Method and apparatus for facilitating electronic commerce through providing cross-benefits during a transaction

Abstract

Accordingly some embodiments, a merchant server receives an indication of acceptance by a customer of an offer for a subsidy from a second merchant of a purchase of at least one item from a first merchant. The customer agrees to participate in an additional transaction with the second merchant in exchange for having the subsidy applied against the purchase from the first merchant. In one embodiment, after selling the at least one item to the customer, the merchant server determines that the customer did not participate in an additional transaction with the second merchant as the customer agreed to, and assesses a penalty against the customer.

1 . A method comprising:
 transmitting, by a web server to a customer, an indication of at least one item;   transmitting, by the web server to the customer, an indication of a first cost to the customer for the at least one item;   receiving, by the web server, an indication that the customer is ready to purchase the at least one item from a first merchant;   determining, by the web server, in response to the received indication and before the at least one item is purchased by the customer, a second cost to the customer for the at least one item based on a reduction amount, the second cost being less than the first cost;   transmitting, by the web server, in response to the received indication and before the at least one item is purchased by the customer, an offer of a second merchant to reduce the first cost to the second cost in exchange for the customer agreeing to sign up for a service with the second merchant, the offer including at least one of an indication of the second cost and an indication of the reduction amount;   receiving, by the web server, an indication that the customer accepts the offer of the second merchant and agrees to sign up for a service with the second merchant; and   selling the at least one item to the customer.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining by the web server that the customer did not sign up for a service with the second merchant as the customer agreed to; and   in response to determining that the customer did not sign up for a service with the second merchant as the customer agreed to, assessing by the web server a penalty against the customer.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , in which transmitting the offer comprises transmitting to the customer a web page including
 a first selectable web page element associated with a first option for the customer to pay the first cost for the at least one item, and   a second selectable web page element associated with a second option for the customer to receive an offer to reduce the first cost to the second cost.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the service comprises a credit card service. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , in which receiving the indication that the customer is ready to purchase the at least one item from a first merchant comprises:
 receiving an indication that the customer initiated a checkout process to consummate purchase of the at least one item from the first merchant.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 automatically selecting the offer from a database that includes a plurality of offers.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the web server, customer information from the customer; and   verifying accuracy of the customer information,   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , in which assessing the penalty against the customer comprises charging the customer the first cost for the at least one item without applying the reduction amount. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor, and   a data storage device in communication with the processor, the data storage device storing instructions configured to direct the processor to:
 transmit to a customer an indication of at least one item; 
 transmit to the customer an indication of a first cost to the customer for the at least one item; 
 receive an indication that the customer is ready to purchase the at least one item from a first merchant; 
 determine, in response to the received indication and before the at least one item is purchased by the customer, a second cost to the customer for the at least one item based on a reduction amount, the second cost being less than the first cost; 
 transmit, in response to the received indication and before the at least one item is purchased by the customer, an offer of a second merchant to reduce the first cost to the second cost in exchange for the customer agreeing to sign up for a service with the second merchant, the offer including at least one of an indication of the second cost and an indication of the reduction amount; 
 receive an indication that the customer accepts the offer of the second merchant and agrees to participate in an additional transaction sign up for a service with the second merchant; and 
 sell the at least one item to the customer. 
   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , the instructions being configured to direct the processor to:
 determine that the customer did not sign up for a service with the second merchant as the customer agreed to; and   in response to determining that the customer did not sign up for a service with the second merchant as the customer agreed to, assess by the web server a penalty against the customer.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , in which assessing the penalty against the customer comprises charging the customer the first cost for the at least one item without applying the reduction amount. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , in which transmitting the offer comprises transmitting to the customer a web page including
 a first selectable web page element associated with a first option for the customer to pay the first cost for the at least one item, and   a second selectable web page element associated with a second option for the customer to receive an offer to reduce the first cost to the second cost.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , in which the service comprises a credit card service. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , in which receiving the indication that the customer is ready to purchase the at least one item from a first merchant comprises:
 receiving an indication that the customer initiated a checkout process to consummate purchase of the at least one item from the first merchant.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , the instructions being configured to direct the processor to:
 automatically select the offer from a database that includes a plurality of offers.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , the instructions being configured to direct the processor to:
 receive, by the web server, customer information from the customer; and   verify accuracy of the customer information.