Granted Patent B2

US 8,275,699 · App. 12/712,990 · Granted Sep 25, 2012

Abstract

Claims (36)

1. A method for conducting an honorary credit transaction, comprising:

providing a system configured to provide honorary credit to a second purchaser in exchange for an honorary commitment to provide payment for electronically transmittable item to one or more agents, wherein the honorary commitment comprises a non-legally binding commitment to provide a payment to the one or more agents for purchase of the electronically transmittable item;

receiving, via a processor, a request from a first purchaser to provide a second purchaser honorary credit in exchange for an honorary commitment to provide payment for an electronically transmittable item to one or more agents;

providing, via a processor, the second purchaser honorary credit in exchange for an honorary commitment to provide payment for the electronically transmittable item to one or more agents;

providing the electronically transmittable item to the second purchaser via electronic transmission prior to receiving payment for the electronically transmittable item; and

determining that a payment has been received for the electronically transmittable item via at least one of the one or more agents, providing an incentive to the first purchaser based upon said determination.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing an incentive comprises providing promotional offerings redeemable for items.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the items comprise electronically transmittable items available from the vendor providing the electronically transmittable item to the second purchaser.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing an incentive comprises providing a monetary payment.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing an incentive comprises providing a greater incentives if the payments is of a greater amount and lesser incentive if the payment is of a lesser amount.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing an incentive comprises providing a greater incentives if the payments is timely and lesser incentive if the payment is not timely.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing an incentive comprises providing an incentive only if the payment is equal to or greater than a threshold value.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the threshold value is an amount of the payment associated with the honorary commitment.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein providing an incentive comprises providing an incentive only if the payment is equal to or greater than a threshold value.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein providing an incentive comprises improving credit worthiness associated with the first purchaser.

11. The method of claim 5 , comprising, if a payment is not received for the electronically transmittable item via at least one of the one or more agents, re-assessing the first purchaser honorary credit score.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the reassessment comprises reducing credits redeemable for items.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the reassessment includes imposing a monetary fee.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the penalty comprises negatively impacting credit worthiness associated with the first purchaser.

15. A system for conducting an honorary credit transaction, comprising:

an honorary payment facilitator configured to:

provide honorary credit to a purchaser in exchange for an honorary commitment to provide payment for electronically transmittable item to one or more agents, wherein the honorary commitment comprises a non-legally binding commitment to provide payment to the one or more agents for purchase of the electronically transmittable item;

receive a request from a first purchaser to provide a second purchaser honorary credit in exchange for an honorary commitment to provide payment for an electronically transmittable item to one or more agents;

provide the second purchaser honorary credit in exchange for an honorary commitment to provide payment for the electronically transmittable item to one or more agents;

provide the electronically transmittable item to the second purchaser via electronic transmission prior to receiving payment for the electronically transmittable item; and

if a payment is received for the electronically transmittable item via at least one of the one or more agents, providing an incentive to the first purchaser.

16. The system of claim 15 , comprising a vendor configured to provide the electronically transmittable items to the purchaser.

17. The system of claim 15 , comprising the agent configured to accept the payment from the purchaser.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the one or more agents comprises an individual, and wherein receiving the payment for the electronically transmittable item via at least one of the one or more agents comprises a purchaser payment being made to the individual by or on behalf of the purchaser.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the one or more agents comprises a retail merchant having a brick-and-mortars location, and wherein receiving payment for the electronically transmittable item via at least one of the one or more agents comprises a purchaser payment being made to the retail merchant at the brick-and-mortars location by or on behalf of the purchaser.

20. A method comprising:

providing honorary credit to a first purchaser in exchange for an honorary commitment to provide payment for electronically transmittable item to one or more agents, wherein the honorary commitment comprises a non-legally binding commitment to provide payment to the one or more agents for purchase of the electronically transmittable item;

receiving, via a processor, from a first purchaser, a request to extend honorary credit to a second purchaser;

extending, via a processor, honorary credit to the second purchaser;

conducting, via a processor, a transaction with the second purchaser based on the honorary credit, wherein the transaction comprises providing an electronically transmittable item to the second purchaser via electronic transmission prior to receiving payment for the electronically transmittable item; and

providing an incentive to the first purchaser based upon payment by the second purchaser or imposing a penalty upon the first purchaser based upon non-payment by the second purchaser.

Assignments (14)