Method and apparatus for automatically reloading a stored value card
To facilitate the sale of merchandise using a stored value card (SVC), a method and system are provided to automatically reload an SVC in accordance with automatic reload preferences associated with the SVC account. The preferences include the pre-authorized reload amount, payment method, and the circumstances under which to automatically reload the SVC with the pre-authorized reload amount. The preferences are previously specified by a party associated with the SVC when setting up the automatic reload option. The party is notified when the automatic reload occurs.
1. A method for automatically reloading a stored value card (SVC), the method comprising:
determining that an activity related to a stored value card (SVC) has satisfied a promotional goal, wherein the promotional goal is designated by a holder of the SVC independent of a purchase transaction using the SVC and following registration of the SVC, wherein the SVC is registered by the holder of the SVC using a unique card identification number that is different than an account number associated with the SVC;
incrementing a balance of the account associated with the SVC by an amount pre-authorized by a party associated with the SVC other than the holder of the SVC, if it is determined that the activity related to the SVC has satisfied the promotional goal; and
generating a notification to the holder of the SVC that incrementing the balance has occurred,
wherein the method is implemented by at least one computing device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the activity of the SVC is a number of purchases made with the SVC, and the promotion goal is satisfied when the number of purchases reaches a specified number of purchases, after which the account earns an automatic reload of the pre-authorized amount.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the activity of the SVC is a dollar amount purchased using the SVC, and the promotion goal is satisfied when the dollar amount reaches a specified dollar amount of purchases, after which the account earns an automatic reload of the pre-authorized amount.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that incrementing the balance by the pre-authorized amount will cause the balance to exceed a maximum;
one of suppressing incrementing the balance of the account altogether and incrementing the account by less than the pre-authorized amount up to the maximum balance; and
further generating a notification to the holder of the account of at least one of that the account could not be automatically reloaded and that the maximum balance has been reached.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of determining, incrementing, and notifying are performed in real-time.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of determining, incrementing, and notifying are performed in near real-time.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of determining, incrementing, and notifying are performed periodically.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of determining, incrementing, and notifying are performed at a PUS location upon presentment of the SVC card.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining, incrementing, and notifying are performed prior to a next presentment of the SVC card.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
verifying whether the activity related to the SVC satisfied the promotional goal within a pre-determined range of time; and
bypassing incrementing the balance when the promotional goal has not been satisfied within the pre-determined range of time.
11. An apparatus to automatically reload a stored value card (SVC), comprising:
an event processor that:
determines when a promotional goal pre-designated by a holder of an SVC has been satisfied; and
triggers an automatic reload of the SVC wherein the SVC has been registered by the holder using a unique card identification number that is different than an account number associated with the SVC and wherein registration of the SVC using the unique card identification number:
enables the holder of the registered SVC to pre-designate the promotional goal; and
makes the SVC eligible for a promotional program;
a payment processor to authorize payment for a reload amount authorized by a party other than the holder of the SVC, when the event processor triggers an automatic reload; and
a reloader to increment an account balance of the registered SVC by the authorized reload amount.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the promotional goal is satisfied when an activity of the registered SVC has reached a threshold activity.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the threshold activity is a number of purchases made with the registered SVC.
14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the threshold activity is a dollar amount of purchases made with the registered SVC.
15. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a reload preference interface to setup the promotional goal according to an input to the interface.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the reload preference interface is a graphical interface accessible over the Internet.
17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the reload preference interface is an audio interface accessible over a telephone network.
18. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising:
a notifier to notify a party associated with the registered SVC when the reloader increments the account balance of the registered SVC by the authorized reload amount.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the reloader is to increment the account balance of the registered SVC by less than the authorized reload amount up to a maximum account balance, and wherein the notifier is to further notify the party that the maximum account balance has been reached.
20. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the reloader is to disable the automatic reload of the registered SVC when the payment processor cannot authorize payment for the reload amount.
21. A method for reloading a stored value card, comprising:
receiving a request to reload a registered stored value card (SVC), the request specifying an automatic reload preference that has been designated independent of a purchase transaction by a holder of the registered SVC and that has been designated following registration of the SVC using a unique card identifier that is different from an account number associated with the SVC, the automatic reload preference being a promotional goal;
incrementing a balance of an account associated with the registered SVC by an automatic reload amount authorized by a party other than the holder of the SVC, when the automatic reload preference is satisfied; and
confirming whether the request has been completed,
wherein the method is implemented by at least one computing device.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the request was automatically generated after satisfaction of the automatic reload preference.
23. The method of claim 21 , wherein incrementing the balance is performed only after determining that incrementing the balance does not cause the balance to exceed a predetermined maximum balance.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein confirming whether the request has been completed includes confirming that the request could not be completed because incrementing the balance would cause the balance to exceed the predetermined maximum balance.
25. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:
generating a payment transaction for the reload amount indicated in the request; and
verifying whether the payment transaction was successfully completed.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein confirming whether the request has been completed includes confirming that the request could not be completed because the payment transaction was unsuccessful.
27. The method of claim 21 , wherein confirming whether the request has been completed includes sending a notification to the requester.
28. The method of claim 21 , wherein confirming whether the request has been completed includes sending a notification to the holder or purchaser of the registered SVC.
29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the notification is an electronic mail message.
30. The method of claim 28 , wherein the notification is an electronic transaction.
31. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having executable instructions to reload a stored value card (SVC), the instructions comprising:
to determine that an activity related to a stored value card (SVC) has satisfied a promotional goal, wherein the promotional goal is designated by a holder of the SVC independent of a purchase transaction and following registration of the SVC with a provider of the SVC, wherein the SVC is registered using a unique card identifier different from an account number associated with the SVC;
to increment a balance of an account associated with the SVC by an amount pre-authorized by a party associated with the SVC other than the holder of the SVC, if it is determined that the activity has satisfied the promotional goal; and
to notify the holder of the SVC that the balance was incremented.
32. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 31 , wherein the activity associated with using the SVC is a number of purchases made with the SVC, and the promotion goal is satisfied when the number of purchases reaches a specified number of purchases, after which the account earns an automatic reload of the pre-authorized amount.
33. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 31 , wherein the activity associated with using the SVC is a dollar amount purchased using the SVC, and the promotion goal is satisfied when the dollar amount reaches a specified dollar amount of purchases, after which the account earns an automatic reload of the pre-authorized amount.
34. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 31 , wherein the instructions further comprise:
to determine that incrementing the balance by the pre-authorized amount will cause the balance to exceed a maximum;
to one of to suppress incrementing the balance of the account altogether and to increment the account by less than the pre-authorized amount up to the maximum balance; and
to further notify the holder of the account of at least one of that the account could not be automatically reloaded and that the maximum balance has been reached.
35. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 31 , wherein at least one of the instructions to determine, to increment, and to notify are performed in real-time.
36. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 31 , wherein at least one of the instructions to determine, to increment, and to notify are performed in near real-time.
37. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 31 , wherein at least one of the instructions to determine, to increment, and to notify are performed periodically.
38. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 31 , wherein at least one of the instructions to determine, to increment, and to notify are performed at a POS location upon presentment of the SVC card.
39. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 31 , wherein at least one of the instructions to determine, to increment, and to notify are performed prior to a next presentment of the SVC card.
40. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 31 , wherein the instructions further comprise:
to verify whether the activity satisfied the promotional goal within a pre-determined range of time; and
to bypass incrementing the balance when the activity does not satisfy the promotional goal within the pre-determined range of time.