A system and method for a manufacturer to attract a customer for a distributor, via a public access network, and perform product information and ordering transactions with the customer, where payment is made to the manufacturer by credit card or from another financial account maintained by or on behalf of the customer and where the manufacturer subsequently pays the distributor and an associated manufacturer's representative. The system and method includes the customer submitting a price/quotation request or product order to a host system via the public access communications network. The host system interacts with the customer, the manufacturer, the distributor (who provides purchase order information) and a third party who provides financial approval in order to fulfill the customer request. The host system also interacts with the manufacturer, customer, distributor, manufacturer's representative and third party who provided financial approval to fulfill the order.