Method and apparatus for product display

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request to display at least one product;

selecting, by a controller from a plurality of substitute products for the product, a substitute product for the at least one product,

in which each of a plurality of manufacturers has agreed to provide to the controller a respective payment in exchange for each display of a respective substitute product,

in which selecting is based on the respective payment to be provided to the central controller in exchange for displaying the selected substitute product; and

displaying the substitute product at a terminal.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

displaying the at least one product.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

displaying the substitute product adjacent to the at least one product.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving from a customer a selection of the substitute product; and

selling the substitute product to the customer.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing an offer to s customer to switch from a product selected by the customer to the substitute product.

6. The method of claim 5 , in which providing the offer is performed after the customer has indicated a willingness to complete a purchase transaction for the product selected by the customer.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

calculating a substitution success rate; and

storing an indication of the substitution success rate.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving data indicating a substitute product and a product category for which the substitute product is to be displayed.

9. The method of claim 8 , in which the data is received from a manufacturer of the substitute product.

10. The method of claim 1 , in which displaying the substitute product comprises:

displaying the substitute product in a frame of a web browser.

11. The method of claim 10 , in which the frame is located in a persistent location in a browser window.

12. A system comprising:

a controller comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct the processor to perform steps of:

receiving an indication of a product category;

determining, by a controller, a product based on the product category;

selecting, by the controller from a plurality of substitute products, a substitute product for the determined product,

in which each substitute product of the plurality of substitute products is associated with a respective payment that a respective manufacturer has agreed to pay in exchange for each display of the substitute product,

in which selecting the substitute product is based on the respective payment; and

transmitting a signal to display the selected substitute product at a terminal and

the terminal in communication with the controller, the terminal comprising:

a display operable to display an indication of the selected substitute product.

13. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of a product category;

determining, by a controller, a product based on the product category;

selecting, by the controller from a plurality of substitute products, a substitute product for the determined product,

in which each substitute product of the plurality of substitute products is associated with a respective payment that a respective manufacturer has agreed to pay in exchange for each display of the substitute product,

in which selecting the substitute product is based on the respective payment; and

transmitting a signal to display the selected substitute product.

14. The method of claim 13 , in which transmitting a signal to display the selected substitute product comprises:

transmitting a signal to display the selected substitute product adjacent to the determined product.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

transmitting a signal to display the determined product to the customer.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

charging the respective manufacturer the respective payment in exchange for displaying the selected substitute product.