Patent ID: 8234162

Claim:
A method for providing a discount to an end-user, comprising: distribution of a virtual currency by an administrator to the end-user, wherein the administrator is the creator of the virtual currency, wherein the virtual currency has no per unit cost to the end-user and wherein the end-user does not pay for the virtual currency; receiving an end-user request for price information associated with a product or service; retrieving a daily price value of the product; retrieving a base price value of the product; calculating, by a computer system, a difference between the retrieved daily price value and the retrieved base price value to determine a margin value; allocating, by the computer system, a portion of the margin value to an entity other than the end-user; increasing, by the computer system, the base price value by an amount equal to the amount allocated to the entity to determine an adjusted base price value of the product, the adjusted base price value indicative of an amount of actual currency to be paid by the end-user; calculating a difference between the retrieved daily price value and the adjusted base price value to determine a savings value of the product, the savings value indicative of an amount of the virtual currency to be paid by the end-user; presenting the retrieved daily price value of the product, the adjusted base price value of the product and the savings value of the product to the end-user; receiving an end-user request to purchase the product; determining, by the computer system, that the end-user has an amount of available virtual currency at least equal to the amount of the savings value; subtracting, by the computer system, an amount of the virtual currency equal to the savings value from the available virtual currency; and receiving details from the end-user indicating payment of actual currency in an amount at least equal to the adjusted base price value; thereby providing the discount to the end-user.