System and method for constraining depletion amount in a defined time frame

A system for constraining a consumer's ability to take delivery of a price protected commodity, comprising:

• a processor and a computer memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:
• set up an account for the consumer at the system which is accessible by the consumer over a network;
• associate a virtual reserve of the price protected commodity with the account;
• and
• specify a time frame during which all or a predetermined portion of the virtual reserve is to be depleted.

A method for constraining a consumer's ability to take delivery of a price protected commodity, comprising:

• determining a plurality of depletion constraints based on volume, weight, mass, quantity, amount, time, currency, locale or a combination thereof;
• presenting a plurality of retail commodity price protection products to the consumer, wherein each of the plurality of retail commodity price protection products is associated with at least one of the plurality of depletion constraints;
• specifying a time frame during which a predefined portion of a virtual reserve of the price protected commodity is to be depleted in accordance with the at least one of the plurality of depletion constraints;
• and
• charging the consumer at a retail price for any amount depleted during the time frame over the predefined portion of the virtual reserve of the price protected commodity.