System and method for incentives

Abstract

The invention relates generally to systems and methods for the non-public creation, distribution and redemption of incentive offers. More particularly, the system and method generates incentives based on parameters selectable by merchants. The system and method constructs non-public incentive offers that are delivered to one or more program registrants satisfying a designated targeting profile and associated with one or more electronic payment instruments. Incentive offers may be redeemed confidentiality by the program registrant tendering an electronic payment instrument satisfying the parameters of the incentive offer. The invention further relates to systems and methods for participants to exert control over the volume and kind of incentives received through the system and by third party entities.

1 - 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including program code, the at least one memory and the program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:
 obtain user activity data associated with a user profile;   determine, based on the user activity data, that a target period is associated with a travel pattern to a destination region;   determine selected promotional data for the user profile, wherein the selected promotional data define one or more selected promotional data objects associated with the target period and the destination region; and   cause the user profile to gain access to the one or more selected promotional data objects during the target period.   
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the user activity data comprises historical travel data associated with the user profile. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein the historical travel data is determined based on external data obtained from a travel registration database. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the user activity data comprises real-time location data associated with the user profile. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein determining that the target period is associated with the travel pattern comprises:
 determining, based on the user activity data, a source region associated with the user profile prior to the target period;   determining, based on the user activity data, the destination region as a current region associated with the user profile during the target period;   determining whether the source region is outside a threshold geographic distance from the source region; and   in response to determining that the source region is outside the threshold geographic distance from the source region, determining that the target period is associated with the travel pattern.   
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein causing the user profile to gain access to the one or more selected promotional data objects during the target period comprises transmitting the one or more selected promotional data objects to a user device associated with the user profile. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein causing the user profile to gain access to the one or more selected promotional data objects during the target period comprises:
 identifying, based on transactional data associated with the user profile, one or more qualified transactions that correspond to the one or more selected promotional data objects; and   performing one or more refund transactions configured to redeem the one or more selected promotional data objects.   
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein the one or more refund transactions are performed subsequent to completion of the one or more refund transactions. 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein determining the selected promotional data comprises:
 determining, based on historical purchase data associated with the user profile, one or more purchase patterns; and   determining the one or more selected promotional data objects based on the historical purchase data.   
     
     
         44 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 obtaining user activity data associated with a user profile;   determining, based on the user activity data, that a target period is associated with a travel pattern to a destination region;   determining selected promotional data for the user profile, wherein the selected promotional data define one or more selected promotional data objects associated with the target period and the destination region; and   causing the user profile to gain access to the one or more selected promotional data objects during the target period.   
     
     
         45 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 44 , wherein the user activity data comprises historical travel data associated with the user profile. 
     
     
         46 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 44 , wherein the user activity data comprises real-time location data associated with the user profile. 
     
     
         47 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 46 , wherein determining that the target period is associated with the travel pattern comprises:
 determining, based on the user activity data, a source region associated with the user profile prior to the target period;   determining, based on the user activity data, the destination region as a current region associated with the user profile during the target period;   determining whether the source region is outside a threshold geographic distance from the source region; and   in response to determining that the source region is outside the threshold geographic distance from the source region, determining that the target period is associated with the travel pattern.   
     
     
         48 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 44 , wherein causing the user profile to gain access to the one or more selected promotional data objects during the target period comprises transmitting the one or more selected promotional data objects to a user device associated with the user profile. 
     
     
         49 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 44 , wherein causing the user profile to gain access to the one or more selected promotional data objects during the target period comprises:
 identifying, based on transactional data associated with the user profile, one or more qualified transactions that correspond to the one or more selected promotional data objects; and   performing one or more refund transactions configured to redeem the one or more selected promotional data objects.   
     
     
         50 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 44 , wherein determining the selected promotional data comprises:
 determining, based on historical purchase data associated with the user profile, one or more purchase patterns; and   determining the one or more selected promotional data objects based on the historical purchase data.   
     
     
         51 . A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions configured to:
 obtain user activity data associated with a user profile;   determine, based on the user activity data, that a target period is associated with a travel pattern to a destination region;   determine selected promotional data for the user profile, wherein the selected promotional data define one or more selected promotional data objects associated with the target period and the destination region; and   cause the user profile to gain access to the one or more selected promotional data objects during the target period.   
     
     
         52 . The computer program product of  claim 51 , wherein the user activity data comprises historical travel data associated with the user profile. 
     
     
         53 . The computer program product of  claim 52 , wherein the user activity data comprises real-time location data associated with the user profile. 
     
     
         54 . The computer program product of  claim 53 , wherein determining that the target period is associated with the travel pattern comprises:
 determining, based on the user activity data, a source region associated with the user profile prior to the target period;   determining, based on the user activity data, the destination region as a current region associated with the user profile during the target period;   determining whether the source region is outside a threshold geographic distance from the source region; and   in response to determining that the source region is outside the threshold geographic distance from the source region, determining that the target period is associated with the travel pattern.