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Method and apparatus for facilitating electronic commerce through providing cross-benefits during a transactionRelated Patent Categories: Data Processing: Financial, Business Practice, Management, Or Cost/price Determination, Automated Electrical Financial Or Business Practice Or Management Arrangement, Electronic Shopping (e.g., Remote Ordering)Method and apparatus for facilitating electronic commerce through providing cross-benefits during a transaction description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060224464, Method and apparatus for facilitating electronic commerce through providing cross-benefits during a transaction. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part application of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/943,483 entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FACILITATING ACCEPTANCE OF CONDITIONAL PURCHASE OFFERS (CPOs)" to Andrew S. Van Luchene, Daniel E. Tedesco, James A. Jorasch, Jay S. Walker and Thomas M. Sparico filed on Oct. 3, 1997, which is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/923,683 entitled "CONDITIONAL PURCHASE OFFER (CPO) MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR PACKAGES" to Andrew S. Van Luchene, Daniel E. Tedesco, James A. Jorasch, Jay S. Walker and T. Scott Case filed Sep. 4, 1997, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/889,319 entitled "CONDITIONAL PURCHASE OFFER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM" to Bruce Schneier, James A. Jorasch, Jay S. Walker and T. Scott Case filed Jul. 8, 1997, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,207 entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A CRYPTOGRAPHICALLY ASSISTED COMMERCIAL NETWORK SYSTEM DESIGNED TO FACILITATE BUYER-DRIVEN CONDITIONAL PURCHASE OFFERS" issued to Bruce Schneier, James A. Jorasch and Jay S. Walker on Aug. 11, 1998; and a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/100,684 entitled "BILLING STATEMENT CUSTOMER ACQUISITION SYSTEM" to Daniel E. Tedesco, James A. Jorasch and Jay S. Walker filed on Jun. 19, 1998, which is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/982,149 entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRINTING A BILLING STATEMENT TO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTARY PRODUCT SALES" to Jay S. Walker, Daniel E. Tedesco, Andrew S. Van Luchene and Dean P. Alderucci filed on Dec. 1, 1997; and a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/994,426 entitled: METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING SUPPLEMENTARY PRODUCT SALES TO A CUSTOMER AT A CUSTOMER TERMINAL" to Jay S. Walker, Andrew S. Van Luchene and Daniel E. Tedesco filed on Dec. 19, 1997, which is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/920,116 entitled "METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING SUPPLEMENTARY PRODUCT SALES AT A POINT-OF-SALE TERMINAL" to Jay S. Walker, James A. Jorasch and Andrew S. Van Luchene filed on Aug. 26, 1997, which is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/822,709 entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING LOTTERY TICKET TRANSACTIONS UTILIZING POINT-OF0SALE TERMINALS" to Jay S. Walker, James A. Jorasch and Sanjay K. Jindal, each of the foregoing applications incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for facilitating electronic commerce. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Electronic commerce is becoming more accepted as growing numbers of customers find shopping via the World Wide Web more appealing. However, electronic commerce suffers many problems that have plagued conventional commerce. For example, there is a great deal of competition among merchants to attract and retain customers that actually make purchases. Price competition is even stronger on the Internet, where customers can more readily "shop around" and determine the prices offered by various merchants. [0004] Even when a customer has browsed a merchant's inventory, he may not make a purchase if an item's price is greater than the customer is willing to pay. One way to increase customer willingness to purchase, via the World Wide Web or otherwise, is to provide discounts on items purchased. Unfortunately, merchants must use discounts sparingly, since reducing purchase prices likewise reduces profits and the reduced profits may not be offset by increased sales. [0005] It is known for a merchant to offer promotions to provide an incentive for customers to make purchases. For example, a merchant may offer a "buy one get one free" promotion whereby a purchase of an item yields the benefit of an additional item at no cost. Similarly, a merchant may provide a discount on a purchase in exchange for signing up for a credit card account provided by the merchant. [0006] It is known to provide a promotion among more than one merchant. For example, a first merchant may advertise that if a product is purchased, a second product may be purchased from or given away by a second merchant. [0007] It is also known for a promotion to be provided at the point of sale. For example, a web site of a merchant may provide a "banner advertisement" that allows a customer to go to another site to make a second purchase. [0008] It would be advantageous to facilitate further electronic commerce in a manner that maintained an acceptable level of profits for merchants yet increased a customer's willingness to make purchases. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009] It is an object of the present invention to facilitate electronic commerce. [0010] In accordance with the present invention, a merchant server of a first merchant receives an indication of items that a customer is to purchase via a web site. The indication may be, for example, a signal indicating that the customer is ready to "check out" his shopping cart of items on the web site. In response, the merchant server provides an offer for a benefit from a second merchant, which may be referred to as a cross-benefit. The offer is provided before the items are purchased, and thus the offer is not provided unless and until the customer has manifested an intent to make a purchase from the first merchant. A response to the offer is received from the customer. If the response indicates acceptance of the offer, then the benefit is applied to the items purchased. For example, the total price paid for the items may be reduced, or the items may even be provided to the customer without charge. [0011] In exchange, the customer agrees to participate in a transaction with the second merchant. For example, the customer may be required to switch service providers (e.g. long distance telephone service) or initiate a new service agreement (e.g. sign up for a credit card account). In one embodiment, the customer's agreement may be secured, such that a penalty is assessed against the customer if he does not participate in the transaction as he agreed to. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an apparatus for facilitating electronic commerce. [0013] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a merchant server of the apparatus of FIG. 1. [0014] FIG. 3 is a representation of a customer database of the merchant server of FIG. 2. [0015] FIG. 4 is a representation of an item database of the merchant server of FIG. 2. [0016] FIG. 5 is a representation of a transaction database of the merchant server of FIG. 2. [0017] FIG. 6 is a representation of a subsidizer database of the merchant server of FIG. 2. [0018] FIG. 7 is a representation of an offer rules database of the merchant server of FIG. 2. [0019] FIG. 8 is a representation of an offers database of the merchant server of FIG. 2. [0020] FIG. 9 is a representation of a record of an offer summary database of the merchant server of FIG. 2. Continue reading about Method and apparatus for facilitating electronic commerce through providing cross-benefits during a transaction... 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