PRICE GUARANTEE METHODS AND SYSTEMS
A method is provided. The method includes recording transaction information for a consummated transaction related to a purchase of an item or service at a computer, the transaction information including information identifying a consumer; monitoring, by the computer, an incentive to purchase the item or service for a predetermined time period after purchase of the item or service by the consumer; comparing, by the computer, the incentive to the transaction information during the predetermined time period to determine if the incentive was offered as part of the consummated transaction; and if the incentive was not offered as part of the consummated transaction, duplicating, by the computer, the incentive for the consumer after the consummated transaction.
1 . A method comprising:
recording, by a computer, transaction information that includes information associated with each of:
a consummated transaction related to a purchase of an item or a purchase of a service; and
a consumer associated with the purchase of the item or the purchase of the service;
monitoring, by the computer, an incentive associated with purchasing the item or with purchasing the service, wherein the incentive is associated with the consumer;
comparing, by the computer, the incentive with the transaction information to determine whether the incentive was utilized in association with the consummated transaction; and
in response to determining that the incentive was not utilized in association with the consummated transaction, duplicating, by the computer, the incentive after occurrence of the consummated transaction.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising conducting the consummated transaction with a vendor via a host system.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a pertinent geographic area for the consummated transaction and limiting the monitoring to incentives available within the pertinent geographic area.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a warranty to the consumer.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a number of price changes and monitoring the sales price of the item or service for a defined number of price changes.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the transaction information includes a purchase price for the item or service, and further comprising noting any price lower than the purchase price; calculating a money-value difference between the purchase price and said any price lower than the purchase price; and refunding the money-value difference to an account of the consumer.
7 . A computer memory having stored thereon computer executable instructions that when executed by a system cause the system to perform operations comprising:
recording transaction information that includes information associated with each of a consummated transaction related to a purchase of an item or a purchase of a service and a consumer associated with the purchase of the item or the purchase of the service;
monitoring an incentive associated with purchasing the item or with purchasing the service, wherein the incentive is associated with the consumer;
comparing the incentive with the transaction information to determine whether the incentive was utilized in association with the consummated transaction; and
in response to determining that the incentive was not utilized in association with the consummated transaction, duplicating the incentive after occurrence of the consummated transaction.
8 . The computer memory of claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise conducting the consummated transaction with a vendor via a host system.
9 . The computer memory of claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a pertinent geographic area for the consummated transaction and limiting the monitoring to incentives available within the pertinent geographic area.
10 . The computer memory of claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a number of price changes during the predetermined time period and monitoring the sales price of the item or service for a defined number of price changes.
11 . The computer memory of claim 7 , wherein the transaction information includes a purchase price for the item or service, and wherein the operations further comprise noting any price lower than the purchase price; calculating a money-value difference between the purchase price and said any price lower than the purchase price by the computer; and refunding the money-value difference to an account of the consumer.
12 . The computer memory of claim 11 , wherein the account is a retirement account of the consumer.
13 . The computer memory of claim 11 , wherein the item or service is purchased by the consumer on-line via a network system.
14 . An apparatus comprising
a processor; and
a storage device operably coupled to the processor, the storage device having instructions stored thereon that if executed by the processor cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising:
recording transaction information that includes information associated with each of a consummated transaction related to a purchase of an item or a purchase of a service and a consumer associated with the purchase of the item or the purchase of the service;
monitoring an incentive associated with purchasing the item or with purchasing the service, wherein the incentive is associated with the consumer;
comparing the incentive with the transaction information to determine whether the incentive was utilized in association with the consummated transaction; and
in response to determining that the incentive was not utilized in association with the consummated transaction, duplicating the incentive after occurrence of the consummated transaction.
15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise conducting the consummated transaction with a vendor via a host system.
16 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a pertinent geographic area for the consummated transaction and limiting the monitoring to incentives available within the pertinent geographic area.
17 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a number of price changes and monitoring the sales price of the item or service for a defined number of price changes.
18 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the transaction information includes a purchase price for the item or service.
19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise noting any price lower than the purchase price during the predetermined time period.
20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the operations further comprise calculating a money-value difference between the purchase price and said any price lower than the purchase price; and refunding the money-value difference to an account of the consumer.