Method and system for delivering redeeming dynamically and adaptively characterized promotional incentives on a computer network6915271Abstract This invention relates to a system and method for defining, electronically distributing, dynamically displaying to a consumer, redeeming and clearing promotional incentives over a network. One or more parameters of the incentives may be dynamically determined by being dependent on one or more characteristics of the consumer including the location on the network where the incentive is being viewed. Claims 1. A method for distributing incentives residing on an incentive information computer over a network, the incentive information computer connected to the network and coupled to an incentive database containing the incentives, each incentive having a set of parameters of the incentive, the set of parameters including a value, the value based on meeting a set of one or more match criteria, the method comprising the steps of: Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In addition, the optimal incentive system needs to be flexible, for example to enable several entities to be involved, and for any particular incentive to have one or more characteristics depend on the characteristics of one or more of these entities. Alternate Approaches Alternate approaches, including prior art incentive systems have one or more shortcomings, and using such systems does not enable a company to present incentive offers to individuals taking all the above factors into account in a timely manner. The company could call consumers individually on the telephone to present the offers, but this is expensive and also does not allow the consumer to find the incentives at their own pace. It is known to distribute incentives electronically. For example, electronic shopping on the Internet is popular, and often an Internet shopping merchant displays an icon on a page that describes an incentive such as a discount coupon in exchange for the consumer providing some useful marketing information via a "registration" process. For an example of an Internet shopping network, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,314 to Payne et al. entitled NETWORK SALES SYSTEM. Described below are several alternate approaches to that of the present invention. While no admission is being made herein that of any of these alternate approaches is prior art, none of these alternates includes all features of the present invention. Recently, a system called "E-CENTIVES" was introduced by Emaginet, Inc. of Beheads, Maryland (Internet site http://www.imaginet.com) for the distribution of electronic incentives over the Internet with online or offline redemption. It is not clear whether or not the E-CENTIVES system is prior-art, and no admission of the E-CENTIVES system being prior art is made herein. U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,210 to Goldhaber et al., entitled ATTENTION BROKERAGE, describes a system that provides for the immediate payment to computer and other users for paying attention to an advertisement or other "negatively priced" information distributed over a computer network such as the Internet. A further invention, Orthogonal Sponsorship, allows advertisers to detach their messages from program content and explicitly target their audience. Means are provided to allow users to choose whether they will view an ad or other negatively priced information and receive associated compensation. Targeting users may be provided by reference to a data base of digitally stored demographic profiles of potential users. Information can be routed to users based on demographics, and software agents can be used to actively seek out users on a digital network. Private profiles may be maintained for different users and user information may be released to advertisers and other marketers only based on user permission. U.S. Pat. No. 5,761,648 to Golden et al., entitled INTERACTIVE MARKETING NETWORK AND PROCESS USING ELECTRONIC CERTIFICATES, describes a data processing system issuing electronic certificates through "online" networks. Each electronic certificate includes transaction data and identification data, and can be printed out on a printing device linked to a consumer's personal input device, or electronically stored. The data processing system identifies and marks each electronic certificate with a code distinguishing it from all other certificates and with another code identifying the user. The certificate can be used for various purposes, including use as a coupon for a discounted price on a product or service. Consumers access the data processing system online, browse among their choices, and make their selections. The data processing system provides reports on the selected certificates and their use following selection. Certificate issuers also have online access to the data processing system and can create or revise offers, and provide various instructions pertaining to the certificates, including limitations as to the number of certificates to be issued in total and to each individual consumer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,870 to Storey entitled FULLY INTEGRATED, ON-LINE INTERACTIVE FREQUENCY AND AWARD REDEMPTION PROGRAM, discloses a fully integrated on-line frequency award program. A user may access the program on-line and may browse a product catalog for shopping. The user may electronically place an order. The program also calculates award points, updates the award account of enrolled users, and communicates that number of awarded points to the user. Enrolled users may browse through an award catalog and electronically redeem an amount of awarded points towards an award. The program then electronically places an award redeeming order with the fulfillment house and updates the user's award account. U.S. Pat. No. 5,710,886 to Christensen et al. entitled ELECTRIC COUPONING METHOD AND APPARATUS discloses a method and apparatus for distributing, generating, and redeeming discount coupons, rebate or gift certificates or the like tracks each coupon using a consumer ID number printed on the coupon. Coupons may be distributed electronically, for example, in the form of a diskette or CD-ROM software. Software on the diskette or CD-ROM may prompt a consumer to call a 1-800 number for a validation number or code. Once the software is validated, a consumer may print out selected coupons displayed on a Graphical User Interface (GUI). Each coupon may be printed only a limited number of times. Each coupon may be imprinted with a consumer ID number, preferably in the form of a bar code. Once redeemed, consumer ID information and coupon information may be retrieved from coupons forwarded to a coupon clearing house. Accurate data may then be produced illustrating which consumers or groups of consumers are redeeming which coupons. Such data may be used for marketing purposes or to generated further diskettes for distribution targeting specific consumers or groups of consumers with specific classes of coupon offerings. The use of a consumer ID number on the coupon may reduce or prevent the fraudulent copying and redemption of coupons, as multiple redemptions of a single coupon by a consumer may be readily detected from data gathered at the brokerage clearing house. European Patent publication EP 08222535 to Apte, et al. entitled INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA ADVERTISING AND ELECTRONIC COMMERCE ON A HYPERTEXT NETWORK, describes a system and method for providing targeted, multimedia advertisements and electronic commerce capability on a hypertext network. Advertising software from a server is loaded on a user's computer through a browser at the user's request. The display screen of the client computer is partitioned into a browser area, which retains the full functionality of the underlying browser, and advertising area. Controls affecting the presentation and content of the advertisements streamed from the server to the client computer are available to the user in the interactive area, as are secure purchase and electronic coupon controls. PCT publication WO9819224 to O'Toole et al., entitled CONTROLLED TRANSFER OF INFORMATION IN COMPUTER NETWORKS, relates to techniques for controlling transfers of information in computer networks. One technique involves transmitting smart digital offers based on information such as coupons and purchasing histories stored at the computer receiving the offer. Another technique involves transmitting from a server computer to a client computer a request for a user's personal profile information, and activating a client avatar that compares the request for personal profile information with a security profile of the user limiting access to personal profile information. U.S. Pat. No. 5,621,812 to Deaton and Gabriel, entitled METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR BUILDING A DATABASE FOR USE WITH SELECTIVE INCENTIVE MARKETING IN RESPONSE TO CUSTOMER SHOPPING HISTORIES generates discounts by printing incentives based on a customer's shopping history as determined at a point of sale using a credit verification apparatus such as a check reader. PCT publication WO 9723838 to Scroggie et al. entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING SHOPPING AIDS AND INCENTIVES TO CUSTOMERS THROUGH A COMPUTER NETWORK discloses a system and method for delivering purchasing incentives as well as other shopping aids through a computer network by methods such as using e-mail or over the Internet (including the World Wide Web). Customers can log on to a central system and can elect to browse among available purchasing incentive offers, or elect to claim a product rebate or receive product information. The system merges customer supplied information with other purchase incentive data and creates a printable graphic image of the incentive for transmission to the customer. Alternatively, the incentive is not transmitted directly to the customer, but the terms of the incentive are transmitted electronically to a retail store designated by the customer, who then receives either a token to present to the store or an advisory message. The incentives can be targeted to specific consumers based on consumer purchase history, and either e-mailed to the consumer based on e-mail addresses stored in a consumer database, or established for each consumer using a "personal page" established for the consumer in the computer network. U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,662 to Deaton, et al. entitled METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR BUILDING A DATABASE FOR USE WITH SELECTIVE INCENTIVE MARKETING IN RESPONSE TO CUSTOMER SHOPPING HISTORIES, discloses a system and method for retail store marketing. A memory stores a database of existing customers of the retail store. The database includes a unique customer identification code for each customer. A memory stores a list of unique identification codes for prospective customers of the store who reside in a predetermined geographical area relative to the store. Circuitry compares the unique identification codes in the stored database of existing customers with the stored list of unique identification codes of prospective customers. Circuitry eliminates data from the list of prospective customers relating to the store's existing customers, such that a non-customer database is produced for use in marketing. U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,636 to Clarke, entitled PERSONALIZED COUPON GENERATING AND PROCESSING SYSTEM, describes a personalized coupon generating and processing system includes a coupon dispensing source that communicates with responsive consumers through a communications interface. The availability of pre-selected coupons is communicated to the consumers by an availability communications means, and consumer responses are communicated to the coupon dispensing source by consumer response means. Consumer requested coupons are personalized and distributed to the responsive consumers. Redemption of the coupons is communicated to the coupon dispensing source by redemption data means. U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,306 to Stein, et al. entitled METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DELIVERING ON DEMAND, INDIVIDUALLY TARGETED PROMOTIONS, discloses a method and system for delivering product picks to a prospective individual user. Personal user information is gathered. Information on a user's use of a product during product use is gathered, correlated and stored. A user code provided to the user is correlated with the user information and the use information. The user information and the use information is classified based on use of the product. Classes of information potentially relevant to future purchases are identified. Product picks (promotions and recommendations) are delivered based on the classified information and the user information, responsive to an inquiry on behalf of the user. U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,181 to Holman, entitled ELECTRONIC REDEEMABLE COUPON SYSTEM AND TELEVISION, discloses an electronic redeemable coupon generating system that includes: an encoder for encoding coupon-related data in a television signal transmission, the transmission including picture information for display on a television monitor screen; a decoder for receiving the television signal transmission and extracting the coupon-related data therefrom; and a recording device for recording the extracted coupon-related data on a recording medium for subsequent readout and redemption. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the decoder includes a display driver for displaying indicia on a television monitor screen responsive to coupon-related data being encoded in the television signal transmission. Upon observing the indicia on the television monitor screen, the user can manually and selectively extract the coupon-related data from the television signal transmission. After an optional editing function, the extracted coupon-related data is stored on a recording medium such as a magnetically striped card. The decoder may be part of the standard circuitry of a closed-caption adapted or modified television set. Provisions are made for electronically entering paper coupon information into the system. U.S. Pat. No. 5,173,851 to Off, et al. entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING DISCOUNT COUPONS IN RESPONSE TO THE PURCHASE OF ONE OR MORE PRODUCTS, discloses a system for creating discount coupons in response to purchases of products. Improvements include the printing of a "negative" coupon in response to the failure to purchase a particular product, and the printing of a coupon in response to the purchase of multiple triggering items, either without limitation as to the identification of the items, or with the requirement that the items fall into a predefined trade group. Other features of the invention permit the use of instantly redeemable "coupons", such that an instant discount is applied to a customer bill rather than having a coupon printed, and the logging, without printing, of possible coupon printings for statistical purposes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,019 to Shultz, et al. entitled AUTOMATED PURCHASE REWARD ACCOUNTING SYSTEM AND METHOD, discloses a marketing method for providing manufacturer purchase reward offers by automatically tracking the purchases of member consumers through the use of bar-coded membership cards and using the purchase records in a data processing system to determine if the required purchases have been made to earn a reward. Each member consumer receives a reward booklet disclosing the available reward offers, a periodic status report indicating the member consumer's progress toward earning rewards, and a reward certificate for those rewards earned. U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,675 to Nichtberger, et al. and entitled PAPERLESS SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTING, REDEEMING AND CLEARING MERCHANDISE COUPONS discloses a method and system in which cents-off merchandise coupons are distributed and redeemed immediately and electronically. An electronic display of coupons valid for use in a particular store is presented to customers in that store. When a customer makes a selection of coupons from the display, the selection is recorded. The customer is subsequently identified at a store checkout station as the one who made the selection. In a preferred embodiment, the identification is made by scanning a special card adapted for use with the system. The items purchased in the store by the customer are recorded, and any matches between the coupons selected and the items purchased are determined electronically. The customer is immediately credited in accordance with the terms of the matched coupons. Redeemed coupons are periodically cleared electronically. U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,212 to Mindrum, et al. and entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING DISCOUNT COUPONS, discloses an apparatus and a corresponding method for creating a discount coupon in response to the purchase of a product other than the one to which the coupon applies. A record pertaining to each item purchased is examined to determine whether the item is intended to trigger the creation of a coupon. If it is, at least one associated coupon deal record is retrieved and a coupon becomes a candidate for printing, subject to a maximum number of coupons per transaction. The apparatus also validates coupons presented for redemption, scanning a list of purchased products to determine whether any falls into the same product group specified on the coupon and also determining whether the coupon date is valid. One limitation of the Mindrum scheme is that the coupons are delivered to the consumer after the purchase is made, and the consumer has to save them and remember to bring them for the next shopping trip. This method does not allow coupons to be discovered online. SUMMARY One object of the invention is a system and method for carrying out one or more of defining, electronically distributing, dynamically displaying to a consumer, redeeming and clearing promotional incentives which enables a company to present incentive offers to individuals, taking into account in a timely manner one or more of such factors as inventory factors (e.g., product demand, carrying costs, and remaining product life), financial factors, (e.g., preferred selling timing) and consumer factors (e.g., demographics, stated consumer interests, and past purchasing behavior). Another object of the invention is a system and method for carrying out one or more of defining, electronically distributing, dynamically displaying to a consumer, redeeming and clearing promotional incentives whose characteristics are adaptively obtained as a function of one or more of demographics, behavior history, and other characteristics of the viewing consumer, or criteria. In one embodiment, the incentive characteristics are defined by a set of parameters. In a particular embodiment in the case of a discount coupon, the parameters include one or more of: the promotion (e.g., the name of the promotion with which the incentive is associated); the incentive name; the ID number (e.g., the ID number of the incentive, which may include a version number); the product (e.g., the list of goods and/or services to which the incentive applies); the issuer (e.g., the manufacturer or supplier); the product category (e.g., the name of the promotion with which the incentive is associated); the description (e.g., the incentive description in words); the terms, called details in some implementations (e.g., the terms and conditions, which include the match criteria that a consumer is to meet to redeem the incentive); the expiration date; the display requirements (e.g., the consumer information that must be available or provided before the incentive is displayed); the clipping requirements (e.g., the consumer information or properties needed for clipping); the view icon requirements (e.g., what icon will be displayed when what information is available or provided); the incentive artwork (e.g., the audiovisual of the incentive); the incentive icon (e.g., the audiovisual displayed to inform that the incentive is available); the account provider logo (e.g., the text or image that of the account provider that is displayed with the incentive artwork) or the service provider logo; the value/incentive formula (e.g., the value of the incentive or the formula used to determine the incentive in the case of an incentive whose value is adaptively determined); the incentive negotiation formula (e.g., the formula used for negotiating the value of an incentive for an incentive whose value is negotiable); and the POS list (e.g., the list of online and/or offline merchants that have the product). These and other objects are provided for in the various aspects of the disclosed invention. Briefly, a method is described for distributing incentives over a network, which preferably is the Internet. Examples of incentives include, without limitation, discount coupons, sweepstakes, frequent flier program mileage, promotional points, premiums, free samples, and product tie-ins. The incentives reside on an incentive database coupled to an incentive information computer connected to the network. Each incentive has an incentive template describing a set of parameters of the incentive, including a value. An incentive also may include an "incentive existence message," preferably including an audiovisual or graphical incentive icon, for example in the form of HTML of an incentive icon. The value of the incentive is based on meeting a set of one or more match criteria (terms and conditions). In one particular embodiment, the value is also based on applying an incentive formula. Value here includes the inherent incentive value, which may be, depending on the type of incentive, the amount of discount, an entry in a sweepstakes, a number of frequent flier program miles, a number of promotional points, one or more free samples, a free test drive, or a product tie-in, this list meant to be non-limiting. The method includes, for any particular incentive, publishing a mechanism for selecting the incentive at one or more locations of the network, these locations, for example, being Web-pages, or e-mail messages. For example, the selecting mechanism may be an icon which when clicked generates the incentive existence message of the incentive (possibly together with the incentive existence messages of other incentives). Alternatively, the selecting mechanism may be the incentive existence message itself. The published incentive selecting mechanism preferably includes a reference which directly or indirectly points to the whereabouts in the network of the incentive or of one or more parameters of the incentive, the reference being, for example, in the form of the universal resource locator (URL) of the incentive or of the one or more parameters. A consumer computer connects to the network and accesses one of the locations where the selecting mechanism of the particular incentive exists. Activating the selecting mechanism, which may be automatic when one accesses one of the locations or which may be by consumer interaction, leads to one or more parameters of the particular incentive being displayed on the consumer computer. In the preferred embodiment, the incentive includes an incentive existence message and it is the incentive existence message which is displayed. Displayed in this context includes all means for communicating information to the consumer. One or more of the incentive parameters displayed, for example one of more characteristics of the incentive existence message, are dependent on one or more characteristics of the consumer, including, for example, the location accessed by the consumer computer where the selecting mechanism for the particular incentive exists, the time, or the date. Dependent in this sense does not necessarily mean the only dependency. In a particular embodiment the incentive existence message includes an audiovisual, for example an icon, and the audiovisual characteristics of the incentive existence message (including for example the icon shape, color, text associated with the message, and the wording) are dependent on one or more characteristics of the consumer. One version of the method of the present invention includes making the consumer a member when the consumer views the one or more incentive parameters if the consumer is not yet a member. Joining includes transmitting consumer identification data via the network to a member information computer connected to the network; and storing consumer identification data of the consumer in a member database coupled to a member information computer connected to the network. In one embodiment, joining includes storing referral data (e.g., a cookie) about the consumer in the consumer computer, the referral data for rapid identification of the consumer, for example for future interactions with the consumer. In one embodiment, the method includes recording occurrence information about displaying the incentive parameter or parameters to the member, and the storing preferably is in the incentive database, and may also include storing in the member database. The occurrence information stored in the incentive database may include the identification of the member, the date and time, the location on the network where the message is being displayed, and one or more parameters about the incentive. When some of the parameters, for example the audiovisual characteristics of the incentive existence message (such as the icon shape, color, text associated, and the wording), are dependent on one or more characteristics of the consumer, the characteristics may include the consumer demographics, the consumer preferences and the consumer purchasing history. In one version, the incentive existence message includes means for interacting, and the method further includes displaying another one or more of the parameters of the particular incentive on the display device of the consumer computer in response to an action by the consumer, e.g., clicking on the incentive icon. In the preferred embodiment, this action causes a new display window (e.g., a popup window) to appear, the displaying of the parameters occurring therein. In this way, the incentive may be viewed by the consumer without the consumer leaving the window, for example the Web page, where the icon originally appeared. In another version, the displaying of the parameters occurs in the same window where the existence message appeared. In the version that includes the consumer joining, i.e., becoming a member of the inventive system by providing consumer identification data which is then stored in a member database coupled to a member information computer connected to the network, occurrence information about displaying the one or more of the parameters is recorded in one or more of the incentive database and the consumer database. Thus, when means for interaction are presented to the member, for example when the existence message includes interaction means, or displaying more parameters includes displaying another interaction means, occurrence information about any interaction by the consumer is recorded, preferably in the incentive database and in alternate embodiments, in the member database or in both databases. In another version of the method, when viewing the existence message does not cause the consumer to become a member, the displaying of one or more parameters includes making the consumer a member if he or she is not yet a member. In the preferred embodiment, at least one of the incentive parameters displayed depends on one or more characteristics of the consumer. Furthermore, for some incentives, negotiating means are presented to the consumer, and the consumer may negotiate one or more of the incentive parameters displayed; this resulting in the negotiated incentive parameters being modified. Furthermore, in some versions of the method, at least one of the incentive parameters displayed depends on one or more of the present time, the present date, and the location accessed by the consumer computer, for example where the incentive existence message generating message of the particular incentive exists. The displaying of one or more of the parameters typically includes displaying the incentive value to the consumer. Thus, in such a case and when the incentive is negotiable, the consumer may negotiate the incentive value which may then be modified as a result of the negotiating. Also, in some versions, the incentive value displayed depends on one or more characteristics of the consumer as determined by applying an incentive formula. This is for both the case of a negotiable and a non-negotiable value. In the case of the incentive value depending on consumer characteristic(s) and the consumer being a member, the displayed incentive value may depend on one or more of the consumer identification, the consumer demographics, the consumer purchasing history, the location accessed by the consumer computer where the incentive existence message of the particular incentive was displayed, the present time, and the present date. In the preferred embodiment, for some incentives, one incentive parameter displayed is a clip button or other means for the consumer to clip the incentive. Clipping may require membership and the consumer may be automatically entered as a member or be required to enter consumer identification information at the consumer computer. When the consumer clips an incentive by interacting with the clipping means, clipping information about the clipped incentive is stored in the member database, for example including the present date, an indicator of the value of the incentive, and characteristics of the consumer, including the consumer identification. The indicator of the value of the incentive in one implementation is the value of the incentive, and in another is the version number of the incentive or a pointer to the version of the incentive. The key here is to be able to recreate a historical record in the case that incentives change over time. The method further includes a consumer (e.g., a member) viewing one or more characteristics of valid incentives previously clipped by the consumer. This includes, for example, clipped incentives that may still be redeemed by the consumer. Once a consumer becomes a member, in the preferred embodiment, targeted information is periodically transmitted to the consumer about incentives in the incentive database. The transmission may be by one or more of email, telephone, postal mail, and placement of information on one ore more locations in the network, for example, Web pages. The targeted information if related to an incentive clipped by the consumer may include one or more of information that the specific clipped incentive is soon to expire, information that the value for the specific clipped incentive has changed for the consumer, and information on the existence of new related incentives. alternatively, after clipping, the consumer may be displayed one or more characteristics of some valid (e.g., unexpired) incentives previously clipped by the consumer. One way of targeting is by using the published selection means. In this, the selection means is programmed to select one or more incentive to display and the parameters of the incentive according to one or more parameters of the member. For example, a Web page may retrieve an incentive for men's clothing when the member is a male and for women's clothing when the member is a female. After clipping a consumer may redeem the clipped incentive. Typically, redeeming requires satisfying one or more match criteria. For the common discount coupon incentive, the match criteria includes purchasing. Typically, the match criteria depend on the type of incentive and the nature of the value provided. Examples of match criteria include purchasing, joining, completing a survey, and requesting a free sample. If one of the incentive parameters is an online point of redemption connected to the network, the redeeming causes a redemption display to appear on the consumer computer enabling the consumer to redeem the value upon meeting the match criteria. A version of the method does not require clipping prior to redeeming, allowing the consumer to redeem the incentive after viewing the inventive. If redemption requires purchasing, the online point of redemption is an online point of sale. The redemption display may be in a separate display window (e.g., a popup) or in the same window previously being viewed. Also described is a system for distributing and redeeming incentives such as discount coupons, sweepstakes, frequent flier program mileage, promotional points, premiums, free samples, and product tie-ins, in which each incentive has an incentive template describing a set of parameters including a value and may also include an incentive existence message, preferably containing an audiovisual or graphical incentive icon, for example in the form of HTML of an incentive icon. The value is based on meeting a set of one or more match criteria, e.g., terms and conditions. Typically, the set of parameters further including one or more of a visual representation, an associated product/service, pointers to related incentives, and pointers to related products/services. The system comprises an incentive information computer connected to a network, e.g., the Internet, with an incentive database capable of containing the incentives coupled to the incentive information computer, means for creating a particular incentive in the incentive database, the creating including entering the data defining the set of parameters; and means for publishing the particular incentive on the network, where publishing includes publishing a mechanism for selecting the particular incentive, the publishing being at one or more locations of the network, for example on one or more Web pages or in email messages. The selecting mechanism may include manual activation means and thus be activated in response to consumer interaction, or may be activated automatically. The published incentive selecting mechanism preferably includes an reference which directly or indirectly points to the whereabouts in the network of the incentive or of one or more parameters of the incentive, the reference being, for example, in the form of the universal resource locator (URL) of the incentive or the one or more parameter(s). Publishing a single incentive includes replicating an incentive selecting mechanism for the incentive at the locations, or in an alternate embodiment, replicating at least one parameter of the incentive, for example, replicating the incentive existence message. In one version, the incentive creating means is connected to the network, while in another, the incentive creating means is directly coupled to the incentive information computer. In the preferred embodiment, the system further comprises a consumer computer which can connect to the network and which includes a display device. It is anticipated that such a computer is operable by a consumer who may view the display device. In this embodiment, the system then includes means for displaying one or more parameters of a particular published incentive on the display device when the consumer computer accesses one of the locations containing the selecting mechanism of the particular incentive. This may occur automatically or as a result of the consumer interacting with some interaction means included in the selecting mechanism. Preferably, the displayed parameters include the incentive existence message. The preferred embodiment system also includes a member information computer connected to the network and to which is coupled a member database that including member information on consumers, including member identification information, identification means for a particular consumer to be identified to the system by transmitting identification information over the network from the consumer computer to the member information computer, and joining means for a consumer to be added to the member database, by joining information being transmitted over the network from the consumer computer to the member information computer. In one version, the joining means comprises means for storing referral data (e.g., a cookie) about the consumer in the consumer computer, and in such a case, the identification means accesses the referral data to determine the identification information for transmission over the network. The identification means also may comprise means for the consumer to identify itself to the system by entering the information at the consumer computer. In one implementation, the joining means comprises means for the particular consumer to voluntarily be added to the member database (e.g., as a result of responding to a request to join), while in other implementations, the joining means comprises means for the particular consumer to be automatically and involuntarily added to the member database as a result of some action by the consumer. The means for displaying a parameter or parameters of the particular incentive on the display device after the consumer computer accesses one of the of the locations containing the selecting mechanism for the incentive, preferably displays at least the incentive value. One or more parameters depend on the characteristics of the consumer. For example, in one implementation, one or more of the incentive parameters displayed depends on one or more of the present time, the present date, and the location accessed by the consumer computer where the incentive selection mechanism existed. In a further improved implementation, one of the incentive parameters displayed also depends on one or more of the set consisting of the number of responses to-date to the particular incentive, the inventory value of the associated goods/service, and the current currency exchange rate. In yet a further improved implementation, which includes the means for joining, at least one of the incentive parameters displayed depends on one or more characteristics of the member, including one or more of the demographics of the member, the purchasing history of the member, the known preferences of the member, the credit history of the member, the previous incentives viewed by the member, and the previous incentives clipped by the member. In the case that the incentive existence message is displayed the existence message preferably also includes means for responding. In the preferred embodiment, the means for displaying further displays one or more incentive parameters in response to the consumer responding to the incentive existence message using the means for responding. For example, in the implementation wherein the incentive existence message includes an incentive icon, e.g., a graphic element, the means for responding includes means for the consumer to click on the icon. Preferably, some of the parameters displayed may be one or more means for the consumer to interact with the incentive. In an improved implementation, the characteristics of the incentive existence message, for example the audiovisual characteristics of the icon such as the icon shape, color, and text associated, and the wording, are dependent on one or more characteristics of the consumer. In one version, one of the consumer characteristics on which the characteristics depend is the location accessed by the consumer computer where the selecting mechanism of the particular incentive exists. Preferably, when the existence message includes means for responding, or the one or more displayed parameters of the incentive includes means for interacting, any interacting by the consumer is recorded. One implementation records the act in the incentive database, while another records in the member database, and a third records in both the member database and the incentive database. In an embodiment described herein, instance particulars of any display of the incentive by the displaying means is recorded in the incentive database. This, for example, may occur automatically or as a result of consumer interaction with the responding means of the existence message (e.g., a click on an icon). In versions that include the member database and the joining means, the instance particulars recorded include the identification of the member, and one or more of the location on the network where the incentive was displayed, the present time and the present date. In the preferred embodiment, the system includes clipping means for the consumer e.g., a member, to clip the particular incentive, the clipping means including means for storing incentive instance information about the particular incentive in the member database. The clipping means preferably comprises means for saving clipping information, preferably in the incentive database, including the identification of the consumer, incentive instance information including the value of the incentive, and one or more of other characteristics of the consumer, the present time, and the present date. One implementation of the system includes means for transmitting targeted information about incentives to the member, including targeted information about a clipped incentive. Such information may be that the incentive may soon expire, information that the incentive's value has changed, information on related incentives, and/or information that there are related incentives new since the last clipping. The means for transmission includes one or more of means for sending e-mail, means for making a telephone call, means for sending postal mail, means for placing the targeted information on particular locations related to the member, means for displaying the targeted information whenever the member views an incentive, means for displaying the targeted information whenever the member clips an incentive. The transmitting targeted information may include publishing additional selection means or programming existing selection means to select incentives according to targeting criteria related to one or more characteristics of the member. The system described also includes redemption means for the member to redeem the clipped particular incentive. The redemption may be online using online redemption means connected to the network. That is, the match criteria may include an online action by the consumer such as filling in a survey or a purchase. For example, in the case of incentives that include purchase of goods/services in the match criteria, and the goods/services associated with the clipped particular incentive are purchasable online, one implementation includes means for online purchase of goods/services, the online purchase means connected to the network. In one implementation, the redemption means is automatically activated upon the member meets the match criteria, for example uses the online purchase means to purchase the goods/services associated with the clipped particular incentive for an incentive involving purchase. In the purchase automatic redemption case, the redemption means includes means for matching a basket of goods and services to the set of clipped incentives stored in the member database for the member, and means for applying the incentives to the basket of goods and services. In a non-automatic redemption version, the redemption means includes activating means that, at the request of the member, in the case of an incentive that has a purchase in the match criteria, matches a basket of goods and services to the clipped incentives stored in the member database for the member and applies the clipped incentive incentives to the basket of goods and services. Another aspect described is a system that further includes means for modifying one or more parameters of the incentive in the incentive database as a result of displaying the incentive. In the preferred embodiment, the system further includes means for modifying one or more parameters of the incentive in the incentive database as a result of a member clipping the incentive, as well as means for modifying one or more parameters of the incentive in the incentive database as a result of a consumer redeeming the incentive. In one version, the system includes means for a consumer to reject an incentive, the rejecting including storing the act of rejection, preferably in the incentive database, although in some implementations, this might be in the member database or both databases. Also described herein is a network-based incentive system, which includes a network; one or more consumer computers able to be connected to a network (e.g., the Internet) and for operation by a consumer, and an incentive database coupled to an incentive information computer connected to the network, the incentive database containing an incentive template describing an incentive that has a value based on applying an incentive formula. In the system, the consumer computer is programmed to display an incentive existence message indicating the existence of the incentive in the incentive system. In the preferred embodiment, the consumer computer is also programmed to receive a consumer displaying request for displaying the incentive and to transmit the consumer displaying request to the incentive information computer. In addition, the incentive information computer is programmed to transmit to the consumer computer incentive information necessary for the display of the incentive, including the value of the incentive on the consumer computer in response to the consumer displaying request. The preferred embodiment also includes a member database containing information on one or more members coupled to a consumer information computer connected to the network. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be more fully understood from the detailed preferred embodiments of the invention, which, however, should not be taken to limit the invention to any specific embodiment but are for explanation and better understanding only. The embodiments in turn are explained with the aid of the following figures: FIG. 1 shows the hardware components of one embodiment of the system of the invention; FIG. 2. shows the flowchart for the operation of process DSPLY for displaying an incentive on the consumer computer and for clipping the incentive. FIG. 3. shows the software components (as circles) together with some of the modules in the software components (as blocks) according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 shows pseudocode for the View_Icon procedure according to one embodiment of the invention; FIGS. 5A and 5B show pseudocode for the View_Incentive procedure according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 6 shows pseudocode for the Clip_Incentive procedure according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 7 shows pseudocode for the Get_Member_ID procedure according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 8 shows pseudocode for the Sign_On procedure according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 9 shows pseudocode for the Get_Required_Member_Info procedure according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 10 shows pseudocode for the Validate_External_Member_Info procedure according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 11 shows pseudocode for the View_Account procedure according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 12 shows pseudocode for the View_Member_Account_Page procedure according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 13 shows pseudocode for the Buy_Now procedure according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 14 shows pseudocode for the Adjust_Goods_&_Services_Order procedure according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 15 shows pseudocode for the Record_Redemption procedure according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 16 shows pseudocode for the Get_Incentive_For_Member procedure according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 17 shows pseudocode for the Close_Incentive procedure, including an enabling negotiations, according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 18 shows pseudocode for the Negotiate procedure according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 19 shows an image of a screen from the promotion editor according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 20 shows another image of a screen from the promotion editor, this image of a screen for an adaptively determined incentive according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 21 shows the display of the incentive of FIG. 19; FIG. 22 shows a Sign-Up Screen for signing up a new member or confirming membership of an existing member according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 23 shows the second Pop-Up Screen for signing up a member, shown here filled in for one member, according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 24 also shows the second Pop-Up Screen for signing up a member, shown here filled in for a second member, according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 25 shows the incentive of FIG. 20 applied for the member shown in FIG. 23. FIG. 26 shows the incentive of FIG. 20 applied for the member shown in FIG. 24. FIG. 27 shows a pop-up screen for confirming enrollment in the incentive service according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 28 shows a display similar to that defined in FIG. 20, but including a "Negotiate" button according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 29 shows a pop-up screen for confirming the clipping of an incentive according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 30 shows a pop-up screen view of an account, displaying incentives clipped according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 31 shows an image of an account page accessed via the service provider site according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 32 shows a pop-up log-on screen according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 33 shows an image of a screen displaying a member's clipped incentives as accessed via the service provider site according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 34 shows an image of a personal profile page as accessed via the service provider site according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 35 shows an image of a summary of all available incentives as accessed via the service provider site according to one embodiment of the invention; and FIG. 36 shows an view of a member's redeemed incentives as accessed via the service provider site according to one embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The preferred embodiments of aspects of the present the invention are implemented on the Internet. The scope of those aspects, however, is not limited to the Internet and the embodiments described herein may be modified to run on any network and how to so modify the embodiment would be clear to those of ordinary skill in the art. A discussion of Internet technology, the World Wide Web (the Web), URLs, HTML, servers, clients, browsers, the JAVA programming language, browser side JAVA applications (applets), server-side JAVA applications (servlets), and cookies, including definition of many of the Internet terms used herein, is provided herein below in the section entitled Details for Implementation on The Internet. Many aspects of the present invention are preferably embodied as computer instructions written (a) as JavaScript scripts that run on a computer on a JavaScript enabled browser, or (b) as computer instructions in the JAVA language for running either on a consumer's (or other entity's) browser (as an applet) or on a Web server (as a serviet) or for running as a stand alone JAVA application. The equivalent functions may similarly be coded using any computer language such as C++, as would be clear to those of ordinary skill in the art. Clearly, these scripts also may be implemented differently, either in another scripting language, or as programs. The Entities: FIG. 1 shows the hardware components of one embodiment of the system of the invention. Each of these hardware components belongs to or is run by one of the entities of the system. An incentive issuer typically is the merchant or manufacturer of the goods or services, for example, SONY®, or CIRCUIT CITY®, or MARRIOTT HOTELS®, etc., that desires to promote its products or services by offering incentives. An promotion agency is an entity retained by the incentive issuer to carry out a promotion campaign. In other embodiments, the incentive issuer may act as its own promotion agency. A promotion is the act of promoting a sale or other desirable activity (e.g., increased product or company awareness, increased visits to a particular Web site such as a Web "portal", participation in a particular charity drive, etc.). Thus, in terms of incentives, the promotion includes a collection of incentives. A promotion agency's job thus may include defining and distributing the set of incentives of a promotion on behalf of the incentive issuer. A promotion author is the entity that defines the promotion, including the incentives in the promotion. The promotion agency typically but not necessarily acts as the promotion author. A consumer is the entity (such as a person or organization or business) at whom the promotion, including the incentives, is aimed. Thus, while this description talks of a consumer being a person (using terms such as he and she and or his or her), it is to be understood that the consumer may be an entity other than a person. A member is a consumer that has joined the incentive service by registering. As a result of a promotion defined by a promotion author, consumers are enrolled by becoming members in the system. An enrolled customer is a member enrolled by a particular promotion. Because an enrolled customer is a member, there are specific data on the activities of such an enrolled customer. Thus, this promotion results in very specific information about the set of customers who have enrolled as a result of a promotion. A service provider is the entity (typically a company) that runs the incentive system defined herein. There can be more than one service provider in any implementation. An account provider is an entity that manages data about members, including maintaining all the necessary databases of information about the members. In some embodiments, the account provider may retain the service provider to provide the services of managing data about members. In another embodiment, the account provider and the service provider may be the same organization. Thus, members typically register with the account provider. A promotion sponsor is an organization that sponsors promotions. Such a sponsor may then use one or more promotions to gather statistics. For sponsorship, the sponsor may require its logo to be used in incentive icons and other incentive displays, or have other requirements. For example, a promotion sponsor may be a chamber of commerce, or a credit card company such as VISA, or an external membership organization, such as the American Automobile Association or a credit card company. The sponsor may sponsor a campaign run directly by an incentive issuer (e.g., a manufacturer) or by a promotion agency. The promotion agency would then select the service provider to use for the promotional campaign. It would be clear that an incentive issuer may run a promotion without using a third party. In such a case, the incentive sponsor is incentive issuer. For example, a merchant such as CIRCUIT CITY may issue a set of promotions related to goods sold at its store, and act as the sponsor of the promotion by requiring certain CIRCUIT CITY logos to be used for these incentives when a consumer views the incentive from CIRCUIT CITY's Web-site. A point of sale (POS) (also called a merchant herein) is a vendor location for selling a product or service for which an incentive is applied. For those incentives which do not involve purchase of a product or service for redemption, a point of redemption is a location for redeeming the incentive. So while the description describes points of sale, it should be clear that these terms include points of redemption not involving purchase, and how to modify any part of the description for the non-purchase case would be clear to those in the art. An online POS (also online merchant) is a POS that is on the Internet, while an offline POS (also offline merchant) is a physical POS (e.g., a store) that has some external connection with the service provider via either the Internet or some other means of electronic communication. In some situations, two types of memberships may be defined. In such situations, membership with the account provider indicates membership in the incentives scheme. Promotion sponsors are defined as above, and such a promotion sponsor may use a promotion agency to run the actual promotion. The promotion sponsor may be an external membership organization that has separate membership from membership in the incentives scheme. Two examples of external membership organizations are the American Automobile Association (AAA) or a particular credit card organization, and for these two examples, external members would be AAA members and holders of the particular credit card, respectively. A promotion of incentives sponsored by the external membership organizations may include any of the following characteristics: different icons for external members and non-members, viewing restricted only to external members, or, in the case of unrestricted viewing, clipping of the incentive being restricted to members of the external membership organization. Other methods of restriction or exclusion also may be used. For example, clipping may be allowed only when accessed from a particular Web site or for people registered with a particular Web-based merchant. A datamart associated with a promotion or with a promotion author is the set of consumers that have enrolled as a result of the promotion or of one or more promotions by the author, together with the history of what each of these customers has done, including what they've clipped, what they've purchased and their demographics. Also included in the datamart are not only the customers who were enrolled by the author as a result of the promotion, but also information on all other enrolled members who respond to the author's promotion. Thus there are two groups of consumers in a datamart: enrolled customers who are members acquired as a result of a specific promotion, and existing members who responded to a specific promotion. Note that fewer or more of the above described entities may be involved in any embodiment of an incentive system according to the invention. Other business models and implementations also are possible within the scope of the invention, as would be clear to one of ordinary skill in the art. Hardware Elements: Referring to FIG. 1, the following are the hardware entities according to the preferred embodiment: The consumer computer 115. This is the computer on which a typical consumer views the incentives, for example in the form of an icon which the consumer can view by clicking on the icon to open a pop-up window which displays the incentive, the characteristics of which are adaptively determined according to the particulars of the consumer (including some recent behavior matching some match criteria). While the term computer will be used herein for consumer computer 115, it is to be understood that consumer computer 115 may be a computer, a personal computer, a terminal, an interactive television, a television receiver with computer display facility (or other audio or audio-visual facility), a television set-top box, an intelligent telephone device, or any other device that that is capable of connecting to the network and displaying an incentive. Also, the scope of the terms display devices and displaying as used herein clearly include devices that present information to a consumer in any form, including a non-visual form, and the act of so presenting the information. This includes, for example, presenting information in printed form or in audio or as a combination of forms. Note that the term network appliance sometimes is used to define such a device that is capable of connecting to the network and of displaying (in this general sense) information to a consumer. Any such network appliance is included in our definition of a consumer computer. The incentive information computer 105 is a computer which holds incentive information, the incentive information in the form of a database (incentive database 107). The incentive information computer typically is run by the service provider. Of course, incentive database 107 could be distributed over several computers in the network, and parts or all of it could on several computers connected to the network. Thus, while this description and the claims attached hereto refer to a single incentive information computer (element 105) to which a single incentive database (element 107) is coupled, these terms also include the case of several computers holding the data in one location or distributed over the network or in redundant form or any combination of these, and how to modify the details to include these multiple computer and multiple databases cases would be straightforward to one of ordinary skill in the art. The member information computer 109 is a computer which holds consumer information, the consumer information in the form of one or more databases (the member database 111). The member information computer is typically run by the account provider. In some systems, the member information computer 109 may be part of the same computer system as the incentive information computer 105. This would occur, for example, if the account provider retains the service provider to manage accounts, or if the account provider and the service provider are the same entity, which may occur in some configurations. Again, while this description and the claims attached hereto refer to a single member information computer (element 109) to which a single member database (element 111) is coupled, these terms also include the case of several computers holding the data in one location or distributed over the network or in redundant form or any combination of these, and how to modify the details to include these multiple computer and multiple databases cases would be straightforward to one of ordinary skill in the art. The promotion author computer 113 is a computer (or computer terminal) for managing promotions and incentives, for example for defining and editing incentives, such managing typically carried out remotely by the promotion author. The promotion author computer 113, which typically is situated at the promotion author's site, may also be used for reviewing reports generated by incentive information computer 105 or the member information computer 109 or both. In some implementations, the review function is carried out separately from the creation and editing function. The network 103 is some means of connecting one or more consumer computers 115 and one or more promotion author computers 113 to the member information computer 109 and to the incentive information computer 105. In the preferred embodiment, the network 103 is the Internet. Clearly, any method for remotely connecting computers may alternatively be used. Different embodiments may use a single computer system for both the member information computer 109 and the incentive information computer 105, while in other embodiments the member information computer 109 may be separate from the incentive information computer 105. Either of these computers and associated databases may be split amongst several computers, or replicated amongst several computers, and how to modify the system to operate with such distributed or replicated information would be clear to one of ordinary skill in the art. Software Elements: The methods implementing the various components of the system are in the form of computer programs, each operating in its corresponding computer of the system. The information normally is stored in databases which are stored in storage systems each connected to the appropriate hardware element of the system. FIG. 3. shows the software components (as circles) together with some of the modules in the software components (as blocks) according to one embodiment of the present invention. The incentive display process (DISPL) shown in FIG. 3 as the consumer (service provider related scripts/servlets) process 317 is a set of programs for carrying out the incentive interactions that occur at the consumer computer 115 and are managed by the service provider. These operations include viewing and displaying an incentive, shown as module 321, and consumer interactions such as clipping an incentive, the consumer interactions shown as module 319. As described in more detail below and in the accompanying flow chart and pseudocode figures, process 317 preferably is implemented by running JavaScript scripts on consumer computer 115 embedded in the HTML from which the user requests an the interaction, and running servlets on incentive information computer 105 that load HTML into consumer computer 115 from the incentive information computer 105. The member information display process shown in FIG. 3 as the consumer (account provider scripts/servlets) process 323, a set of programs managed by the account provider for carrying out the interactions that occur at the consumer computer 115. These operations include the consumer interactions of enrolling as a member, etc. (consumer interactions module 325), viewing and displaying account information such as displaying a member's clipped incentives (module 327) and displaying a member's account information (module 329). Process 323 preferably is implemented by running JavaScript scripts on consumer computer 115 preloaded or loaded to run on consumer computer 115 embedded in HTML generated by JAVA servlets that run on the member information computer 109. The service provider process (SRVPRVD) 307 is a set of computer programs operating on the incentive information computer 105. The process preferably includes a commercial Web server (not shown separately in FIG. 3) for serving HTML objects. The additional programs required are run as JAVA servlets on the Web server used. The different modules include a storing and accessing process 309 for incentives, an incentive generator process 315 which includes determining the characteristics of an incentive such as its icon, appearance, and value adaptively, depending on the member's characteristics obtained by communicating with the appropriate module (offer redeemed incentive account information module 337) of the account provider process 331, a processing clipped incentives process 313 which includes handling redemptions of clipped incentives, clipping incentives, etc., and a statistical module 311 which offers statistics about the incentives. The servlets in the service provider process 307 include components that generate the database commands (preferably SQL language commands) for the incentive database 107. The incentive database (INCENT-DB) 107 is a database in a storage system coupled to the incentive information computer 105 as shown in FIG. 1. It is mentioned in this software section because its components include both hardware and software. The account provider process (ACCTPRVD) 331 is a set of computer programs operating on the member information computer 109. In some embodiments, for example ones in which the service provider is contracted by the account provider to run account provider services, or in which the service provider and the account provider are the same entity, the account provider process runs on the same server computer (incentive information computer 105) as the service provider process 307 and includes JAVA servlets that generate the appropriate SQL commands for the member database 111. The modules include a manage member accounts module 333 that interacts with the handle consumer interaction module 325 of consumer (account provider scripts/applets) process 323, an offer clipped incentives process 335 which interacts with the display clipped incentives process 327 of consumer (account provider scripts/applets) process 323, an offer redeemed incentives account information process 338 which interacts with the display redeemed incentives process 328 of consumer (account provider Scripts/applets) process 323, and an offer statistics process 351 for monitoring the system. The promotion editing and managing process (PROMOEDIT), shown as process 303, including a manage/create/edit promotion module 305, may, in one implementation, be a stand-alone computer program, for example written in JAVA, operating on the promotion author computer 113. Alternatively, in another implementation, defining and editing incentives may be carried out by the promotion author accessing a Web page served to the promotion author by the service provider. One reason a stand-alone program might used is because the creator of an incentive usually would want to have many optional incentive images and advertising images locally stored, and access to locally stored images might be more easily achieved from a stand-alone program than from a browser served from another site. The stand-alone program would then connect to the incentive information computer 105 via the network 103. In the Web page-based arrangement, the connection is carried out by connecting the promotion author computer 113 to the incentive information computer 105 via the Internet at a Web site belonging to the service provider (the service provider site). The Web page for PROMOEDIT is in standard HTML with multipart/form-data form processing capability. Local artwork is uploaded into the Web-based user interface. While creating and editing the incentives of a promotion, monitoring a promotion such as viewing and reviewing promotion information including as statistical reports preferably is carried out by a different promotion viewer process 353 which includes a promotion monitoring module 355 connecting to a Web page at the service provider site over the Internet. The merchant process (MRCHNT) 341 is a set of computer programs operating on a merchant's computer 117. A typical online merchant computer operates a specialized Web server called a merchant server. The aspects of the present invention that operate at on an online merchant's computer are preferably a set of modules provided in different forms for different kinds of merchant servers. For example, in one implementation, they are a set of C programs including a module 343 that interacts with the merchant server, and an incentives redemption request module 345 which communicates with the service provider process SRVPRVD 307 and requests that the appropriate module (process clipped incentives module 313) process an order to apply any applicable clipped incentives. Offline merchants operate a similar merchant process 341, with a module 343 that interacts with the point-of-sale terminal which is part of the offline POS computer 119 and a module 345 that communicates as needed with the service provider process (SRVPRVD) 307. The member database (MMBR-DB) 111 is a database in a storage system coupled to the member information computer 109 as shown in FIG. 1. It is mentioned in this software section because its components include both hardware and software. Part of the member database 111 is the account database (ACCNT-DB) of member incentive histories for each member. For each member, ACCNT-DB includes two lists: a list of all the instances of incentives that the particular member user has clipped, and a list of all the instances of incentives that the particular member user has redeemed through purchases, etc. All other actions by the member, viewing the account, etc., also are recorded. Whenever a member clips an incentive, the incentive instance is automatically added to the history of clipped incentives field for a member's entry in ACCT-DB. Whenever a member redeems an incentive, the incentive instance is automatically added to the history of redeemed incentives field for a member's entry in ACCT-DB. ACCNT-DB also includes a totals by category list which keeps a total of all redemptions by categories (such as electronics, clothing, etc.). In some implementations, all potential savings of clipped incentives may also be maintained. In alternate implementations, other details also may be recorded, for example, the time to respond to an incentive, the act of dismissing an incentive, etc. In the preferred embodiment, the accounts database information (ACCNT-DB), is included in each member's record in the member database MMBR-DB. Thus, there are only two databases in such an implementation, the incentives database INCENT-DB, and the member database MMBR-DB. A standard method for connecting to databases in JAVA programs used, for example, in the JAVA servlets implementing the database connectivity parts of the preferred embodiment is to use Database Connectivity (JDBC) standard protocols originally developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc., and described, for example, in Reese, George: Database Programming with JDBC and Java, Sebastopol, Calif.: O'Reilly & Associates, 1997. Creating an Incentive One of the purposes of the present invention is to provide a great deal of flexibility to someone who wishes to run a promotional campaign using incentives, so that they may design the incentive to meet their particular needs and requirements. At each point in the incentive process, viewing the incentive icon, viewing the incentive (e.g., by popping up a screen), and clipping the incentive, the promotion author needs to be able to specify what the consumer sees, both the icon and the incentive itself, and also any additional screens which request further information from the user or engage the user in related dialog. The present invention has been designed to allow the promoter maximum flexibility in this regard, so as to support a wide variety of promotions and incentives. Thus, while a particular style of incentive is described herein, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, that other designs also may be used, and incorporating such other designs is relatively straightforward in the framework presented herein. To create an incentive, the promotion author (typically the promotion agency) runs the promotion editing and viewing process PROMOEDIT 303 on the promotion author computer 113. This process allows the promotion author to specify and later modify a promotion, including defining the type of incentives and the parameters of the incentives of the promotion. PROMOEDIT may be a stand-alone program that can conveniently access and use locally stored images and designs, or PROMOEDIT may be one or more Web pages, including a set of multi-part forms within the Web page or pages. The Web pages enable loading locally stored images and designs. In either implementation, once each promotion, including incentives, is defined, it is loaded by the storing/access promotion information module 309 of the service provider process into database INCENT-DB 107. FIG. 19 shows one screen 1901 that comes up on promotion author computer 113 when defining an incentive, in this case a discount coupon incentive. Each button/area in screen 1901 can be used for entering various parameters. For example, button 1909 shows that area 1903 is being used for the promotion name. When this button 1909 is selected, other possible uses of area 1903 appear. Each incentive is defined by an incentive template which is stored in database INCENT-DB 107. The incentive template has characteristics preferably defined by one or more parameters, and the following are the parameters preferably included in an incentive for a discount coupon type of incentive. Note that not all parameters are defined for all types of incentives and for all incentives or a particular type. For example, the list of POSs is not used in one alternate embodiment. The description below will use the screens of process 305 both to describe the incentive template, and to describe how one defines an incentive using the promotion editing and viewing process 303:
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