In one aspect of the invention, a customer accesses an eCommerce server maintained by a merchant via a communications network such as the Internet. Before the customer can complete a transaction, such as ordering goods or receiving on-line services, the merchant requests a tender of payment. If the tender of payment is declined, the merchant offers the customer credit for completing the transaction wherein the credit is guaranteed by a guarantor. The guarantor pays the merchant for the customer's transaction and sends an account statement including a request for payment to the customer. The amount the guarantor pays to the merchant may be dependent on the reason for the decline and one whether or not customer information is used to verify the customer. The account statement may also include an offer to the customer by the guarantor of a credit account.