Method and apparatus for marketing products over the internet

Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed for permitting an online user to buy merchandise over the Internet from multiple vendor sites, after a single entry of their credit card information. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention includes an online impulse marketing system including a plurality of customer and merchant servers/computers. A customer computer is programmed to provide a user with access to a computer network for the purpose of contacting a plurality of online merchant sites for the purpose of purchasing merchandise. The merchant computer is programmed to: store product information and order processing software in the form of hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) pages for use by requesting customer computers; process requests for merchandise; request an impulse sale offer from a second merchant; display the offer; process the customer's response; and then automatically transmit the customer's credit card information to the second merchant, if necessary.

1 - 31 . (canceled)  
     
     
         32 . A method of establishing a subscription to a periodical on a computer network involving at least one customer computer and a plurality of merchant computers, said method comprising the following steps: 
 transmitting an offer comprising at least one free issue of a periodical from a first merchant computer to a second merchant computer;    transmitting said offer from said second merchant computer to a customer computer;    receiving an acceptance of said offer by said first merchant computer, said acceptance comprising a payment method and customer identification data; and    causing said periodical to be delivered to a customer associated with said customer identification data.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said step of receiving an acceptance is further comprised of the following steps: 
 transmitting an acceptance of said offer from said customer computer to said second merchant computer; and    transmitting said acceptance from said second merchant computer to said first merchant computer.    
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32  further comprising the step of automatically debiting a customer account in accordance with said payment method.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32  further comprising the steps of: 
 automatically debiting a customer account in accordance with said payment method, upon expiration of said predetermined period of time; and    maintaining uninterrupted delivery of said periodical, provided said subscription has not been canceled.    
     
     
         36 . A computer system for completing a plurality of transactions on a computer network involving at least one customer computer and a plurality of merchant computers, comprising: 
 a memory having program instructions; and    a processor configured to use the program instructions to access customer-inputted information to complete a first electronic commerce transaction between a customer computer and a first merchant computer, wherein said customer-inputted information contains a payment method and customer identification data required by said first merchant computer to process said first electronic commerce transaction; to transmit an offer from a second merchant computer to said customer computer; and to transmit said customer-inputted information from said first merchant computer to said second merchant computer, provided said customer computer accepts said offer.    
     
     
         37 . The computer system according to  claim 36 , wherein the transmitting instruction is further comprised of the following instructions: 
 send an offer from said second merchant computer to said first merchant computer; and    present said offer by said first merchant computer to said customer computer.    
     
     
         38 . The computer system of  claim 36 , wherein the processor is further configured to: 
 process said customer-inputted information by said second merchant computer; and    cause merchandise to be delivered to a customer associated with said customer-inputted information.    
     
     
         39 . The computer system of  claim 38 , wherein the merchandise is a predetermined number of issues of a periodical.  
     
     
         40 . The computer system of  claim 39 , wherein the processor is further configured to automatically debit a customer account in accordance with said method of payment after said predetermined number of issues have been delivered, provided said customer does not cancel future delivery of said periodical.  
     
     
         41 . A computer system for establishing a subscription to a periodical on a computer network involving at least one customer computer and a plurality of merchant computers, comprising: 
 a memory having program instructions; and    a processor configured to use the program instructions to transmit an offer comprising at least one free issue of a periodical; to transmit said offer from said second merchant computer to a customer computer; to receive an acceptance of said offer by said first merchant computer, said acceptance comprising a payment method and customer identification data; and to cause a subscription to said periodical to be delivered to a customer associated with said customer identification data for a predetermined period of time.    
     
     
         42 . The computer system according to  claim 41 , wherein the receiving instruction is further comprised of the following instructions: 
 transmit an acceptance of said offer from said customer computer to said second merchant computer; and    transmit said acceptance from said second merchant computer to said first merchant computer.    
     
     
         43 . The computer system according to  claim 42 , further comprised of the instruction to automatically debit a customer account in accordance with said payment method.  
     
     
         44 . The computer system according to  claim 41 , wherein the processor is further configured to: 
 automatically debit a customer account in accordance with said payment method, upon expiration of said predetermined period of time; and    maintain uninterrupted delivery of said periodical, provided said subscription has not been canceled.    
     
     
         45 . A system for completing a plurality of transactions on a computer network involving at least one customer computer and a plurality of merchant computers, comprising: 
 means for utilizing customer-inputted information to complete a first electronic commerce transaction between a customer computer and a first merchant computer, wherein said customer-inputted information contains a payment method and customer identification data required by said first merchant computer to process said first electronic commerce transaction;    means for transmitting an offer from a second merchant computer to said customer computer; and    means for transmitting said customer-inputted information from said first merchant computer to said second merchant computer, provided said customer computer accepts said offer.    
     
     
         46 . The system according to  claim 45  wherein the means for transmitting an offer is further comprised of the following steps: 
 sending an offer from said second merchant computer to said first merchant computer; and    presenting said offer by said first merchant computer to said customer computer.    
     
     
         47 . The system according to  claim 45  wherein the means for transmitting an offer is further comprised of the following steps: 
 sending an offer from said second merchant computer to said first merchant computer;    storing said offer on said first merchant computer; and    presenting said offer by said first merchant computer to said customer computer.    
     
     
         48 . The system according to  claim 45 , further comprising means for: 
 processing said customer-inputted information by said second merchant computer; and    causing merchandise to be delivered to a customer associated with said customer-inputted information.    
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 48  further comprising means for automatically debiting a customer account in accordance with said payment method after said predetermined number of issues have been delivered, provided said customer does not cancel future delivery of said periodical.  
     
     
         50 . A system for establishing a subscription to a periodical on a computer network involving at least one customer computer and a plurality of merchant computers, comprising: 
 means for transmitting an offer comprising at least one free issue of a periodical from a first merchant computer to a second merchant computer;    means for transmitting said offer from said second merchant computer to a customer computer;    means for receiving an acceptance of said offer by said first merchant computer, said acceptance comprising a payment method and customer identification data; and    means for causing a predetermined number of said periodicals to be delivered to a customer associated with said customer identification data.    
     
     
         51 . The system according to  claim 50 , wherein the means for receiving an acceptance is further comprised of: 
 means for transmitting an acceptance of said offer from said customer computer to said second merchant computer; and    means for transmitting said acceptance from said second merchant computer to said first merchant computer.    
     
     
         52 . The system according to  claim 51 , further comprising the means for automatically debiting a customer account in accordance with said payment method.  
     
     
         53 . The system according to  claim 50 , further comprising: 
 means for automatically debiting a customer account in accordance with said payment method, upon expiration of said predetermined period of time; and    means for maintaining uninterrupted delivery of said periodical, provided said subscription has not been canceled.