Distributed electronic commerce system with centralized point of purchase

A computer program product having a computer-readable medium having computer program instructions embodied therein for providing an electronic commerce system, the computer program instructions comprising:

• a communication module for receiving a description of a virtual shopping cart identifying an item for purchase by a remote customer and presenting the customer with an interface with which the customer can select options associated with the purchase;
• a transaction module for calculating a purchase total responsive to the shopping cart description and options selected by the customer, and for charging the customer for the purchase total;
• and
• a coordination module for interfacing with a remote merchant to inform the merchant of the purchase and coordinating delivery of the purchased item to the customer.

A method of brokering an electronic commerce transaction between a remote merchant and a remote customer, comprising:

• receiving a description of a virtual shopping cart identifying an item for purchase by the customer;
• presenting the customer with an interface generated responsive to the description of the virtual shopping cart with which the customer can select options associated with the purchase;
• calculating a purchase total responsive to the shopping cart description and the options selected by the customer, and charging the customer for the purchase total;
• and
• interfacing with the merchant to coordinating delivery of the purchased item to the customer.