Selective inclusion of stored value cards in mailings

• Main Authors: WORDEKEMPER GLEN D, PRCHAL RONALD L, FORTNEY PAUL M, HUG STEPHEN J, HORTON TIMOTHY J, STIVERS MARTIN G
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 06.04.2006
• Subjects: CALCULATING; COMPUTING; COUNTING; DATA PROCESSING SYSTEMS OR METHODS, SPECIALLY ADAPTED FORADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORYOR FORECASTING PURPOSES; PHYSICS; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE,COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORY OR FORECASTINGPURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

A method of including a gift card in a mailing to a customer includes receiving a request to include gift cards in mailings to each member of a group comprising one or more customers. The group includes the customer. The method also includes preparing the mailing. The mailing includes the gift card and the gift card is inactive. The method further includes sending the mailing to the customer and receiving a request from the customer to activate the gift card. The request includes an identifier of the gift card and payment for an amount of value to be assigned to the gift card. The method further includes settling a transaction involving the gift card and a recipient of the gift card. The recipient and the customer are different.