System and method for a multiple merchant stored value card

Abstract

The loyalty system allows a consumer to accumulate general loyalty points from one or more merchants, and convert any desired subset of general points to loyalty dollars associated with a specific merchant. The system stores, for each consumer, the merchant loyalty dollars (or monetary equivalent) by merchant within a remotely-accessible host database or within a smart card database. Upon conducting a purchase at a particular merchant, the consumer may utilize a code key to facilitate access to the consumer's own loyalty dollars for the particular merchant. The loyalty dollars are then applied to the purchase transaction as a discount or rebate. The consumer may also re-load the merchant loyalty dollar accounts.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for conducting a transaction using a single code key, comprising:
 storing, by a computer system, consumer information of a consumer, wherein the consumer information includes a single code key associated with the consumer;   receiving, by the computer system, offer information from a first merchant, wherein the offer information includes one or more criteria for earning general loyalty points with a plurality of merchants and a conversion ratio for converting general loyalty points to merchant-specific loyalty points;   receiving, by the computer system, information indicative of a first transaction between the consumer and a merchant of the plurality of merchants, wherein the information includes the single code key;   authenticating, by the computer system, the single code key against a plurality of single code keys stored in a database of the computer system;   assigning, by the computer system, a first number of general loyalty points to an account of the consumer, wherein the first number is based on the first transaction;   receiving, by the computer system, an electronic request to process a second transaction with a second merchant using merchant-specific loyalty points specific to the second merchant, wherein the electronic request indicates a value associated with the second transaction and the single code key; and   converting, by the computer system, a subset of general loyalty points in the account of the consumer into a number of merchant-specific loyalty points specific to the second merchant according to the conversion ratio, wherein the merchant-specific loyalty points specific to the second merchant are usable by the consumer to complete the second transaction.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the conversion ratio differs for different ones of the plurality of merchants. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 determining, by the computer system, that the number of merchant-specific loyalty points specific to the second merchant is insufficient to complete the second transaction; and   notifying, by the computer system, the consumer that a deficit exists with respect to the second transaction.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the computer system, an electronic request to convert an additional number of general loyalty points into additional merchant-specific loyalty points specific to the second merchant; and   executing the second transaction using the additional merchant-specific loyalty points.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the computer system, notification that the consumer has tendered payment sufficient to satisfy the deficit; and   executing the second transaction using the tendered payment and the merchant-specific loyalty points specific to the second merchant.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more criteria for earning general loyalty points include participation in non-purchase activity. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the non-purchase activity includes interaction by the consumer with Internet-based content. 
     
     
         28 . A system for conducting a transaction using a single code key, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory has stored thereon instructions executable by the system to cause the system to perform operations comprising:   receiving offer information from a first merchant, wherein the offer information includes one or more criteria for earning general loyalty points with a plurality of merchants and a first conversion ratio for converting general loyalty points to merchant-specific loyalty points specific to the first merchant;   receiving information indicative of a first transaction between a consumer and a merchant of the plurality of merchants, wherein the information includes a single code key associated with the consumer;   authenticating the single code key against a plurality of single code keys stored in a database;   storing a record of a first number of general loyalty points within a database record associated with an account of the consumer, wherein the first number is based on the first transaction;   receiving an electronic request to process a second transaction with a second merchant using merchant-specific loyalty points specific to the second merchant, wherein the electronic request indicates a value associated with the second transaction and the single code key; and   converting a subset of general loyalty points in the account of the consumer into a number of merchant-specific loyalty points specific to the second merchant according to a second conversion ratio, wherein the merchant-specific loyalty points specific to the second merchant are usable by the consumer to complete the second transaction.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the first conversion ratio is identical to the second conversion ratio. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 subsequent to receiving the information indicative of the first transaction, identifying one or more awards for which the consumer is eligible dependent upon the first number of general loyalty points; and   notifying the consumer of the one or more awards.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 for a given transaction by a given consumer, in response to failing to authenticate a given single key code provided by the given consumer, requesting additional identifying information from the given consumer.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 for a given transaction by a given consumer, in response to failing to authenticate a given single key code provided by the given consumer, initiating an enrollment process to enroll the given consumer.   
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining that the number of merchant-specific loyalty points specific to the second merchant is insufficient to complete the second transaction; and   receiving an electronic request to convert an additional number of general loyalty points into merchant-specific loyalty points specific to the second merchant.   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the first conversion ratio differs for different consumers based on one of more of: consumer geographical region, prior consumer purchase history, or prior consumer non-purchase activity. 
     
     
         35 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that are executable by a computer system to cause the computer system to perform operations comprising:
 receiving information indicative of a first transaction between a consumer and a first merchant of a plurality of merchants, wherein the information includes a single code key associated with the consumer;   authenticating the single code key against a plurality of single code keys stored in a database of the computer system;   assigning a first number of general loyalty points to an account of the consumer, wherein the first number is based on the first transaction and upon offer information associated with the first merchant, wherein the offer information includes one or more criteria for earning general loyalty points with the plurality of merchants and a first conversion ratio for converting general loyalty points to merchant-specific loyalty points specific to the first merchant;   receiving an electronic request to process a second transaction with a second merchant using merchant-specific loyalty points specific to the second merchant, wherein the electronic request indicates a value associated with the second transaction and the single code key; and   converting a subset of general loyalty points in the account of the consumer into a number of merchant-specific loyalty points specific to the second merchant according to a second conversion ratio, wherein the merchant-specific loyalty points specific to the second merchant are usable by the consumer to complete the second transaction.   
     
     
         36 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 35 , wherein the first conversion ratio differs from the second conversion ratio. 
     
     
         37 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 35 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining that the number of merchant-specific loyalty points specific to the second merchant is insufficient to complete the second transaction;   receiving further information from the consumer; and   dependent on the further information, executing the second transaction.   
     
     
         38 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 37 , wherein the further information comprises an electronic request to convert an additional number of general loyalty points into additional merchant-specific loyalty points specific to the second merchant. 
     
     
         39 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 37 , wherein the further information comprises notification that the consumer has tendered additional payment sufficient to complete the second transaction. 
     
     
         40 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 35 , wherein the one or more criteria for earning general loyalty points include participation in non-purchase activity.