Patent ID: 8799102

Claim:
A method of distribution and redemption of promotional offers, the method comprising: by an application executed by a handheld mobile device: generating an interactive user interface on the handheld mobile device; receiving, via the interactive user interface on the handheld mobile device, an indication by a user for a geographical area for a search for a merchant type; sending a unique identification from the application to a server for authentication to verify the user's membership in a shopping network, the unique identification comprising membership information of the user; receiving information from the server confirming the user's membership in the shopping network, the confirmation being based at least in part on the unique identification; prompting the user for the merchant type via the interactive user interface on the handheld mobile device; receiving user input selecting a merchant type via the interactive user interface on the handheld mobile device; sending the selected merchant type to the server; sending the geographical area from the handheld mobile device to the server; receiving merchant information from a database associated with the server, the merchant information including a list of one or more merchants that are participating in the shopping network; and displaying on the interactive user interface on the handheld mobile device a list of matched merchants that match the selected merchant type, one or more of the matched merchants having a physical location within the geographical area and being associated in the database with the selected merchant type, the displaying comprising displaying a name of the matched merchant, information associated with the physical location of the matched merchant, and a promotional offer offered by the matched merchant.