Patent ID: 8111279

Claim:
A method for directing and exchanging on-line and off-line communications under control of a control system to accomplish transactions that relate to merchandise or a service available for purchase, the method involving selectively interfacing a video storage device storing video data for one or more vendors with buyers located at widely distributed remote locations, the method using video communication structures and a capability to electronically communicate through a communication system that is shared by users including the buyers, comprising the steps of: interfacing the buyers with the control system comprising one or more processors in communication with one or more vendors, through the video communication structures and the communication system wherein certain buyers electronically communicate with the control system via links of the communication system; receiving request data for to a transaction with the control system wherein the request data is entered by an interfaced buyer to indicate an area of interest concerning the merchandise or the service available for purchase and including an indication of an amount the interfaced buyer is willing to pay for select merchandise or service, at least certain of the request data also for communication with the video storage device having stored video data relating to the one or more vendors; receiving identification data at the control system provided by the interfaced buyer; storing at least a part of the request data from the interfaced buyer at the control system and using at least a part of it to selectively obtain proposed data at least in part from the video storage device having stored video data relating to the one or more vendors and responsive to the interfaced buyer's request data; as part of said proposed data selectively displaying stored video data from said video storage device as well as graphic data including text at a video communication structure at the remote location used by said interfaced buyer to allow the interfaced buyer to view the video data and the graphic data relating to the request data prior to making a purchase; and also storing at the control system, a record of transaction communications with the interfaced buyer and facilitating communication with the interfaced buyer regarding transaction communications via electronic mail.