# US 10,769,681 B1 · Systems and methods for facilitating purchases > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,769,681 B1 - Document ID: US10769681B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 15/969,635 - Filed: 2018-05-02 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-12 - Assignees: United Services Automobile Association (USAA) - Applicants: United Services Automobile Association (USAA) - Inventors: Marty Lee Mendivil; Rickey Dale Burks; Charles Lee Oakes, III; Michael Patrick Bueche, Jr.; Christopher A. Jackson; Margaret M. Tuschinski; Craig Kincaid; Luke James Gradeless; Elizabeth Jackson; Stephen Basilotto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10769681B1 ## CPC - G06Q 30/0277: {Online advertisement} - G06Q 30/0605: {Pooling transaction partners, e.g. group buying or group selling} - G06Q 30/0633: {Managing shopping lists, e.g. compiling or processing purchase lists (shipping orders G06Q10/083; order filling G06Q10/087)} - G06Q 30/08: Auctions - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract Methods and systems for facilitating a program with participating merchants and consumers are described. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a wish list of a user. The wish list may include items or services sold by merchants participating in the program. The wish list may be published to the merchants participating in the program. A location of the user may be determined, and an offer from one of the participating merchants may be received, where the offer is based on the location of the user. A total cost of the offer may be calculated by analyzing the offer. The user may be notified of the offer and the total cost. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: publishing one or more items or services indicated by a user to merchants participating in a reverse auction program; determining a physical location of the user based on a location of a device associated with the user; receiving, from one or more of the merchants, one or more offers for one of the items or services; determining, by a processor of a reverse auction system, a total cost of each of the one or more offers to the user by calculating shipping costs or driving costs for the user to obtain the item or service based on the physical location of the user; and sending, to the user, the one or more offers and the total cost of each of the one or more offers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, the method further comprising: in response to receiving acceptance of one of the one or more offers, completing a purchase with the merchant whose offer was accepted. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more offers is based at least in part on the physical location of the user. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more offers includes an offer for more than one item or service on a wish list associated with the user, wherein the method further comprising: depositing, for the user, funds into an escrow account for the user, the funds in accordance with a price the user is willing to pay for each item listed on the wish list. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, the method further comprising: notifying the user of the one or more offers and the total cost of each of the one or more offers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, the method further comprising publishing, by the processor of the reverse auction system, the total cost of the one or more offers so that each merchant can view the total cost of the one or more offers and provide a competing offer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, the method further comprising: aggregating a wish list associated with the user and a wish list associated with a second user to negotiate on behalf of the user and the second user. ### Claim 8 A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising non-transitory computer-readable instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, direct the one or more processors to: publish one or more items or services indicated by a user to merchants participating in a reverse auction program; determine a physical location of the user based on a location of a device associated with the user; receive, from one or more of the merchants, one or more offers for one of the items or services; determine a total cost of each of the one or more offers to the user by calculating shipping costs or driving costs for the user to obtain the item or service based on the physical location of the user; and send, to the user, the one or more offers and the total cost of each of the one or more offers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further direct the one or more processors to: in response to receiving acceptance of one of the one or more offers, complete a purchase with the merchant whose offer was accepted. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the one or more offers is based at least in part on the physical location of the user. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the one or more offers includes an offer for more than one item or service on a wish list associated with the user, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further direct the one or more processors to: deposit, for the user, funds into an escrow account for the user, the funds in accordance with a price the user is willing to pay for each item listed on the wish list. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further direct the one or more processors to: notify the user of the one or more offers and the total cost of each of the one or more offers. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further direct the one or more processors to: publish the total cost of the one or more offers so that each merchant can view the total cost of the one or more offers and provide a competing offer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further direct the one or more processors to: aggregate a wish list associated with the user and a wish list associated with a second user to negotiate on behalf of the user and the second user. ### Claim 15 A system, comprising: a memory; and a processor in communication with the memory, the processor operable to execute software modules, the software modules comprising: a module configured to publish one or more items or services indicated by a user to merchants participating in a reverse auction program; a module configured to determine a physical location of the user based on a location of a device associated with the user; a module configured to receive, from one or more of the merchants, one or more offers for one of the items or services; a module configured to determine a total cost of each of the one or more offers to the user by calculating shipping costs or driving costs for the user to obtain the item or service based on the physical location of the user; and a module configured to send, to the user, the one or more offers and the total cost of each of the one or more offers. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the software modules further comprise a module configured to complete a purchase with the merchant whose offer was accepted in response to receiving acceptance of one of the one or more offers. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more offers is based at least in part on the physical location of the user. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more offers includes an offer for more than one item or service on a wish list associated with the user, wherein the instructions, wherein the software modules further comprise a module configured to deposit, for the user, funds into an escrow account for the user, the funds in accordance with a price the user is willing to pay for each item listed on the wish list. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the software modules further comprise a module configured to publish the total cost of the one or more offers so that each merchant can view the total cost of the one or more offers and provide a competing offer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the software modules further comprise a module configured to aggregate a wish list associated with the user and a wish list associated with a second user to negotiate on behalf of the user and the second user.