Consumer booking availability engine

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer program product are disclosed for receiving redemption selections from a consumer and scheduling redemption of a promotion. The method includes presenting one or more promotions for products or services offered by a merchant, and receiving an indication of a selection, by a consumer, of a promotion from the one or more promotions. The method further includes presenting one or more time slots based on predicted booking limits of a set of time slots including the one or more time slots, receiving a selection of a time slot from the one or more time slots, determining merchant time slot availability for the selected time slot, and scheduling a time slot for redeeming the promotion based on the determined merchant time slot availability. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also provided.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving, by a communications module of a promotional server of a promotion and marketing service, a consumer selection of a selected promotion for a products or service offered by a merchant;   querying, by the promotional server, a promotion database to identify one or more time slots at which the selected promotion is offered by the merchant;   determining, by a booking optimization module of the promotional server, an optimal predicted booking limit for each of the one or more time slots based at least in part on a hidden demand for each time slot,
 wherein determining the optimal predicted booking limit for each time slot in the set of time slots comprises increasing, by the booking optimization module of the promotional server, an initial booking limit for the time slot in an instance in which a complement of a ratio of a slot revenue value to a slot penalty value exceeds the hidden demand for the time slot, wherein the slot penalty value represents a cost associated with scheduling an unavailable time slot from the one or more time slots for redeeming the promotion; 
   based at least in part on the optimal predicted booking limit for at least a portion of the one or more time slots, identifying, by a time slot management module of the promotional server, the at least a portion of the one or more time slots as predicted available time slots;   generating, by the communications module of the promotion server, a consumer scheduling interface comprising one or more selectable schedule indicators corresponding at least in part to the one or more predicted available time slots, wherein generating the consumer scheduling interface comprises causing the consumer scheduling interface to be presented at the consumer device;   receiving, by the communications module of the promotional server and via the consumer promotion interface, consumer input data comprising an indication of one or more of the predicted available time slots at which the consumer seeks to redeem the promotion;   determining, by the booking optimization module of the promotional server, a merchant time slot availability for at least a portion of the one or more predicted available time slots corresponding to the consumer input data based at least in part on the optimal predicted booking limit for the one or more predicted available time slots; and   scheduling, by the time slot management module of the promotional server, a redemption time slot for redeeming the promotion based on the merchant time slot availability.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the optimal predicted booking limit for each of the one or more time slots comprises a prediction of a maximum number of bookings that may be scheduled by the promotion and marketing service for a time slot for a promotion, and wherein the hidden demand for each of the one or more time slots comprises a prediction of an unknown reserved number of external bookings for the respective time slot that have been placed from sources outside the promotion and marketing service. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more selectable schedule indicators of the consumer scheduling interface comprise one or more selectable time slots corresponding to one or more of the predicted available time slots, and wherein the consumer input data comprises a selection of a selected time slot for which the consumer seeks to redeem the promotion. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , the one or more selectable schedule indicators of the consumer scheduling interface comprise a plurality of ranking fields corresponding to the one or more predicted available time slots, wherein the consumer input data further comprises a plurality time slot rankings received via the plurality of ranking fields of the consumer scheduling interface, the plurality time slot rankings being indicative of relative consumer preference associated with one or more of the predicted available time slots. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the consumer scheduling interface comprises a calendar wherein the one or more selectable schedule indicators comprise selectable contiguous dates, wherein the calendar is responsive to consumer input via the consumer device,
 wherein the consumer input data comprises a time window within which a consumer seeks to redeem the promotion, and   wherein determining the merchant time slot availability for the at least a portion of the one or more predicted available time slots corresponding to the consumer input data comprises determining the merchant time slot availability for a set of time slots within the time window.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising issuing, to the consumer device, a voucher for redeeming the promotion at the redemption time slot. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising initiating an electronic funds transfer for the promotion in response to issuing the voucher. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein, in an instance in which none of the one or more predicted available time slots corresponding to the consumer input data are available, identifying the predicted available time slots comprises:
 generating, by the communications module of the promotional server for display at the consumer device, an alternative scheduling interface comprising one or more selectable schedule indicators corresponding at least in part to one or more alternative time slots of the predicted available time slots, wherein generating the alternative scheduling interface comprises causing the alternative scheduling interface to be presented at the consumer device;   receiving, by the communications module of the promotional server and via the consumer promotion interface, second consumer input data comprising an indication of one or more of the alternative time slots at which the consumer seeks to redeem the promotion.   
     
     
         10 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to:   receive, by a communications module of a promotional server of a promotion and marketing service, a consumer selection of a selected promotion for a products or service offered by a merchant;   query, by the promotional server, a promotion database to identify one or more time slots at which the selected promotion is offered by the merchant;   determine, by a booking optimization module of the promotional server, an optimal predicted booking limit for each of the one or more time slots based at least in part on a hidden demand for each time slot,
 wherein determining the optimal predicted booking limit for each time slot in the set of time slots comprises increasing, by the booking optimization module of the promotional server, an initial booking limit for the time slot in an instance in which a complement of a ratio of a slot revenue value to a slot penalty value exceeds the hidden demand for the time slot, wherein the slot penalty value represents a cost associated with scheduling an unavailable time slot from the one or more time slots for redeeming the promotion; 
   based at least in part on the optimal predicted booking limit for at least a portion of the one or more time slots, identifying, by a time slot management module of the promotional server, the at least a portion of the one or more time slots as predicted available time slots;   generate, by the communications module of the promotion server, a consumer scheduling interface comprising one or more selectable schedule indicators corresponding at least in part to the one or more predicted available time slots, wherein generating the consumer scheduling interface comprises causing the consumer scheduling interface to be presented at the consumer device;   receive, by the communications module of the promotional server and via the consumer promotion interface, consumer input data comprising an indication of one or more of the predicted available time slots at which the consumer seeks to redeem the promotion;   determine, by the booking optimization module of the promotional server, a merchant time slot availability for at least a portion of the one or more predicted available time slots corresponding to the consumer input data based at least in part on the optimal predicted booking limit for the one or more predicted available time slots; and   schedule, by the time slot management module of the promotional server, a redemption time slot for redeeming the promotion based on the merchant time slot availability.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the optimal predicted booking limit for each of the one or more time slots comprises a prediction of a maximum number of bookings that may be scheduled by the promotion and marketing service for a time slot for a promotion, and wherein the hidden demand for each of the one or more time slots comprises a prediction of an unknown reserved number of external bookings for the respective time slot that have been placed from sources outside the promotion and marketing service. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more selectable schedule indicators of the consumer scheduling interface comprise one or more selectable time slots corresponding to one or more of the predicted available time slots, and wherein the consumer input data comprises a selection of a selected time slot for which the consumer seeks to redeem the promotion. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , the one or more selectable schedule indicators of the consumer scheduling interface comprise a plurality of ranking fields corresponding to the one or more predicted available time slots, wherein the consumer input data further comprises a plurality time slot rankings received via the plurality of ranking fields of the consumer scheduling interface, the plurality time slot rankings being indicative of relative consumer preference associated with one or more of the predicted available time slots. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the consumer scheduling interface comprises a calendar wherein the one or more selectable schedule indicators comprise selectable contiguous dates, wherein the calendar is responsive to consumer input via the consumer device,
 wherein the consumer input data comprises a time window within which a consumer seeks to redeem the promotion, and   wherein determining the merchant time slot availability for the at least a portion of the one or more predicted available time slots corresponding to the consumer input data comprises determining the merchant time slot availability for a set of time slots within the time window.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the apparatus to issue, to the consumer device, a voucher for redeeming the promotion at the redemption time slot. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the apparatus to initiate an electronic funds transfer for the promotion in response to issuing the voucher. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein, in an instance in which none of the one or more predicted available time slots corresponding to the consumer input data are available, the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to identify the predicted available time slots by further causing the apparatus to:
 generate, by the communications module of the promotional server for display at the consumer device, an alternative scheduling interface comprising one or more selectable schedule indicators corresponding at least in part to one or more alternative time slots of the predicted available time slots, wherein generating the alternative scheduling interface comprises causing the alternative scheduling interface to be presented at the consumer device;   receive, by the communications module of the promotional server and via the consumer promotion interface, second consumer input data comprising an indication of one or more of the alternative time slots at which the consumer seeks to redeem the promotion.   
     
     
         18 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer program code that, when executed by a processor of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to:
 receive, by a communications module of a promotional server of a promotion and marketing service, a consumer selection of a selected promotion for a products or service offered by a merchant;   query, by the promotional server, a promotion database to identify one or more time slots at which the selected promotion is offered by the merchant;   determine, by a booking optimization module of the promotional server, an optimal predicted booking limit for each of the one or more time slots based at least in part on a hidden demand for each time slot,
 wherein determining the optimal predicted booking limit for each time slot in the set of time slots comprises increasing, by the booking optimization module of the promotional server, an initial booking limit for the time slot in an instance in which a complement of a ratio of a slot revenue value to a slot penalty value exceeds the hidden demand for the time slot, wherein the slot penalty value represents a cost associated with scheduling an unavailable time slot from the one or more time slots for redeeming the promotion; 
   based at least in part on the optimal predicted booking limit for at least a portion of the one or more time slots, identifying, by a time slot management module of the promotional server, the at least a portion of the one or more time slots as predicted available time slots;   generate, by the communications module of the promotion server, a consumer scheduling interface comprising one or more selectable schedule indicators corresponding at least in part to the one or more predicted available time slots, wherein generating the consumer scheduling interface comprises causing the consumer scheduling interface to be presented at the consumer device;   receive, by the communications module of the promotional server and via the consumer promotion interface, consumer input data comprising an indication of one or more of the predicted available time slots at which the consumer seeks to redeem the promotion;   determine, by the booking optimization module of the promotional server, a merchant time slot availability for at least a portion of the one or more predicted available time slots corresponding to the consumer input data based at least in part on the optimal predicted booking limit for the one or more predicted available time slots; and   schedule, by the time slot management module of the promotional server, a redemption time slot for redeeming the promotion based on the merchant time slot availability.   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein the optimal predicted booking limit for each of the one or more time slots comprises a prediction of a maximum number of bookings that may be scheduled by the promotion and marketing service for a time slot for a promotion, and wherein the hidden demand for each of the one or more time slots comprises a prediction of an unknown reserved number of external bookings for the respective time slot that have been placed from sources outside the promotion and marketing service. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more selectable schedule indicators of the consumer scheduling interface comprise one or more selectable time slots corresponding to one or more of the predicted available time slots, and wherein the consumer input data comprises a selection of a selected time slot for which the consumer seeks to redeem the promotion. 
     
     
         21 . The computer program product of  claim 20 , the one or more selectable schedule indicators of the consumer scheduling interface comprise a plurality of ranking fields corresponding to the one or more predicted available time slots, wherein the consumer input data further comprises a plurality time slot rankings received via the plurality of ranking fields of the consumer scheduling interface, the plurality time slot rankings being indicative of relative consumer preference associated with one or more of the predicted available time slots. 
     
     
         22 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein the consumer scheduling interface comprises a calendar wherein the one or more selectable schedule indicators comprise selectable contiguous dates, wherein the calendar is responsive to consumer input via the consumer device,
 wherein the consumer input data comprises a time window within which a consumer seeks to redeem the promotion, and   wherein determining the merchant time slot availability for the at least a portion of the one or more predicted available time slots corresponding to the consumer input data comprises determining the merchant time slot availability for a set of time slots within the time window.