Computer-implemented methods, computer program products, and machines for management and control of a loyalty rewards network

Non-transitory memory encoded with one or more computer programs operable by a computer adapted to facilitate management of loyalty rewards to be used with a plurality of merchants irrespective of forms of payment used by a consumer to define a loyalty rewards management computer, the one or more computer programs comprising instructions that when executed by the loyalty rewards management computer, the loyalty rewards management computer operates to perform the following steps:

• determining a receipt of one or more first transaction messages comprising a respective one or more of a plurality of loyalty rewards unique identifiers stored on a loyalty rewards card, the one or more first transaction messages being sent through an existing electronic financial payment network from a respective one or more of a plurality of merchant acquirer computers responsive to one or more of a plurality of loyalty reward accounts interfacing with a point of sale terminal associated with the one of a plurality of merchants, the plurality of loyalty rewards unique identifiers comprising one of a plurality of bank issuing number (BIN) issued by a financial institution and associated with one of the plurality of loyalty rewards accounts, wherein the one or more first transaction messages are not reported or recorded as a financial transaction, wherein each of the one or more the first transaction messages further comprises a transaction date, a transaction time, a merchant category code, a merchant acquirer identification, and a terminal identification number;
• determining availability of one or more loyalty rewards actions according to reward parameters;
• communicating the one or more loyalty rewards actions to the one or more of the plurality of merchant acquirer computer via the existing electronic financial payment network, each of the one or more loyalty reward actions being available responsive to a tender of sufficient payment for one or more goods or services from the one of the plurality of merchant;
• receiving a selection of one of the one or more loyalty rewards actions from the consumer, the one or more loyalty rewards actions comprising issuing a gift card;
• sending a loyalty reward action confirmation to the consumer;
• implementing the one or more loyalty rewards actions responsive to receiving one or more second transaction messages sent via the existing electronic financial payment network from the one or more of the plurality of merchant acquirer computers, the one or more second transaction messages indicating the tender of sufficient payment for the goods or services, wherein the one or more loyalty rewards actions are implemented irrespective of the forms of payment, wherein the forms of payment comprises a credit card, a debit card, cash, and a check;
• and
• aggregating data from a plurality of the one or more second transaction messages received from the plurality of merchants independent of the forms of payment to thereby enable a creation of targeted marketing data,
• wherein the one or more second transaction messages further comprise data that indicates one or more of the following data items:
• merchant category code, merchant identification number, standard industrial classification, terminal identification number, date purchased, time-of-day purchased, dollar value of purchase, and name of consumer.

A computer-implemented method to facilitate management of loyalty rewards to be used with a plurality of merchants irrespective of forms of payment used by a consumer, the method comprising:

• determining, by a computer adapted to facilitate management of loyalty rewards to define loyalty rewards management computer, a receipt of one or more first transaction messages comprising a respective one or more of a plurality of loyalty rewards unique identifiers stored on a loyalty rewards card, the one or more first transaction messages being sent through an existing electronic financial payment network from a respective one or more of a plurality of merchant acquirer computers responsive to one or more of a plurality of loyalty reward accounts interfacing with a point of sale terminal associated with the one of a plurality of merchants, the plurality of loyalty rewards unique identifiers comprising one of a plurality of bank issuing number (BIN) issued by a financial institution and associated with one of the plurality of loyalty rewards accounts, wherein the one or more first transaction messages are not reported or recorded as a financial transaction, wherein each of the one or more the first transaction messages further comprises a transaction date, a transaction time, a merchant category code, a merchant acquirer identification, and a terminal identification number;
• determining, by the loyalty rewards management computer, availability of one or more loyalty rewards actions according to reward parameters;
• communicating, by the loyalty rewards management computer, the one or more loyalty rewards actions to the one or more of the plurality of merchant acquirer computer via the existing electronic financial payment network, each of the one or more loyalty reward actions being available responsive to a tender of sufficient payment for one or more goods or services from the one of the plurality of merchant;
• receiving a selection of one of the one or more loyalty rewards actions from the consumer, the one or more loyalty rewards actions comprising issuing a gift card;
• sending a loyalty reward action confirmation to the consumer;
• implementing the one or more loyalty rewards actions responsive to receiving one or more second transaction messages sent via the existing electronic financial payment network from the one or more of the plurality of merchant acquirer computers, the one or more second transaction messages indicating the tender of sufficient payment for the goods or services, wherein the one or more loyalty rewards actions are implemented irrespective of the forms of payment, wherein the forms of payment comprises a credit card, a debit card, cash, or a check;
• and
• aggregating data from a plurality of the one or more second transaction messages received from the plurality of merchants independent of the forms of payment to thereby enable a creation of targeted marketing data,
• wherein the one or more second transaction messages further comprise data that indicates one or more of the following data items:
• merchant category code, merchant identification number, standard industrial classification, terminal identification number, date purchased, time-of-day purchased, dollar value of purchase, and name of consumer.