Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for implementing online sales in an environment on a network, which is provided by a creator, without putting any load on the creator. A creator-side apparatus transmits a content that forms merchandise and merchandise information about its output medium to a support-side apparatus. The support-side apparatus makes the merchandise information correspond to an address that indicates a location on the network and transmits the address to the creator-side apparatus as an address where an order for the merchandise should be received. The creator-side apparatus sends data containing the address to the network to which an orderer-side apparatus is connected such that the orderer-side apparatus accepts connection to the location. The support-side apparatus executes merchandise order reception processing when the orderer-side apparatus is connected to the location and requests an output system to execute output processing based on the merchandise information.

Abstract: There is provided a print service apparatus generating print setting information including a print device ID by which a print device used for previously printing can be identified when the print service apparatus has been received a print order from a user terminal and performed a print service, and controlling to display information related with the print device identified by the print device ID in a browsing window of the user terminal based on the generated print setting information. This invention prevents a printout different in tint between pages when a plurality of color pages or color copies in a single print order are assigned as print jobs for respective print copies to a plurality of printing devices in a print service provider. Further, the print service information includes a print reorder information, and the same print device as used at a previous print order is selected and the same tint as set at the previous print order is set to the same print device.

Abstract: An information processing system appropriately switches communication protocols to acquire content printing information or printing service information from one of a content provider and a printing service provide via a network when contents are to be printed using a number of content providers via the network.

Abstract: This invention provides a service which allows the user of the client apparatus that submits a print request to preview an image to be printed, and can reduce the information volume with the client apparatus to achieve quick response, and prints a high-quality image with the requested size. For this purpose, a center server (102) on the network stores and manages display image data, and transfers requested display image data upon receiving a request from a client computer. Upon receiving a request including a print size from the client computer, the center server sends the print size and information that specifies an image to an image server which saves high-resolution images. Upon receiving the information, the image server processes high-resolution image data to have the designated size, and sends back the processed image data to the center server. The center server sends the received image data to a print server to make it print the data.

Abstract: This invention provides an information providing system which can easily update a price in accordance with data processing, an information providing apparatus, an information presenting method, a control program, and a storage medium. To accomplish this, a user accesses a Web server (121) in a photosite (105) by using a browser (120) of a user PC (102), browses images, and selects an image which he/she wants to print out (S2, S3). A printsite (109) receives input data indicating a print form, print count, and the like for each selected image (S6), calculates an estimated price by using a print information database (119) in which print unit prices are stored and the price calculation module (110), and transfers the estimated price to the photosite (105) (S7). The photosite (105) calculates a price while factoring personal information into the estimated price by using a personal information database (118) and a price calculation module (108), and presents the price to the user (S8).

Abstract: A printing control system has a contents provider and a printout service provider connected via a network. The contents provider comprises a device for generating viewing screens, a device for generating a conditions settings screen from printout information and service information obtained from a printout service provider, a device for generating a confirmation screen for setting the conditions, and a device for transmitting the contents selected with the viewing screen, and the printout service provider comprises a device for transmitting the service information, and a device for generating printing data from the contents provided from the contents provider. This provides contents providers with contents providing means other than downloading data, and users with services for various printing forms other than home-use printers.