Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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METHOD FOR ONLINE PERSONALIZATION OF GREETING CARDS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a method and
system for creating and producing customized greeting
cards over a wide area wired or wireless network, in
particular the Internet.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Greeting cards have become an important element
for expressing good wishes with respect to the
celebration of a particular event. In some cases, a
greeting card alone is used and in other cases a gift is
associated with the greeting card. Conventional card and
gift shops have a host of preprinted greeting cards
(including the text sentiment or expression) for
different occasions. The purchaser attends at the store
location, reviews the various cards in the appropriate
seasonal or everyday category, and purchases the selected
card. Typically, the card is sold in the range of US
$2.00 to US $4.00. This price for a printed substrate of
card stock initially appears expensive relative to the
cost of the card, however, when one considers the
required overhead for operating the store, the amount of
waste and the turnover rate for the store the price is
somewhat more appropriate. In many cases, the
availability of an appropriate card that suits the person
and the occasion renders the price tolerable. Typically,
these types of retail outlets also include giftware in
the hope that a secondary higher prices sale can occur.
Electronic systems offering forms of card
personalization started appearing in the late 1980s and
' 35 throughout the 1990s. Specialty greeting card stores such
as Your Expression established in 1988 provided
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personalized greeting cards through a local area network
system. From a database of expressions categorized by
occasions, the greeting card messages would be further
personalized by interaction between the customer and the
retail attendant and then printed on a paper insert which
would be affixed inside a blank greeting card.
Standalone kiosks of Hallmark Cards or American
Greetings Corporation presented retail customers with the
ability to select a card image and type a personalized
message with the resulting greeting card printed on-
demand while the customer waited. These electronic
systems did not offer an extensive database of messages
categorized by occasion or by card face. The card fronts
were graphic "vector" images. These systems were not
capable of printing high-resolution, photographic
"bitmap" images.
More recently, a number of websites are available
which allow the personalization of an electronic or e-
card which is transmitted to the recipient by e-mail.
These cards allow for the selection of a particular
image, the selection or creation of a particular
expression and also sometimes include audio or video
files associated therewith as part of the presentation.
These cards are not normally printed and are transmitted
by e-mail to the recipient. Although e-cards have become
popular, they are generally recognized as being in
addition to the conventional card exchange andlor card
gift exchange process. Therefore, generally e-cards have
not been accepted as a replacement or substitute for the
conventional printed card, particularly on important
occasions.
In addition to e-cards, greeting card online
services over the Internet offer web customers the
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ability to select an image or graphic for the front of a
greeting card and offer a standard greeting to be printed
with the selected card or alternatively offer the ability
to type in a personalized message. These sites do not,
however, offer a wide selection of alternative messages
or expressions associated with multiple cards or
occasions.
Although the selection of a card and the mailing
of a card to the recipient provides recognition of the
thought and good wishes of the sender, the card alone may
not be sufficient. Flower delivery and other gift
delivery services provide a convenient service which
provides a further indication of the sender's recognition
of the event.
In many cases, the card sender or senders are
quite busy and although they wish to give the most
appropriate card and the most appropriate gift, there are
too many factors with respect to the individual's taste,
size, wardrobe and other circumstances which complicate
the issue and often lead to a selected gift being
returned. Gift certificates partially overcome this
issue but are not recognized as being personal or
representing considerable thought.
In the case of greeting cards for corporate use
and occasions, corporations have had to purchase greeting
cards through the same retail channels as consumer
greeting card purchasers. Typically, consumer cards do
not lend themselves to use for corporate occasions. The
requirement to go to retail outlets is usually not time
effective for corporations, and the cards and expressions
do not tend be appropriate for corporate use. As a
result, the corporate market has not been particularly
well serviced by the greeting card industry. New
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Internet-based personalized greeting card services have
offered alternatives that meet some of the shortcomings
of the retail consumer chain.
The present invention seeks to address a number of
these issues and provide a method and system which allows
the card selection and message personalization over the
Internet and with the resulting card printed card on-
demand and mailed to the recipient in a cost effective
manner. Optionally, the present invention allow a
customized combination greeting card and gift certificate
or gift to be delivered to the recipient. It also seeks
to address the special needs of corporations sending
greeting or acknowledgement cards on a private-label
basis with optional marketing and other information
printed as part of the card.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
A system for creating customized greeting cards
according to the present invention comprises a web server
having associated therewith a database of categorized
expressions, a database of categorized images, , a
selection process for entering user information used to
search each database to form a reduced portion of each
database that may be appropriate for selection by the
user, means for a user to identify a particular
expression and a particular image to thereby define a
customized greeting card, an arrangement for associating
with the customized greeting card a related sale or
promotion, a printing arrangement for printing the
customized greeting card and a delivery arrangement for
delivering the printed greeting card to a recipient.
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The delivery arrangement of said system
according to an aspect of the invention uses a postal
address.
According to a further aspect of said invention
the customized greeting is associated with a sale of a
gift product.
In yet a further aspect of said invention the
customized greeting card is associated with an
advertisement of a party or parties different from the
manufacturer of the card.
In yet a further aspect of the invention the
advertisement is a sales and marketing promotion.
In a different aspect of the invention the
customized greeting card is associated with a gift
certificate delivered with the card. Preferably the gift
certificate is attached to said card.
In yet a further aspect of the invention the
gift certificate is attached as a third panel of a normal
two panel greeting card. In one aspect of the
invention the greeting card is provided free to the --
user.
In a further aspect of the invention, the
system is adapted for use by corporations. In this case,
a database of corporate marketing information is
included. The resulting card for corporations included
customized marketing information selected from the
database.
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In an aspect of the invention a cost of
manufacture of said greeting card is partially funded by
said associated sale or promotion by advertisers.
In an aspect of the invention said website
includes advertisements viewed when using said website.
In an aspect of the invention an email to the
sender and the recipient confirming the completion of the
printing of the card and/or mailing of the card will
include additional marketing or promotional information
provided by the advertiser including a link to the
advertiser's website.
In yet a further aspect of the invention, a
corporate customer will have their logo and slogan
printed on the back of the greeting card creating a
private-labeled version for corporations.
In a feature of the private-labeled corporate
greeting cards, the corporation will also have the option
to print additional marketing or promotional information
on panels of the greeting card.
According to a feature of the system the
website, based on user provided information, makes a
series of recommendations of appropriate gifts available
using said website.
According to a feature of the system at least
one of said images and said expressions are categorized
by occasion.
According to a further feature the categorization
of said expressions is used as part of the categorization
of said images.
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According to a further feature the card images
will be linked to specific expressions appropriate for
the card image.
According to a further feature, the creation a new
expression or further personalization of an existing
expression from the database will be completed by
keyboard entry or by voice activation software.
The online system will be accessible over a wired
or a wireless wide area network including the Internet.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The preferred embodiments of the invention are
shown in the drawings wherein
Figure 1a is a perspective view of a customized
cardand Figure 1b shows a card with a paper insert.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a customized
card showing the back panel;
Figure 3is a perspective view of the inside of a
three panel greeting card gift certificate; _
Figure 4 is a perspective rear view of the a three
panel greeting card gift certificate;
Figure 5 is a view of a printed envelope;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a modified three
panel greeting card with associated printed advertising
or promotional material;
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Figure 7 is a perspective view of a previously
sealed envelope which opens exposing the printing on an
interior surface;
Figure 8 is a perspective view of an envelope with
advertising or a promotion printed thereon;
Figures 9a and 9b illustrate a three panel
"private-labeled " greeting card for use by corporations
with associated printing of corporate marketing and
promotional information.
Figure 10 is a schematic overview of users
accessing an online greeting card website providing
custom printed greeting cards
Figure 11 is a schematic of the custom expression
creation process
Figure 12 is a schematic of the custom card front
creation process
Figure 13 is a schematic overview of a website
offering custom consumer greeting cards with and without
advertising
Figure 14 is a schematic overview of a corporate
greeting card website offering private-labeled
personalized greeting cards.
Figure 15 is a schematic of a personalized
greeting card gift certificate website.
Figure 16 is a schematic overview of the
retailer's website with respect to processing custom
printed greeting card gift certificates.
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_ g _
Figure 17 is a schematic overview of the
fulfillment process.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION ACCORDING TO THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION IN WIiICHt
The present system embodies an Internet website
where in Figure 10 greeting card users access the website
through their browser 98 or their Personal Digital
Assistants ("PDA") 99. At the website 100 the users can
create custom greeting cards. Figures 1 (a) and 2 show
the customized greeting card 2 having a selected image
customized with or without text 4 on a front panel 5 of
the card and a customized expression 6 on the inside of
the inside panel 8 of the card. Alternatively, in Figure
1 (b) the customized expression 50 is printed on a paper
insert that is affixed inside the greeting card.
In the custom card creation process at 101 in
Figure 10 the user, or card sender, elects to start at
either the custom expression creation process 102 or the
card front creation process 103.
In either case, the user will be requested for
additional Personal Information at 400 Figures 11, 12 for
purposes of customizing the card expression (or message)-
and the card front. This Personal Information would "
include selection or indication of the card occasion
(birthday, anniversary, Christmas, Valentines, etc), the
relationship of recipient to the sender (eg mother,
father, niece, stepson, etc.), the emotional mood ( eg
humorous, romantic, complimentary, religious, etc.) and
number of years celebrated by an event (eg birthday,
anniversary). This Personal Information 400 will be used
at various stages to simplify the customization process
through a reduction 455 of the expression database 460
Figure 11, and a reduction 415 of the image database 430
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Figure 12.
In Figure 11 text expressions may be stored
generically in the database 460 without, for example,
inclusion of the recipient's name, the birthday date or
anniversary date. The user can be requested to provide
certain information before searching the expressions
database. Personal Information such as the sender-
recipient relationship, whether the card is being sent
from one person or more than one person to one or more
than one person, where applicable whether the occasion
celebrates a specific number of years, etc. This
information will be used to automatically transform the
generic expression stored in the database to a
personalized version when presented to the user through
their browser. For example, "Wishing you a Happy
Birthday" could be presented to the user as "Brother, We
wish you a Happy 21s' Birthday on this Special Day June
28, 2001". The verb tense will also be automatically
changed depending on the number of people representing
the sender information. The user can also have the
ability to further edit the expression to suit their
situation 475. Alternatively, the text expression may be
stored with a specific relationship (eg brother, mother,
etc) but based on the specified actual relationship
information as provided at 400 a search and replace
activity will be performed transforming the expression
database relationship to the required relationship.
It is also possible for the user to enter a chat
room indicated at 470 to provide further customization
and/or suggestion by other users. In addition to being
used by the greeting card sender in their personalized
greeting cards, these expressions can also be submitted
by the sender for inclusion in the entire expression
database 478 with recognition as the author. The website
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would permit visitors to search the databases by the name
of a creator.
A database of clipart images 471 can be used to
add imagery to the text expression, for example, a
drawing of a heart for romantic expressions, a birthday
cake or candles for birthday's, etc.
At 490 the user can edit the text presentation by
choosing font sizes, styles, color, spacing and layout
positioning. By default the text is center justified. It
is also possible to allow the sender to vary the types of
signatures using different fonts and colors available
from the system.
The alternate arm of the process is shown at the
customized selection 480. At this point the user is
preferably presented with a free form text creation
process where the user can simply create their own
expression without first selecting an expression from the
database 460.
The customized expression can also include
customized signatures 491 of the sender created
electronically from a sample signature of the sender and
stored in a database 492. The system can include
uploading of signatures to the website or receipt of '_
signature by e-mail or by facsimile and scanning them,
into a database.
In Figure 12 the card front can be selected or
customized at 410. Based on certain of the Personal
Information such as the card occasion or search by
keyword, the user is provided a reduced database 415 of
image choices which are tagged internally by
identification subject categories (golf, flowers, etc).
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A keyword search based on image content also provides a
reduced database of image choices. As well, the user can
post certain criteria or proposals and free lance
photographers or graphic artists at 421 can provide
uploaded electronic images for use by the sender in
creating the greeting card with recognition of the
photographer-donor of the image being given on the card
or the website.
It is possible as indicated at operation 422 to
allow the sender to upload a particular image for their
own use in creating the card. The system also includes
the ability for visitors to the website to submit their
images for inclusion in the database 430 for general use
of all visitors. In certain cases, the donors may be
compensated if desired. The database of expressions and
images would include information identifying the creator-
donor.
At 425 the images can also be edited by the user
to include and position text overlay, for example, "Happy
49'6 Birthday" John, or to also edit the image itself
using certain templates 424 to facilitate the ease of the
editing or combining images.
w
It can be appreciated from the above that a
customized card including a customized image and
customized expression is defined by a series of steps on
the website.
In another version of the custom greeting card,
the exterior surface of the back panel 9 as shown in
Figure 2 includes an advertisement or corporate logo and
slogan 10 of someone other than the card manufacturer.
This advertisement and advertiser's logo preferably
relates to the greeting card event. For example, a bon
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voyage card with a travel company advertisement.
This advertisement can take many forms but the
basic concept is part of the card preferably the back
panel of a two-panel greeting card is used as an
advertising or marketing surface. Preferably the
advertiser and the particular advertisement are selected
based on the particular card celebration or event. In
addition to associating particular advertisers with
particular events, advertisers could be selected based on
the particulars of the recipient of the card, the
geographical location of the recipient of the card and/or
other information that is derived during the customizing
process of the greeting card or otherwise available.
One of the problems facing advertisers is the
ability to reach a particular target market. It is often
difficult to have all of the information with respect to
a particular target market and reaching the target market
at the time an event might trigger a purchasing decision.
Most systems for reaching a particular target market
additionally contact a large part of the population which
is outside the target group or not close to the time that
a buying decision is being made.
In Figure 13, the.Personal Information obtained
from the sender in the Custom Card Process 400 in Figures
11 & 12 is used to select an appropriate advertiser for
the consumer custom greeting card. Age, address and
personal information with respect to the recipients, as
well as knowledge about possible purchasing opportunities
related to the greeting card occasion determined in the
personal information process allow classification of
senders and recipients such that advertisers have
increased confidence that the target market is being
reached. The advertisement allows the cost of the card
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and possibly the delivery of the card to be partially or
fully funded by advertising revenues. It is also
possible that general goodwill promotions without a
specific offer to the recipient will be of particular
interest to international companies or larger companies.
Such advertisements promote general goodwill 10 and
branding with respect to the corporate entity.
In the foregoing instance, the advertisement is
chosen by the website for the sender based on pre-
determined criteria 121 related to the Personal
Information. In another instance, the sender may be
presented with a choice of advertisers. The sender then
considering the interests of the recipient may wish to
select a particular advertisement or advertiser from a
subset of those identified within the database 120 Figure
13 of advertisers who are prepared to subsidize the cost
of the card. The sender may know that the recipient has
a particular like or dislike with respect to one
corporate entity and the sender could choose an
advertiser as appropriate.
It is anticipated that certain advertisers will be
prepared to fully fund the cost of the card associated
therewith rendering the card free to the sender.
Possibly the advertiser would be prepared to fund the
delivery cost as well. Thus to the sender who is
prepared to accept some type of acceptable advertisement
on the back panel of the card, the cost of the card and
the delivery of the card to the recipient may be free.
Alternatively, the user can opt for a customized
printed greeting card without advertising and merely
arrange to pay an appropriate retail price determined by
the website.
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Figure 5 shows an alternate arrangement where the
customized card of Figure 1 and 2 can be used in
combination with the customized envelope 30. The inside
of the envelope can include a coupon or other
advertisement as shown as 31 on the inside of the
envelope. This coupon could be for redemption of free
merchandise or a special two for one offer as two
examples. This advertisement can also be customized by
the information required to personalize the card and
transmit the card to the recipient.
In the embodiment of Figure 8 the coupon or
advertisement is provided on the envelope 22b. This can
be used in conjunction with the customized card of
Figures 1 and 2 or the combination greeting card/gift
certificate of Figure 3 or any of the other embodiments
as discussed later. It can also be appreciated that if
one wishes to send a traditional card without any
advertising support on the rear surface or as part of a
removable panel, this is also possible and a standard
envelope can be used.
In another ii°'istance of online custom printed
greeting cards, Figure 14 defines an online system to
provide three-paneled, private-labelled greeting cards.
Corporations may want their employees to send private-
labelled personalized greeting cards thus promoting their
corporate brand and providing corporate marketing
information to the recipient of the card who may be a
customer, potential customer, supplier, or other
important contact of the corporation.
In this case, visitors to the website would be
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identified by a corporate and employee identification
number 205. They would use the online greeting card
service including the customization of greeting card
messages and card images as described but have the cards
printed with their corporate logo and slogan 40 on the
middle panel of the exterior side of the card shown in
Figure 9b. Additionally, they may choose to have pre-
determined corporate marketing and other information 230
printed on the left interior panel 44 and/or the right
interior panel 46 (Figure 9a). The recipient address 42
and sender return address 43 would be printed on the left
exterior panel. The three-panel card would be folded and
sealed at the edge such that the address panel 48 would
provide the mailing information without necessarily the
need for an envelope.
The corporate customer would have the benefit of
its employees sending private-labelled greeting cards and
promoting the company and its products and services to
recipients of the cards and to others who may view the
card in the delivery process. Customer corporations would
be able to upload their corporate marketing information
tailored to the website's specifications and added to the
database 230 and automatically available for use by their
employees. The custom private-labelled, marketing card
would be viewed on the website at 235, accepted at 240
and printed, folded, sealed and mailed in the Fulfilment
process defined in Figure 17 as discussed below.
In another instance of the three-paneled greeting
card, a personalized greeting card gift certificate is
defined in Figure 12 where at 305 a host of different
retailers can be selected from and different amounts can
be provided as part of the gift certificate which
preferably includes a high-quality, photographic image of
the particular product which the sender thought would be
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appropriate. This gift certificate can be produced on the
additional panel 22 of Figure 3.
Gift certificates typically do not provide an
image of a suggested gift made by the sender on behalf of
the recipient of the gift certificate. The addition of a
photographic quality image of the gift selected from a
retailer's website elevates the typical impersonal nature
of a gift certificate for money to a very personal gift
certificate akind to actually giving a physical gift.
Because it alters to the gift giving process such
that the recipient confirms the acceptance of the actual
gift before physically receiving the gift, it has the
added advantage to the retailer of avoiding costly
returns of physical goods and has the advantage to the
recipient of the gift certificate of avoiding the time
required to return the gift.
In other circumstances, it may be desirable to
introduce a gift certificate that may include the image
of a product from a particular retailer but has more
universal application. This could include a gift
certificate which will be accepted by a number of
retailers which can be identified on the gift certificate
but is offered in combination with a financial institute.
The recipient can use this effectively as part of the
cash payment or in the event that the suggested gift is
not appropriate the gift certificate can be deposited at
his own financial institute.
The gift certificate greeting card promotes the
associated retailer who is willing to at least partially
subsidize the cost of the card. Depending upon the value
of the gift or the gift certificate this could include
the full subsidy of the card including the delivery
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costs.
Figures 3 and 4 shows a combination greeting card
and gift certificate 20. The greeting card is similar to
the greeting card 2 but includes a third panel 22 which
includes a gift certificate. In a preferred embodiment of
the invention the gift certificate 22 includes a high
quality photographic bitmap image 23 of the particular
gift that the sender has chosen as appropriate for the
recipient. The gift certificate also includes the
corporate identity 25 of the retailer where the product
in the image 23 can be purchased and optionally includes
alternative retailers where the gift certificate can be
used.
The combined customized card and the customized
gift certificate are placed in the envelope Figure 5
which includes the address 34 of the recipient, the
return address of the sender 31 and the appropriate
postage or payment of delivery services is provided as
indicated by the postage stamp 32. Alternatively, the
greeting card or greeting card gift certificate are
printed with the name and mailing address of the
recipient of the mailing such that this information will
show through a window envelope eliminating the need to _,_
print on the envelop or label and also eliminating the
need to match specific envelopes with specific greeting
cards. Alternatively, the greeting card is folded and
sealed such that the address at 9 in Figure 4 provides
the mailing information without the need for an envelope.
With the combination of greeting card/gift
certificate of Figure 4 the recipient receives from the
sender a customized greeting card which includes the gift
certificate,22 which can be separated from the card by
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tearing along the perforated line 24. The sender has
provided not only a customized card but has also provided
a gift certificate with a suggested gift and photographic
quality image of the gift.
A personalized greeting card gift certificate user
could enter the process to purchase the gift certificate
through the card website 100 on Figure 15 or
alternatively through the retailer's website 500 on
Figure 16. If entering through the card website the user
will be directed to the retailer's website 315 in order
to go through the process of identifying which product
they would like to have printed on the gift certificate
as their suggested gift to the recipient of the gift
certificate. The product is printed based on a system of
capturing the image file reference information from the
retailer's website 560 Figure 16 as the user chooses the
product to be added to the retailer's shopping cart and
chooses the gift certificate delivery method.
The gift certificate portion has a printed web URL
address that links the recipient directly to the product
visual (505 Figure 16) and information as shown and
described on the retailer's website where the recipient
of the gift certificate can then proceed to select the
suggested product or alternatively choose another and -
proceed to checkout at 530 Figure 16 using the unique
gift certificate number printed on the gift certificate
as the form of payment. Alternatively, the gift
certificate can be detached from the greeting card and
redeemed for the product or other product at the
retailer's store at 510 Figure 16 thereby using the web
to promote traffic back to its brick and mortar retail
chain. The system would also include for the benefit of
the recipient of the gift certificate a means whereby the
retailer would keep the product item printed as a
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suggested gift on the gift certificate in stock for a
specific number of days. If this is determined not to be
appropriate the gift certificate can be used for
redemption at the preferred retailer identified as 25 and
preferably a number of alternative retailers are provided
at 27.
A variation of the gift certificate of Figure 3 is
shown in Figure 6 where a smaller removable panel 22a is
attached to the back panel 9. This type of removable
panel could be used to promote a two for one movie option
or a two for one dinner arrangement or perhaps a special
buying incentive. This buying incentive could be tied to
the celebration and could even include an expiry date.
Figure 17 shows the fulfillment process whereby
the customized consumer greeting card Figure 13, the
private-labeled corporate custom greeting card Figure 14,
or personalized greeting card gift certificate Figure 15
will be printed by a high quality printer either locally
or remotely from the information collected during the
custom card processes and captured into PDF files. It is
also apparent that a number of printing locations can be
networked and a printing location that has capacity or
geographic preference can be selected. A printing system
can also be associated with one or more stores such as
florists.
The card will be sent by the website directly to
the recipient, or alternatively to the user to be
delivered to the recipient, using an appropriate delivery
service such as mail or courier 825. Some users of the
website will only wish to send a customized card or a
standard card to the recipient, whereas other users may
wish to associate a gift, gift certificate or a more
universal gift certificate.
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The website shows transactions stored in various
databases 835 generating various reports as additional
services for members. For example, a transaction history
of the details of cards sent by a member 840 and 845.
The transaction history could contain the date, the
recipient name, which card image and the text of the
expression. The website could also provide an e-mail or
other reminder service permitting users to set up dates
on which to be reminded that a card should be sent to a
specific recipient. Invoicing reports to retailers for
gift certificates 850 and advertising subsidy reporting
855 are other reporting examples.
Additionally, e-mail confirmation 830 including a
copy of the card or link to display of the card to the
sender can be provided when the card and any gift or
certificate is completed and delivered or placed in the
hands of the delivery service.
Although various preferred embodiments of the
present invention have been described in detail, it will
be appreciated by those skilled in the art that
variations may be made without departing from the spirit
of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.
