Patent ID: 7693752
Filing Date: 2010-04-06
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A subscription-based method for presenting merchant information to a mobile device, the method comprising: receiving, at a server system over a communication network from the mobile device, a user inputted search for a merchant type within a geographical area and a user identification, the request having been received at the mobile device via a user interface presented by an application that runs on the mobile device; authenticating the user identification to verify that the user has a membership in a subscription-based shopping network; accessing, by the server system, a database storing information pertaining to merchants participating in the subscription-based shopping network, the accessing comprising identifying a matched merchant of the merchants participating in the subscription-based shopping network, the matched merchant having a physical location within the geographical area and being associated in the database with the merchant type; retrieving, from the database by the server system, associated information for the matched merchant, the associated information comprising a name of the matched merchant, information regarding the physical location of the matched merchant, and a promotional offer offered by the matched merchant, the promotional offer incentivizing the user to visit the physical location of the matched merchant and demonstrate the user's membership in the subscription-based shopping network to receive a discount on a product or a service from the matched merchant; and transmitting, from the server system over the communication network for presentation to the user via the user interface on the mobile communication device, the associated information.