A system and method facilitates purchase transactions over a computer network, including the purchase of electronically storable items. The embodiments herein encrypt “customer information” in an encryption stream and cause the encryption stream to be transferred from the customer to a merchant in the purchase transaction. A verification entity receives the encryption stream which is sent by the merchant for identity verification and payment authorization. Then, the verification entity verifies the identifiers contained in the encryption stream and transfers an identity verification and payment authorization from the verification entity to the merchant. The encryption stream or unique transaction identifier can be added, by the merchant, to a purchased electronic item to create a personalized electronic item.