Personalized gift cards for imaging products and services
View Patent ↗A method for producing a gift card for a gift imaging product, comprises receiving an order of the gift imaging product from a user, producing the gift imaging product, producing the gift card by the user for the gift imaging product; and consolidating the gift card with the gift imaging product into one package.
1. A method for producing a gift card in association with a gift imaging product, comprising:
receiving an order by a service provider from a first user over a computer network, wherein the order includes a gift imaging product and a gift card to be received by a second user as a gift from the first user;
producing the gift imaging product having a first machine-readable symbol;
producing the gift card that includes a credit for an image-based product, wherein the credit allows the second user to order the image-based product from the service provider;
printing a second machine-readable symbol on the gift card;
reading the first machine-readable symbol on the gift imaging product and the second machine-readable symbol on the gift card; and
shipping the gift card with the gift imaging product in a common package to the second user if the reading of first machine-readable symbol and the second machine-readable symbol show that the gift imaging product matches to the gift card.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gift card includes a personalized message selected or provided by the first user for the second user.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gift card includes an image selected or provided by the first user.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the image is a picture of the gift imaging product.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first machine readable code and the second machine readable code are encoded with an order number associated with the order.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gift imaging product includes personalized image or text information provided by the first user.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising entering personalized information about the second user by the first user.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising printing the personalized information and non-personalized information on the gift card.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the order of the gift imaging product is submitted by the first user over the Internet.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gift imaging product and the gift card are ordered at a retail location.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of producing the gift card includes:
printing personalized information by the user on a receiver; and
folding the receiver to produce a folded gift card.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of producing the gift card includes printing personalized information on a receiver comprising photosensitive materials.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gift imaging product includes an imaging service.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising consolidating the gift card with the gift imaging product into the common package before the step of shipping.
15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising ordering the image-based product by the second user using the credit in the gift card after the gift card is received by the second user.
16. A system for producing a gift card in association with a gift order, comprising:
a server operated for a service provider and configured to receive an order over a computer network from a first user, wherein the order includes a gift imaging product and a gift card to be received by a second user as a gift from the first user;
a printing and finishing facility configured to produce the gift imaging product printed with a first machine-readable symbol and to print the gift card that includes a second machine-readable symbol and a credit for an image-based product, wherein the credit allows the second user to order the image-based product from the service provider; and
a shipping station configured to read the first machine-readable symbol on the gift imaging product and the second machine-readable symbol on the gift card, and to ship the gift card with the gift imaging product in a common package to the second user if the reading of first machine-readable symbol and the second machine-readable symbol show that the gift imaging product matches to the gift card.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the gift card includes a personalized message selected or provided by the first user for the second user.
18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the gift card includes an image selected or provided by the first user.
19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the image is a picture of the gift imaging product.
20. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first machine readable code and the second machine readable code are encoded with an order number associated with the order.
21. The system of claim 16 , wherein the printing and finishing facility is configured to print personalized information and non-personalized information on the gift card.
22. The system of claim 16 , wherein the printing and finishing facility is configured to print personalized information by the user on a paper substrate and fold the paper substrate to produce a folded gift card.
23. The system of claim 16 , wherein the shipping station is configured to consolidate the gift card with the gift imaging product into the common package before the step of shipping.