System for packaging, processing, and activating a bundled greeting and gift card
View Patent ↗A greeting card stored-value card combinations and methods of forming said combinations are provided. In one embodiment, these combinations include a greeting card comprising means for affixing a stored-value card thereto. These combinations also include a stored-value card affixed to the greeting card. A single identifier, such as a Stock-Keeping Unit (SKU) or a Universal Product Code (UPC), is assigned to the bundle that uniquely identifies the bundled greeting card and stored-value card. The single identifier provides identification means allowing the stored-value card to be activated. A single capture of the single identifier enables the customer to both purchase the greeting card stored-value card combination product as well as to activate the store-value card.
1. A greeting card stored-value card combination product, comprising:
a greeting card;
a stored-value card; and
an identifier encoded on the greeting card stored-value card combination product; wherein the identifier identifies the greeting card and the stored-value card combination product, the greeting card, and the stored value card, thereby differentiating the greeting card stored-value card combination product from other combinations of greeting cards and stored-value cards.
2. The greeting card stored-value card combination product of claim 1 , wherein the identifier comprises at least one of an optically readable insignia, a magnetically encoded strip, and a radio frequency identification tag.
3. The greeting card stored-value card combination product of claim 1 , wherein the stored-value card is activatable by a one-step process.
4. The greeting card stored-value card combination product of claim 1 , wherein the stored-value card is activatable by a two-step process.
5. A computer implemented method for processing a sale of a greeting card stored-value card combination product, the method comprising:
receiving, at a transaction routing service, an activation request from a point of sale terminal wherein the activation request includes an identifier from the greeting card stored-value card combination product captured at a point of sale terminal, wherein the identifier identifies the greeting card stored-value card combination product, a greeting card of the greeting card stored-value card combination product, and a stored-value card of the greeting card stored-value card combination product;
determining, with the transaction routing service, a card processing service corresponding to the identifier;
transmitting the activation request to the card processing service from the transaction routing service;
receiving, at the transaction routing service, an activation response from the card processing service; and
transmitting the activation response from the transaction routing service to the point of sale terminal.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising determining an amount of the purchase amount received from the sale of the greeting card stored-value card combination product to credit an account associated with a stored-value card issuer.
7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising determining an amount of the purchase amount received from the sale of the greeting card stored-value card combination product to credit to an account associated with a card transaction processor.
8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising determining an amount of the purchase amount received from the sale of the greeting card stored-value card combination product to credit to an account associated with a greeting card vendor of the greeting card stored-value card combination product.
9. The method of claim 5 , further comprising determining an amount of the purchase amount received from the sale of the greeting card stored-value card combination product to credit to an account associated with a greeting card manufacturer of the greeting card of the stored-value card combination product.
10. The method of claim 5 , further comprising reconciling accounts belonging to at least two of the stored-value card issuer, the card transaction processor, the greeting card vendor of the greeting card stored-value card combination product, and the greeting card manufacturer of the greeting card of the greeting card stored-value card combination product to reflect a proper allocation of the purchase amount received from the sale of the greeting card stored-value card combination product.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising initiating funds transfers to reflect the allocation.
12. The method of claim 5 , further comprising instructing a stored-value card processor to update a datastore to indicate that the stored-value card identified by the identifier has been activated.
13. The method of claim 5 , wherein the identifier is one of a stock-keeping unit, a universal product code, a European article number, a global trade item number, and an Australian product number.
14. A system for processing a sale of the greeting card stored-value card combination product, the system comprising:
a point of sale terminal, wherein the point of sale terminal is configured to interpret an identifier encoded on at least one of the greeting card stored-value card combination product, a stored-value card of the greeting card stored-value card combination product, and a greeting card of greeting card stored-value card combination product and wherein the identifier identifies the greeting card stored-value card combination product, the stored-value card of the greeting card stored-value card combination product, and the greeting card of the greeting card stored-value card combination product;
a transaction routing service; and
a card processing service.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the transaction routing service is operable for receiving an activation request from the point of sale terminal,
transmitting the activation request to the card processing service,
receiving an activation response from the card processing service, and
transmitting the activation response to the point of sale terminal.
16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the system further comprises a settlement service.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the settlement service is operable to determine an amount of a purchase amount received from a sale of the greeting card stored-value card combination product to credit an account associated with a stored-value card issuer.
18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the settlement service is operable to reconcile accounts belonging to at least two of the stored-value card issuer, a card transaction processor, a greeting card stored-value card combination product selling vendor, and a greeting card stored-value card combination product greeting card manufacturer to reflect a proper allocation of a purchase amount received from a sale of the greeting card stored-value card combination product.