Dynamic rewards program

A non-transitory computer program product having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computer based system, causes the computer based system to be capable of performing operations comprising:

• receiving, by the computer based system, a request to participate in a rewards program, wherein the request includes a transaction account number identifying a transaction account;
• receiving, by the computer based system, preferences for notifications, a social media channel, rewards, sharing, purchasing and shipment,
• wherein the social media channel includes a communication system for delivering content, joining groups and exchanging the content via internet communication, and
• wherein the rewards include monetary value;
• linking, by the computer based system and based on the preferences, the transaction account with the rewards program in response to receiving the transaction account number;
• transferring, by the computer based system, a first plurality of rewards from a rewards database and into a rewards pool associated with the rewards program;
• assigning, by the computer based system, the monetary value to each of the first plurality of rewards;
• maintaining, by the computer based system, the first plurality of rewards in the rewards pool;
• receiving, by the computer based system, transaction information for a transaction completed with the transaction account;
• analyzing, by the computer based system and based on rules, the transaction information and the transaction account to determine that the transaction and the transaction account qualifies for a reward;
• determining, by the computer based system, a high subset of the first plurality of rewards with a high monetary value, a medium subset of the first plurality of rewards with a medium monetary value, and a low subset of the first plurality of rewards with a low monetary value;
• randomly selecting, by the computer based system and in response to a first distribution trigger and based on the preferences, the reward from the high subset of the first plurality of rewards with the high monetary value, the medium subset of the first plurality of rewards with the medium monetary value, and the low subset of the first plurality of rewards with the low monetary value in response to the analyzing the transaction information;
• obtaining, by the computer based system, distribution instructions for providing the reward to an account holder of the transaction account;
• establishing, by the computer based system, access to the reward via the social media channel associated with a sponsoring merchant;
• notifying, by the computer based system and based on distribution instructions and based on the preferences, the account holder of the reward;
• providing, by the computer based system, reward information to the account holder, wherein the reward information includes information describing the reward, the transaction associated with the reward, the transaction account associated with the reward, reward statistical information, and transaction statistical information;
• providing, by the computer based system and via an electronic message and based on the preferences, the account holder with a hyperlink to a website of the sponsoring merchant that accesses instructions to obtain the reward from the sponsoring merchant via the social media channel and to share at least a portion of the reward with a second party via the social media channel;
• receiving, by the computer based system, a request to share at least the portion of the reward with the second party via the social media channel based on an action of the second party in the social media channel,
• wherein the second party is associated with a profile of the account holder in the social media channel, and
• wherein the action includes at least one of a broadcast or selection in the social media channel;
• transferring, by the computer based system via the social media channel and based on the preferences, the reward to the second party in response to receiving the action from the second party in the social media channel;
• transferring, by the computer based system, a second plurality of rewards from the rewards database into the rewards pool associated with the rewards program, based on a second distribution trigger associated with the rewards program;
• and
• maintaining, by the computer based system, the second plurality of rewards in the rewards pool.

A computer based system, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the processor, the non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the following operations;
• receiving, by the processor, a request to participate in a rewards program, wherein the request includes a transaction account number identifying a transaction account;
• receiving, by the processor, preferences for notifications, a social media channel, rewards, sharing, purchasing and shipment,
• wherein the social media channel includes a communication system for delivering content, joining groups and exchanging the content via internet communication, and
• wherein the rewards include monetary value;
• linking, by the processor and based on the preferences, the transaction account with the rewards program in response to receiving the transaction account number;
• transferring, by the processor, a first plurality of rewards from a rewards database and into a rewards pool associated with the rewards program;
• assigning, by the processor, the monetary value to each of the first plurality of rewards;
• maintaining, by the processor, the first plurality of rewards in the rewards pool;
• receiving, by the processor, transaction information for a transaction completed with the transaction account;
• analyzing, by the processor and based on rules, the transaction information and the transaction account to determine that the transaction and the transaction account qualifies for a reward;
• determining, by the processor, a high subset of the first plurality of rewards with a high monetary value, a medium subset of the first plurality of rewards with a medium monetary value, and a low subset of the first plurality of rewards with a low monetary value;
• randomly selecting, by the processor and in response to a first distribution trigger and based on the preferences, the reward from the high subset of the first plurality of rewards with the high monetary value, the medium subset of the first plurality of rewards with the medium monetary value, and the low subset of the first plurality of rewards with the low monetary value in response to the analyzing the transaction information;
• obtaining, by the processor, distribution instructions for providing the reward to an account holder of the transaction account;
• establishing, by the processor, access to the reward via the social media channel associated with a sponsoring merchant;
• notifying, by the processor and based on distribution instructions and based on the preferences, the account holder of the reward;
• providing, by the processor, reward information to the account holder, wherein the reward information includes information describing the reward, the transaction associated with the reward, the transaction account associated with the reward, reward statistical information, and transaction statistical information;
• providing, by the processor and via an electronic message and based on the preferences, the account holder with a hyperlink to a website of the sponsoring merchant that accesses instructions to obtain the reward from the sponsoring merchant via the social media channel and to share at least a portion of the reward with a second party via the social media channel;
• receiving, by the processor, a request to share at least the portion of the reward with the second party via the social media channel based on an action of the second party in the social media channel,
• wherein the second party is associated with a profile of the account holder in the social media channel, and
• wherein the action includes at least one of a broadcast or selection in the social media channel;
• transferring, by the processor via the social media channel and based on the preferences, the reward to the second party in response to receiving the action from the second party in the social media channel;
• transferring, by the processor, a second plurality of rewards from the rewards database into the rewards pool associated with the rewards program, based on a second distribution trigger associated with the rewards program;
• and
• maintaining, by the processor, the second plurality of rewards in the rewards pool.