Abstract: In a transactional credit system and method, a consumer makes a purchase on a merchant's website. Before the consumer can select a payment option, a webpage requests that the consumer enter her name and shipping or billing address. Using this information, the system determines first whether to make an offer for a transactional credit product to the consumer and second whether the consumer pre-qualifies for the transactional credit product if the offer is to be made. If the consumer pre-qualifies, an additional webpage is incorporated into the merchant's website that offers the transactional credit product to the consumer to pay for the web-based transaction before the consumer is directed to any order confirmation or payment webpage on the website. If the consumer accepts the offer, the system performs any necessary authorizations or instant credit applications and applies the transactional credit product to the web-based transaction.

Abstract: A system and method for applying for a credit card, preferably at a point of sale, is disclosed. The system employs an automated interactive voice response system preferably sponsored by a credit card issuer. The user calls into the system using a standard telephone, and enters credit assessment information about the customer using the key pad of the telephone in response to verbal questions posed by the system. In one embodiment, only numeric information concerning the customer is entered, such as the customer's social security number. This credit assessment information is used to retrieve a credit report or score from a credit bureau database, which is used by the system to electronically decide whether to issue credit and to what extent and to establish a customer account. The system verbally provides information to the user regarding the credit assessment so that the customer's credit purchase can be quickly consummated.