Method and apparatus for generating a sale offer over an electronic network system

Abstract

Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for presenting sale offers over an electronic network system. In one implementation, a system is provided that comprises at least one network-communications interface that receives at least one offer for a good or service from a third party and an acceptance of the at least one offer from at least one of a plurality of user devices over a communications network. The system also includes at least one processor that executes a set of instructions to electronically present, over a communications network, the at least one offer to the plurality of user devices, wherein the at least one offer is presented at a time unpredictable to each user of each of the plurality of user devices and can only be accepted before the expiration of a limited duration that is preset according to a length of time or a quantity of goods or services.

1 - 61 . (canceled) 
     
     
         62 . A system the comprising:
 at least one network-communications interface that receives (i) at least one offer for a good or service from a third party and (ii) an acceptance of the at least one offer from at least one of a plurality of user devices over a communications network;   at least one processor that executes a set of instructions; and   at least one computer-readable medium that stores the set of instructions, the set of instructions being executable by the at least one processor to:
 electronically present, over the communications network, the at least one offer to the plurality of user devices, wherein the at least one offer is presented at a time unpredictable to each user of each of the plurality of user devices and can only be accepted before the expiration of a limited duration that is set according to a length of time or a quantity of goods or services; 
 determine whether the acceptance was received from the at least one user device before the expiration of the limited duration; and 
 if the acceptance was received before the expiration of the limited duration, sending, over the communications network using the at least one network-communications interface, a unique identifier to the at least one user device to enable delivery of the good or service by the third party. 
   
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 62 , wherein the unique identifier is sent after payment information is accepted or processed. 
     
     
         64 . The system of  claim 62 , wherein the set of instructions further cause the at least one processor to:
 electronically present the at least one offer to the plurality of user devices based upon targeting information.   
     
     
         65 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein the targeting information comprises profile information. 
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 62 , further comprising a database that stores tracking data for each of the users. 
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 66 , wherein the tracking data comprises the unique identifier and a timestamp. 
     
     
         68 . The system of  claim 62 , wherein the plurality of user devices comprise one or more of a computer, an interactive TV device, a wireless phone, and a personal digital assistant (PDA). 
     
     
         69 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving, by a server including at least one processor, at least one offer for a good or service from a third party;   electronically presenting, by the server and over a communications network, the at least one offer to a plurality of user devices, wherein the at least one offer is presented at a time unpredictable to each user of each of the plurality of user devices and can only be accepted before the expiration of a limited duration that is preset according to a length of time or a quantity of goods or services;   receiving, by the server and over the communications network, an acceptance of the at least one offer from at least one of the plurality of user devices;   determining, by the server, whether the acceptance was received from the at least one user device before the expiration of the limited duration; and   if the acceptance was received before the expiration of the limited duration, sending, over the communications network, a unique identifier for the at least one user device to enable delivery of the good or service by the third party.   
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 69 , wherein the unique identifier is sent after payment information is accepted or processed. 
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 69 , wherein electronically presenting the at least one offer to the plurality of user devices is based upon targeting information. 
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 71 , wherein the targeting information comprises profile information. 
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 69 , further comprising:
 storing, in a database, tracking data for each of the users.   
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 73 , wherein the tracking data comprises the unique identifier and a timestamp. 
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 69 , wherein the plurality of user devices comprise one or more of a computer, an interactive TV device, a wireless phone, and a personal digital assistant (PDA). 
     
     
         76 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, perform a method comprising:
 receiving at least one offer for a good or service from a third party;   electronically presenting, over a communications network, the at least one offer to a plurality of user devices, wherein the at least one offer is presented at a time unpredictable to each user of each of the plurality of user devices and can only be accepted before the expiration of a limited duration that is preset according to a length of time or a quantity of goods or services;   receiving, over the communications network, an acceptance of the at least one offer from at least one of the plurality of user devices;   determining whether the acceptance was received from the at least one user device before the expiration of the limited duration; and   if the acceptance was received before the expiration of the limited duration, sending, over the communications network, a unique identifier for the at least one user device to enable delivery of the good or service by the third party.   
     
     
         77 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 76 , wherein the unique identifier is sent after payment information is accepted or processed. 
     
     
         78 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 76 , wherein the method performed by the one or more processors further comprises:
 electronically presenting the at least one offer to the plurality of user devices based upon targeting information.   
     
     
         79 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 78 , wherein the targeting information comprises profile information. 
     
     
         80 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 76 , wherein the method performed by the one or more processors further comprises:
 storing, in a database, tracking data for each of the users.   
     
     
         81 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 80 , wherein the tracking data comprises the unique identifier and a timestamp. 
     
     
         82 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 76 , wherein the plurality of user devices comprise one or more of a computer, an interactive TV device, a wireless phone, and a personal digital assistant (PDA). 
     
     
         83 . A mobile device comprising:
 a display;   a communications interface;   at least one processor; and   a computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions that are executed by the at least one processor to:
 receive, by the communications interface, at least one offer for a good or service from a third party; 
 electronically present the at least one offer on the display at a time unpredictable to the user of the mobile device, wherein the at least one offer can only be accepted before the expiration of a limited duration that is preset according to a length of time or a quantity of goods or services; 
 accept the at least one offer before the expiration of the limited duration; and 
 receiving a unique identifier to enable delivery of the good or service by the third party. 
   
     
     
         84 . The mobile device of  claim 83 , wherein the set of instructions are further executed by the at least one processor to:
 electronically present, on the display, a pop-up notification including information concerning the offer.   
     
     
         85 . The mobile device of  claim 83 , wherein the set of instructions are further executed by the at least one processor to:
 electronically present, on the display, a banner notification including information concerning the offer.