Method and system for performing a retail transaction using a wireless device

1 . A method of performing a retail transaction, comprising:

initiating a customer-independent transaction detail communication from a retail system to a transaction authorization system;

initiating a customer wireless communication from a customer-controlled wireless communication device to the transaction authorization system;

matching the customer wireless communication with the transaction detail communication; and

identifying a customer account associated with the customer wireless communication; and

authorizing the retail transaction to the retail system.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

supplying a customer-independent token to the retail system.

3 . The method of claim 2 ,

wherein the customer-independent token supplies a customer-independent account data.

4 . The method of claim 2 ,

wherein the customer-independent token supplies a retailer-dependent account data.

5 . The method of claim 2 ,

wherein the customer-independent token supplies a location-dependent account data.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the transaction detail communication is otherwise identical to a standardized transaction detail communication.

7 . The method of claim 1 , initiating a transaction detail communication comprising:

supplying a customer-independent token in lieu of a customer-dependent token used in a non-wireless-enabled private label transaction.

8 . The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the retail system is a POS system, and

wherein the POS system can perform the wireless-enabled private label transaction without modification.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the customer-controlled wireless communication device is a wireless telephone.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the customer account is a private label credit account.

11 . The method of claim 1 , authorizing the retail transaction comprising:

modifying the retail transaction to reference the customer account.

12 . A method of performing a retail transaction, comprising:

identifying the retail transaction as a wireless-enabled transaction;

initiating a customer-independent transaction detail communication from a retail system to a transaction authorization server;

initiating a customer wireless communication from a customer-controlled wireless communication device to the transaction authorization server, the customer wireless communication independent of customer-supplied customer identification data;

matching a customer account with the transaction detail communication and the customer wireless communication; and

authorizing the retail transaction for the customer account.

13 . The method of claim 12 , identifying the retail transaction as a wireless-enabled transaction comprising:

supplying a customer-independent token in lieu of a customer-dependent token to a retail system; and

identifying a customer-independent wireless communication network address for the customer wireless communication.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the customer-independent wireless communication network address is a phone number associated with a retailer.

15 . The method of claim 14 , the phone number comprising a wireless carrier-dependent special dialing number.

16 . Amethod for using a customer charge account, comprising:

generating a retail transaction data, the retail transaction data independent of customer identification data;

matching the retail transaction data to the customer charge account by a customer-initiated wireless communication, the customer-initiated wireless communication independent of the retail transaction data and independent of customer-supplied customer identification data; and.

authorizing the retail transaction for the customer charge account.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

requesting a customer-supplied identification data; and

authenticating the customer-initiated wireless communication by the customer-supplied identification data.

18 . A method of matching a retail transaction with a customer account, comprising:

sending a retail transaction data for the retail transaction to a first transaction authorization server, the retail transaction data independent of customer identification data;

identifying a sender of a customer-initiated wireless communication to a second transaction authorization server;

identifying a customer account data associated with the sender;

matching the customer-initiated wireless communication with the retail transaction data; and

associating the customer account data with the retail transaction data.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the customer-initiated wireless communication is independent of customer-supplied customer identification data.

20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

rematching the customer-initiated wireless communication with the retail transaction data upon a request for rematching; and

reassociating the customer account data with the retail transaction data.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the request for rematching is initiated by the sender after the retail transaction is complete.

22 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the request for rematching is initiated by the retailer.

23 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

transmitting an authorization code for the retail transaction to a retail system, the authorization code, the authorization code providing a transaction matching data.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the transaction matching data comprises:

a matching data, corresponding to the number of retail transactions considered for matching with the customer-initiated wireless communication; and

a customer data, corresponding to the sender.

25 . The method of claim 18 , matching the customer-initiated wireless communication with the retail transaction data comprising:

obtaining a wireless device identification data associated with the customer-initiated wireless communication;

identifying the sender by the wireless device identification data; and

obtaining a transaction history data associated with the sender.

26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the wireless device identification data comprises an Automatic Number Identification (ANI) data.

27 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the wireless device identification data comprises a geographic location data.

28 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the wireless device identification data comprises a wireless network to credit provider access point data.

29 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the wireless device identification data comprises a roam or home data.

30 . The method of claim 25 , further comprising:

adding the retail transaction data to a match pool of retail transactions;

establishing a matching score for each retail transaction in the match pool, scoring matching between each retail transaction in the match pool and the wireless communication;

selecting a matching retail transaction from the match pool based on the matching score.

31 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the transaction history data comprises a customer account initiation time and date data, further comprising:

if the customer account initiation time and date data indicates the customer account was opened within a predetermined time prior to the wireless communication, matching the retail transaction to the wireless communication.

32 . The method of claim 25 , further comprising:

rejecting the retail transaction if the retail transaction cannot be matched with the wireless communication.

33 . A system for authorizing retail transactions for a retail transaction system, comprising:

means for receiving a retail transaction authorization request from the retail transaction system;

means for receiving a customer-initiated wireless communication from a customer wireless device;

means for matching the retail transaction authorization request with the customer-initiated wireless communication; and

means for authorizing or declining the retail transaction authorization request matched with the customer-initiated wireless communication.

34 . The system of claim 33 , the means for receiving a retail transaction authorization request comprising:

means for identifying the location of the retail transaction system.

35 . The system of claim 34 , wherein the means for identifying the location of the retail transaction system comprises a customer independent token.

36 . The system of claim 33 , the means for receiving a retail transaction authorization request comprising a transaction authorization server.

37 . The system of claim 33 , the means for receiving a customer-initiated wireless communication comprising a transaction authorization server.

38 . The system of claim 33 , the means for matching the retail transaction authorization request with the customer-initiated wireless communication comprising:

means for identifying the customer wireless device;

means for associating a customer account with the customer wireless device; and

means for matching the customer account with the retail transaction authorization request.

39 . The system of claim 38 , the means for associating a customer account with the customer wireless device comprising a database.

40 . The system of claim 38 , the means for identifying the customer wireless device comprising automatic number identification (ANI) data.

41 . The system of claim 38 , further comprising:

means for associating a customer transaction history with the customer wireless device.

42 . The system of claim 38 , the means for associating a customer transaction history with the customer wireless device comprising a database.

43 . The system of claim 33 , wherein the retail transaction authorization request is independent of customer identification data.

44 . The system of claim 33 , wherein the wireless communication is independent of customer-provided data.

45 . The system of claim 33 , further comprising:

means for rematching the retail transaction authorization request with the customer-initiated wireless communication upon request.