A method and system for processing a financial transaction using a
co-brand proprietary payment card through a multi-party payment card
interchange network is provided. The method includes storing within a
database a list of merchants participating in a co-brand program with the
interchange network, receiving an authorization request for the
transaction involving the co-brand payment card wherein the authorization
request includes a merchant identifier, determining whether the
transaction originated at one of the participating merchants by comparing
the received merchant identifier to the list of participating merchants
stored within the database, manipulating the authorization request to
include a private label identifier when the transaction is determined to
have originated at one of the participating merchants, and transmitting
an authorization response from the interchange network to the acquirer.
The authorization response includes the private label identifier and
designates the transaction for processing as a private label transaction.