Method and apparatus for providing and processing installment plans at a terminal

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a central controller in communication with at least one seller and comprising at least one processor, a purchase price of a purchase and a financial account identifier specifying a financial account;

offering, by the central controller to a purchaser, at least one installment plan offer for the purchase;

receiving, by the central controller, a selection signal indicative of acceptance of one of the at least one installment plan offer;

determining, by the central controller, an installment charge amount to include in at least two generated bills for the financial account;

determining, by the central controller, a plurality of individual charges, each individual charge being for a respective purchase price of a purchase applied to the financial account in one charge; and

generating, by the central controller, a bill for the financial account, the bill including:

the plurality of individual charges for the respective purchase prices, and

at least one installment charge amount, the at least one installment charge amount including the determined installment charge amount.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining the at least one installment plan offer for the purchaser.

3. The method of claim 1 , in which determining the installment charge amount comprises calculating the installment charge amount.

4. The method of claim 1 , in which determining the installment charge amount comprises basing the installment charge amount on the purchase price, an interest rate, and a total number of installments to apply to the financial account.

5. The method of claim 1 , in which receiving a purchase price of a purchase and a financial account identifier specifying a financial account comprises receiving the purchase price of the purchase and the financial account identifier specifying the financial account via a point of sale terminal.

6. The method of claim 1 , in which offering comprises:

transmitting the at least one installment plan offer to the purchaser.

7. The method of claim 1 , in which offering comprises transmitting the at least one installment plan offer to a point of sale terminal.

8. The method of claim 1 , in which the generated bill further includes:

a first payment amount due that is a minimum payment amount due without any installment charge amounts; and

a second payment amount due comprising a sum of the first payment amount and the at least one installment charge amount.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a computing device to perform:

receiving, by a central controller in communication with at least one seller and comprising at least one processor, a purchase price of a purchase and a financial account identifier specifying a financial account;

offering, by the central controller to a purchaser, at least one installment plan offer for the purchase;

receiving, by the central controller, a selection signal indicative of acceptance of one of the at least one installment plan offer;

determining, by the central controller, an installment charge amount to include in at least two generated bills for the financial account;

determining, by the central controller, a plurality of individual charges, each individual charge being for a respective purchase price of a purchase applied to the financial account in one charge; and

generating, by the central controller, a bill for the financial account, the bill including:

the plurality of individual charges for the respective purchase prices, and

at least one installment charge amount, the at least one installment charge amount including the determined installment charge amount.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , which further comprises instructions configured to direct the computing device to perform:

determining the at least one installment plan offer for the purchaser.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , in which determining the installment charge amount comprises calculating the installment charge amount.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , in which determining the installment charge amount comprises basing the installment charge amount on the purchase price, an interest rate, and a total number of installments to apply to the financial account.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , in which receiving a purchase price of a purchase and a financial account identifier specifying a financial account comprises receiving the purchase price of the purchase and the financial account identifier specifying the financial account via a point of sale terminal.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , in which offering comprises:

transmitting the at least one installment plan offer to the purchaser.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , in which offering comprises:

transmitting the at least one installment plan offer to a point of sale terminal.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , in which the generated bill further includes:

a first payment amount due that is a minimum payment amount due without any installment charge amounts; and

a second payment amount due comprising a sum of the first payment amount and the at least one installment charge amount.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device operatively coupled to the processor, the storage device containing instructions configured to direct the processor to perform:

receiving a purchase price of a purchase and a financial account identifier specifying a financial account;

offering at least one installment plan offer for the purchase;

receiving a selection signal indicative of acceptance of one of the at least one installment plan offer;

determining an installment charge amount to include in at least two generated bills for the financial account;

determining a plurality of individual charges, each individual charge being for a respective purchase price of a purchase applied to the financial account in one charge; and

generating a bill for the financial account, the bill including:

the plurality of individual charges for the respective purchase prices, and

at least one installment charge amount, the at least one installment charge amount including the determined installment charge amount.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , the instructions further configured to direct the processor to perform:

determining the at least one installment plan offer for the purchaser.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 , in which determining the installment charge amount comprises calculating the installment charge amount.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 , in which determining the installment charge amount comprises basing the installment charge amount on the purchase price, an interest rate, and a total number of installments to apply to the financial account.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 , in which receiving a purchase price of a purchase and a financial account identifier specifying a financial account comprises receiving the purchase price of the purchase and the financial account identifier specifying the financial account via a point of sale terminal.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 , in which offering comprises:

transmitting the at least one installment plan offer to the purchaser.

23. The apparatus of claim 17 , in which offering comprises:

transmitting the at least one installment plan offer to a point of sale terminal.

24. The apparatus of claim 17 , in which the generated bill further includes:

a first payment amount due that is a minimum payment amount due without any installment charge amounts; and

a second payment amount due comprising a sum of the first payment amount and the at least one installment charge amount.