Method, system, and storage medium for pre-screening customers for credit card approval at a point of sale
An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method, system and storage medium for pre-screening customers for a credit card at a point of sale. The method includes receiving the customer data at a point of sale system and, during a check out process: transmitting the customer data to a server; searching a database for the customer data; and based upon results of the searching, performing a credit worthiness check and providing said customer with an invitation to open a charge account. If the customer accepts the invitation, a charge account is opened before a payment method is selected whereby the customer can place the items selected for purchase on the new charge account while at the point of sale system. The system includes at least one point of sale system coupled to a communications link; a server coupled to the point of sale system via the communications link; a data storage device in communication with the server; and a link to a credit information server.
1. A method for pre-screening customer data of a customer by a selling entity at a point of sale location, comprising:
receiving said customer data at a point of sale system; and
during the course of a single check out process at said point of sale location:
transmitting said customer data to a server;
searching a database for said customer data;
performing a credit worthiness check to determine a credit pre-approval of said customer, said performing is done using a result of said searching and without knowledge of and uninitiated by said customer;
providing said customer with an invitation to open a charge account, wherein said providing of said invitation comprises offering said customer an incentive to accept said invitation through at least one of a discount for a purchase and a reduced interest rate;
opening said charge account upon acceptance of said invitation by said customer; and
selectively executing a charge purchase during said check out process at said point of sale system using said opened charge account.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
holding said invitation open for a predetermined period of time; and
providing said customer with information on how to access said invitation at a future date.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said providing said customer information on how to access said invitation at a future date includes printing said information on a receipt at said point of sale system.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said customer data includes at least one of said customer's:
name;
address;
telephone number;
social security number;
photo identification card; and
membership card relating to said selling entity.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining whether a membership status of said customer is active or inactive; wherein further said credit worthiness check is performed on customer data with an active status.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining whether said customer has a current charge account with said selling entity.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said credit worthiness check is performed by a credit bureau.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said credit worthiness check is performed by a credit issuer.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said credit worthiness check is a full bureau check.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said credit worthiness check is a partial bureau check.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said performing a credit worthiness check comprises determining at least one of a credit account limit, an annual percentage rate, and an account type, for customers who have met specified criteria for said credit pre-approval determination.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising printing out said invitation and providing a term or a condition of said invitation.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein data related to a declination of said invitation is transmitted to said server, and a customer record relating to said data is updated.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing said customer with a charge card.
15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing a fraud check, said fraud check including verifying said customer's identity.
16. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for pre-screening customer data by a selling entity for a customer at a point of sale location, the storage medium including instructions for causing the selling entity to implement a method comprising:
receiving said customer data at a point of sale system; and
during the course of a single check out process at said point of sale location:
transmitting said customer data to a server;
searching a database for said customer data;
performing a credit worthiness check to determine a credit pre-approval of said customer, said performing is done using a result of said searching and without knowledge of and uninitiated by said customer;
providing said customer with an invitation to open a charge account, wherein said providing of said invitation to comprises offering said customer an incentive to accept said invitation through at least one of a discount off of a purchase and a reduced interest rate;
opening said charge account, upon acceptance of said invitation by said customer; and
selectively executing a charge purchase during said check out process at said point of sale system.
17. The storage medium of claim 16 , further comprising:
holding said invitation open for a predetermined period of time; and
providing said customer with information on how to access said invitation at a future date.
18. The storage medium of claim 17 , wherein said providing said customer information on how to access said invitation at a future date includes printing said information on a receipt at said point of sale system.
19. The storage medium of claim 16 , wherein said customer data includes at least one of said customer's:
name;
address;
telephone number;
social security number;
photo identification card; and
membership card relating to said selling entity.
20. The storage medium of claim 16 , further comprising determining whether a membership status of said customer is active or inactive; wherein further said credit worthiness check is performed on customer data with an active status.
21. The storage medium of claim 16 , further comprising determining whether said customer has a current charge account with said selling entity.
22. The storage medium of claim 16 , wherein said credit worthiness check is performed by a credit bureau.
23. The storage medium of claim 16 , wherein said credit worthiness check is performed by a credit issuer.
24. The storage medium of claim 16 , wherein said credit worthiness check is a full bureau check.
25. The storage medium of claim 16 , wherein said credit worthiness check is a partial bureau check.
26. The storage medium of claim 16 , wherein said performing a credit worthiness check comprises determining at least one of a credit account limit, an annual percentage rate, and an account type for customers who have met specified criteria for said credit pre-approval determination.
27. The storage medium of claim 16 , further comprising printing out said invitation and providing a term or a condition of said invitation.
28. The storage medium of claim 16 , wherein data related to a declination of said invitation is transmitted to said server and a customer record relating to said data is updated.
29. The storage medium of claim 16 , further comprising providing said customer with a charge card.
30. The storage medium of claim 16 , further comprising performing a fraud check, said fraud check including verifying said customer's identity.