A method to control advertising messages directed at a user is provided. Such control might include setting a filter to control advertisements directed at a user. Advertisements are sent to a user based on the filter settings. The user may accept the advertisements. If the user accepts the advertisements, the user is provided with a reward. In addition, a method using a quiz to determine if a user is human or an automated respondent is provided. The user is presented with a quiz. The user is advised of the acceptable manner for responding to the quiz. The user's response to the quiz is received. A determination based on the user's response as to whether the user is a human or an automated respondent is made.

A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns rewards from a plurality of independent reward issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned rewards. A trading server accumulates some or all of the user's earned rewards from the reward servers and credits the accumulated rewards into a single reward exchange account associated with the user. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated rewards. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the rewards. Reward points may also be redeemed in exchange for services, such as the playing of a video game or Internet access.

A rewards system operator receives one or more files from a payment card processor containing payment card transaction information for qualifying payment card transactions made with linked payment cards at one or more merchants participating in a rewards program. The rewards system operator directly debits the merchants for any fees owed under the rewards program. The rewards system operator gives users of the linked payment cards a reward for making qualifying purchases under the rewards program.

An e-commerce method involves on-line viewing of a first article through a linking node for virtual merging on another structure. A particular application of the invention is directed to on-line apparel shopping involving a color matching scheme using color codes provided with images to be merged. For example, on-line viewing of one article, such as clothing, on another structure, includes creating an item from image-data corresponding to a colored article selected by an on-line viewer from an on-line viewer site with an image of a colored structure selected by the on-line viewer, and indicating whether the colored article and the colored structure satisfy a color-matching criterion.

A method involves on-line viewing of a first article through a linking node for virtual merging on another structure. A particular application of the invention is directed to on-line apparel shopping involving a matching scheme using codes provided with images to be merged. For example, on-line viewing of one article, such as clothing, on another structure, includes creating an item from image-data corresponding to an article selected by an on-line viewer from an on-line viewer site with an image of a structure selected by the on-line viewer, and indicating whether the article and the structure satisfy a category-matching criterion. In certain embodiments, the articles are represented by (search) parameters that permit organizational advantages.

This disclosure provides a loyalty program on a network-wide level. Embodiments may associate UPC and SKU data on a network level to reward consumers and/or to analyze the data for a variety of business purposes, such as market segmentation analyses and/or analyses relating to consumer spending behaviors or patterns, for example. In accordance with one embodiment, the network may comprise any number of participants, including consumers (such as primary and supplementary members of an aggregate consumer account), retailers (e.g. including any of their employees), manufacturers, third-party providers, and the like. In accordance with one embodiment, this disclosure enables participation by supplementary members who are associated with a primary member and, in this manner, facilitates the tracking of supplementary member purchasing behavior, reward points earning behavior, and reward points redemption behavior.

An e-commerce method involves on-line viewing of a first article through a linking node for virtual merging on another structure. A particular application of the invention is directed to on-line apparel shopping involving a color matching scheme using color codes provided with images to be merged. For example, on-line viewing of one article, such as clothing, on another structure, includes creating an item from image-data corresponding to a colored article selected by an on-line viewer from an on-line viewer site with an image of a colored structure selected by the on-line viewer, and indicating whether the colored article and the colored structure satisfy a color-matching criterion.

An e-commerce method involves on-line viewing of a first article through a linking node for virtual merging on another structure. A particular application of the invention is directed to on-line apparel shopping involving a color matching scheme using color codes provided with images to be merged. For example, on-line viewing of one article, such as clothing, on another structure, includes creating an item from image-data corresponding to a colored article selected by an on-line viewer from an on-line viewer site with an image of a colored structure selected by the on-line viewer, and indicating whether the colored article and the colored structure satisfy a color-matching criterion.

An electronic payment card processing system and method includes a host computing device having at least one processor in communication with a memory device and a multi-party payment processing network for processing payment-by-card transactions. The host computing device is configured to identify a first payment-by-card transaction between an enrolled cardholder and a first enrolled merchant that is processed over the multi-party payment processing network, identify at least one affiliated merchant of the first enrolled merchant; and send an affiliate incentive offer for the at least one affiliated merchant to the enrolled cardholder.

Various embodiments provide systems and methods for connecting wireless-enabled products to wireless networks. Customer network credentials may be stored in a server along with a customer identifier (customer ID) during one-time registration. When a wireless-enabled product is purchased, a product identifier (product ID) and the customer's ID are forwarded to the server, which correlates the two identifiers, linking the purchased product to the customer. When the wireless-enabled product is powered on, the product accesses the server via a public network connection, and sends the product ID and a security token to the server. The server uses the product ID and the security token to authenticate the product. Once authenticated, the server uses the correlated customer ID to look up the network credentials for the customer's private network, and provides the network credentials to the wireless-enabled product. The wireless-enabled product then uses the downloaded credentials to access the customer's private network.