Patent ID: 7107225

Claim:
A method for guaranteeing a consumer a best price on an item purchased from a vendor in a consummated final first transaction at a first price, the method comprising recording the first price and information identifying the consumer; monitoring the sales price of the item for a predetermined time period after purchase of the item by the consumer in the consummated final first transaction; noting any price lower than the first price for the item during the predetermined time period following the purchase of the item; calculating a money-value difference between the first price and said any price lower than the first price; refunding to the consumer an amount equal to the money-value difference; wherein the item is purchased via a host system and the host system records the first price and information identifying the customer; the host system conducts the monitoring, noting, and calculating steps; and the host system provides the refund to the consumer; wherein the host system provides the refund by crediting an account of the consumer; and wherein only prices for the item to be sold by the vendor involved in the first transaction are taken into account in the noting step.