Collective gift system
OwnerMichelle Fujiko Nieda, Paula Marie Choinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An Internet business model comprises a website that allows an Organizer to log-in and initiate a collective gift from many Contributors that are then presented to the Recipient in the form of a Gift Card. Each contributor provides credit card information and an authorization only is obtained. The actual charge is put through only after the gift is fully subscribed and the collection period has ended. Then the gift card is funded and issued. Fees for the collective gift service may be paid in full by the Organizer, a Sponsor, partitioned amongst the Contributors, or covered as an advertizing or merchandizing expense by the gift card issuer.
Claims19
A system for purchasing a collective gift, the system comprising:
- a gift collection website hosted on a computer server having a computer program, the computer program having;
- a first code segment for initiating a gift collection based upon receiving a request from an organizer;
- a second code segment for creating a new gift account based on information provided by the organizer;
- a third code segment for generating and sending invitations to a plurality of contributors;
- a fourth code segment for receiving payment information from one of the organizer and the plurality of contributors, and processing said payment information;
- and
- a fifth code segment for initiating the issuance of a gift to a recipient.
A method for collaboratively funding a gift, the method comprising:
- establishing a gift collection site following a request from an organizer;
- inviting at least one of a plurality of contributors to visit the gift collection site;
- collecting payment information from at least one of a plurality of contributors;
- processing the collected payment information;
- purchasing a gift card using the collected payment information;
- and,
- issuing the gift card to a recipient.
A system for purchasing and delivering a collective gift comprising:
- initiating a gift collection site on an Internet website following a request from a first person;
- contacting a second person via email regarding the gift collection site;
- offering assistance to the second person at the gift collection site;
- collecting payment information, including a credit card number, from one of the first or second persons using the gift collection site;
- processing payment information after the collection period established by the first person has ended;
- purchasing a gift card;
- delivering the gift card to a third person;
- generating a thank you card message following the purchase of the gift card.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.