Patent ID: 7505925

Claim:
A method for providing messages to a user located at a client system attached to a network while the client system is displaying a web page associated with a web site provided by a web server through the network, the method comprising: obtaining a financial account limit and an outstanding balance of a financial account associated with the user; determining that the user is attempting to purchase an item from the web site using the financial account; analyzing a cost of the item against the financial account limit associated with the financial account; determining whether the sum of the cost of the item and the outstanding balance exceeds the financial account limit; and prior to the item being purchased, presenting a message for display along with the web page based on a determination that the sum of the cost of the item and the outstanding balance does not exceed the financial account limit, wherein the message includes an indication reflecting a new outstanding balance that will be associated with the financial account after the user purchases the item from the web site using the financial account, and presenting a message for display along with the web page based on a determination that the sum of the cost of the item and the outstanding balance exceeds the financial account limit, wherein the message includes an indication that if the second item is purchased, the financial account limit will be exceeded. and an indication that the second item may be purchased at an alternate web site for an amount lower than that offered by the web site.