Transaction Split Fees

Abstract

A transaction fee imposed by a payment provider may be allocated between the parties to an on-line transaction in any way and at any time. This adds flexibility to the transaction and allows the parties to allocate the transaction fee on a per transaction basis that best suits the parties.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus of a payment provider, comprising:
 one or more processors;   a memory adapted to store a plurality of machine-readable instructions wherein the memory is executed by the one or more processors to:
 receive transaction data for an on-line transaction between at least a first party and a second party; 
 identify a transaction fee for the on-line transaction; 
 provide the transaction fee to at least the first party and the second party to permit at least the first party and the second party to negotiate a split amount for the transaction fee during a checkout process; 
 receive from either party a proposal or a modification of the split amount for the transaction fee; 
 receive from all parties an agreement on the split amount; and 
 process a payment request based on the transaction data and the split amount. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first party is a payer and the second party is a payee. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the transaction fee is received by the payment provider from the payee. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction fee is determined by the payment provider. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction fee is variable and depends on the transaction data for the on-line transaction. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the transaction fee depends on a funding source of the first party and wherein the first party is a payer. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the split amount is proposed by the payment provider. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the memory is further executed by the one or more processors to:
 provide payment information based on the proposal or the modification of the split amount and the transaction data to at least the first party and the second party.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein split amount is split between the first party, the second party, and at least a third party. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the memory is further executed by the one or more processors to:
 allocate credits to or debits from the first party, the second party, and the at least third party based in part on the split amount.   
     
     
         11 . A method of performing on-line payments, comprising:
 receiving, by a processing computer of a payment provider, transaction data for an on-line transaction between at least a first party and a second party;   identifying, by the processing computer, a transaction fee for the on-line transaction;   providing, by the processing computer, the transaction fee to at least the first party and the second party to permit at least the first party and the second party to negotiate a split amount for the transaction fee during a checkout process;   receiving from either party a proposal or a modification of the split amount for the transaction fee;   receiving from all parties an agreement on a split amount; and   processing a payment request based on the transaction data and the split amount.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said identifying by the processing computer a transaction fee comprises receiving by the processing computer the transaction fee from either party. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the transaction fee is determined by the processing computer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the transaction fee is variable and depends on the transaction data for the on-line transaction. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the transaction fee depends on a funding source of the first party and wherein the first party is a payer. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the split amount is proposed by the processing computer. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 providing, by the processing computer, payment information based on the proposal or the modification of the split amount and the transaction data to at least the first party and the second party.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the split amount is split between the first party, the second party, and at least a third party. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said processing a payment request further comprises allocating credits to or debits from the first party, the second party, and the at least third party based in part on the split amount. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a server are adapted to cause the server to perform a method, the method comprising:
 receiving transaction data for an on-line transaction between at least a first party and a second party;   identifying a transaction fee for the on-line transaction;   providing the transaction fee to at least the first party and the second party to permit at least the first party and the second party to negotiate a split amount for the transaction fee during a checkout process;   receiving from either party a proposal or a modification of the split amount for the transaction fee;   receiving from all parties an agreement on a split amount; and   processing a payment request based on the transaction data and the split amount.