System and method for splitting a transaction
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for splitting a transaction among multiple participants. A system configured to practice the method first identifies a group of individuals associated with a shared transaction. Then the system identifies a primary individual from the group of individuals and a non-primary group of individuals from the group of individuals, wherein the primary individual is associated with a primary account that existed prior to the shared transaction, and wherein each individual of the non-primary group of individuals is associated with a respective non-primary account that existed prior to the shared transaction. The system establishes a policy for monitoring the primary account for completion of the shared transaction. Then, upon detection of the completion of the shared transaction, the system determines a transaction amount and applies a respective portion of the transaction amount from each non-primary account to the primary account.
1. A method comprising:
identifying, at a first time and via a processor of a network-based service provider, a group of individuals associated with a purchase;
identifying a primary individual from the group of individuals and a non-primary group of individuals from the group of individuals, wherein the primary individual is associated with a primary payment account that is personal to the primary individual and that existed prior to the first time, wherein each individual of the non-primary group of individuals is associated with a respective non-primary account that existed prior to the first time, wherein the primary payment account and each respective non-primary payment account are independent of each other, and have no control over each other, and wherein each of the primary payment account and the respective non-primary payment account is one of a debit account or credit account;
establishing, via the processor of the network-based service provider, a policy for monitoring activity of the primary payment account across multiple purchases, wherein the policy is at least in part defined by at least one individual from the group of individuals and the policy comprises a purchase credit;
configuring an electronic notification that is linked to the policy;
transferring the electronic notification to a primary individual device, the electronic notification indicating the policy, the purchase credit and that the policy is linked to the primary payment account;
monitoring, via a monitoring system and in a continuous manner, the activity of the primary payment account according to the policy at a second time that is later than the first time;
upon detection, as a result of the monitoring, of the purchase using the primary payment account, determining a transaction amount for the purchase; and
performing, based on the result of the monitoring, in an automatic manner and via the network-based service provider, a transfer of a respective portion of the transaction amount, according to the purchase credit associated with the policy, from each non-primary payment account to the primary payment account to pay for the purchase.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each individual in the non-primary group of individuals must approve being associated with the non-primary group.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein, prior to the purchase being detected, an individual in the non-primary group of individuals indicates an amount to contribute to the purchase.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the amount is associated with an ordered item.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving an indication from an individual in the non-primary group of individuals of a tip amount to contribute to the purchase.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
upon applying the respective portion of the transaction amount, sending a notification to at least one of the primary individual and one individual of the group of individuals.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the purchase is associated with an order at a restaurant.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the group of individuals is identified based on respective locations of each of the group of individuals.
9. A network-based service provider comprising:
a processor; and
a memory storing instructions for controlling the processor which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
identifying, at a first time, a group of individuals associated with a purchase;
identifying a primary individual from the group of individuals and a non-primary group of individuals from the group of individuals, wherein the primary individual is associated with a primary payment account that is personal to the primary individual and that existed prior to the first time, and wherein each individual of the non-primary group of individuals is associated with a respective non-primary account that existed prior to the first time, wherein the primary payment account and each respective non-primary payment account are independent of each other, and have no control over each other, and wherein each of the primary payment account and the respective non-primary payment account is one of a debit account or credit account;
establishing a policy for monitoring activity of the primary payment account across multiple purchases, wherein the policy is at least in part defined by at least one individual from the group of individuals and the policy comprises a purchase credit;
configuring an electronic notification that is linked to the policy;
transferring the electronic notification to a primary individual device, the electronic notification indicating the policy, the purchase credit and that the policy is linked to the primary payment account;
monitoring, in a continuous manner, activity of the primary payment account according to the policy at a second time that is later than the first time;
upon detection, as a result of the monitoring, of the purchase using the primary payment account, determining a transaction amount for the purchase; and
performing, based on the result of the monitoring and in an automated manner, a transfer of a respective portion of the transaction amount, according to the purchase credit associated with the policy, from each non-primary payment account to the primary payment account to pay for the purchase.
10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a network-based service provider, cause the network-based service provider to perform operations comprising:
identifying, at a first time, a group of individuals associated with a purchase;
identifying a primary individual from the group of individuals and a non-primary group of individuals from the group of individuals, wherein the primary individual is associated with a primary payment account that is personal to the primary individual and that existed prior to the first time, and wherein each individual of the non-primary group of individuals is associated with a respective non-primary account that existed prior to the first time, wherein the primary payment account and each respective non-primary payment account are independent of each other, and have no control over each other, and wherein each of the primary payment account and the respective non-primary payment account is one of a debit account or credit account;
establishing a policy for monitoring activity of the primary payment account across multiple purchases, wherein the policy is at least in part defined by at least one individual from the group of individuals and the policy comprises a purchase credit;
configuring an electronic notification that is linked to the policy;
transferring the electronic notification to a primary individual device, the electronic notification indicating the policy, the purchase credit and that the policy is linked to the primary payment account;
monitoring, in a continuous manner, activity of the primary payment account according to the policy at a second time that is later than the first time;
upon detection, as a result of the monitoring, of the purchase using the primary payment account, determining a transaction amount for the purchase; and
performing, based on the result of the monitoring, in an automated manner and via the network-based service provider, a transfer of a respective portion of the transaction amount, according to the purchase credit associated with the policy, from each non-primary payment account to the primary payment account to pay for the purchase.