Gift card exchange kiosks and associated methods of use
AssigneeOuterwall Inc.
InventorsElizabeth J. Larrick, Sarah C. Heffernan, Walter Paulsen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to gift card exchange kiosks and associated methods of use. In one embodiment, for example, a consumer operated kiosk can receive a gift card identifier associated with a gift card via a user interface and/or a card reader, verify the gift card's activation status and/or face value, and display exchange options for a consumer. The exchange options can include exchanging the gift card for cash or a redeemable cash voucher. The kiosk can also store exchanged gift cards for later sale at the kiosk or at a remote location.
Claims17
A method of exchanging gift cards for value with a consumer operated kiosk, the method comprising:
- receiving gift card information associated with a gift card via a user input device associated with the consumer operated kiosk, wherein receiving gift card information associated with the gift card comprises receiving a first gift card in a card input slot associated with the consumer operated kiosk and reading a first gift card identifier from the first gift card;
- verifying a first activation status associated with the first gift card identifier;
- receiving a second gift card identifier associated with a second gift card via the user input device;
- verifying a second activation status associated with the second gift card identifier;
- maintaining the first activation status while the second gift card identifier is received and the second activation status is verified;
- displaying one or more exchange options for a first user, wherein the one or more exchange options include exchanging a gift card value associated with the first gift card and the second gift card for at least one of cash or a redeemable cash voucher;
- receiving a selection from the first user corresponding to at least one of the exchange options;
- when the user selection corresponds to exchanging the first gift card and second gift card for cash, dispensing cash to the user;
- when the user selection corresponds to exchanging the first gift card and second gift card for a redeemable cash voucher, dispensing the redeemable cash voucher to the user;
- and
- reselling at least a portion of the gift card value associated with the first and the second gift cards to a second user for a price less than the gift card value.
A method of exchanging gift cards for value with a consumer operated kiosk, the method comprising:
- receiving a gift card via a card input slot associated with the consumer operated kiosk to read a gift card identifier from the gift card;
- verifying a card activation status associated with the gift card identifier;
- displaying one or more exchange options for a first user, wherein the one or more exchange options include exchanging a gift card value associated with the gift card for a buy-back value in the form of cash and/or a redeemable cash voucher, wherein the buy-back value is less than the gift card value;
- and
- receiving a selection from the first user corresponding to at least one of the exchange options:
- when the user selection corresponds to exchanging the gift card for cash, dispensing the cash to the user;
- when the user selection corresponds to exchanging the gift card for a redeemable cash voucher, dispensing the redeemable cash voucher to the user;
- and
- reselling the gift card value to a second user for a price less than the gift card value and more than the buy-back value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.