Abstract: A purchasing assistance search service that allows people to find media and services that can help them choose the most suitable product, where the ranking of search results depends on the aggregate helpfulness of each medium or service, as determined by feedback from people who have purchased a product after making use of one or more assisting media or services. This feedback is also used to distribute reward payments from product makers to the cited media and services. Purchasers are given an incentive to provide such feedback by making it a component of a rebate claim.

Abstract: A system that makes it possible for a maker, distributor, or vendor of a product to survey those who purchase a competing product, allowing them to determine why they lost that sale. An auction system for determining which questions are posed to a purchaser is also disclosed.