Method And Apparatus For Payment, Return On Investment, And Impact Reporting

Abstract

The unified payment system, product and method provide an effective and efficient way to better communicate to a merchant the value of running a promotion and determine a deal structure that works for the merchant, the customer, the promotion system, or any combination thereof. The unified payment system, product and method provide real-time ROI calculations that a merchant and sales representative can collaboratively simultaneously work on to identify a deal structure for the merchant to select. In this way, the merchant and sales representative may arrive at a mutually acceptable payment plan.

1 - 167 . (canceled) 
     
     
         168 . A method, for monitoring merchant costs associated with a promotion deal structure, comprising:
 receiving at least one merchant cost criteria indicative of one or more attributes of a merchant deal structure;   automatically generating, from at least a historical database, at least one additional merchant cost criteria;   storing a plurality of merchant cost criteria in a merchant deal structure database;   calculating, based on at least the plurality of merchant cost criteria, a first amount indicative of a pay down cost;   calculating, based on at least the plurality of merchant cost criteria, a second amount indicative of a product cost;   automatically updating the merchant deal structure database with at least a plurality merchant costs; and   generating a cost report renderable for display on a user device.   
     
     
         169 . The method of  claim 168 , further comprising:
 calculating, based on at least the plurality of merchant cost criteria, a third amount indicative of a marginal cost; and   calculating, based on at least the plurality of merchant cost criteria, a fourth amount indicative of a marketing service cost.   
     
     
         170 . The method of  claim 168 , wherein the cost report comprises at least a breakdown of all calculated costs and a return rate populated with a predetermined percentage based on a historical analysis of at least one previous promotion. 
     
     
         171 . The method of  claim 168 , wherein the plurality of merchant cost criteria comprises at least a product cost percentage that identifies a variable cost to offer a promotion voucher. 
     
     
         172 . The method of  claim 168 , wherein the plurality of merchant cost criteria further comprises at least one of an additional spending criteria, a repeat customer criteria, a return on investment (ROI) criteria, or a merchant revenue criteria. 
     
     
         173 . The method of  claim 168 , wherein the cost report comprises a graphical consumer interface (GUI) configured for remote off-line customization by an associated merchant or marketing service. 
     
     
         174 . The method of  claim 168 , further comprising:
 providing a promotion forecast using automatically calculated outcomes based on at least one marketing input comprising consumer demographics, historical data, expected profit, expected number of new customers, an indication of the investment spent per new customer, or an indication of a ratio showing an expected return on investment.   
     
     
         175 . An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
 receive at least one merchant cost criteria indicative of one or more attributes of a merchant deal structure;   automatically generate, from at least a historical database, at least one additional merchant cost criteria;   store a plurality of merchant cost criteria in a merchant deal structure database;   calculate, based on at least the plurality of merchant cost criteria, a first amount indicative of a pay down cost;   calculate, based on at least the plurality of merchant cost criteria, a second amount indicative of a product cost;   automatically update the merchant deal structure database with at least a plurality merchant costs; and   generate a cost report renderable for display on a user device.   
     
     
         176 . The apparatus of  claim 175 , further caused to:
 calculate, based on at least the plurality of merchant cost criteria, a third amount indicative of a marginal cost; and   calculate, based on at least the plurality of merchant cost criteria, a fourth amount indicative of a marketing service cost.   
     
     
         177 . The apparatus of  claim 175 , wherein the cost report comprises at least a breakdown of all calculated costs and a return rate populated with a predetermined percentage based on a historical analysis of at least one previous promotion. 
     
     
         178 . The apparatus of  claim 175 , wherein the plurality of merchant cost criteria comprises at least a product cost percentage that identifies a variable cost to offer a promotion voucher. 
     
     
         179 . The apparatus of  claim 175 , wherein the plurality of merchant cost criteria further comprises at least one of an additional spending criteria, a repeat customer criteria, a return on investment (ROI) criteria, or a merchant revenue criteria. 
     
     
         180 . The apparatus of  claim 175 , wherein the cost report comprises a graphical consumer interface (GUI) configured for remote off-line customization by an associated merchant or marketing service. 
     
     
         181 . The apparatus of  claim 175 , further caused to:
 provide a promotion forecast using automatically calculated outcomes based on at least one marketing input comprising consumer demographics, historical data, expected profit, expected number of new customers, an indication of the investment spent per new customer, or an indication of a ratio showing an expected return on investment.   
     
     
         182 . A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory storage medium for storing computer program code, that, when executed by an apparatus, cause the apparatus to:
 receive at least one merchant cost criteria indicative of one or more attributes of a merchant deal structure;   automatically generate, from at least a historical database, at least one additional merchant cost criteria;   store a plurality of merchant cost criteria in a merchant deal structure database;   calculate, based on at least the plurality of merchant cost criteria, a first amount indicative of a pay down cost;   calculate, based on at least the plurality of merchant cost criteria, a second amount indicative of a product cost;   automatically update the merchant deal structure database with at least a plurality merchant costs; and   generate a cost report renderable for display on a user device.   
     
     
         183 . The computer program product of  claim 182 , further caused to:
 calculate, based on at least the plurality of merchant cost criteria, a third amount indicative of a marginal cost;   calculate, based on at least the plurality of merchant cost criteria, a fourth amount indicative of a marketing service cost; and   provide a promotion forecast using automatically calculated outcomes based on at least one marketing input comprising consumer demographics, historical data, expected profit, expected number of new customers, an indication of the investment spent per new customer, or an indication of a ratio showing an expected return on investment.   
     
     
         184 . The computer program product of  claim 182 , wherein the cost report comprises at least a breakdown of all calculated costs and a return rate populated with a predetermined percentage based on a historical analysis of at least one previous promotion. 
     
     
         185 . The computer program product of  claim 182 , wherein the plurality of merchant cost criteria comprises at least a product cost percentage that identifies a variable cost to offer a promotion voucher. 
     
     
         186 . The computer program product of  claim 182 , wherein the plurality of merchant cost criteria further comprises at least one of an additional spending criteria, a repeat customer criteria, a return on investment (ROI) criteria, or a merchant revenue criteria. 
     
     
         187 . The computer program product of  claim 182 , wherein the cost report comprises a graphical consumer interface (GUI) configured for remote off-line customization by an associated merchant or marketing service.