System and method for redemption of credits in a variable value transaction

A system for predicatively accruing a credit for vending of at least one media article from an article dispensing machine in a variable value transaction, wherein the variable value transaction comprises an initial balance for the at least one media article and a remaining balance for the at least one media article, the system comprising:

• at least one processor in communication with the article dispensing machine and a network, the at least one processor also in communication with at least one memory, the memory for storing a credits database for managing information regarding credits for vending of the at least one media article from the article dispensing machine, wherein the memory stores a plurality of instructions which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
• determine an availability of the credit for use in vending a media article from the article dispensing machine, based on an applicability rule of the credit that defines whether the credit is applicable to the at least one media article;
• accrue the credit, for use in vending a media article from the article dispensing machine, for a predicted redemption of the credit for the remaining balance for the at least one media article, if the variable value transaction is not complete and if the credit is available;
• and
• redeem the credit, for use in vending a media article from the article dispensing machine, for the remaining balance for the at least one media article upon completion of the variable value transaction, in response to accrual of the credit;
• and
• upon the redemption, vend the at least one media article from the article dispensing machine.