REMOTELY ACTIVATABLE CARDS

摘要

An economic stimulus system includes a central server communicatively coupled to a communication network and operable to compose a coupon and/or a postage assembly. A first network connection communicatively couples a first merchant to the central server and is operable to permit the first merchant to select consumer-coupon criteria for inclusion on a first coupon as part of the assembly. Additional network connections communicatively couple additional merchants to the central server permit the additional merchants to select consumer-coupon criteria for inclusion on additional coupons that will be part of the assembly. An assembly printer receives instructions from the central server and prints the assembly in response to the instructions, with the assembly printed including at least one activation code and at least the first and second coupons and providing an indication of being in an inactivated state. A third network connection communicatively couples a consumer to the central server and transmits the at least one activation code to the central server. The central server is operable to transmit an activation instruction to any of the merchants and place the assembly in an activated state.