Retail send transaction system

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of tokens for retail sale, each token representing a send transaction and having stored thereon data representing:

a money transfer product type associated with a sender purpose of a sender;

a send transaction identifier; and

a code identifying the product type and readable at a retail point of purchase terminal;

a computer system configured for recording payments received for the plurality of tokens in an amount equal to or approximating an aggregated send amount of the plurality of tokens;

a computer system further configured for receiving in response to sale of one of the tokens, data representing the send transaction identifier of such token;

the computer system further configured for presenting to the sender a completion interface, said completion interface including elements reflecting the product type and fields for receiving:

sender identification information;

recipient identification information; and

sender options for delivery features for a receive transaction; and

memory responsive to receipt of sufficient information entered at the completion interface for storing an active, funded send transaction record in the computer system with the sender options selected by the sender.

2. A system according to claim 1 for retailing money transfer send transactions, the system further comprising:

a kiosk configured for dispensing the plurality of tokens for retail sale;

a vending apparatus configured for receiving at the kiosk a selection of the one of the tokens by the money transfer product type associated with the sender purpose and a send amount, and further configured for generating and dispensing such a corresponding token;

an access controller at the computer system configured for receiving the data representing the send transaction identifier of the dispensed token;

an interface controller under control of the computer system configured for presenting to the sender the completion interface.

3. A system according to claim 1 for performing money transfer send transactions, the system further comprising:

a vending kiosk for dispensing the plurality of tokens for retail sale;

the computer system connectable to receive from the vending kiosk in response to the sale of the one of the tokens in a purchase transaction, the data representing the send transaction identifier of such token;

a control module executing in the computer system for presenting to the sender who has purchased the one of the tokens the completion interface.

4. A system according to claim 1 for performing money transfer send transactions for bill payment, the system further comprising:

each token having stored thereon data representing:

a money transfer bill payment type associated with a biller payee;

a code identifying the bill payment type and readable at a retail point of sale terminal;

the computer system connectable to receive from the retail point of sale terminal in response to the sale of the one of the tokens in a purchase transaction, the data representing the send transaction identifier of such token;

a control module executing in the computer system for presenting to the sender the completion interface, said completion interface including elements reflecting the bill payment type and fields for receiving send transaction information comprising:

the sender identification information; and

account identification information for an account with the biller payee; and

the memory configured for storing, in response to receipt of sufficient send transaction information entered at the completion interface, the active, funded send transaction record in the computer system identifying the send transaction information.

5. A method comprising:

providing a plurality of tokens for retail sale, each token representing a specific money transfer purpose and having a send transaction identifier;

receiving at a computer system data representing a send transaction identifier of at least one of the tokens;

creating a send transaction record linked to the at least one token's send transaction identifier;

receiving at a computer system from a sender data representing the send transaction identifier and presenting to the sender a completion interface, said completion interface including elements reflecting the specific money transfer purpose and fields for receiving send transaction information comprising:

sender identification information;

recipient identification information; and

message options related to the specific money transfer purpose; and

responsive to receipt of sufficient send transaction information entered at the completion interface, storing an active, funded send transaction record in the computer system including the message options.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

each token representing a send transaction and having stored thereon data representing:

a money transfer product type associated with a sender purpose;

the send transaction identifier; and

a code identifying the product type and readable at a retail point of purchase terminal;

storing in the computer system an inactive, unfunded send transaction record corresponding to each of the plurality of tokens;

receiving at the computer system from the retail point of purchase terminal in response to sale of the at least one of the tokens in a purchase transaction, the data representing the send transaction identifier of such token;

modifying the corresponding send transaction record to be funded;

under control of the computer system, presenting to the sender who provides the send transaction identifier the completion interface; and

responsive to the receipt of sufficient send transaction information entered at the completion interface, modifying the corresponding send transaction record into the active, funded send transaction record with the sender options selected by the sender.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the delivery features comprise an envelope or a greeting card personalized with a message.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the delivery features comprise an envelope or a greeting card designed at least in part by the sender at the completion interface.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the message options include one or more options selected from the group consisting of:

a message to a recipient selected from one or more messages offered at the completion interface;

a message to a recipient entered by a sender at the completion interface;

a holder for items resulting from the money transfer send transaction to be provided at a receive location with a printed message; and

a greeting card adapted to the specific money transfer purpose and with a printed message.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein the send transaction identifier on the at least one token is machine-readable by a point of sale device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein one of the message options is printed based on specifications received from the computer system that provide a payout approval for the money transfer send transaction.

12. The method of claim 5 , wherein the completion interface elements include elements selected from the group consisting of: text, graphics, sound, video and combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 5 , wherein the completion interface presents at least one element selected from the group consisting of:

a graphic that embodies the specific money transfer purpose;

a graphic that is reflected in a graphic on the at least one token;

music that embodies specific the specific money transfer purpose;

video that embodies the specific money transfer purpose; and

combinations of the preceding.

14. The method of claim 5 , wherein the specific money transfer purpose is detected by the computer system after the sender enters the send transaction identifier and the completion interface is comprises an interactive visual display selected by the computer system based on the specific money transfer purpose.

15. The method of claim 5 , further comprising capturing at a receive location an image of a recipient of the money transfer send transaction and transmitting that image to an electronic device accessible by the sender.

16. The method of claim 5 , wherein access to the completion interface corresponding to a purchased money transfer is conditioned on providing a valid send transaction identifier of one of the tokens associated with the purchased money transfer.

17. The method of claim 5 , wherein the send transaction identifier is machine readable and not visible until packaging of the at least one token is removed.

18. A system for performing money transfer send transactions comprising:

a plurality of tokens for retail sale, each token representing a specific money transfer purpose and having a send transaction identifier;

a computer system connectable to receive from a point of sale terminal data representing the send transaction identifier of at least one token and creating a send transaction record linked to the at least one token's send transaction identifier;

a control module executing in the computer system for presenting to the sender a completion interface, said completion interface including elements reflecting the specific money transfer purpose and fields for receiving send transaction information comprising:

sender identification information;

recipient identification information; and

message options related to the specific money transfer purpose; and

memory configured for storing, in response to receipt of sufficient send transaction information entered at the completion interface, an active, funded send transaction record in the computer system including the message options.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the message options include one or more options selected from the group consisting of:

a message to a recipient selected from one or more messages offered at the completion interface;

a message to a recipient entered by the sender at the completion interface;

a holder for items resulting from the money transfer send transaction to be provided at a receive location with a printed message; and

a greeting card adapted to the specific money transfer purpose and with a printed message.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the send transaction identifier on the at least one token is machine-readable by a point of sale device.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein one of the message options is printed based on specifications received from the computer system that provide a payout approval for the money transfer send transaction.

22. The system of claim 18 , wherein the completion interface elements include elements selected from the group consisting of: text, graphics, sound, video and combinations thereof.

23. The system of claim 18 , wherein the completion interface presents at least one element selected from the group consisting of:

a graphic that embodies the specific money transfer purpose;

a graphic that is reflected in a graphic on the at least one token;

music that embodies the specific money transfer purpose;

video that embodies the specific money transfer purpose; and

combinations of the preceding.

24. The method of claim 18 , wherein the specific money transfer purpose is detected by the computer system after the sender enters the send transaction identifier and the completion interface is. comprises an interactive visual display selected by the computer system based on the specific money transfer purpose.

25. The method of claim 18 , further comprising capturing at a receive location an image of a recipient of the money transfer send transaction and transmitting that image to an electronic device accessible by the sender.

26. The method of claim 18 , wherein access to the completion interface corresponding to a purchased money transfer is conditioned on providing a valid send transaction identifier of one of the tokens associated with the purchased money transfer.

27. The method of claim 18 , wherein the send transaction identifier is machine readable and not visible until packaging of the at least one token is removed.