Patent ID: 8186583

Claim:
A method comprising: at least one computing device initiating a storefront purchase with a vender, said storefront purchase being for a good or service; at least one computing device, responsive to the initiated storefront purchase, initiating a conversion of a quantity of non-negotiable credits to a quantity of negotiable funds, wherein the non-negotiable credits are earned from previous interactions with an entity, wherein the converting is performed by a different entity than the entity, wherein the different entity is not a subsidiary or parent of the entity, and wherein the different entity is not a subsidiary or parent of the vender; at least one computing device completing the storefront purchase, during which at least a portion of the non-negotiable credits are expended, wherein the vender does not directly honor the non-negotiable credits in absence of the converting; and at least one computing device, responsive to the conversion and the completing of the storefront purchase, providing the good or service to a purchaser and providing the vender with at least a portion of the quantity of negotiable funds for the storefront purchase.