/or service, in the same product, service and/or seller category as the given good, service and/or seller, and associated with the given good, service and/or seller. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40 , comprising delivering a seller interface via the communication network to each of a plurality of seller's computers. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the seller interface comprises one or more web pages and the buyer interface comprises one or more web pages. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 40 , comprising constructing, for each promotion offer created, a visual representation of the promotion offer based on the corresponding plurality of parameters. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , comprising causing display on a given buyer's computer, of one or more constructed visual representations corresponding to one or more hosted promotion offers. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the plurality of parameters comprises an amount or value of a promotion offer and one or more goods and/or services associated with the promotion offer. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the plurality of parameters comprises a quantity of the promotion offer. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the plurality of parameters comprises one or more geographical regions to which the promotion offer applies. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the plurality of parameters comprises a time limit or expiration date of the promotion offer. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the buyer interface comprises one or more web pages. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 40 , comprising communicating a coupon corresponding to a given promotion offer to a buyer's computer via the communication network, for purchase of an associated good and/or service at a local store. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 40 , comprising generating a buyer interface for a given buyer of the plurality of buyers based on a profile created by the given buyer. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the buyer interface comprises an email. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 52 , comprising automatically updating the profile of a given buyer based on a transaction history of the given buyer. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 40 , comprising generating a buyer interface for a given buyer of the plurality of buyers based on a transaction history of the given buyer. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 40 , comprising categorizing the hosted promotion offers into categories based on one or more of goods, services and/or sellers. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56 , presenting the categories to a given buyer via the buyer interface and the communication network. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the buyer interface comprises a web interface that enables the given buyer to browse through the categories. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 40 , comprising receiving one or more search terms via the communication network from a given buyer, and based on the one or more search terms, locating one or more promotion offers from a plurality of hosted promotion offers. 
     
     
         60 . A method performed by a promotion system that supports promotion services between a plurality of sellers and a plurality of buyers in a communication network, the method comprising:
 receiving from each of the plurality of sellers, seller input creating a promotion offer, the seller input comprising an identification of a plurality of parameters that define the promotion offer;   hosting each promotion offer created;   delivering via the communication network to each of a plurality of buyer's computers, a buyer interface that presents one or more hosted promotion offers;   receiving from a given buyer of the plurality of buyers, via the buyer interface and the communication network, a selection of one of the hosted promotion offers associated with a given good, service and/or a seller;   receiving from the given buyer, via the buyer interface and the communication network, input concluding a transaction associated with the selection; and   causing presentation on the given buyer's computer, of one or more additional promotion offers that can be used with one or more additional transactions.   
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60 , comprising delivering a seller interface via the communication network to each of a plurality of seller's computers. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the seller interface comprises one or more web pages and the buyer interface comprises one or more web pages. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 60 , comprising constructing, for each promotion offer created, a visual representation of the promotion offer based on the corresponding plurality of parameters. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63 , comprising causing display on a given buyer's computer, of one or more constructed visual representations corresponding to one or more hosted promotion offers. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the plurality of parameters comprises an amount or value of a promotion offer and one or more goods and/or services associated with the promotion offer. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the plurality of parameters comprises a quantity of the promotion offer. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the plurality of parameters comprises one or more geographical regions to which the promotion offer applies. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the plurality of parameters comprises a time limit or expiration date of the promotion offer. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the buyer interface comprises one or more web pages. 
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 60 , comprising communicating a coupon corresponding to a given promotion offer to a buyer's computer via the communication network, for purchase of an associated good and/or service at a local store. 
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 60 , comprising generating a buyer interface for a given buyer of the plurality of buyers based on a profile created by the given buyer. 
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 71 , wherein the buyer interface comprises an email. 
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 71 , comprising automatically updating the profile of a given buyer based on a transaction history of the given buyer. 
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 60 , comprising generating a buyer interface for a given buyer of the plurality of buyers based on a transaction history of the given buyer. 
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 60 , comprising categorizing the hosted promotion offers into categories based on one or more of goods, services and/or sellers. 
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 75 , presenting the categories to a given buyer via the buyer interface and the communication network. 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 76 , wherein the buyer interface comprises a web interface that enables the given buyer to browse through the categories. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 60 , comprising receiving one or more search terms via the communication network from a given buyer, and based on the one or more search terms, locating one or more promotion offers from a plurality of hosted promotion offers.