Vulcan Portals Inc.

Intellectual Ventures Holding 81 LLC

Digeo, Inc.

Mercata, Inc.

Richard V Halbert

Tom Van Horn

Dale A Woodford

Niklas Gustafsson

Kevin Dean Wampler

John M Thrun

Jerome P Pache

Greg C Dean

Jon C Engman

Linda S Perkins

A method and system are provided that enable partner sites to join in the sale of products/services via an on-line group-buying sale business method. A seller registers a list of products/services to be displayed on partner sites. Customers/visitors who access partner sites may link to one or more on-line group-buying sales conducted on an owner's main site. Accordingly, the method and system enable a super demand aggregation for products/services offered for sale by the on-line group-buying sale business method. The invention provides a partner menu tree that allows partners to pre-select products/categories for display to customers linking to the on-line group-buying sale from their partner site. Sellers may provide particular products, services, categories, and abstract terms to help partners select which products/services to display for customers from among all the on-line group-buying sale products/services. The invention has applicability to sales paradigms other than the on-line group-buying sale business method.

System and method for extension of group buying throughout the internet

A method and system are provided that enable buyers and sellers to communicate with each other and to negotiate the purchase terms of featured merchandise in a group-buying opportunity. Sellers and buyers may use various forms of on-line group-buying mechanisms in conjunction with the negotiation features of the invention. Buyers may send various inquiries to sellers regarding merchandise offered for sale through the online group-buying sale. Sellers may respond to buyer questions and queries, and in some instances, sellers may communicate instructions to the on-line group-buying mechanism to alter the course of an on-line group-buying sale in progress, e.g., a further reduction in price. The method and system further provides a mechanism for calculating a demand curve based on received buyer offers and applying the demand curve to an on-line group-buying sale.

System and method for enhancing buyer and seller interaction during a group-buying sale

A method and system are provided that enable buyers and sellers to communicate with each other and to negotiate the purchase terms of featured merchandise in a group-buying opportunity. Sellers and buyers may use various forms of on-line group-buying mechanisms in conjunction with the negotiation features of the invention. Buyers may send various inquiries to sellers regarding merchandise offered for sale through the on-line group-buying sale. Sellers may respond to buyer questions and queries, and in some instances, sellers may communicate instructions to the on-line group-buying mechanism to alter the course of an on-line group-buying sale in progress, e.g., a further reduction in price. The method and system further provides a mechanism for calculating a demand curve based on received buyer offers and applying the demand curve to an on-line group-buying sale.

A user can perform secure transactions via an interactive television ticker. While viewing an advertisement scrolling in the ticker, the user can select that advertisement to initiate an on-line transaction. That resulting transaction can be performed within the ticker. A visual indicator (such as an icon) can be displayed in the ticker to indicate to the viewer that the transaction is secure, so as to allow confidential information to be safely exchanged. Security can be provided by way of a security application integrated with software of the ticker or by way of another security component with which the ticker software communicates.

Method and apparatus for secure transactions in an interactive television ticker

A method and system are provided that enables a seller to reserve from a supplier a grouping of products (e.g., create a virtual inventory) for sale in an on-line group-buying sale. The supplier agrees to reserve an agreed quantity for an agreed time period. The seller conducts the group-buying sale offering the reserved product inventory to buyers. The seller and supplier then follow agreed upon procedures for shipping the products.

Attaining product inventory groupings for sales in a group-buying environment

In the definition of an on-line group-buying sale (), a price of a featured item may be specified as a fixed amount, such as $25 per month. As indicated at (), the salehas an increasing incentive as more buyers () join the sale. Buyers () make offers as indicated at (). As more buyers () make offers below a maximum threshold, the on-line group-buying sale software () increases the incentive as indicated at (). At the conclusion of the sale (), the on-line group-buying sale software () confirms acceptance of all offers specifying an incentive at or below the final, increased incentive in the sale (), as indicated at (). The modified pricing on-line group-buying sale can be applied to a variety of featured items, such as long distance calling plans, rebates for the purchase of an automobile, bank certificates of deposit, or credit instruments, with an increasing number of free long distance minutes, an increasing face value for the rebate, an increasing interest rate for the certificate of deposit, or a lower interest rate for the credit instrument, as more buyers join the sale.

On-line group-buying sale with increased value system and method

A dynamic market equilibrium management system is especially adapted for the sale of goods and services through an online buying group (referred to herein as a 'co-op') formed for the specific purpose of purchasing a particular product at () by defining a start time, end time, critical mass, any minimum number of units offered, any maximum number of units offered, starting price and product cost curve. As data is gathered from buyers, by means of their making binding purchase offers, the co-op is modified at () using the market equilibrium manager, so as to take into account market forces such as supply and demand for the item to be sold and their interrelationship with the purchase price for such item. When used with the online buying group, the dynamic market equilibrium management system permits dynamic, real time yield management decisions based on true market data. A graphical user interface receives user inputs for directly manipulating graphical display of data from a database on a display device and displays feedback dependent variable data on the display device, such as in the form of a changed numerical value in response to the user moving at least one data point in the graphical display.

Dynamic market equilibrium management system, process and article of manufacture

A method and system are provided that enable partner sites to join in the sale of products/services via a PowerBuy business method. A seller registers a list of products/services to be displayed on partner sites. Customers/visitors who access partner sites may link to one or more PowerBuys conducted on an owner's main site. Accordingly, the method and system enable a super demand aggregation for products/services offered for sale by the PowerBuy business method. The invention provides a partner menu tree that allows partners to pre-select products/categories for display to customers linking to the PowerBuy from their partner site. Sellers may provide particular products, services, categories, and abstract terms to help partners select which products/services to display for customers from among all the PowerBuy products/services. The invention has applicability to sales paradigms other than the PowerBuy business method.

A dynamic market equilibrium management system is especially adapted for the sale of goods and services through an online buying group (referred to herein as a 'co-op`) formed for the specific purpose of purchasing a particular product at (102) by defining a start time, end time, critical mass, any minimum number of units offered, any maximum number of units offered, starting price and product cost curve. As data is gathered from buyers, by means of their making binding purchase offers, the co-op is modified at (108) using the market equilibrium manager, so as to take into account market forces such as supply and demand for the item to be sold and their interrelationship with the purchase price for such item. When used with the online buying group, the dynamic market equilibrium management system permits dynamic, real time yield management decisions based on true market data. A graphical user interface receives user inputs for directly manipulating graphical display of data from a database on a display device and displays feedback dependent variable data on the display device, such as in the form of a changed numerical value in response to the user moving at least one data point in the graphical display.

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Redmond, WA, United States of America

Richard V Halbert