System and method facilitating purchase of goods and services by pre-payment via a universal gift or other pre-paid card with incentives

摘要

A system and method for facilitating purchase of goods and services by pre-payment via a universal gift or other pre-paid card with incentives. The universal gift or other pre-paid card provides incentives to vendors and consumers that use it. It permits flexible purchase of goods and services by consumers. The consumers are recipients of the universal gift card from others or purchasers of the universal gift card who decide to use the card themselves. The universal gift card is usable at any one of a plurality of merchants who are designated and authorized by the system. The universal gift card permits purchase up to a specified amount, which must be paid by a consumer prior to its use. The specified amount is either maintained on the universal gift card itself or is maintained on a database associated with the system, which maintains associated accounts and controls its use. The universal gift card preferably has few restrictions (e.g. expiration date), if any, to facilitate ease of use by consumers. Among the incentives provided is the ability to designate preferences, such as provide a percentage of specified amounts to charitable donations and to reduce transaction costs that are often associated with payment methods other than use of hard physical currency.