Linking an advantage communication system to a pre-existing product

A method for rerouting, during a transaction occurring at a point-of-sale (“POS”) terminal, a first communication exchange between the POS terminal and an issuer funded rewards (“IFR”) program network to a second communication exchange between the POS terminal and a merchant funded rewards (“MFR”) program network, the method comprising:

• activating the first communication exchange, the first communication exchange being a default communication exchange, the first communication exchange pre-existing an authorization request;
• receiving a request to opt-in to the MFR program network;
• in response to receiving the request, linking a payment instrument of the customer to the MFR program network;
• receiving an authorization request from the POS terminal to process the transaction initiated using the payment instrument;
• in response to receiving the authorization request from the POS, determining that the payment instrument is linked to the MFR program network;
• and
• in response to the determination of the linkage between the payment instrument and the MFR program network:
• terminating the first communication exchange the terminating further comprising terminating applying issuer-based rewards associated with the IFR program network to the request:
• activating a second communication exchange between the payment instrument and the MFR program network, the activating comprising rerouting the communication exchange from the POS terminal and the IFR program network to the POS terminal and the MFR program network;
• adjusting a fee associated with processing the transaction;
• processing the transaction based on the adjusted fee;
• applying at least one machine learning algorithm to determine a plurality of custom selectable merchant-based rewards associated with the MFR program network for the transaction;
• displaying on the POS terminal the plurality of custom selectable merchant-based rewards;
• receiving a selected merchant-based reward;
• applying the selected merchant-based reward;
• and
• providing a virtual display on the POS terminal confirming that rewards associated with the IFR program network were not applied.