Patent ID: 7331521

Claim:
A method for use by an electronic commerce kiosk for selling prepaid telephone service, the method comprising: providing an electronic commerce kiosk in a publicly accessible location; displaying at least first and second purchase options to a user at the kiosk, wherein the first purchase option relates to a type of telephone service and the second purchase option relates to a type of credit card usage; receiving a purchase selection from the user at the kiosk corresponding to first purchase options; determining an amount due from the user in response to receiving the purchase selection; receiving funds from the user to pay for the purchase selection, the funds including a plurality of randomly oriented coins received substantially simultaneously in a coin input region of the kiosk to at least partially pay for the purchase selection; subtracting the amount due from the funds received to determine a difference between the funds received and the amount due; and when the difference is greater than zero, automatically dispensing a voucher to the user at the kiosk in the absence of dispensing monetary currency to the user, wherein the voucher is at least redeemable at the kiosk for the second purchase option.