System and method for issuing digital receipts for purchase transactions over a network

1. A method for issuing a purchase transaction receipt over a network, the method comprising the steps:

receiving information for at least one credit card account of a customer for executing a transaction;

retrieving a customer record from a database using information from the at least one credit card account, the database cross associating the customer record to a plurality of credit card accounts of the customer such that information from any one of the plurality of credit card accounts of the customer is capable of retrieving information for any other one of the plurality of credit card accounts;

determining based on the customer record whether the customer of the transaction selected to receive digital receipts and selected a predetermined location for digital receipts;

charging an amount of the transaction to one of the plurality of credit card accounts selected by the customer;

transmitting a digital receipt to the predetermined location selected by the customer over the network if the indication in the customer record indicates a predetermined location for digital receipts, wherein the digital receipt is generated based on one of the plurality of credit card accounts retrieved from the database; and

providing at least one offer with the digital receipt.

2. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the predetermined location is an e-mail address of the customer.

3. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the predetermined location is a server residing on the network.

4. The method as in claim 3 , wherein the server is configured to include at least one customer account, wherein the at least one customer account includes at least one receipt record.

5. The method as in claim 4 , further comprising the steps receiving an identifier of the customer and providing access to the at least one receipt record.

6. The method as in claim 5 , further comprising the step sorting the at least one receipt record based on a customer selected criteria.

7. The method as in claim 5 , further comprising the step downloading the at least one receipt record to a terminal designated by the customer.

8. The method as in claim 4 , further comprising the step analyzing the at least one receipt record and providing at least one offer based on a result of the analysis.

9. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising the steps printing a hard copy of the receipt and forwarding the hard copy receipt to a physical address of the customer.

10. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the at least one offer is an extended warranty for merchandise purchased.

11. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the at least one offer is an upgrade to merchandise purchased.

12. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the at least one offer is to process rebates for merchandise purchased.

13. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the at least one offer is information on a product recall for merchandise purchased.

14. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the at least one offer is an offer to sell additional merchandise based on previous purchases of the customer.

15. A terminal for issuing digital receipts for a purchase transaction comprising:

an input device configured for receiving information for a first credit card account for executing a transaction;

at least one database storing at least a first credit card account record and at least one associated customer record, the database cross associating the first credit card account record to a plurality of credit card accounts of the customer, wherein the digital receipt is generated based on one of the plurality of credit card accounts retrieved from the database, the at least one customer record including an e-mail address for receiving the digital receipts and an indication indicating whether the digital receipts should be sent to the e-mail address and further wherein the database stores the digital receipts from the plurality of credit card accounts; and

a processor configured for verifying one of the plurality of credit card accounts selected by the customer for an amount of the transaction, retrieving a first customer record from the database using the information from any one of the plurality of credit card accounts, determining based on the indicator whether a digital receipt for the amount of the transaction charged to one of the plurality of credit card accounts stored on the database should be sent to the e-mail address, determining the e-mail address of the customer and transmitting the receipt to the e-mail address if the indicator indicates the receipt should be sent, wherein the processor selects at least one offer based on the receipt of the transaction and e-mails the at least one offer to the e-mail address of the customer.

16. The terminal as in claim 15 , further comprising a mail server for e-mailing the receipt to an e-mail address of the customer.

17. The terminal as in claim 15 , further comprising a communication device configured to transmit the receipt to a remote server for storing the receipt.

18. The terminal as in claim 15 , further comprising at least one second database for storing the at least one receipt.

19. The terminal as in claim 18 , further comprising a communication device configured to provide access to the customer of the at least one receipt.

20. The terminal as in claim 19 , wherein the processor is further configured to analyze the at least one receipt and provide the at least one offer to the customer based on a result of the analysis.

21. The terminal as in claim 15 , further comprising a printing device for printing a hard copy of the receipt to be forwarded to a physical address of the customer.

22. A system for issuing a purchase transaction receipt over a network comprising:

a remote server including

a first database storing a plurality of credit card account records including a first credit card account record and at least one associated customer record, wherein information from any one of the plurality of credit card account records is capable of retrieving the first credit card account record, the at least one associated customer record including a predetermined location for receiving the receipt and an indication indicating whether the receipt should be transmitted to the predetermined location;

at least one second database for storing at least one receipt of a customer; and

a communication device configured to provide access to the customer of the at least one receipt;

a terminal configured for receiving information for a first credit card account for executing a transaction and for transmitting the first credit card account information to the remote server,

wherein the remote server is configured to verify one of the plurality of credit card accounts selected by the customer for an amount of the transaction, retrieving a first customer record from the first database using the information from the first credit card account record and any one of the plurality of credit card account records, determining whether the indicator indicates the receipt should be transmitted to the predetermined location, determining the predetermined location of the customer and transmitting the receipt to the predetermined location if the indicator indicates the receipt should be transmitted,

wherein the remote server is further configured to analyze the at least one receipt stored in the at least one second database and demographic information of the customer and provide at least one offer to the customer based on a result of the analysis upon access by the customer.

23. The system as in claim 22 , wherein the remote server further comprises a mail server for e-mailing the receipt to an e-mail address of the customer.

24. The system as in claim 23 , wherein the remote server selects at least one offer based on the receipt of the transaction and e-mails the at least one offer to the e-mail address of the customer.

25. The system as in claim 22 , wherein the remote server is configured to sort the at least one receipt based on a customer selected criteria.

26. The system as in claim 22 , wherein the remote server is configured to download the at least one receipt to a terminal designated by the customer.

27. The system as in claim 22 , wherein the remote server further comprises a printing device for printing a hard copy of the receipt to be forwarded to a physical address of the customer.

28. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for issuing a purchase transaction receipt over a network, the method steps comprising:

storing information for a plurality of credit card accounts on a database, wherein information from any one of the plurality of credit card accounts is capable of retrieving information for any other one of the plurality of credit card accounts;

receiving information from one of the plurality of credit card accounts of a customer for executing a transaction;

retrieving a customer record from the database using information from one of the plurality of credit card accounts, the database storing personal information related to the customer including at least one of credit score, demographic information and a correspondence address;

determining based on the customer record whether the customer of the transaction selected to receive digital receipts and selected a predetermined location for digital receipts;

charging an amount of the transaction to one of the plurality of credit card accounts selected by the customer;

transmitting a digital receipt to the predetermined location selected by the customer over the network if the indication in the customer record indicates a predetermined location for digital receipts; and

providing at least one offer with the digital receipt wherein the at least one offer is based on an analysis of the personal information of the customer and the digital receipt.

29. The program storage device as in claim 28 , wherein the predetermined location is an e-mail address of the customer.

30. The program storage device as in claim 28 , wherein the predetermined location is a server residing on the network.