Patent ID: 7827066

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for a first organization to do business comprising: entering, by a computer system, into a contractual relationship with a second organization; authorizing, by said computer system, said second organization to take an order from a customer, said order comprising at least one of: products not produced by said first organization, and services not provided by said first organization; receiving, by said computer system, payment directly from said customer as a payment for said order taken by said second organization; requiring, by said computer system, an organization other than said first organization to ship products not produced by said first organization to said customer; requiring, by said computer system, an organization other than said first organization to provide services to said customer; determining, by said computer system, a billing strategy based upon whether or not the services ordered may be completed in less than a predetermined period of time; wherein it is determined, by said computer system, that the services ordered may not be completed in less than the predetermined period of time and further comprising determining, by said computer system, whether the services ordered are essential to the use of hardware included on the order; and wherein it is determined, by said computer system, that the services ordered are not essential to the use of hardware included on the order and further comprising invoicing the hardware portion of the order prior to completion of the services ordered.