WO2002007036A1

WO2002007036A1 - Method and system for the handling of gift vouchers when used on the internet

Info

Publication number: WO2002007036A1
Application number: PCT/SE2001/001641
Authority: WO
Inventors: Magnus Lidgren
Original assignee: Safety Voucher Scandinavia Ab
Priority date: 2000-07-17
Filing date: 2001-07-16
Publication date: 2002-01-24
Also published as: AU2001272870A1; SE0002685L; SE0002685D0

Abstract

A method and system of handling gift vouchers (1) in e-commerce, wherein a holder of a gift voucher (1) logs in to a network such as the Internet or an intranet (20) and visits to a web site being a part of the system according to the invention, including at least one web shop (21), wherein a shop is selected (22) and articles to be purchased are marked (23). The gift voucher is stated as the method of payment (24), and a security code (2) noted on and being individual for said gift voucher is entered into market positions (a, b, c, d, e) in a matrix (5) shown on the web site for character input (25), wherein the entered code (26) is verified and the purchase is completed.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR THE HANDLING OF GIFT VOUCHERS WHEN USED ON THE INTERNET,

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method and system for e-commerce and more particularly to a method and system for handling gift vouchers in e-commerce.

Prior Art- Gift vouchers as a method of payment is a fact, which has long tradition in consumer trade and are used in private connection as well as in the business life, both in the commercial and the public sector.

The usage of gift vouchers as a present or encouragement is a well known fact .

The gift voucher is a technical medium for transferring a value between individuals to be exchanged by prod- ucts/services later. Unlike money, the traditional gift voucher implies certain limited options when this is to be exchanged against products/services. Gift vouchers are in most cases connected to a limited offer of products/services, for example to the offer by particular mul- tiple stores, and are finally used as a method of payment on a concrete physical place. The paper gift voucher is an established method of payment giving a high efficiency to low costs.

The Internet usage and with that the commerce with consumers products and services through netshops have increased and increase strongly all over the world, e-commerce companies for consumer products, which are established today, have difficulties in achieving profitability. There are essential 'diff culties in forcing visitors to their trade sites. To have frequent users are even more difficult. Trading over the Internet is today limited for example due to the current methods of payment. There is for example uncertainty in the consumer line in usage of credit cards, a method of payment which nevertheless is recom- mended by the market compared to other methods of payment, i.e. invoices, cash on delivery, etc. The confidence in credit card payment needs to be increased for the trade to achieve the level of efficiency that is aimed at.

New types of credit cards, so called smart cards, have been introduced and new security systems are built to prevent that account identities are spread or can be unduly utilized. A strong unwillingness still remains in the consumer line to hand out its credit card number over the Internet .

The invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a method for handling a gift voucher adapted for net trading or e-commerce. The object of the invention is achieved by means of a method for handling gift vouchers in e-commerce, wherein a proprietor of a gift voucher logs into a network, such as the Internet or an intranet, and visits a web site included in the system according to the invention including at least a netshop, wherein a shop is selected and articles to be purchased are marked. The proprietor states gift voucher as method of payment and enters a security code, which is provided on the gift voucher and is individual for the gift voucher, in marked positions in a matrix shown on the web site for character input. The code is verified and the purchase is completed.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a system for handling gift vouchers for e-commerce according to the method above. For this object, the system com- prises a data network server for connection to a network, such as the Internet or an intranet, to which the server network user can be connected, wherein the data network server provides a web site including at least a net shop, from which articles to be purchased can be selected. Addi- tionally, the server is adapted to receive a selection of gift voucher as the method of payment, receive a security code provided on and being individual for the gift voucher, the code of which is entered in a marked positions in a matrix shown on the web site for character input wherein the entered code is finally verified by a server and the purchase is completed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gift voucher adapted for e-commerce as above.

This object is achieved by a gift voucher provided with an individual security code for verification of the gift voucher at a purchase in a netshop.

An advantage of the method and system for handling a gift voucher according to the invention is that an end customer can make a conclusion/purchase without the uncertain factors, which are associated with the usage of cpresent methods of payment. Additionally, each gift voucher has an overrepresentation of codes, which can be connected to other applications.

An additional advantage of the invention is that it provides an opportunity to transform winning tickets to gift vouchers for e-commerce.

Short Description of the Drawings

The invention is described in the following with ref- erence to the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG 1 is a schematic image of a gift voucher with a code matrix adapted for e-commerce according to the invention,

FIG 2 is a part of a screen image comprising a matrix for code input on a computer in trading in an e-commerce shop in a system for handling a gift voucher according to the invention,

FIG 3 shows a schematic image of the gift voucher in FIG 1 with some squares marked for input in the code matrix in FIG 2,

FIG 4 is a schematic image of an embodiment of a system for handling a gift voucher for e-commerce according to the invention, and

FIG 5 is a flow chart for the method of handling a gift voucher for e-commerce according to the invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

A physical gift voucher 1 according to the present invention adapted for e-commerce is shown in FIG 1. A par- ticular individual security code, provided in squares on a code matrix 2 of the gift voucher 1, is connected to each gift voucher. The code enables that a payment verification can be performed in net trading, such as e-commerce on the Internet . The gift voucher 1 can also be provided with other fields, such as a serial number field 3 and an open area 4 for text, such as an amount and/or images.

Each gift voucher 1 according to the invention is unique with the individual security code 2 , such as a scrape code, which serves as a carrier of a secure veri- fication method/code for an individual gift voucher 1 in a payment step in e-commerce and a serial number in the field 3. The gift voucher 1 is in this current embodiment a paper carried electronic exchange for trading over .the Internet or an intranet. In an alternative embodiment of the gift voucher, it is an electronic or digital gift voucher.

For the handling of the gift vouchers 1, there is also a system for e-commerce according to the invention shown in FIG 4. The system comprises a data network server 5 for connection to a network 6, such as the Internet or an intranet, to which the server network user can be connected via its computer 7. The data network server 5 provides a ^■ web site including at least a netshop, from which articles to be purchased can be selected. Further the server 5 is configured to receive the selection of gift voucher as the method of payment. The server can also receive the security code provided on and being individual for the gift voucher, which is entered in a matrix 5 shown on the web site, and verify the code, wherein the purchase is completed.

The system comprises, except traditional produc- tion/distribution/services among other things its own

Internet portal with different services for connecting consumers to e-commerce companies.

The present invention also relates to a method for handling gift vouchers 1 in net trading. The method for handling gift vouchers 1 according to the invention comprises a number of steps, which are indicated in the flow chart in FIG 5. A proprietor of a gift voucher 1 logs into a data network, such as the Internet or an intranet, in step 20 and visits a web site in the system according to the invention, including a set of netshops, in which the gift voucher according to the invention can be used in step 21. A shop is selected in step 22 and articles to be purchased are marked in step 23. The user, i.e. the customer or proprietor of the gift voucher, indicates gift voucher as the method of payment in step 24. The individual code is scraped bare on the gift voucher and is entered in the matrix 5, shown on the web site, in the locations a, b, c, d, e marked in the matrix for a character input in step 25. In the example with the matrix in FIG 2, the characters 3, 1, 2, U, E, surrounded by dashed squares, of the code ared in the squares a, b, c, d, e in the matrix 5 on the screen image in step 25.

The individual code, which in this embodiment forms a 4x4 matrix code with 2.8βxl0²⁷ combinations, is verified by the system in step 26 and the purchase is completed in step 27.

In other embodiments of the invention, the security code can constitute a 3x3 matrix code, which provides slightly fewer combinations, a 5x5 matrix code, providing somewhat more combinations. Even other matrix codes with more or less squares for different codes are covered by the present invention.

The system according to the invention is intended for e-commerce via a gift voucher system including Internet services, software, printers services, distribution, marketing, etc.

Netshops connected to the system have preferably software implemented in their trading systems according to the above. Hence, when the customer reaches "the cash desk" and should select the method of payment, the opportunity to select a gift voucher according to the invention for payment will be available as an alternative. When the customer selects a gift voucher as a method of payment, a check, a verification, an acceptance and a transferring of the payment through the system according to the invention are made in step 26.

The gift voucher system provides a web portal with intelligent links, implying that the one who is trading with the gift voucher preferably logs into the system web portal and is there given access to the shops which are connected to the system.

The verification is made by means of "following" the customer in the shop of the system and verify the cus- tomer's gift voucher with the security code 2 when he wishes to pay with the gift voucher.

The gift voucher system also works perfectly well technically as payment system and payment means for different types of events, visits to the cinema, visits to the theatre, etc. There is also an essential marketing potential for gift voucher systems.

The end customer is a user having access to the Internet/intranet or who wants to give gift vouchers to someone having access to the Inernet .

Issuers of gift vouchers are divided into three different parties a. Self issuing, i.e. the one providing the system issues gift vouchers itself and which are valid in all net- shops connected to the system. b. Netshops issue with the intention to generate , customers for the own netshop. These gift vouchers then can be used for shopping in the issuing netshop. The reason could be pure promotion, i.e. for example that gift vouchers of smaller values can be given away to potential customers, which for example register their names in the netshop customer data oase. Another example could be the netshops, which also run conventional retailing. c. Convertible issuer: This category can be exempli- fied by ticket organizers. These sell tickets provided with the code system according to the invention. The winning ticket can then, if the winner so desires, be converted to a gift voucher and thereby possible to use for net trading. Depending on the type of issuer, the money streams will look different. Own issuing: a. The system proprietor issues by itself and sells through retailers (for example tobacconists) according to statement of account system, i.e. the same as is applied for for example gambling stores selling tickets. Sold gift vouchers are reported weekly. Reporting is made through the Internet or via telephone by providing the retail code and the serial number coverage of sold items of different values. Retail provision is deducted and the payment amount is presented for the retailer. In connection with the usage o o

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Claims

1. A method of handling gift vouchers (1) in e-commerce, wherein a holder of a gift voucher (1) logs into a network, such as the Internet or an intranet (20) , and visits a web site being a part of the system according to the invention including at least a web shop (21) , wherein a shop is selected (22) and articles to be purchased are marked (23), characterized by the further steps of: stating the gift voucher as the method of payment (24) , entering a security code (2) , noted on and being individual for said gift voucher, into market positions (a,b,c,d,e) in a matrix (5) shown on the web site for character input (25) , verifying the entered code (26) , and completing the purchase.

2. A system for handling a gift voucher (1) for e- commerce, comprising a computer network server for connec- tion to a network, such as the Internet or an intranet, to the server of which network users can be connected, characterized in that the computer network server provides a web site including at least a netshop, from which articles to be purchased can be selected, wherein the server is adapted to receive a selection of a gift voucher as a method of payment, receive a security code (2) noted on and being individual for said gift voucher, which can be entered into marked positions (a,b,c,d,e) in a matrix (5) shown on the web site for character input (25) , verify the entered code (26), and complete the purchase.

3. A computer program product, directly loadable into an internal memory of a digital computer, characterized in that it comprises a software code for generating a web site including at least a web shop, from which articles to be purchased can be selected; displaying and receiving a selection of a gift voucher as the method of payment, receiving a security code (2) noted on and being individual for said gift voucher, which is entered into marked posi- tions (a,b,c,d,e) in a matrix (5) shown on the web site for character input (25) ; verifying the entered code (26) ; and completing the purchase, when the product is run on a computer.

4. A gift voucher for purchasing of articles in a shop, characterized in that the gift voucher is a gift voucher for e-commerce and is provided with an individual security code for verification of the gift voucher in purchasing.

5. A gift voucher according to claim 4, characterized in that the individual code is made up of a 4x4 matrix code .

6. A gift voucher according to claim 4, characterized in that the individual code is made up of a 3x3 matrix code .

7. A gift voucher according to claim 4, character- ized in that the individual code is made up of a 5x5 matrix code .

8. A gift voucher according to any of the claims 4- 7, characterized in that the gift voucher is provided with a serial number (3) .

9. A gift voucher according to any of the claims 4- 7, characterized in that the gift voucher is an electronic gift voucher.