Patent ID: 8032424

Claim:
A computer implemented method comprising: using a processor in a system including at least one subsystem having a computing device with the processor and memory for storing executable instructions that are executable by the processor to perform: receiving, at a server computer, a request for information relating to a first commodity that is available for purchase by a consumer from a consumer computer via a first merchant, wherein the first merchant owns the first commodity; sending a software module that is adapted for asynchronous communication with the server to the consumer computer; sending a predetermined amount of the requested information to the software module at the consumer computer, wherein the information includes a first commodity description of the first commodity; sending a predetermined amount of unrequested information to the software module at the consumer computer, wherein the unrequested information includes a second commodity description of a second commodity and instructions for rendering the descriptions on a display of the consumer computer, wherein a second merchant owns the second commodity and wherein sending the requested information and sending the unrequested information includes providing to the consumer the information relating to the first commodity and the information relating to the second commodity such that the consumer is not informed of merchant ownership of the first commodity and the second commodity; receiving a consumer request to interact with the requested and unrequested information; allowing a predetermined amount of consumer interaction with the requested and unrequested information; detecting a consumer action with respect to the requested and unrequested information; and determining, using the software module, whether communication with the server computer is required to respond to the consumer action and, responsive to a determination that communication is not required, responding to the consumer action without communicating with the server computer regarding the response.