Methods and system for utilizing cash with online activities

Abstract

Systems and methods for facilitating cash payments for online transactions are provided. In some embodiments, a transaction is initiated online with a retailer where a user indicates that payment will be made for the transaction using cash. The user may then complete payment of the transaction with a cash payment service establishment using transaction identification information given to the user. Systems and methods for retrieving funds from an online/virtual account are also provided. In some embodiments, a user is able to initiate a funds transfer from an online/virtual account which are to be received in the form of cash at a money transfer service location.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of establishing access to a money transfer system for a third-party system, said method comprising:
 establishing, by a processing device of the money transfer system, a communication link between the third-party system and the money transfer system, wherein the third-party system uses an account-based protocol, and the money transfer system uses a cash-based protocol, wherein the third-party system includes an online financial service provider that administers online accounts that maintain financial balances, the online accounts including an online financial resource of a customer, and wherein accessing funds within the third-party system according to the account-based protocol comprises distributing the funds from one of the online accounts to another one of the online accounts;   receiving, by the processing device of the cash money transfer system, via the communication link, data describing a transaction from the third-party system, wherein the data includes funds to be received at the cash money transfer system from the online financial resource of the customer; and   executing, based on the received data, by the processing device of the cash money transfer system, a cash-based transaction according to the cash-based protocol of the money transfer system wherein the executing includes
 distributing the funds received from the online financial resource of the customer, in cash form to a target recipient of the cash-based transaction. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the distributing the funds received from the online financial resource of the customer to the target recipient comprises subtracting a service fee from the distributed funds. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the target recipient is the customer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the distributing the funds comprises distributing the funds in a different currency than the funds received from the online financial resource of the customer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising receiving, prior to the receiving the data describing the transaction, funds in said online financial resource that are derived from different currencies. 
     
     
         6 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium for establishing access to a money transfer system for a third-party system, said non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for causing one or more processors to:
 establish a communication link between the third-party system and the money transfer system, wherein the third-party system uses an account-based protocol, and the money transfer system uses a cash-based protocol, wherein the third-party system includes an online financial service provider that administers online accounts that maintain financial balances, the online accounts including an online financial resource of a customer, and wherein accessing funds within the third-party system according to the account-based protocol comprises distributing the funds from one of the online account to another one of the online accounts;   receive, via the communication link, data describing a transaction from the third-party system, wherein the data includes funds to be received at the cash money transfer system from the online financial resource of the customer;   generate, based on the received data, a cash-based transaction to be executed according to the cash-based protocol of the money transfer system; and   execute the cash-based transaction according to the cash-based protocol of the cash money transfer system, wherein the instructions for causing the one or more processors to execute include instructions for causing the one or more processors to distribute the funds received from the online financial resource of the customer to a target recipient of the cash-based transaction.   
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 6 , wherein the instructions for causing the one or more processors to distribute the funds received from the online financial resource of the customer to the target recipient comprises instructions for causing the one or more processors to subtract a service fee from the distributed funds. 
     
     
         8 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 6 , wherein the target recipient is the customer. 
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 6 , wherein the instructions for causing the one or more processors to distribute the funds comprises instructions for causing the one or more processors to distribute the funds in a different currency than the funds received from the online financial resource of the customer. 
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 6  further comprising instructions for causing the one or more processors to receive, prior to receiving the data describing the transaction, funds in said online financial resource that are derived from different currencies. 
     
     
         11 . A system for establishing access to a money transfer system for a third-party system, said system comprising:
 at least one processor configured to:   establish a communication link between the third-party system and the money transfer system, wherein the third-party system uses an account-based protocol, and the money transfer system uses a cash-based protocol, wherein the third-party system includes an online financial service provider that administers online accounts that maintain financial balances, the online accounts including an online financial resource of a customer, and wherein accessing funds within the third-party system according to the account-based protocol comprises distributing the funds from one of the online account to another one of the online accounts;   receive, via the communication link, data describing a transaction from the third-party system, wherein the data includes funds to be received at the cash money transfer system from the online financial resource of the customer;   generate, based on the received data, a cash-based transaction to be executed according to the cash-based protocol of the money transfer system; and   execute the cash-based transaction according to the cash-based protocol of the cash money transfer system, wherein the instructions for causing the one or more processors to execute include instructions for causing the one or more processors to distribute the funds received from the online financial resource of the customer to a target recipient of the cash-based transaction.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one processor configured to distribute the funds received from the online financial resource of the customer to the target recipient is further configured to causing the at least one processor to subtract a service fee from the distributed funds. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the target recipient is the customer. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one processor configured to distribute the funds is further configured to cause the one or more processors to distribute the funds in a different currency than the funds received from the online financial resource of the customer. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the at least one processor to receive, prior to receiving the data describing the transaction, funds in said online financial resource that are derived from different currencies.