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.