Abstract: Method and apparatus for effecting a bill-pay/account-loading program as a “product” for sale at retailers, preferably including consumer involvement 1) in establishing a relationship with a payment facilitator and with receiving a relevant “app;” 2) in securing a barcode or other product identifier to use at a retailer to purchase a bill-pay/account loading “product,” which could be a gift card controlled by the payment facilitator; and 3) in confirming the tendering of cash or the like to a retailer, preferably based on a retailer receipt and consumer device information; alternately including consumer funding of a retailer gift card and a payment provider paying a consumer's bill using the funded gift card and settling with the retailer based on the amount in the gift card account, preferably after the provider verifying funding of the card account by accessing gift card records.