Systems and methods for managing promotional offers

An apparatus for providing promotional offers to a plurality of users of the apparatus via a mobile communications network or a data network, the apparatus comprising at least a processor and a memory, wherein the processor and/or memory are configured to perform the following operations:

• automatically obtaining association information pertaining to a first user from a social network application, wherein the association information specifies that the first user belongs to a plurality of associated users, including the first user, wherein the associated users each have a direct association with the first user through the social network application, wherein such direct association exists independently of a plurality of promotional offers that are provided by a plurality of different merchants or use of such promotional offers,
• providing the plurality of promotional offers, wherein each promotional offer pertains to a rebate amount, a purchase credit amount, a reward, a price discount amount, or other consumer offering;
• and
• providing a first one of the promotional offers from a first one of the plurality of merchants to a client device of the first user, wherein the first promotional offer is provided or the rebate amount, purchase credit amount, reward, price discount amount, or other consumer offering of the provided first promotional offer is determined selected or a lied based on a measure of a purchasing activity of the plurality of associated users.

At least one computer readable storage medium having computer program instructions stored thereon that are arranged to perform the following operations:

• at the platform, automatically obtaining association information from a social network application pertaining to the first user, wherein the association information specifies that the first user belongs to a plurality of associated users, including the first user, wherein the associated users each have a direct association with the first user through the social network application, wherein such direct association exists independently of a plurality of promotional offers that are provided by a plurality of merchants or use of such promotional offers,
• wherein the platform is configured to provide the plurality of promotional offers, wherein each promotional offer pertains to a rebate amount, a purchase credit amount, a reward, a price discount amount, or other consumer offering;
• and
• providing by the platform a first one of the promotional offers from a first one of the plurality of merchants, to a client device of the first user, wherein the first promotional offer is provided or the rebate amount purchase credit amount reward price discount amount or other consumer offering of the provided first promotional offer is determined, selected or applied, based on a measure of a purchasing activity of the plurality of associated users.

A method of providing promotional offers to a plurality of users of a mobile communications network or a data network, the method comprising:

• at the platform, automatically obtaining user association information from a social network application pertaining to a first user, wherein the user association information specifies that the first user belongs to a plurality of associated users, including the first user, wherein the associated users each have a direct association with the first user through the social network application, wherein such direct association exists independently of a plurality of promotional offers that are provided by a plurality of merchants or use of such promotional offers,
• wherein the platform is configured to provide the plurality of promotional offers;
• and
• providing on a client device of the first user a first one of the plurality of promotional offers related to a first one of the plurality of merchants that includes a first price discount, rebate, purchase credit, reward, or other consumer offering, wherein the provided first promotional offer is further associated with one or more additional terms that specify that a second price discount, rebate, purchase credit, reward or other consumer offering is to be provided to one or more of the plurality of associated users after the first promotional offer is provided to the first user and after a measure of a purchasing activity of such plurality of associated users meets a predetermined threshold.