VOUCHER SYSTEMS AND METHODS

摘要

An electronic voucher system (10) includes a validation server (12), remote from a plurality of merchants (M) and consumers (C) that are participating in a voucher scheme. The validation server (12) receives a validation request message in relation to a voucher transaction between a consumer and a merchant, and processes the validation request message to identify the consumer (C), merchant (M) and voucher (V) of the transaction. The server (12) then accesses a voucher database (14) to determine whether the transaction is valid, and, if so, issues a transaction validation message, which may be sent to the merchant or consumer and preferably to both. Advantageously, the validation request is sent to the server (12) via a mobile communications device of the consumer (C), e.g. a mobile telephone, and the message is preferably sent via an SMS message or the like. The consumer and merchant may also receive the validation message via SMS messaging.