Apparatus and methods for inventory, sale, and delivery of digitally transferable goods

A system for conducting a transaction that includes a transfer of digitally transferable goods from a provider to a shopper through a globally accessible computer network, comprising:

• a storage and distribution region provided in the globally accessible computer network for storage of an inventory of digitally transferable goods, the storage and distribution region including multiple provider areas assigned to corresponding multiple remotely located providers, for storage of digitally transferable goods uploaded by the multiple remotely located providers;
• an administrative control sub-system for establishing common administrative control of uploading of the digitally transferable goods from any of the multiple remotely located providers to the corresponding assigned provider areas;
• a digitally transferable goods transfer communication link, established within the globally accessible computer network in response to a request by any of the multiple remotely located providers and in operative association with the administrative control sub-system, the goods transfer communication link providing a pathway by which the multiple remotely located providers can upload a set of digitally transferable goods to and store the set of digitally transferable goods in the corresponding assigned provider areas of the storage and distribution region;
• a network connection to the storage and distribution system established within the globally accessible computer network in response to a request by a shopper for product information about a member item of the set of digitally transferable goods uploaded by one or more of the multiple remotely located providers;
• a digitally transferable goods download communication link, established within the globally accessible computer network in response to a purchase order made by the shopper, for transferring an ordered member item of the set of digitally transferable goods to the shopper from the storage and distribution region;
• and
• an accounting sub-system for providing for a remotely located provider whose member item was ordered and transferred an accounting record of the transfer of the ordered member item,
• wherein the set of digitally transferable goods comprises a set of media files.

One or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

• providing, in a globally accessible computer network, a storage and distribution region for storage of an inventory of digitally transferable goods, the storage and distribution region including multiple provider areas assigned to corresponding multiple remotely located providers for storage of digitally transferable goods uploaded by the multiple remotely located providers;
• establishing common administrative control of uploading of the digitally transferable goods from any of the multiple remotely located providers to the corresponding assigned provider areas;
• and
• in response to determining that one of the multiple remotely located providers has uploaded a portion of the digitally transferable goods, authorizing both the one remotely located provider and a service provider to interact with the portion of the digitally transferable goods.