Method for completing an electronic commerce transaction based on a virtual coin flip

Abstract

Methods for completing an electronic commerce transaction based on at least one virtual coin flip. Users of electronic commerce place items for purchase in shopping carts and provide payment information, they may pay for or possibly wager for the items with coin flip(s). In cases where the where a user properly predicts correct coin flip result(s), the user receives items without charge. If not, the user pays for the items (or a portion of the items if more than one coin flip prediction is made). A user may challenge another user during checkout and wager the cost of one shopping basket against the other. A wagering fee may deducted by a third party during the transaction. The third party, which may be a different entity than the shopping entity may be awarded a commission by the shopping entity that equals a percentage of the items wagered on.

1 . A method for completing an electronic commerce transaction based on a virtual coin flip comprising: 
 presenting at least one product to a user wherein said at least one product is displayed on a computing device associated with said user;    obtaining a product selection from said user wherein said product selection comprises a product selected from said at least one product;    obtaining a monetary input from said user associated with said product selection;    obtaining an input from said user wherein said input comprises a prediction of a coin flip;    executing a random number generator configured to output a coin flip result;    presenting a virtual coin flip animation wherein said virtual coin flip informs said user of said coin flip result;    providing said product selection to said user to said user if said prediction of said coin flip equals said coin flip result; and,    withholding said product selection to said user and further comprising charging said monetary input to said user if said prediction of said coin flip does not equal said coin flip result.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said user obtains said product selection and is charged said monetary input if said prediction of said coin flip equals said result.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said coin flip animation further comprises sound of said coin flip including coin rotational sound of said coin flip through air.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said coin flip animation further comprises sound of said coin flip including ringing when said coin bounces.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said prediction of said coin flip further comprises a plurality of predictions of a plurality of coin flips and wherein said monetary input is inversely related to a number of coin flips and proportionally related to a price associated with said product selection.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 presenting a second at least one product to a second user wherein said second at least one product is displayed on a second computing device associated with said second user;    obtaining a second product selection from said second user wherein said second product selection comprises a second product selected from said second at least one product;    obtaining a second monetary input from said second user associated with said second product selection;    presenting an invitation from said user to said second user to wager on said coin flip;    presenting said virtual coin flip animation wherein said virtual coin flip informs said second user of said coin flip result;    providing said second product selection to said second user if said prediction of said coin flip by said user does not equal said coin flip result; and,    withholding said second product selection to said second user and further comprising charging said second monetary input to said second user if said prediction of said coin flip by said user equals said coin flip result.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said second user obtains said second product selection and is charged said secondary monetary input if said prediction of said coin flip does not equal said result.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said monetary input becomes associated with said second user and said second monetary input becomes associated with said user.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said presenting said invitation from said user to said second user occurs if said monetary input and said second monetary input are within a predetermined range.  
   
   
       10 . A method for completing an electronic commerce transaction based on a virtual coin flip comprising: 
 presenting at least one product to a user wherein said at least one product is displayed on a computing device associated with said user;    obtaining a product selection from said user wherein said product selection comprises a product selected from said at least one product;    obtaining a monetary input from said user associated with said product selection;    obtaining an input from said user wherein said input comprises a prediction of a coin flip;    executing a random number generator configured to output a coin flip result;    presenting a virtual coin flip animation with sound wherein said virtual coin flip informs said user of said coin flip result;    providing said product selection to said user if said prediction of said coin flip equals said coin flip result; and,    withholding said product selection to said user and further comprising charging said monetary input to said user if said prediction of said coin flip does not equal said coin flip result.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said user obtains said product selection and is charged said monetary input if said prediction of said coin flip equals said result.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said coin flip animation further comprises sound of said coin flip including coin rotational sound of said coin flip through air or including ringing when said coin bounces or both rotational sound and ringing.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said prediction of said coin flip further comprises a plurality of predictions of a plurality of coin flips and wherein said monetary input is inversely related to a number of coin flips and proportionally related to a price associated with said product selection.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising: 
 presenting a second at least one product to a second user wherein said second at least one product is displayed on a second computing device associated with said second user;    obtaining a second product selection from said second user wherein said second product selection comprises a second product selected from said second at least one product;    obtaining a second monetary input from said second user associated with said second product selection;    presenting an invitation from said user to said second user to wager on said coin flip;    presenting said virtual coin flip animation with sound wherein said virtual coin flip informs said second user of said coin flip result;    providing said second product selection to said second user if said prediction of said coin flip by said user does not equal said coin flip result; and,    withholding said second product selection to said second user and further comprising charging said second monetary input to said second user if said prediction of said coin flip by said user equals said coin flip result.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said second user obtains said second product selection and is charged said secondary monetary input if said prediction of said coin flip does not equal said result.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said monetary input becomes associated with said second user and said second monetary input becomes associated with said user.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said presenting said invitation from said user to said second user occurs if said monetary input and said second monetary input are within a predetermined range.  
   
   
       18 . A method for completing an electronic commerce transaction based on a virtual coin flip comprising: 
 presenting at least one product to a user wherein said at least one product is displayed on a computing device associated with said user;    presenting a second at least one product to a second user wherein said second at least one product is displayed on a second computing device associated with said second user;    obtaining a product selection from said user wherein said product selection comprises a product selected from said at least one product;    obtaining a second product selection from said second user wherein said second product selection comprises a second product selected from said second at least one product;    obtaining a monetary input from said user associated with said product selection;    obtaining a second monetary input from said second user associated with said second product selection;    presenting an invitation from said user to said second user to wager on said coin flip;    obtaining an input from said user wherein said input comprises a prediction of a coin flip;    executing a random number generator configured to output a coin flip result;    presenting a virtual coin flip animation with sound wherein said virtual coin flip informs said user of said coin flip result;    presenting said virtual coin flip animation with sound wherein said virtual coin flip informs said second user of said coin flip result;    providing said product selection to said user without charging said monetary input to said user if said prediction of said coin flip equals said coin flip result;    withholding said product selection to said user and further comprising charging said monetary input to said user if said prediction of said coin flip does not equal said coin flip result;    providing said second product selection to said second user without charging said second monetary input to said second user if said prediction of said coin flip by said user does not equal said coin flip result; and,    withholding said second product selection to said second user and further comprising charging said second monetary input to said second user if said prediction of said coin flip by said user equals said coin flip result.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said user obtains said product selection and is charged said monetary input if said prediction of said coin flip equals said result.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said second user obtains said second product selection and is charged said secondary monetary input if said prediction of said coin flip does not equal said result.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said coin flip animation further comprises sound of said coin flip including ringing when said coin bounces.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said monetary input becomes associated with said second user and said second monetary input becomes associated with said user.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said presenting said invitation from said user to said second user occurs if said monetary input and said second monetary input are within a predetermined range.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said prediction of said coin flip further comprises a plurality of predictions of a plurality of coin flips and wherein said monetary input is inversely related to a number of coin flips and proportionally related to a price associated with said product selection.