Patent ID: 7376621

Claim:
A method for conducting electronic commerce transactions with a merchant comprising: receiving a request for an electronic commerce transaction with a vendor from a user using a client device; registering the user with the vendor; determining whether the user has adequate funds to finance the purchase of electronic tokens from the vendor, the electronic tokens being issued and redeemable by the vendor, each of the electronic tokens having a predetermined nominal value; selling electronic tokens to the user responsive to the determination of whether the user has sufficient funds; storing the purchased electronic tokens in a user account with the vendor; determining whether the user has a sufficient number of electronic tokens in the user account to cover a purchase of at least one of a plurality of products or services offered by the vendor; enabling the user to order at least one of the plurality of products or services offered by the vendor if a determination is made that the user's account balance contains a sufficient number of electronic tokens; enabling the user to make a purchase selection from amongst the plurality of products or services offered by the vendor, the purchase price being set at an integer multiple of the electronic tokens; transmitting a confirmation to the user summarizing the electronic commerce transaction; and electronically delivering the purchase selection to the user; wherein the receiving, determining, selling, storing, enabling, transmitting, and delivering are each performed by a server computer of the vendor.