| 摘要 |
<p>One embodiment of the present invention provides a method and an apparatus for facilitating a progressive coupon scheme in which the use of a coupon creates another coupon that the purchaser can use in a subsequent purchase transaction. The method includes defining (402) and storing (404) the progressive coupon scheme, which specified how use of a first coupon leads to generation of a second coupon. Upon receiving (310, 406) the first coupon as part of a purchase transaction, the system identifies (408) the first coupon by examining an identifier in the first coupon. Next, it associates (410) the first coupon with the second coupon by looking up the first coupon in the stored progressive coupon scheme. Finally, the system issues (412) the second coupon to the purchaser to be used in a subsequent purchase transaction by the purchaser. The second coupon may differ from the first coupon in a number of ways: the second coupon may have a greater monetary value than the first coupon; it may apply to different goods and services than the first coupon; and the value of the second coupon might be randomly determined. In a variation on the above embodiment, act of defining the progressive coupon scheme includes specifying a chain of coupons, wherein each successive coupon in the chain is generated in response to redemption of a preceding coupon in the chain. In another variation, the first coupon and the second coupon take the form of electronic coupons that can be communicated through a communication channel (100). <IMAGE></p> |
