Abstract: A download processor for secure downloading of a digital product file when ordered by a user. The order includes a file identifier related to the file and an order identifier related to the order. The download processor performs security checks related to the file, the order, and the user. The file identifier and order identifier are verified based upon information related to the file and the order, and information related to the user is also verified. Based upon the verifications, the download processor selectively permits or denies download of the file to a user machine.

Abstract: A method of providing a web-site performance analysis service is disclosed that gathers data relative to visits to web-pages that are associated with a web-site. Traversals are identified that correspond to each visit to the web-pages. Each identified traversal has an identification of either an incoming link from which each visit originated or an outgoing link to which each visit terminated. A time duration is measured that corresponds to each visit. A chart of a statistical distribution of pages-per-visit of the identified traversals is formed. The identified traversals and time duration corresponding to each visit is stored in a memory. The stored data from the memory is transferred to a database. Performance measures are produced that correspond to each visit to the web-pages based on the stored data in the database. A web-site performance analysis system that implements this method also is disclosed.

Abstract: A toolbar is provided that is synchronized with a web-site browser system. The toolbar provides an interface to a path analysis system that provides path analysis data related to a select web-page. By synchronizing the toolbar to the browser, the path analysis system provides path analysis data related to the web-page that the browser is currently displaying. By displaying the path analysis data coincident with the content of the web-page from the browser, the user is provided a direct visual association between the actual web-page and the traversals to and from the web-page. By synchronizing the toolbar with the browser, the user can view the path analysis data of each page as the user navigates through the web-site using the same technology that a typical web-site visitor would use.

Abstract: A download processor for secure downloading of a digital product file when ordered by a user. The order includes a file identifier related to the file and an order identifier related to the order. The download processor performs security checks related to the file, the order, and the user. The file identifier and order identifier are verified based upon information related to the file and the order, and information related to the user is also verified. Based upon the verifications, the download processor selectively permits or denies download of the file to a user machine.

Abstract: A model for the next generation of software network agents for downloadable software is provided. The software network agent delivers a streamlined user experience that presents the user with options to try or buy. The agent may be co-branded for merchant and affiliate marketing. The agent may be integrated with a number of services, such as ecommerce systems, affiliate marketing network systems, site optimization, web analytics and email marketing systems that enable a merchant to enhance the user experience and improve marketing. A user's actions may be tracked in order to provide OEMs and retailers payout on purchase referrals to the merchant's online store. Code changes and bug fixes can be made at the server and in a timely manner with minimal impact to the various systems supporting the software activation user experience.

Abstract: A centralized media production system and its method of use is described. Web services are utilized in order processing in an electronic commerce system and fulfillment requests in a vendor manufacturing system. An XML-formatted WSDL file is used for submitting order and fulfillment requests. This process and system provides a way for software manufacturers to fulfill customer orders for physical copies of downloadable software, without being restricted to a particular e-commerce platform while allowing the manufacturer to interface with multiple vendors for fulfillment.

Abstract: Remote segmentation applied to a segmentation data mart allows a marketer to create a personalized email campaign for a selected segment of customers. Segmentation data is collected from a plurality of third party sources, imported and cleansed. The marketer may query a data mart with a user-defined rule created with parameters selected from fields available in the data mart. The marketer submits the query and is presented with a count with which the marketer may determine if the segment will be cost effective for the marketing campaign. If the count is acceptable, the query is saved. Later, when the marketer creates the email message for a particular campaign, s/he assigns the segment to the campaign. When the campaign is released, the query extracts email addresses currently meeting the criteria of the query and uses the addresses for distributing the email.

Abstract: A method for enabling pre-downloading of network objects to a web client from a web server is described. The method includes intercepting at a device a request from a web client to a web server for a first network object. The same device intercepts a response to the request from the web server. The device determines a second network object most probable to be requested in the future from the web server. Subsequently, a message is sent from the device to the web client the first message informing the web client of the second network object to be cached by the web client. A second message is sent from the web client requesting the second network object. The second network object is received and predicatively pre-downloaded into a cache whereby a latency for requesting the second network object is reduced when requested in response to an actual user request.

Abstract: A network object predictive pre-download device operable on a network logically between a web client and a web server on a network is described. The pre-download device includes a prediction engine that intercepts a request from the web client to the web server for a first network object and determines a second network object most probable to be requested in the future from the web server. The pre-download device also includes a cache primer that intercepts a response to the request from the web server and sends a first message to the web client informing the web client of the second network object to be cached by the web client. The cache primer also sends the second network object to the web client such that the second network object is predicatively pre-downloaded to the web client whereby second network object latency is reduced when an actual user request occurs.

Abstract: Remote segmentation is a process by which segmentation data is collected from a third party and applied to an existing database. In a preferred embodiment of remote segmentation, a definition is added that makes the local system aware of all the possible segmentation dimensions in a way that is presentable to the user as well as transmittable to a third party (in house or other company) which processes the segment and returns the result.

Abstract: A method and system for responding to a request from a client for a web page using delta caching is described. Building templates for the web at the server(s) is functionally separated and logically remote from the request server. One or more template-builders are logically separated from one or more delta-encoders. Each operates independently to perform its part of delta caching; template-builders build templates for the web page, while delta-encoders use those templates and a received web object to compute delta information for the web page. Delta-encoders, like template-builders, are logically remote from the request server. The delta information for the web page and a reference to the template can be separately sent to the client.

Abstract: A web based system and method for determining relevance of marketing group association by calculating the relevance factors of depth and weight of interest in a subscriber group is described. An emarketing management system typically includes a subscriber database, email marketing creation module, and a data management module. Collectively, the system allows marketers to group or segment subscribers according to marketing groups that are most relevant to the subscriber. By grouping or segmenting, marketers can design the most relevant content in subsequent email campaigns or distribution events, or to gain insight into subscriber behavior. The emarketing system may further integrate with external applications, such as a web analytic system or the emarketers own database, to gather, report and analyze data to refine relevance factors. A method for operating this system is also described.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking and reporting days and visits to an online transaction is described. A web analytic system receives web site visit tracking information from a client computer as a user navigates the web site. The system updates a reporting database with visit information. The system may receive data in the form of a report message sent from a site, where the data has been calculated to give the metric or where the message provides the raw data required to derive the metric. The system generates a variety of reports showing time between visits and transactions, such as time between visits, orders, downloads, form completion or other such transactions.

Abstract: A marketing campaign collects data for page counts, sessions, orders, and revenue. Four kinds of campaigns are addressed: direct, deferred, site link tracking, and deferred site link tracking. A particular page visit in an end-user session “qualifies” for a campaign if it satisfies the configured conditions for the campaign; that is, if the target universal resource locator (URL) of the page is the landing page of the campaign, the referrer URL is the referrer page of the campaign, or the page tag contains the configured string for the campaign. The data is processed through a set of heuristics identified by marketing experts as the most likely paths to a sale, and exclusivity is assigned to the type of campaign with the highest priority.

Abstract: Site optimizer is a tool that enables A/B testing of merchandising offers for your online store to help you determine which offers work best on your storefront. A/B testing compares multiple offers simultaneously to randomly selected groups of shoppers. The A/B testing approach provides a unique and effective way to optimize online store performance because it is metrics-driven, objective, and more efficient than other site optimization techniques.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, the objective is to give an e-commerce system user control over when a message is sent so that it arrives at a time that is relative to a subscriber's local time zone. This gives users the ability to send messages to subscribers so that they are received by subscribers at a specific time of day in their time zone. For example, localized time zone delivery would send messages so that they are arrive in the inbox of subscriber “A” located in San Diego around 10:00 AM Pacific Time and around 10:00 AM Eastern Time for subscriber “B” who is located in Boston. Furthermore, localized time zone delivery allows system users to assign a time zone preference value to subscribers in their e-commerce system account.

Abstract: An online web store to direct customers to a geographically appropriate e-commerce store front is described. The web store redirects customers based upon the customer's internet protocol (IP) address. For example, company “X” has two sites. One of the sites is for the Asian Pacific (APAC) region while another handles the European, Middle East, and African (EMEA) area. Within the APAC region, company “X” has a specific locale set up for the Australian continent. Company “X” would need a way to host one link on its site that would direct the user to the correct site and locale. A preferred embodiment utilizes an action handler for a link that when clicked would determine the users locale based on their IP address and redirect the user to the appropriate site and locale.

Abstract: An email content builder that generates email content based upon customer created rules is described. Messages to clients are edited automatically to suit a client's needs. The language in the text of a message is translated and changed depending on the country and client. Users select a script in an ebusiness system. After retrieving the appropriate script and associated information, the email content builder would either build the appropriate script corresponding to a client or retrieve appropriate text from the database. Then, the email content builder builds a script and email message depending on certain aspects of the client, such as language, billing information, etc.

Abstract: As a company acquires commerce platforms the maintenance of integrations with payment service providers becomes an issue. The best thing is to keep the amount of developers needed to a minimum and reduce transaction costs to a minimum; therefore a centralized code base is best for a company. A gateway is described that allows a company to expose a web service based application programming interface (API) to the integrating commerce platforms. This allows for a simple standardized integration for all available payment methods with out the commerce platform about the payment service provider. This removes the complexity and redundant integrations that each platform needs to have with each of the payment service providers. An advanced arbitration engine allows for the gateway to decide what the best cost based payment service to use for the transaction.

Abstract: A software module is implemented on a web site to calculate shipping rates based on different formulas and equations which will be beneficial to an operator of an e-commerce web site by increasing gross profit from shipping charges. This shipping charge calculation method may be implemented on select e-commerce store fronts to improve profits without negatively affecting sales. Shipping costs would be calculated on a combination of several factors. For instance, the shipping costs may be based on a weight, order value, and price. This increases revenue for a business because customers are more likely to pay higher shipping costs for relatively expensive items. An interface is provided in an e-commerce system manager with load weight tables, premium tables, base fees, and order values. These tables may also be imported and each store has the ability to use its own costs or use amounts from a global template.