LAYAWAY APPARATUS AND METHOD

1 . A method for associating a computing device of a customer with a layaway transaction corresponding to the customer, the method comprising:

initiating, by a computer system comprising a server connected to a network, a layaway transaction with a customer possessing a computing device, the layaway transaction corresponding to a payment plan;

receiving, by a point-of-sale system forming part of the computer system, identification information from the customer;

linking, by the computer system using the identification information, the computing device with the layaway transaction;

serving, by the computer system to an application running on the computing device, a first electronic receipt documenting the layaway transaction, the application programmed to extract data contained within the first electronic receipt and use the data to calculate an effect of a change to at least one of a pay off date, a payment frequency, and a payment amount of the payment plan on one or more others of the pay off date, the payment frequency, and the payment amount of the payment plan;

applying, by the computer system after the serving, one or more payments received from the customer to the layaway transaction; and

automatically delivering, by the computer system to the application, in response to each of the one or more payments, a follow-up electrical receipt documenting an updated status of the layaway transaction.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the serving comprises serving the first electronic receipt with a layaway account number included therewithin.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the serving comprises serving the first electronic receipt with a customer identification number included therewithin.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more payments comprise a first payment received by the computer system via the computing device.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the first payment comprises an authorization to charge a credit card, online payment account, or bank account.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the automatically delivering comprises automatically delivering a first follow-up electronic receipt documenting the first payment.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising receiving, prior to the initiating, the customer within a brick-and-mortar location.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the point-of-sale system is contained within the brick-and-mortar location.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the serving the first electronic receipt comprises serving a virtual receipt duplicating the look of a paper receipt.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, prior to the initiating, the customer within a brick-and-mortar location.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the point-of-sale system is contained within the brick-and-mortar location.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the serving the first electronic receipt comprises serving a virtual receipt duplicating the look of a paper receipt.

13 . A method for associating a computing device of a customer with a layaway transaction corresponding to the customer, the method comprising:

obtaining, by a computer system, access to a software application enabling a user thereof to experimentally adjust a first parameter of a layaway plan and see the effect thereof on at least one second parameter of the layaway plan;

initiating, by the computer system, a layaway transaction with a customer possessing a computing device having an instance of the software application installed thereon;

receiving, by a point-of-sale system forming part of the computer system, identification information from the customer;

linking, by the computer system using the identification information, the computing device with the layaway transaction;

serving, by the computer system to the instance, a data documenting the layaway transaction.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the serving comprises serving the data with a layaway account number included therewithin.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising receiving, by the computer system from the instance, a payment corresponding to the layaway transaction.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the receiving the payment comprises receiving an authorization to charge a credit card, online payment account, or bank account.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising serving, by the computer system to the instance, a second electronic receipt documenting the payment.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising receiving, prior to the initiating, the customer within a brick-and-mortar location.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the point-of-sale system is contained within the brick-and-mortar location.

20 . The method of claim 13 , wherein:

the computing device comprises a mobile telephone; and

The identification information comprises a telephone number corresponding to the mobile telephone.