Patent ID: 7734502

Claim:
A computer-implemented method, comprising: receiving, at a server, a request message generated by a web browser running on a user computer, said request message generated in response to an ad selection event in which a user selects an ad presented on a web page of a first web site of a first entity to access a second web site of a second entity, said second web site being a target of the ad; and programmatically determining whether to charge the second entity a pay-per-click fee for the ad selection event based, at least in part, on whether the user computer is associated with a pre-existing user account created prior to the ad selection event, wherein programmatically determining whether to charge the second entity said pay-per-click fee comprises using a browser cookie received by the server from the user computer to determine whether a payment instrument is on file for said pre-existing user account; wherein the method is performed by an ad placement system that is separate from the first web site and the second web site, said ad placement system operated by an ad placement entity that is different from the first entity and the second entity, said ad placement system including said server, and the method further comprises responding to the request message by redirecting the browser to the second web site.