Handling Data from Online Retail Transactions

摘要

There are disclosed methods and apparatus for operating a panel of online consumers. A redirection email address is generated and provided to a retailer computer system in substitution for a consumer email address. As part of an online transaction, the retailer forwards a purchase record to the consumer, but uses the redirection email address. A researcher computer system which is the addressee of the redirection email address is therefore able to intercept the purchase record for analysis, and pass the purchase record on to the consumer.

主权项

1. A method for operating a researcher computer system to obtain data identifying purchases made online by a consumer having a consumer email address, the method comprising:
providing a redirection email address for provision to a retailer computer system in place of the consumer email address, the researcher computer system being the addressee of emails sent to the redirection email address; receiving a purchase record, sent from the retailer computer system to the redirection email address, the purchase record recording purchases made by the consumer online using the retailer computer system; forwarding at least some of the content of the purchase record to the consumer email address for receipt by the consumer; and extracting data relating to the purchases from the purchase record.