Patent ID: 8510161

Claim:
A method of supporting use of a stored-value card to reserve and purchase an item from a retail merchant, comprising: providing a stored-value card to a customer prior to a release date of an item, the stored-value card including an activation area linking the stored-value card to an account stored in a database, wherein the database is associated with a retail merchant; using a point-of-sale computer system to scan the activation area of the stored-value card, access the account stored in the database, and add a value to the stored-value card prior to the release date of the item to automatically secure the item for future purchase after the release date, wherein the value is at least equal to a predetermined minimum value for reserving the item, wherein the value is received from the customer; reserving the item using the stored-value card, including physically holding the item for purchase by a bearer of the stored-value card on or after the release date; and on or after the release date: receiving the stored-value card, which includes the value added thereto, from the bearer of the stored-value card via a store computer configured to read the activation area in exchange for physical delivery of the item to the bearer, and allowing the bearer to remove the item from premises associated with the retail merchant, wherein providing the stored-value card, using the point-of-sale computer system to scan the activation area, access the account, and add the value, reserving the item, receiving the stored-value card and allowing the bearer to remove the item are all performed by the retail merchant, and the store computer is located on the premises associated with the retail merchant.