Flexible magazine management service

1. A method for managing a magazine management service, comprising:

creating a consumer account associated with a consumer;

associating a magazine package with the consumer account, wherein the magazine package includes a set number of different magazine titles and a periodic fee;

receiving, by computer, selections for the magazine titles to include in the magazine package from the consumer, each selected magazine title having a corresponding publication frequency including a number of issues and a period for delivery, wherein the consumer may later change one or more magazine titles within the magazine package;

processing purchase of the magazine package based on the periodic fee without establishing subscription contracts to the selected magazine titles; and

enabling distribution of issues of each of the selected magazine titles according to the corresponding publication frequency.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

enabling the consumer to request a change from one selected magazine title to a newly selected magazine title at any time;

receiving the request from the consumer to change from one selected magazine title to the newly selected magazine title;

disabling distribution of the one selected magazine title and

enabling distribution of the newly selected magazine title to the consumer according to a publication frequency corresponding to the newly selected magazine title.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a selection for a desired magazine title and

adding the desired magazine title to a wish list associated with the consumer.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from the consumer, a designation for a recipient for one of the selected magazine titles; and

wherein enabling distribution further comprises enabling distribution of issues of the one selected magazine title to the recipient.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the designation for the recipient includes a name and an address.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the recipient is the consumer.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

associating the consumer account with a different magazine package in response to a request from the consumer.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

recommending a new magazine title to a consumer based on a previously selected magazine title.

9. The method of claim 3 , further comprising: distributing sample issues of a magazine title from the wish list to the consumer.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein creating the consumer account includes receiving a consumer name, password, and address; and enabling the consumer to alter the magazine package via the consumer account.

11. A method for managing a magazine management service, comprising:

creating a consumer account associated with a consumer;

receiving, by computer, a selection for a magazine package from the consumer, wherein the magazine package includes a periodic fee and a set number of different magazine titles;

associating the selected magazine package with the consumer account;

receiving selections for magazine titles to include in the magazine package from the consumer, each selected magazine title having a corresponding publication frequency including a number of issues and a period for delivery, wherein the consumer may change the magazine titles within the magazine package at any time;

processing purchase of the magazine package based on the periodic fee without establishing subscription contracts to the selected magazine titles; and

enabling distribution of issues of each of the selected magazine titles according to the corresponding publication frequency.

12. A system for managing a magazine management service, comprising:

a computer system, comprising:

an associating component configured to associate a magazine package with a consumer account, wherein the magazine package includes a periodic fee and a set number of different magazine titles;

a receiving component configured to receive selections for the number of magazine titles from the consumer, wherein the consumer may change one or more of the magazine titles within the magazine package at any time, each selected magazine title having a corresponding publication frequency including a number of issues and a period for delivery; and

a processing component configured to process purchasing of the magazine package based on the periodic fee without establishing subscription contracts to the selected magazine titles and to enable distribution of issues of each of the selected magazine titles according to the corresponding publication frequency.

13. A system for managing a magazine management service, comprising:

a computer system, comprising:

means for associating a magazine package with a consumer, wherein the magazine package includes a periodic fee and a set number of different magazine titles; titles;

means for receiving selections for the magazine titles from the consumer, wherein the consumer may later change one or more magazine titles within the package, each selected magazine title having a corresponding publication frequency including a number of issues and a period for delivery; and

means for processing purchase of the magazine based on the periodic fee without establishing subscription contracts to the selected magazine titles and for enabling distribution of issues of each of the selected magazine titles according to the corresponding publication frequency.

14. A computer-readable medium including instructions operable to cause a computer system to perform operations for managing a magazine management service, the operations comprising:

associating a magazine package with a consumer account, wherein the magazine package includes a periodic fee and a set number of different magazine titles;

receiving selections for magazine titles from the consumer, wherein the consumer may later change one or more magazines magazine titles within the magazine package, each selected magazine title having a corresponding publication frequency including a number of issues and a period for delivery;

processing purchase of the magazine package based on the periodic fee without establishing subscription contracts to the selected magazine titles; and

enabling distribution of issues of each of the selected magazine titles according to the corresponding publication frequency.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising distributing the selected magazine titles to an address specified by the consumer.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising enabling the consumer to search for magazine titles by one of title, category, topic, publication frequency, and popularity.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising receiving ratings of magazine titles from the consumer.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising enabling the consumer to view upcoming special issues.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising enabling the consumer to read excerpts of magazines.