The terms "push" and "pull" are now commonly mentioned when on-line billing is being described, but what do these terms actually mean in this context and what is the advantages of one over the other?
A "push" based on-line billing process essentially means that a consumer is prompted or alerted directly with a full invoice, statement or other document describing what has been purchased and what needs to be paid. This is therefore what is commonly called a "rich" document. For the most part, push-based on-line billing systems are carried out as e-mail notifications with attachment files (such as a PDF for example).