Dynamically changing system for fulfilling concealed value gift certificate obligations

摘要

A system and process for redeeming concealed value gift certificates with concealed value products. The gift certificates, purchasable by a buyer, represent a value stored in a database and concealed from the subsequent recipient/redeemer. Gift products are selected by the system operator and similarly stored in a database with their corresponding prices. Upon receipt of a gift certificate identifier, the corresponding value is retrieved from the database, and used to identify a selection of gifts affordable with the certificate. The gifts are then displayed to the redeemer, without revealing either the value of the certificate or the cost of the gifts. As gifts are selected for purchase by the redeemer, the concealed value of the gift certificate is reduced by the cost of the selected gifts, and new sets of affordable gifts are identified and displayed to the redeemer. Gifts may also be 'returned,' and the value added back into the concealed value of the gift certificate. The redeemer can thus select gifts in an interactive, game-type manner.