1. A method for using transaction data to provide information to a customer, the information being provided in response to a request from the customer to assist the customer in decisioning, the method comprising; inputting transaction data, by a tangibly embodied processing system, regarding a plurality of transactions effected at a plurality of merchants; inputting, by the processing system, a request for information from a requesting customer, the request including parameters related to the request; performing processing, by the processing system, based on both the transaction data and the request for information, the processing including generating a response to the request; and the processing including determining an indicator of transaction congestion at a physical store of each of the plurality of merchants, the indicator of transaction congestion based on the transaction data that was input and the request for information from the customer as such request for information relates to store transaction data; and outputting, by the processing system, the response to the requesting customer, the response including the indicator of transaction congestion.