Abstract: A system and method create and share purchasing lists in a network system. The system and method utilize a consumer user interface. The consumer user interface provides the consumer the ability to create a purchase list by receiving advertisement data on the consumer device, selecting an item desired for purchase, identifying the purchase list for the item to be saved, creating the purchase list if the purchase list identified does not exist, and saving the item to the identified purchase list. The consumer user interface further provides the consumer the ability to share a purchase list by identifying a purchase list to be shared, converting the purchase list to the appropriate format, identifying a recipient of the purchase list, and transmitting the purchase list to the recipient.

Abstract: An apparatus and method provide privacy for the consumer identity and protects information concerning advertisements accessed by the consumer while still providing marketing and demographic statistics to the merchant regarding those advertisement accesses. A consumer user interface provides the consumer easy control over what advertisements the consumer is receiving and allows the consumer to easily subscribe and unsubscribe from advertisements from either particular merchants or categories of products and services. A commerce server receives the request for services from the consumer user interface program and provides the requested advertisements from specific merchants or from selected categories.

Abstract: A system and method publish, distribute and redeem coupons on a network system. The system and method utilize a merchant server and a commerce server. The merchant server provides the merchant the ability to transmit requests to create a coupon, and transmit coupon data regarding the coupon creation. The commerce server receives the requests to create a coupon, and receives the coupon creation data. The commerce server saves the coupon data to a coupon database, and provides access to the coupon to customers on the network. A merchant server further provides the merchant the ability to receive a request for purchasing an item, and a request for redeeming a coupon for that purchase from a consumer. The merchant server verifies the coupon is a valid coupon, and allows the coupon to be redeemed in the purchase of the item if the coupon is valid. The merchant server upon redemption of the coupon, updates a coupon database to record that the coupon has been redeemed by the customer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method provides for active documents to be linked with the standard browser bar. This linkage allows for software components contained by the browser to work together and feel like an integrated application to the end user. The integrated applications allow for an user to input data in the browser bar and see the related contents in the active document window. The user can also work inside of an active document containing a program and have the linking be reflected in the browser bar.