Method and apparatus for providing cross-benefits based on a customer activity
View Patent ↗In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, a controller receives an indication of acceptance by a customer of an offer for a subsidy from a second vendor (e.g., a subsidizing vendor). The offer may define, for example, a reduction in the price charged for an item purchased from a first vendor and an obligation for the customer to fulfill in exchange for the subsidy. The customer is charged a second price for the items, which is less than the total price, and may even be zero.
1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a controller device, an indication that a customer accepts an offer from a second vendor for a subsidy of a purchase, at a reduced price, of at least one item from a first vendor, the at least one item having an associated total price, and the offer defining an obligation for the customer to fulfill after purchasing the at least one item, the obligation being in addition to payment of the reduced price;
after receiving the indication of the acceptance of the offer, charging the reduced price for the at least one item to a credit card account of the customer;
determining, by the controller device, an expiration date of the offer by which the obligation must be fulfilled by the customer;
determining, by the controller device, that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date; and
in response to determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date, charging by the controller device to the credit card account of the customer at least the difference between the total price and the reduced price.
2. The method of claim 1 , in which determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises:
receiving an indication that the customer did not initiate a new service agreement with the second vendor for a service.
3. The method of claim 2 , in which the service comprises at least one of:
telephone service,
Internet service,
banking services,
credit card account service,
insurance service,
securities trading service,
satellite television service, and
cable television service.
4. The method of claim 1 , in which determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises:
receiving an indication that the customer returned at least one of the at least one item to the first vendor.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving customer information from the customer; and
in which the step of determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises:
determining that the customer information is not accurate.
6. The method of claim 1 ,
in which the obligation includes a requirement that the customer make an additional purchase from the second vendor before the expiration date; and
in which determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises:
receiving an indication that the customer did not make an additional purchase from the second vendor before the expiration date.
7. A non-transitory data storage device storing instructions configured to direct a controller device to perform a method, the method comprising:
receiving, by a controller device, an indication that a customer accepts an offer from a second vendor for a subsidy of a purchase, at a reduced price, of at least one item from a first vendor, the at least one item having an associated total price, and the offer defining an obligation for the customer to fulfill after purchasing the at least one item, the obligation being in addition to payment of the reduced price;
after receiving the indication of the acceptance of the offer, charging the reduced price for the at least one item to a credit card account of the customer;
determining, by the controller device, an expiration date of the offer by which the obligation must be fulfilled by the customer;
determining, by the controller device, that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date; and
in response to determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date, charging by the controller device to the credit card account of the customer at least the difference between the total price and the reduced price.
8. The data storage device of claim 7 , in which determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises:
receiving an indication that the customer did not initiate a new service agreement with the second vendor for a service.
9. The data storage device of claim 8 , in which the service comprises at least one of:
telephone service,
Internet service,
banking services,
credit card account service,
insurance service,
securities trading service,
satellite television service, and
cable television service.
10. The data storage device of claim 7 , in which determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises:
receiving an indication that the customer returned at least one of the at least one item to the first vendor.
11. The data storage device of claim 7 , the instructions being configured further to direct the controller device to perform:
receiving customer information from the customer; and
in which determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises:
determining that the customer information is not accurate.
12. The data storage device of claim 7 ,
in which the obligation includes a requirement that the customer make an additional purchase from the second vendor before the expiration date; and
in which determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises:
receiving an indication that the customer did not make an additional purchase from the second vendor before the expiration date.
13. An apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
a data storage device in communication with the processor, the data storage device storing instructions configured to direct the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
receiving an indication that a customer accepts an offer from a second vendor for a subsidy of a purchase, at a reduced price, of at least one item from a first vendor, the at least one item having an associated total price, and the offer defining an obligation for the customer to fulfill after purchasing the at least one item, the obligation being in addition to payment of the reduced price;
after receiving the indication of the acceptance of the offer, charging the reduced price for the at least one item to a credit card account of the customer;
determining an expiration date of the offer by which the obligation must be fulfilled by the customer;
determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date; and
in response to determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date, charging to the credit card account of the customer at least the difference between the total price and the reduced price.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , in which determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises:
receiving an indication that the customer did not initiate a new service agreement with the second vendor for a service.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 , in which the service comprises at least one of:
telephone service,
Internet service,
banking services,
credit card account service,
insurance service,
securities trading service,
satellite television service, and
cable television service.
16. The apparatus of claim 13 , in which determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises:
receiving an indication that the customer returned at least one of the at least one item to the first vendor.
17. The apparatus of claim 13 , the instructions being configured further to direct the processor to perform:
receiving customer information from the customer; and
in which determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises:
determining that the customer information is not accurate.
18. The apparatus of claim 13 ,
in which the obligation includes a requirement that the customer make an additional purchase from the second vendor before the expiration date; and
in which determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises:
receiving an indication that the customer did not make an additional purchase from the second vendor before the expiration date.