Systems and methods for sale redemption
View Patent ↗Systems and methods for guaranteed redemption of sale items. The systems and methods can include a payment system for issuing a payment instrument to a customer when the sale item is not available in a retail location. The systems and methods can further include a redemption system for redeeming the payment instrument for the sale item.
1. A system comprising:
one or more processors; and
memory storing one or more programs to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
a payment system configured to:
issue a payment instrument for a sale item to a customer shopping in a brick and mortar store or on a website of a retail merchant, when the sale item is not in stock (a) at the brick and mortar store or (b) on the website of the retail merchant;
provide an access code to an order management system, wherein the order management system is configured to link the access code with the sale item and the payment instrument to permit the retail merchant to authenticate the payment instrument when the customer redeems the payment instrument for the sale item;
and
a redemption system configured to:
redeem the payment instrument at the brick and mortar store when the sale item is available (a) at the brick and mortar store or (b) on the website;
authenticate the access code of the payment instrument by comparing the access code with a list of valid access codes stored on the order management system, wherein:
when the redemption system authenticates the access code as valid, the redemption system is configured to instruct the order management system to automatically remove the access code from the list of valid access codes; and
when the redemption system cannot authenticate the access code after a predetermined number of attempts, the redemption system is configured to prevent further use of the access code and require intervention by a representative of the retail merchant;
purchase or add the sale item, as redeemed, to an order;
provide an estimated delivery date for delivery of the sale item;
provide a delivery site for the delivery of the sale item;
default the delivery site to the brick and mortar store;
permit the customer to select an alternative delivery site;
provide a notice of an increase in cost for the sale item responsive to the customer selecting the alternative delivery site; and
provide a checkout system for the customer to pay for the increase in the cost for the sale item when the customer selects the alternative delivery site,
wherein:
the payment system is further configured to communicate to the order management system when the payment instrument for the sale item has been issued;
the payment system is further configured to adjust a total cost of the sale item for tax and shipping costs for the delivery;
the order management system is further configured to maintain a threshold count for the sale item;
the redemption system is further configured to provide a substitute item when the threshold count reaches a predetermined lower limit or provide a link to the website of the retail merchant to shop for additional items;
the threshold count is a percentage of a total number of the sale item;
the redemption system is further configured to:
provide an option to purchase at least one of a customer care plan or a warranty for the sale item;
provide a link to the website of the retail merchant to shop for cross-sell items related to the sale item;
host an eCommerce website to permit customers shopping on the eCommerce website to redeem the payment instrument when the sale item is available on the eCommerce website;
the payment system is at least partially located at the brick and mortar store; and
the redemption system is at least partially located at a different location than the brick and mortar store.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the redemption system is further configured to disable an option to shop for more items.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the payment instrument comprises a debit card.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the payment instrument comprises a credit card.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the payment instrument comprises a gift card.
6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a specialized application program (“app”) user interface on a mobile device of the customer configured to permit the customer to (a) purchase a sale item remotely and (b) receive the payment instrument via the mobile device.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the payment system is further configured to restrict the payment instrument to a redemption of the sale item.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the payment system is further configured to permit the payment instrument to be used to purchase items other than the sale item (a) within the brick and mortar store or (b) on the website.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the access code is associated with a particular brick and mortar store.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the redemption system is configured to transmit a confirmation that the sale item matches the access code.
11. A method being implemented via execution of computing instructions configured to run at one or more processors and stored at one or more non-transitory computer-readable media, the method comprising:
issuing, with a payment system, a payment instrument for a sale item to a customer shopping in a brick and mortar store or on a website associated with a retail merchant, when the sale item is not in stock (a) at the brick and mortar store or (b) on the website of the retail merchant;
providing, with the payment system, an access code to an order management system, wherein the order management system is configured to link the access code with the sale item and the payment instrument to permit the retail merchant to authenticate the payment instrument when the customer redeems the payment instrument for the sale item;
redeeming, with a redemption system, the payment instrument at the brick and mortar store when the sale item is available (a) at the brick and mortar store or (b) on the website;
authenticating, with the redemption system, the access code of the payment instrument by comparing the access code with a list of valid access codes stored on the order management system, wherein:
when the redemption system authenticates the access code as valid, the redemption system is configured to instruct the order management system to automatically remove the access code from the list of valid access codes; and
when the redemption system cannot authenticate the access code after a predetermined number of attempts, the redemption system is configured to prevent further use of the access code and require intervention by a representative of the retail merchant;
purchasing or adding, with the redemption system, the sale item, as redeemed, to an order;
providing, with the redemption system, an estimated delivery date for delivery of the sale item;
providing, with the redemption system, a delivery site for the delivery of the sale item, wherein:
the redemption system is configured:
default the delivery site to the brick and mortar store;
permit the customer to select an alternate delivery site;
provide a notice of an increase in cost for the sale item responsive to the customer selecting the alternate delivery site; and
provide a checkout system for the customer to pay for the increase in the cost for the sale item when the customer selects the alternative delivery site,
wherein:
the payment system is further configured to communicate to the order management system when the payment instrument for the sale item has been issued;
the payment system is further configured to adjust a total cost of the sale item for tax and shipping costs for the delivery;
the order management system is further configured to maintain a threshold count for the sale item;
the redemption system is further configured to provide a substitute item when a threshold count reaches a predetermined lower limit or provide a link to the website of the retail merchant to shop for additional items;
the threshold count is a percentage of a total number of the sale item;
the redemption system is further configured to:
provide an option to purchase at least one of a customer care plan or a warranty for the sale item;
provide a link to the website of the retail merchant to shop for cross-sell items related to the sale item;
host an eCommerce website to permit customers shopping on the eCommerce website to redeem the payment instrument when the sale item is available on the eCommerce website;
the payment system is at least partially located at the brick and mortar store; and
the redemption system is at least partially located at a different location than the brick and mortar store.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein
the redemption system is further configured to disable an option to shop for more items.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the payment instrument comprises a debit card.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the payment instrument comprises a credit card.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the payment instrument comprises a gift card.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the redemption system further comprising a specialized application program (“app”) user interface on a mobile device of the customer configured to permit the customer to (a) purchase a sale item remotely and (b) receive the payment instrument via the mobile device.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the payment system is further configured to restrict the payment instrument to redemption of the sale item.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the payment system is further configured to permit the payment instrument to be used to purchase other items other than the sale item (a) within the brick and mortar store or (b) on the website.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the access code is associated with a particular brick and mortar store.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the redemption system further is configured to transmit a confirmation that the sale item matches the access code.