Patent ID: 8140398

Claim:
A method of distributing digital goods, the method comprising: (a) receiving, by a processor, at a connection to a globally accessible computer network, digital goods of a plurality of independent, remotely located digital goods providers and product information related to the received digital goods; (b) electronically storing in centrally-administered digital goods storage the received digital goods and the related product information; (c) for each of the plurality of digital goods providers, providing, by the processor, to the digital goods provider and to an administrator of digital goods distribution, access to the stored digital goods and product information received from that digital goods provider; (d) in response to a request for information received at a connection to the globally accessible computer network from a remotely located shopper, transmitting, by the processor, to a connection to the globally accessible computer network, directed to the shopper, selected stored product information pertaining to at least a portion of the stored digital goods of a plurality of the multiple providers; and (e) in response to a purchase request identifying at least one item of the stored digital goods, received at a connection to the globally accessible computer network from a remotely located purchaser, transferring, by the processor, from the centrally-administered digital goods storage to a connection to the globally accessible computer network, directed to the purchaser, a digital reproduction of the item of digital goods identified in the purchase request.