Patent ID: 8387771

Claim:
A method of selling bottled drinking water of a type used with a water cooler device comprising: providing an inventory of bottled drinking water for sale, each bottle of drinking water in the inventory of bottled drinking water being of a type used with a water cooler device; assigning product identification indicia to each bottle of drinking water in the inventory; assigning a first purchase price to each bottle of drinking water in the inventory that will be charged to a purchaser of a bottle of drinking water from the inventory that does not return an empty drinking water bottle of a type used with a water cooler device; assigning a second purchase price to each bottle of drinking water in the inventory that will be charged to a purchaser of a bottle of drinking water from the inventory that does return an empty drinking water bottle of a type used with a water cooler device the second purchase price being less than the first purchase price; receiving an empty drinking water bottle of a type used with a water cooler device into an apparatus having a bottom, a plurality of walls defining an interior space capable of holding a plurality of drinking water bottles of a type used with a water cooler device and at least two circulation openings in the plurality of walls allowing direct communication between air in the interior space of the apparatus and air outside of the apparatus, the interior space of the apparatus being free of machinery capable of destroying drinking water bottles deposited therein and being free of containers capable of storing drinking water bottles of a type used with a water cooler device that are deposited into the apparatus such that drinking water bottles deposited into the apparatus are retained in the apparatus by the bottom and the plurality of walls of the apparatus; automatically dispensing from the apparatus a receipt having thereon the assigned product identification indicia for each empty drinking water bottle of a type used with water cooler devices deposited in the apparatus; receiving from a purchaser of a bottle of drinking water from the inventory a receipt dispensed from the apparatus bearing the assigned product identification indicia; and charging the second purchase price to the purchaser of a bottle of drinking water from the inventory of bottled drinking water from whom a receipt bearing the assigned product identification indicia is received, wherein a purchaser of a bottle of drinking water of a type used with a water cooler device from the inventory of bottled drinking water can deposit in the apparatus an empty drinking water bottle of a type used with a water cooler device and receive a receipt from the apparatus without assistance from a seller of such bottle of drinking water of a type used with a water cooler device and then present the receipt bearing the assigned product identification indicia upon purchase of a full bottle of drinking water of a type used with a water cooler device and be charged the second purchase price.