METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR RECOMMENDING PROMOTIONS TO CONSUMERS

1 . A computer-executable method for offering a promotion to a consumer using a promotion and marketing service, the method comprising:

receiving user input from a first consumer interface associated with a first consumer, the user input comprising an interest indication relating to the first promotion;

programmatically retrieving, from a consumer association database stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, an association between the first consumer and a second consumer for sharing of promotions;

determining, using circuitry provided on a computing device, whether to offer the first promotion to the second consumer based on one or more characteristics associated with the second consumer; and

based on a determination that the first promotion should be offered to the second consumer, outputting an indication configured to cause a second impression of the first promotion to be generated on a second consumer interface associated with the second consumer.

2 . The computer-executable method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting one or more computer-executable instructions to generate, on the second consumer interface associated with the second consumer, an indication that the first promotion was selected for the second consumer based on the interest indication received from the first consumer.

3 . The computer-executable method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from the second consumer interface, user input from the second consumer performing an activity relating to the first promotion, the activity comprising a viewing activity or a purchase activity; and

adjusting the association between the first consumer and the second consumer based on the activity.

4 . (canceled)

5 . The computer-executable method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether to offer the first promotion to the second consumer is based on an association score relating to the association between the first consumer and the second consumer.

6 . The computer-executable method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether to offer the first promotion to the second consumer is based on a category of the first promotion and an association score associated with the first consumer and the second consumer for that category.

7 . The computer-executable method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether to offer the first promotion to the second consumer is based on a category of the first promotion and one or more promotion category preferences of the second consumer.

8 . The computer-executable method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether to offer the first promotion to the second consumer is based on a price of the first promotion and a price preference of the second consumer.

9 . The computer-executable method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether to offer the first promotion to the second consumer is based on one or more profile data features associated with the second consumer, wherein the one or more profile data features are selected from a group comprising: age, gender, one or more geographical locations, a tenure of use of the promotion and marketing service, a price preference, a promotion category preference, a redemption preference, and an instrument preference.

10 . The computer-executable method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating a ranking for the first promotion among a plurality of promotions based on an association score associated with the first consumer and the second consumer.

11 . The computer-executable method of claim 1 , further comprising:

automatically generating the association between the first consumer and the second consumer based on:

one or more profile data features associated with the first consumer and the second consumer,

data on one or more prior activities performed by the first consumer in relation to one or more prior promotions, or

data on one or more prior activities performed by the second consumer in relation to one or more prior promotions.

12 .- 28 . (canceled)

29 . The computer-executable method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from the first consumer interface, user input from the first consumer indicating transmission of data on the first promotion from the first consumer to the second consumer; and

automatically generating the association between the first consumer and the second consumer based on the user input.

30 . The computer-executable method of claim 29 , wherein generating the association between the first consumer and the second consumer comprises:

determining an association score between the first consumer and the second consumer;

generating the association between the first consumer and the second consumer if the association score exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and

recording the association score in the consumer association database in connection with the association between the first consumer and the second consumer.

31 . The computer-executable method of claim 1 , wherein the association between the first consumer and the second consumer indicates that one or more promotions purchased by the first consumer should automatically be offered to the second consumer, and that one or more promotions purchased by the second consumer should automatically be offered to the first consumer.

32 . The computer-executable method of claim 1 , wherein the association between the first consumer and the second consumer indicates that one or more promotions purchased by the first consumer should automatically be offered to the second consumer, and that one or more promotions purchased by the second consumer should not automatically be offered to the first consumer.

33 . The computer-executable method of claim 1 , wherein the interest indication indicates purchase of the first promotion by the first consumer or a willingness of the first consumer to purchase the first promotion.

34 . A computer-executable method for associating a plurality of consumers using a promotion and marketing service, the method comprising:

programmatically retrieving one or more profile data features associated with a first consumer;

programmatically retrieving one or more profile data features associated with a second consumer;

programmatically retrieving data on one or more prior activities performed by the second consumer in relation to one or more prior promotions offered to the second consumer;

automatically generating, using circuitry provided on a computing device, an association between the first consumer and the second consumer based on the one or more profile data features of the first consumer, the one or more profile data features of the second consumer, and the data on the one or more prior activities performed by the second consumer; and

recording the association between the first consumer and the second consumer in a consumer association database stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

35 . The computer-executable method of claim 34 , further comprising:

receiving user input from a first consumer interface associated with the first consumer, the user input indicating purchase of a first promotion by the first consumer or a willingness of the first consumer to purchase the first promotion;

programmatically retrieving, from the consumer association database stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium, the association between the first consumer and the second consumer; and

automatically causing a second impression of the first promotion to be generated on a second consumer interface associated with the second consumer.

36 . The computer-executable method of claim 35 , further comprising:

receiving, from the second consumer interface, user input from the second consumer performing an activity relating to the first promotion, the activity comprising a viewing activity or a purchase activity; and

automatically adjusting an association score for the association between the first consumer and the second consumer based on the activity.

37 . The computer-executable method of claim 34 , wherein generating the association between the first consumer and the second consumer comprises:

analyzing a social graph to identify a connection path connecting a first node representing the first consumer and a second node representing the second consumer;

retrieving a connection score for the connection path, the connection score representing an estimated strength of connection between the first consumer and the second consumer, the connection score based on the one or more activities performed by the first consumer and the second consumer in connection with a common set of promotions;

generating an association score related to the association between the first consumer and the second consumer based on the connection score; and

generating the association between the first consumer and the second consumer if the association score exceeds a predetermined threshold score.

38 .- 44 . (canceled)

45 . A computer system, comprising:

a storage device configured to store a consumer association database; and

processing circuitry configured to:

receive user input from a first consumer interface associated with a first consumer, the user input comprising an interest indication relating to the first promotion;

programmatically retrieve, from the consumer association database, an association between the first consumer and a second consumer for sharing of promotions;

determine whether to offer the first promotion to the second consumer based on one or more characteristics associated with the second consumer; and

based on a determination that the first promotion should be offered to the second consumer, output an indication configured to cause a second impression of the first promotion to be generated on a second consumer interface associated with the second consumer.

46 . (canceled)