Intermediary technology for online marketing

Abstract

Among other things, advertisements are received for brands or products of brands. Criteria for placement of the advertisements are received at online retail sites. The online retail sites are controlled independently from one another. Inventory data for the products at the online retail sites is received and stored. Data about propensities of the consumers to favor one or more of the brands or one or more products of the brands, from activities of consumers on the online retail sites, is stored. Activity data about current activities of the consumers on the online retail sites is received. One or more of the advertisements are placed on pages served to the online retail sites based on the placement data, the inventory data, the propensity data, and the activity data. Conversion data is received indicating that consumers engaged in conversion events with respect to products associated with the brands or products of brands being advertised. The brands are charged based on the placing of the advertisements and the conversion events. The online retail sites are paid for the placing of the advertisements and the conversion events.