Patent ID: 8190472

Claim:
A method for using a rebate card to receive and use rebates, the rebate card provided to a customer during the purchase transaction prompting the rebate, the method comprising: receiving a request to activate the rebate card at a central processor, the request received in response to a first purchase transaction for one or more products or services eligible for a rebate by a customer, the request to activate comprising an identifier uniquely associated with the rebate card; determining during the first purchase transaction whether the first purchase transaction qualifies for a rebate; determining during the first purchase transaction a rebate value based on the first purchase transaction and the rebate; associating during the first purchase transaction a potential rebate value equal to the determined rebate value in a rebate card account associated with the rebate card; after the first purchase transaction has been concluded and responsive to a determination that one or more of the products or services eligible for a rebate have not been returned or cancelled, making the potential rebate value in the rebate card account available for use; receiving a request to apply funds from the rebate account to a second purchase transaction; and reducing a balance of the rebate card account by an amount applied to the second purchase transaction.