Syndicated sharing of promotional information

A computing system comprising:

• a hardware computer processor;
• a non-transitory computer readable medium having software instructions stored thereon, the software instructions executable by the hardware computer processor to cause the computing system to perform operations comprising:
• receiving, from a retailer website, a security key including a unique identifier and an indication of a purchase of a product by a purchaser via the retailer website, the indication including purchase data indicating an amount paid by the purchaser for the product;
• automatically determining, by a promotion management computer system having one or more computer processors, based on rebate criteria associated with the product, that the purchase qualifies for a rebate of up to a maximum rebate amount,
• wherein the rebate is conditionally payable to the purchaser and one or more distributors in a predetermined quantity of partial rebates that total the maximum rebate amount;
• automatically providing, by the one or more computer processors, for display to the purchaser via the retailer website, an indication that the purchase qualifies for the rebate;
• upon receiving an indication that the purchaser selected an option to receive the rebate as the predetermined quantity of partial rebates, automatically identifying, by the one or more computer processors, as potential distributors one or more individuals that are each previous purchasers of a same or similar product as the product purchased by the purchaser;
• automatically calculating, by the one or more computer processors, the partial rebate for each click on promotional material by respective viewers;
• automatically receiving, from a retailer from which the product was purchased, a syndication sharing percentage indicating a percentage of each partial rebate to be paid to distributors;
• automatically calculating, by the one or more computer processors, an allocation of the partial rebate to be paid to each of the purchaser and respective distributors in response to each click on promotional material by respective viewers, wherein the partial rebate to be paid to respective distributors in response to clicks on promotional material posted by the respective distributor is the partial rebate multiplied by the syndication sharing percentage;
• automatically transmitting, by the one or more computer processors, an invitation to the potential distributors;
• receiving an indication of acceptance of the invitation from a first of the potential distributors, whereby the first potential distributor becomes a first distributor of the promotional material and is eligible to receive at least portions of partial rebates;
• automatically providing, by the one or more computer processors, promotional material to the first distributor that includes a first unique identifier of the first distributor;
• receiving, at the promotion management computer system, a first indication that a first viewer has clicked on promotional material posted using one or more social networking accounts;
• automatically determining, by the one or more computer processors, whether the predetermined quantity of partial rebates has been reached;
• in response to determining, by the one or more computer processors, that the predetermined quantity of partial rebates has been reached, not awarding a partial rebate to the purchaser and the first distributor;
• or
• in response to determining, by the one or more computer processors, that the predetermined quantity of partial rebates has not been reached:
• automatically determining, by the one or more computer processors, based on the unique identifier in the clicked promotional material, whether the promotional material clicked on by the viewer was posted by the first distributor;
• and
• in response to determining, by the one or more computer processors, that the promotional material clicked on by the viewer was posted by the first distributor,
• automatically initiating crediting, by the one or more computer processors, an account of the purchaser a first portion of the partial rebate, and
• automatically initiating crediting, by the one or more computer processors, an account of the first distributor a second portion of the partial rebate;
• or
• in response to determining, by the one or more computer processors, based on the unique identifier in the clicked promotional material, that the promotional material clicked on by the viewer was posted by the purchaser, automatically initiating crediting, by the one or more computer processors, the account of the purchaser the partial rebate.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having software instructions stored thereon, the software instructions executable by a hardware computer processor to cause a computing system to perform operations comprising:

• receiving, from a retailer website, a security key including a unique identifier and an indication of a purchase of a product by a purchaser via the retailer website, the indication including purchase data indicating an amount paid by the purchaser for the product;
• automatically determining, by a promotion management computer system having one or more computer processors, based on rebate criteria associated with the product, that the purchase qualifies for a rebate of up to a maximum rebate amount,
• wherein the rebate is conditionally payable to the purchaser and one or more distributors in a predetermined quantity of partial rebates that total the maximum rebate amount;
• automatically providing, by the one or more computer processors, for display to the purchaser via the retailer website, an indication that the purchase qualifies for the rebate;
• upon receiving an indication that the purchaser selected an option to receive the rebate as the predetermined quantity of partial rebates, automatically identifying, by the one or more computer processors, as potential distributors one or more individuals that are each previous purchasers of a same or similar product as the product purchased by the purchaser;
• automatically calculating, by the one or more computer processors, the partial rebate for each click on promotional material by respective viewers;
• automatically receiving, from a retailer from which the product was purchased, a syndication sharing percentage indicating a percentage of each partial rebate to be paid to distributors;
• automatically calculating, by the one or more computer processors, an allocation of the partial rebate to be paid to each of the purchaser and respective distributors in response to each click on promotional material by respective viewers, wherein the partial rebate to be paid to respective distributors in response to clicks on promotional material posted by the respective distributor is the partial rebate multiplied by the syndication sharing percentage;
• automatically transmitting, by the one or more computer processors, an invitation to the potential distributors;
• receiving an indication of acceptance of the invitation from a first of the potential distributors, whereby the first potential distributor becomes a first distributor of the promotional material and is eligible to receive at least portions of partial rebates;
• automatically providing, by the one or more computer processors, promotional material to the first distributor that includes a first unique identifier of the first distributor;
• receiving, at the promotion management computer system, a first indication that a first viewer has clicked on promotional material posted using one or more social networking accounts;
• automatically determining, by the one or more computer processors, whether the predetermined quantity of partial rebates has been reached;
• in response to determining, by the one or more computer processors, that the predetermined quantity of partial rebates has been reached, not awarding a partial rebate to the purchaser and the first distributor;
• or
• in response to determining, by the one or more computer processors, that the predetermined quantity of partial rebates has not been reached:
• automatically determining, by the one or more computer processors, based on the unique identifier in the clicked promotional material, whether the promotional material clicked on by the viewer was posted by the first distributor;
• and
• in response to determining, by the one or more computer processors, that the promotional material clicked on by the viewer was posted by the first distributor,
• automatically initiating crediting, by the one or more computer processors, an account of the purchaser a first portion of the partial rebate, and
• automatically initiating crediting, by the one or more computer processors, an account of the first distributor a second portion of the partial rebate;
• or
• in response to determining, by the one or more computer processors, based on the unique identifier in the clicked promotional material, that the promotional material clicked on by the viewer was posted by the purchaser, automatically initiating crediting, by the one or more computer processors, the account of the purchaser the partial rebate.