Method and apparatus for facilitating the sale of subscriptions to periodicals

A computer readable medium storing instructions for directing a computer to:

• receive a signal indicative of at least one item being purchased by a customer at a point of sale terminal;
• determine that the at least one item is associated with an offer for an amount in exchange for establishing a subscription to a periodical, wherein the subscription to the periodical is different from the item;
• and
• provide the offer to the customer.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory connected to the processor, the memory for storing a program operative with the processor to:
• receive a signal indicative of at least one item being purchased by a customer at a point of sale terminal;
• determine that the at least one item is associated with an offer for an amount in exchange for establishing a subscription to a periodical, wherein the subscription to the periodical is different from the item;
• and
• provide the offer to the customer.

A method, comprising:

• receiving a signal indicating at least one item being purchased by a customer;
• determining, by a computer processor, that the at least one item is associated with at least one offer for an amount in exchange for establishing a subscription to a periodical, wherein the subscription to the periodical is different from the at least one item;
• providing the offer to the customer;
• providing the amount to the customer if the customer accepts the offer to subscribe to the periodical;
• and
• determining an amount owed by a subscription fulfillment house to a merchant.

A computer readable medium storing instructions for implementing a method, the instructions directing a computer to:

• receive a signal indicating at least one item being purchased by a customer;
• determine that the at least one item is associated with at least one offer for an amount in exchange for establishing a subscription to a periodical, wherein the subscription to the periodical is different from the at least one item;
• provide the offer to the customer;
• provide the amount to the customer if the customer accepts the offer to subscribe to the periodical;
• and
• determine an amount owed by a subscription fulfillment house to a merchant.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory connected to the processor, the memory for storing a program operative with the processor to:
• receive a signal indicating at least one item being purchased by a customer;
• determine that the at least one item is associated with at least one offer for an amount in exchange for establishing a subscription to a periodical, wherein the subscription to the periodical is different from the at least one item;
• provide the offer to the customer;
• provide the amount to the customer if the customer accepts the offer to subscribe to the periodical;
• and
• determine an amount owed by a subscription fulfillment house to a merchant.