Software agent for facilitating electronic commerce transactions through display of targeted promotions or coupons

A method for use in presenting on-line promotions to users, comprising:

• downloading pieces of information associated with possible promotions for the user based upon user criteria;
• monitoring a user's network interaction;
• locally determining whether the user's network interaction satisfies any of the pieces of information;
• downloading, based upon the determining, a promotion associated with one of the pieces of information satisfied by the user's network interaction;
• and
• presenting, based upon the determining, the indication of the downloaded promotion to the user.

An apparatus for use in presenting on-line promotions to users, comprising:

• a monitor module for monitoring a user's network interaction;
• a determine module for determining whether to present an indication of a promotion to the user based upon criteria related to the user's network interaction and related to the user;
• and
• a presentation module for selectively presenting the indication of the promotion to the user based upon the determining.

A apparatus for use in presenting on-line promotions to users, comprising:

• a module for downloading pieces of information associated with possible promotions for the user based upon user criteria;
• a monitor module for monitoring a user's network interaction;
• a determine module for locally determining whether the user's network interaction satisfies any of the pieces of information;
• a promotion module for downloading, based upon the determining, a promotion associated with one of the pieces of information satisfied by the user's network interaction;
• and
• a presentation module for presenting, based upon the determining, the indication of the downloaded promotion to the user.

A computer program product, comprising:

• electronically stored instructions, downloadable over a network, for controlling a computer system to perform a method, the method including:
• monitoring a user's network interaction;
• determining whether to present an indication of a promotion to the user based upon criteria related to the user's network interaction and related to the user;
• and
• selectively presenting the indication of the promotion to the user based upon the determining.