Abstract: A checkout system includes a plurality of settlement apparatuses and a registration apparatus. The registration apparatus includes a scanner, a storage unit, a communication interface, and a processor. The processor controls the scanner, the storage unit and the communication interface to identify a commodity corresponding to a scanned code, generate the settlement information, and transmit the settlement information to a selected one of the plurality of settlement apparatuses. The selected one of the plurality of settlement apparatuses determines, with respect to itself, whether a settlement processing is currently being performed and whether an error state currently exists. Based on the determination, the selected one of the plurality of settlement apparatuses performs one of the settlement processing with respect to the received settlement information and transmission of the settlement information to another one of the plurality of settlement apparatuses.

Abstract: A merchandise sales processing apparatus according to an embodiment performs payment processing for a sales transaction. An input device receives a payment amount information for one or more items in the sales transaction. A cash receiving device receives cash payment for the sales transaction. A communication unit provides a credit or debit amount to an electronic money. A controller calculates a total payment amount due based on the payment amount information for all of the one or more items in the sales transaction. The controller also calculates a change amount due based on a difference between a cash payment accepted in the cash receiving device and the calculated total amount due. The communication unit provides a credit of at least a portion of the calculated change amount due to the electronic money.