Cash payment for remote transactions

A method for coordinating payment for a remote transaction between a merchant and a customer, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a host system from a merchant processing system, a designation of a monetary amount for the remote transaction and an identification of the merchant;
• transmitting a money-transfer transaction identifier from the host system to the merchant processing system to identify a prepared money-transfer transaction for transfer of the monetary amount;
• thereafter, receiving at the host system acknowledgment of receipt of a cash payment associated with the money-transfer transaction identifier;
• and
• effecting the prepared money-transfer transaction by transferring the monetary amount to the control of the merchant.

A computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program embodied therein for directing operation of a merchant processing system including a processor, a communications system, and a storage device, wherein the computer-readable program includes instructions for operating the computer system to execute a remote transaction between a merchant and a customer in accordance with the following:

• transmitting to a host system controlled by a money-transfer provider a designation of a monetary amount for the remote transaction and an identification of the merchant;
• establishing a money-transfer transaction identifier identifying a prepared money-transfer transaction for transfer of the monetary amount;
• providing the money-transfer transaction identifier to the customer;
• and
• initiating performance of merchant obligations in accordance with the remote transaction after notification to the merchant processing system of receipt of a cash payment made by the customer towards the prepared money-transfer transaction.

A computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program embodied therein for directing operation of a host system including a processor, a communications system, and a storage device, wherein the computer-readable program includes instructions for operating the computer system to coordinate payment for a remote transaction between a merchant and a customer in accordance with the following:

• receiving from a merchant processing system a designation of a monetary amount for the remote transaction and an identification of the merchant;
• transmitting a money-transfer transaction identifier to the merchant processing system to identify a prepared money-transfer transaction for transfer of the monetary amount;
• thereafter, receiving acknowledgment of receipt of a cash payment associated with the money-transfer transaction identifier;
• and
• effecting the prepared money-transfer transaction by transferring the monetary amount to the control of the merchant.