US20120143716A1 - Network-based commerce facility offer management methods and systems - Google Patents

Abstract

Various embodiments include systems, methods, and software to manage offers in a network-based commerce system. One embodiment includes providing sellers an option when listing an item for sale to receive best offers for the item from buyers. This embodiment further includes receiving best offers submitted by offerees via the network-based commerce system and notifying sellers of received best offers. Some embodiments further include providing sellers an option to accept, reject, or ignore the individual best offers received. In some such embodiments, ignored best offers expire after a period, such as 48 hours. Yet further embodiments include notifying offerees of acceptance or rejection of their submitted best offers.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION
• This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/040,721 filed Jan. 21, 2005, which application is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
• Contained herein is material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to facsimile reproduction of the patent disclosure by any person as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all rights to the copyright whatsoever.
TECHNICAL FIELD
• The present application relates generally to network-based commerce, more particularly to network-based commerce facility offer management methods and systems.
BACKGROUND
• Electronic commerce that utilizes the Internet to sell goods and services to customers has been increasing in its scope and scale at increasing rates. Merchants and other sellers of goods and services are increasingly in search of new mechanisms of listing their offered goods and services to leverage this growth in electronic commerce.
• However, despite this growth in electronic commerce, sellers and buyers have been reluctant when dealing with certain types of products and services because current electronic commerce mechanisms do not accurately reflect non-electronic commerce transaction process. As a result, perceptions exist that sellers do not obtain maximized prices for their products or services and do not have control over the final selling price. In addition, some buyers are not comfortable with current electronic commerce processes, such as online auctions, which do not resemble most non-electronic transaction processes.
• Further challenges exist for sellers and buyers working to ensure they maximize their positions in transactions. Current processes only provide sellers with the ability to set terms of sale. Because of a lack of control over transaction terms, some buyers are reluctant to purchase, or even consider, an offered product or service. This reluctance has a constraining effect on electronic commerce.
SUMMARY
• The below described embodiments of the present invention are directed to network-based commerce facility offer management methods and systems.
• According to one embodiment, there is a network-based commerce system. The system includes a presentation server to present a listing of an item (e.g., a good or service) for sale to a buying-user via the system to solicit a best offer from the user for the item for sale and to present pending best offers from buying-users received by the offer server to the selling-user. The system further includes an offer server to monitor a best offer submitted by the buying-user and communicate that offer via the system to a selling-user.
• Another embodiment includes a method for electronic listing within an e- commerce system. The method includes creating a seller listing for a quantity of an item for sale, wherein the listing includes an offer option for a buyer to make an offer for the item, and posting the seller listing on the e-commerce system. The method further includes receiving an offer from each of one or more buyers for the item, receiving an acceptance from the seller of one or more of the offers, and ending the listing of the item offered for sale if the number of accepted offers is equal to the quantity of the item for sale. One such embodiment further includes generating an electronic communication to the seller upon posting of the seller listing on the ecommerce system, the communication confirming the posting was successful and generating an electronic communication to a buyer upon receipt of an offer from the buyer, the electronic communication confirming the offer was successfully received by the electronic commerce system. This embodiment also includes generating an electronic communication to the seller upon receipt of the offer from the buyer, the electronic communication notifying the seller of the offer, generating an electronic communication to the buyer upon acceptance or rejection of the buyer's offer, generating an electronic communication to the buyer when an offer expires or can no longer be fulfilled because the seller's inventory has reached zero.
• A further embodiment provides a system for providing seller listings within an ecommerce system. This system includes a means for posting a seller listing for an item for sale on the ecommerce system and a means for receiving an offer for the item for sale from a buyer. The system further includes a means for receiving a response to the offer for the item for sale, wherein a response includes either an acceptance or rejection of the offer for the item for sale and a means for ending the listing upon receiving a response specifying an acceptance of the offer for the item for sale.
• Another embodiment provides an electronic marketplace. The electronic marketplace includes an electronic listing of a finite number of substantially identical items for sale by a seller, wherein the listing provides buyers an ability to make a best offer for an item for sale, further wherein the electronic listing, at the seller's discretion, includes a limit on the number of best offers individual buyers can make, and wherein a listing is ended if the remaining finite number of substantially identical items for sale equals zero.
• Yet a further embodiment provides a method of receiving a listing of an item for sale within an electronic marketplace. The method includes receiving descriptive information about an item from a seller, receiving an amount a seller is willing to sell the item for, receiving an indication the seller is willing to accept best offers for the item from buyers, and posting the item for sale within the electronic marketplace.
• Other features of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which:
• FIG. 1 is a network diagram depicting a system according to one example embodiment of the present invention, having a client-server architecture.
• FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating multiple marketplace and payment applications in one example embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram illustrating elements of marketplace applications in one example embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 4 is a high-level entity-relationship diagram in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a general programmable processing system in accordance with various example embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 6 is a process flow diagram according to one example embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 7 is a process flow diagram according to one example embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a user interface according to one example embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a user interface according to one example embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a user interface according to one example embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a user interface according to one example embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a user interface according to one example embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 13 is a block diagram of a user interface according to one example embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• Network-based commerce facility offer management methods and systems are described. In various embodiments, as described below, this facility provides sellers an option to accept best offers from buyers for product and service offerings. The offers can include additional binding terms specified by a buyer and a seller can choose an offer to accept. Various other aspects and combinations of aspects are described in greater detail in the following description. Within this description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be evident, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention can be practiced without these specific details.
PLATFORMARCHITECTURE
• FIG. 1 is a network diagram depicting asystem10, according to one example embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is built upon a client-server architecture. A commerce platform, in the example form of a network-basedmarketplace12, provides server-side functionality, via a network14 (e.g., the Internet) to one or more clients.FIG. 1 illustrates, for example, a web client16 (e.g., a browser, such as the Internet Explorer browser developed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash. State), and aprogrammatic client18 executing onrespective client machines20 and22.
• Turning specifically to the network-basedmarketplace12, an Application Program Interface (API)server24 and aweb server26 are coupled to, and provide programmatic and web interfaces respectively to, one ormore application servers28. Theapplication servers28 host one ormore marketplace applications30 andpayment applications32. Theapplication servers28 are, in turn, shown to be coupled to one ormore databases servers34 that facilitate access to one ormore databases36.
• Themarketplace applications30 provide a number of marketplace functions and services to users that access themarketplace12. Further detail ofexample marketplace applications30 are illustrated inFIG. 2 andFIG. 3 and described below. Returning toFIG. 1, thepayment applications32 likewise provide a number of payment services and functions to users. Thepayment applications30, in some embodiments, allow users to quantify for, and accumulate, value (e.g., in a commercial currency, such as the U.S. dollar, or a proprietary currency, such as “points”) in accounts, and then later to redeem the accumulated value for products (e.g., goods or services) that are made available via themarketplace applications30. While the marketplace andpayment applications30 and32 are shown inFIG. 1 to both form part of the network-basedmarketplace12, it will be appreciated that, in alternative embodiments of the present invention, thepayment applications32 can form part of a payment service that is separate and distinct from themarketplace12.
• Further, while thesystem10 shown inFIG. 1 employs a client-server architecture, the present invention is of course not limited to such an architecture, and could equally well find application in a distributed, or peer-to-peer, architecture system. The various marketplace andpayment applications30 and32 can also be implemented as standalone software programs, which do not necessarily have networking capabilities.
• Theweb client16, it will be appreciated, accesses the various marketplace andpayment applications30 and32 via the web interface supported by theweb server26. Similarly, theprogrammatic client18 accesses the various services and functions provided by the marketplace andpayment applications30 and32 via the programmatic interface provided by theAPI server24. Theprogrammatic client18 can, for example, be a seller application (e.g., the TurboLister application developed by eBay Inc., of San Jose, Calif.) to enable sellers to author and manage listings on themarketplace12 in an off-line manner, and to perform batch-mode communications between theprogrammatic client18 and the network-basedmarketplace12.
• FIG. 1 also illustrates a third party application38, executing on a thirdparty server machine40, as having programmatic access to the network-basedmarketplace12 via the programmatic interface provided by theAPI server24. For example, the third party application38 can, utilizing information retrieved from the network-basedmarketplace12, support one or more features or functions on a website hosted by the third party. The third party website can, for example, provide one or more promotional, marketplace or payment functions that are supported by the relevant applications of the network-basedmarketplace12.
MARKETPLACEAPPLICATIONS
• FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating multiple marketplace andpayment applications30 in one example embodiment of the present invention. The marketplace andpayment applications30 are part of the network-basedmarketplace12. Themarketplace12 can provide a number of listing and price-setting mechanisms whereby a seller can list goods or services for sale, a buyer can express interest in or indicate a desire to purchase such goods or services, and a price can be set for a transaction pertaining to the goods or services. To this end, themarketplace applications30 are shown to include one ormore auction applications44 which support auction-format listing and price setting mechanisms (e.g., English, Dutch, Vickrey, Chinese, Double, Reverse auctions etc.). Thevarious auction applications44 can also provide a number of features in support of such auction-format listings, such as a reserve price feature whereby a seller can specify a reserve price in connection with a listing and a proxy-bidding feature whereby a bidder can invoke automated proxy bidding.
• A number of fixed-price applications46 support fixed-price listing formats (e.g., the traditional classified advertisement-type listing or a catalogue listing) and buyout-type listings. Specifically, buyout-type listings (e.g., including the Buy-It-Now (BIN) technology developed by eBay Inc., of San Jose, Calif.) can be offered in conjunction with an auction-format listing, and allow a buyer to purchase goods or services, which are also being offered for sale via an auction, for a fixed- price that is typically higher than the starting price of the auction.
• A number ofoffer applications47 support listing formats that solicit offers from prospective buyers for listed items. Theoffer applications47 provide a listing to a buyer and solicit an offer for the offered product or service including a price the buyer is willing to pay for the item. In some embodiments, the buyer can optionally include one or more additional terms of the offer that will be binding upon the seller upon acceptance. Buyer offers, in some embodiments, expire after a period such as 48 hours. Buyer offers can also be rescinded, in some embodiments, provided the offer has not already been accepted. In some embodiments, the buyer is limited to making a finite number of offers, such as one or two offers. This forces a buyer to make a best offer for the item or miss the opportunity to purchase the item. Offers received by theoffer applications47 are then presented to sellers that can optionally accept, reject, or ignore then offers. Ignored offers, in embodiments in which offers expire after a period are automatically rejected after that period. Further, a buyer can be limited to having only a single pending offer for a listed item.
• The number of offers a buyer is limited to making, in some embodiments, is configurable to provide different buyers a different number of offer opportunities. For example, a listing within a certain country may allow only a single offer, while a listing in another country may allow two or more offers. Another example may allow a certain number of offers based on the type of product listed. This flexibility allows administrators and sellers to customize listings to mimic marketplace transaction formats and associated haggling or lack thereof based on a number of factors including localized culture and business practices.
• Store applications48 allow sellers to group their listings within a “virtual” store, which can be branded and otherwise personalized by and for the sellers. Such a virtual store can also offer promotions, incentives and features that are specific and personalized to a relevant seller.
• Reputation applications50 allow parties that transact utilizing the network- basedmarketplace12 to establish, build, and maintain reputations, which can be made available and published to potential trading partners. Consider that where, for example, the network-basedmarketplace12 supports person-to-person trading, users may have no history or other reference information whereby the trustworthiness and credibility of potential trading partners may be assessed. Thereputation applications50 allow a user, for example through feedback provided by other transaction partners, to establish a reputation within the network-basedmarketplace12 over time. Other potential trading partners can then reference such a reputation for the purposes of assessing credibility and trustworthiness.
• Personalization applications52 allow users of themarketplace12 to personalize various aspects of their interactions with themarketplace12. For example, a user can, utilizing anappropriate personalization application52, create a personalized reference page at which information regarding transactions to which the user is (or has been) a party can be viewed. Further, apersonalization application52 can enable a user to personalize listings and other aspects of their interactions with themarketplace12 and other parties.
• In one embodiment, the network-basedmarketplace12 can support a number of marketplaces that are customized, for example, for specific geographic regions. A version of themarketplace12 can be customized for the United Kingdom, whereas another version of themarketplace12 can be customized for the United States. Each of these versions, also referred to as internationalization application(s)54, can operate as an independent marketplace, or can be customized (or internationalized) presentations of a common underlying marketplace.
• Navigation of the network-basedmarketplace12 can be facilitated by one ormore navigation applications56. For example, a search application enables keyword searches of listings published via themarketplace12. A browse application allows users to browse various category, catalogue, or inventory data structures according to which listings can be classified within themarketplace12. Various other navigation applications can be provided to supplement the search and browsing applications.
• In order to make listings, available via the network-basedmarketplace12, as visually informing and attractive as possible, themarketplace applications30 can include one ormore imaging applications58 which users can utilize to upload images for inclusion within listings. Animaging application58 also operates to incorporate images within viewed listings. Theimaging applications58 can also support one or more promotional features, such as image galleries that are presented to potential buyers. For example, sellers can pay an additional fee to have an image included within a gallery of images for promoted items.
• Listing creation applications60 allow sellers conveniently to author listings pertaining to goods or services that they wish to transact via themarketplace12, andlisting management applications62 allow sellers to manage such listings. Specifically, where a particular seller has authored and/or published a large number of listings, the management of such listings can present a challenge. Thelisting management applications62 provide a number of features (e.g., auto-relisting, inventory level monitors, etc.) to assist the seller in managing such listings. One such feature includes providing sellers with a listing of all offers received for item. Such a listing can provide sellers with the ability to quickly view the offers and quickly reject and accept offers. One or morepost-listing management applications64 also assist sellers with a number of activities that typically occur post-listing. For example, upon completion of an auction facilitated by one ormore auction applications44, a seller may wish to leave feedback regarding a particular buyer. To this end, apost-listing management application64 can provide an interface to one ormore reputation applications50 to allow the seller conveniently to provide feedback regarding multiple buyers to thereputation applications50.
• Dispute resolution applications66 provide mechanisms whereby disputes arising between transacting parties can be resolved. For example, thedispute resolution applications66 can provide guided procedures whereby the parties are guided through a number of steps in an attempt to settle a dispute. In the event that the dispute cannot be settled via the guided procedures, the dispute can be escalated to a third party mediator or arbitrator.
• A number offraud prevention applications68 implement various fraud detection and prevention mechanisms to reduce the occurrence of fraud within themarketplace12.
• Messaging applications70 are responsible for the generation and delivery of messages to users of the network-basedmarketplace12. Such messages, for example, can advise users of the status of listings at the marketplace12 (e.g., providing “outbid” notices to bidders during an auction process or to provide promotional, merchandising information to users, offer received notices to sellers, and offer rejected or offer accepted/item purchased notices to buyers). Some such messages also include confirmation messages that bid or offers have been successfully received by the network-based marketplace and messages that an offer has been accepted, rejected, or expired. Yet further messages include messages informing a seller that an offer has been received for a product or service the seller has listed. In some embodiments, messages from themessaging application70 are sent via email, while in other embodiments, the messages are delivered within the network-basedmarketplace12 itself. Yet further embodiments include sending the message both by email and within the network-basedmarketplace12.
• Messages sent by themessaging applications70 can also include invitations to make a further offer or bid for an item a message recipient has made an offer for or bid on. Such messages can include a link back to the same item the offer or bid was made for. These message can also, or alternatively, include a link to a similar item listed within the network-basedmarketplace12 that a buyer could be interested in. This link is a recommendation to the buyer of another listed item along with an invitation to make an offer for, bid upon, or otherwise purchase the alternate item.
• Merchandising applications72 support various merchandising functions that are made available to sellers to enable sellers to increase sales via themarketplace12. The merchandising applications80 also operate the various merchandising features that can be invoked by sellers, and can monitor and track the success of merchandising strategies employed by sellers.
• The network-basedmarketplace12 itself, or one or more parties that transact via themarketplace12, can operate loyalty programs that are supported by one or more loyalty/promotions applications74. For example, a buyer can earn loyalty or promotions points for each transaction established and/or concluded with a particular seller, and be offered a reward for which accumulated loyalty points can be redeemed.
• FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram illustrating elements ofmarketplace applications30 in one example embodiment of the present invention. Themarket place applications30 include apresentation server302 and anoffer server304.
• Thepresentation server302, in some embodiments, is a software application, or part thereof, executing on a programmable computer executing other software applications including other server applications. In other embodiments, thepresentation server302 is a programmable computer provided with the sole purpose of executing thepresentation server302 software.
• Thepresentation server302 is provided to present a listing of an item (e.g., goods or services) for sale to a buying-user via the network-basedmarketplace12. In some embodiments, the listing is provided via a webpage to a user, such as a buyer, to solicit a best offer from the user for the item for sale. In some webpage embodiments, thepresentation server302 builds the webpage from data retrieved from a database, such as from the items table94 illustrated inFIG. 4 and discussed below. Web pages built and provided by thepresentation server302 can include information about the item for sale such as a description and a picture of the item. In some other embodiments, thepresentation server302 includes any one or more of a web server, an e-mail server, an instant message server, an RSS server, a voice server and a fax server.
• Thepresentation server302 also presents pending offers from buying- users received by theoffer server304 to the selling-user. In some embodiments, thepresentation server302 presents received offers to the selling-user within a user interface.
• The user interface can provide the selling-user the ability to reject and accept one or more offers. The user interface, in some embodiments, allows the selling-user to reject multiple offers simultaneously (e.g., in a batch). When a selling-user has listed more than one substantially identical item within a single listing, the selling user can use some embodiments of the user interface to accept multiple offers simultaneously. Other embodiments require sellers to accept multiple offers individually. The user interface provided can also include a text field wherein the selling user can enter text to be included with a notice to the buying-user that the buying-user's best offer is rejected or accepted.
• Theoffer server304, in some embodiments, is a software application, or part thereof, executing on a programmable computer executing other software applications including other server applications. In other embodiments, theoffer server304 is a programmable computer provided with the sole purpose of executing theoffer server304 software.
• Theoffer server304 is provided to receive and monitor an offer submitted by a user. Theoffer server304 further communicates that received offer via the network-basedmarketplace12 to a selling-user who has listed the item the offer was received for. The offer can also, or alternatively, be communicated to the selling-user via an email. In some embodiments, the offer is communicated to the selling-user via the messaging application(s)70 as illustrated inFIG. 2.
• Upon receipt of an offer acceptance or rejection by theoffer server304, a notice is communicated to the buying-user over the network-basedmarketplace12 of the acceptance or rejection. That notice includes any text entered by the selling-user in the text field to be included with the notice.
• In some further embodiments, the network-basedmarketplace12 also includes a payment server, such as payment application(s)32 illustrated inFIG. 2 and described above. In some such embodiments, the payment server processes payments for an accepted best offer upon theoffer server304 receiving a best offer acceptance from a selling-user.
DATASTRUCTURES
• FIG. 4 is a high-level entity-relationship diagram, illustrating various tables90 that can be maintained within thedatabases36 and that are utilized by and support the marketplace andpayment applications30 and32. A user table92 contains a record for each registered user of the network-basedmarketplace12, and can include identifier, address, and financial instrument information pertaining to each registered user. A user can, it will be appreciated, operate as a seller, a buyer, or both, within the network-basedmarketplace12. In one example embodiment of the present invention, a buyer may be a user that has accumulated value (e.g., commercial or proprietary currency stored in a user-currency table108), and is then able to exchange the accumulated value for items that are offered for sale by the network-basedmarketplace12.
• The tables90 also include an items table94 in which are maintained item records for goods and services that are available to be, or have been, transacted via themarketplace12. Each item record within the items table94 may furthermore be linked to one or more user records within the user table92, so as to associate a seller and one or more actual or potential buyers with each item record.
• A transaction table96 contains a record for each transaction (e.g., a purchase transaction) pertaining to items for which records exist within the items table94.
• An order table98 is populated with order records, each order record being associated with an order. Each order, in turn, may be with respect to one or more transactions for which records exist within the transactions table96.
• Bid records within a bids table100 each relate to a bid or offer received at the network-basedmarketplace12 in connection with an auction-format or best- offer listing supported by anauction application44 oroffer application47. Bid records can include data such as a buyer identifier, a listing identifier, a bid or offer amount, time of the offer or bid, an indication that the bid or offer has been rescinded, additional terms entered by a buyer, an indicator if the bid or offer was the winning bid or offer, and any other bid or offer specific data necessary or otherwise attributable to an offer or bid.
• A feedback table102 is utilized by one ormore reputation applications50, in one example embodiment, to construct and maintain reputation information concerning users. A history table104 maintains a history of transactions to which a user has been a party. One or more attributes tables106 record attribute information pertaining to items for which records exist within the items table94. Considering only a single example of such an attribute, the attributes tables106 may indicate a currency attribute associated with a particular item, the currency attribute identifying the currency of a price for the relevant item as specified in by a seller.
PLATFORM
• FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a general programmable processing machine, such as acomputer system500, in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention.
• Thecomputer system500 includes a set ofinstructions524 for causing thecomputer system500 to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein. In alternative embodiments, thecomputer system500 operates as a standalone device or may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines. In a networked deployment, the machine may operate in the capacity of a server or a client machine in server-client network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer- to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The machine may be a server computer, a client computer, a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a web appliance, a network router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. Further, while only a single machine is illustrated, the term “machine” shall also be taken to include any collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein.
• Theexample computer system500 includes a processor502 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) a graphics processing unit (GPU) or both), amain memory504 and astatic memory506, which communicate with each other via abus508. Thecomputer system500 may further include a video display unit510 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT)). Thecomputer system500 also includes an alphanumeric input device512 (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device514 (e.g., a mouse), adisk drive unit516, a signal generation device518 (e.g., a speaker) and anetwork interface device520.
• Thedisk drive unit516 includes a machine-readable medium522 on which is stored one or more sets of instructions (e.g., software524) embodying any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein. Thesoftware524 may also reside, completely or at least partially, within themain memory504 and/or within theprocessor502 during execution thereof by thecomputer system500, themain memory504 and theprocessor502 also constituting machine-readable media.
• Thesoftware524 may further be transmitted or received over anetwork526 via thenetwork interface device520.
• While the machine-readable medium522 is shown in an example embodiment to be a single medium, the term “machine-readable medium” should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets of instructions. The term “machine-readable medium” shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the present invention. The term “machine-readable medium” shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to, solid-state memories, optical and magnetic media, and carrier wave signals.
FLOWCHARTS
• FIG. 6 is a process flow diagram illustrating amethod600, according to one example embodiment of the present invention. Themethod600 relates to electronic listing within an e-commerce system, such as the network-basedmarketplace12 ofFIG. 1. Themethod600 includes creating (block602) a seller listing for a quantity of an item (e.g., a good or service) for sale wherein the listing includes an offer option for a buyer to make an offer for the item and posting (block604) the seller listing on the e-commerce system. Themethod600 further includes receiving (block608) an offer from each of one or more buyers for the item and receiving (block614) from the seller, an acceptance of one or more of the offers. Themethod600 then ends (block618) the listing of the item offered for sale if the number of accepted offers is equal to the quantity of the item for sale.
• Themethod600 also optionally includes generating (block606) electronic communications upon the occurrence of certain events. Some such events may include generating (block610) an electronic communication to the seller upon posting of the seller listing on the ecommerce system, the electronic communication confirming the posting was successful and to a buyer upon receipt of an offer from the buyer, the electronic communication confirming the offer was successfully received by the electronic commerce system. Some further events include generating (block612) an electronic communication to the seller upon receipt of the offer from the buyer, the electronic communication notifying the seller of the offer and generating (block616) an electronic communication to the buyer upon acceptance or rejection of the buyer's offer, the electronic communication notifying the buyer of the acceptance or rejection of the buyer's offer. In some embodiments, generating the electronic communications includes automatically generating and sending of email upon the occurrence of the event triggering the generating of the communication.
• Some generated electronic communications, such as an email notifying a buyer that their offer has been rejected, include an invitation for the buyer to make another offer, to make a bid, or to purchase the item at a buyout price. Other example electronic communications may include an email notifying a buyer that their offer was accepted, or in an invitation in the form of a message and hyperlink to pay for the item. Other example electronic communications include one or more invitations and hyperlinks to perform other actions.
• Some example embodiments of themethod600 also include limiting a buyer to making no more than a specified number of offers for a seller listing, such as one or two offers. Some received offers608 include additional terms from a buyer and a received acceptance of such an offer binds the seller and the buyer to the additional terms.
• FIG. 7 is a process flow diagram according to one example embodiment of the present invention. The process flow diagram is of amethod700 of receiving a listing of an item for sale within an electronic marketplace, such as network-basedmarketplace12 as illustrated inFIG. 1. A listing generated according to themethod700 is a buyout-type listing, such as a Buy-It-Now (BIN) listing within the eBay.com website, in combination with a best-offer listing as described herein. Other embodiment include a combination of one or more other types of product listings with a best-offer listing or an item that is solely a best-offer listing.
• Themethod700 includes receiving (block702) descriptive information about an item from a seller and receiving (block704) an amount for which a seller is willing to sell the item. Themethod700 further includes receiving (block706) an indication the seller is willing to accept best offers for the item from buyers and posting (block708) the item for sale within the electronic marketplace.
• In various embodiments of themethod700, the item for sale includes an automobile, a piece of jewelry, an electronic device, a service, or virtually any other type of goods or services.
USERINTERFACES
• The following user interfaces are provided as examples of user interfaces according to various aspects within one or more embodiments of the present invention. In some embodiments, the user interfaces are web pages viewable and operable within a web browser application such as Internet Explorer developed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash. State. In other embodiments, the user interfaces are part of a stand alone application executable on a computer system that communicated over a network such as the TurboLister application developed by eBay Inc., of San Jose, Calif.
• FIG. 8 is a block diagram of auser interface800 according to one example embodiment of the present invention. Theuser interface800 is a beginning point for a seller to list an item within a network-basedmarketplace12. Theuser interface800 includes atitle bar802 that displays a title of the user interface. A title within thetitle bar802 provides context to users as to the purpose or use of theuser interface800.
• Theuser interface800 includes a “SELL ITEM AT ONLINE AUCTION”selection item804, a “SELL AT A FIXED PRICE”selection item806, and a “SELL AT BEST OFFER”selection item808. Theuser interface800 further includes asubmission item810.
• Theselections items804,806, and808 are illustrated as check boxes within theuser interface800, the selection of which indicate that a user listing an item desires that an item being listed be listed with the selected format(s). One ormore selection items804,806, and808 can be selected. In some embodiments, the “SELL AT BEST OFFER”selection item808 can only be selected in combination with the “SELL AT FIXED PRICE”selection item806. After selection of the one ormore selection items804,806, and808, a user selects theselection item810 to cause the listing format selections to be submitted electronically over a network.
• An example of when more than one of theselection items804,806, and808 are selected includes a listing to sell an item at a fixed price, and under the best offer format. In such a case, a buyer can purchase the item immediately at the fixed price or the buyer can make an offer, which may or may not be accepted.
• Another example is when a seller selects all of theselection items804,806, and808 indicating the seller wants to utilize all of the formats. In such a scenario, an item is listed with a fixed price buyers can pay to purchase the item immediately or make a best offer. Further, buyers can make bids under the online auction format. If a buyer pays the fixed price or a seller accepts an offer, the listing is ended and the auction is stopped prior to completion. Otherwise, at the end of the auction period, the highest bidder wins the auction and can purchase the item at the winning bid price.
• FIG. 9 is a block diagram of auser interface900 according to one example embodiment of the present invention. Theuser interface900 is a view of a listing within an electronic marketplace, such as the network-basedmarketplace12 ofFIG. 1. Theuser interface900 includes atitle bar902 and item information such as apicture904 of the item and anitem description906. Theuser interface900 further includeslisting information908 including information such as when the listing was made, when the listing ends, and various other items of information related to the listing. Additionally, the user interface includes alisting format portion910 that includes information about the format of the listing.
• The information about the listing format in thelisting format portion910, as illustrated includes abuyout price912,buyout submission item914, and a “Submit Best Offer”hyperlink916. Thebuyout price912 indicates that the item of the listing can be purchased immediately at a fixed price of thebuyout price912. Thebuyout submission item914, when selected, causes the user interface to submit an indication that the user will purchase the item at thebuyout price912. The “Submit Best Offer”hyperlink916, when selected causes the user interface to submit an indication the user wants to make an offer for the item. In some embodiments, selection of the “Submit Best Offer”hyperlink916 causes another user interface, such as theuser interface1000 ofFIG. 10, to be displayed to the user for use in submitting a best offer. Other example embodiments of thelisting format portion910 can include one or more text boxes in which a user can enter an amount of a bid for an auction format listing or an amount of a best offer and any additional terms of the offer.
• FIG. 10 is a block diagram of auser interface1000 according to one example embodiment of the present invention. Theuser interface1000 accepts terms of a user's offer, such as a best offer, for a listed item. Theuser interface1000 includes atitle1002,item identifying information1004, and information of other listing formats of thelisting1006, such as a current buyout price. Theuser interface1000 further includes an offerprice input field1008, an additionalterms input field1010, and asubmission item1012, the selection of which causes an offer to be electronically submitted. In some embodiments, the terms of an offer are displayed to the offering user for confirmation after selection of thesubmission item1012, but before the electronic submission. If the terms are as intended by the offering user, the offering user selects a confirmation item and the offer is then electronically submitted. In some embodiments, the confirmation is made within a popup user interface, such as a message box. In other embodiments, the confirmation is made within another user interface.
• In some embodiments, a user who has already used theuser interface1000 to submit an offer for an item cannot use theuser interface1000 to submit another offer for the same item. In such embodiments, a query is made against an offer database to determine if an identified user has previously made an offer on the listed item. In other embodiments, theuser interface1000 allows a user to make more than one offer on a listed item, but only if the previous offers have been rejected or rescinded.
• FIG. 11 is a block diagram of auser interface1100 according to one example embodiment of the present invention. Theuser interface1100 provides listing users a view of received offers for one or more listings and the ability to accept and reject the received offers. Theuser interface1100 includes atitle1102 and listing information such as apicture1104 of the item and details of thelisting1106. Theuser interface1100 further includesoffers1108,1116, and1124 and offer information such as price, quantity of the listed item desired within an offer, and time remaining before the offer expires. The user interface also includes aselection item1106,1112, and1122 for each offer that, when selected, indicates the user is declining, or rejecting, the selected offers. Once theselection items1106,1112, and1122 are selected for offers to decline, a user then selects thesubmission item1130 to decline the selected offers. Theuser interface1100 further includes acceptoffer items1110,1118, and1126 and declineoffer items1111,1120, and1128, that, when selected, accept or decline an individual offer.
• FIG. 12 is a block diagram of auser interface1200 according to one example embodiment of the present invention. Theuser interface1200 is used by sellers in declining offers received from buyers. Theuser interface1200 includes atitle1202 and listing information such as apicture1204 of the item and details of thelisting1206. Theuser interface1200 also includes the details of aparticular offer1208, atext box1210 for entering a message for transmission to the offering buyer along with a notice that the offer was declined, and asubmission item1212 for submitting the decline of the offer and any message entered within thetext box1210.
• FIG. 13 is a block diagram of auser interface1300 according to one example embodiment of the present invention. The user interface is used by sellers in accepting offers received from buyers. Theuser interface1300 includes atitle1302 and listing information such as apicture1304 of the item and details of thelisting1306. The user interface also includes the details of aparticular offer1308 and asubmission item1310 to cause theuser interface1300 to submit the acceptance of the offer to the offering buyer.
• Thus, network-based commerce facility offer management methods and systems have been described. Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

Claims (18)

1. A network-based commerce system including:

a presentation module to present a listing of an item for sale to a buying-user via the network-based commerce system, the listing being to solicit an offer from the user for the item for sale;

an offer module to receive an offer submitted by the buying-user as a pending offer; and

the presentation module being to communicate the pending offer via a user interface of the network-based commerce system to a selling-user, and to present, via the user interface, a plurality of pending offers received by the offer module from a plurality of buying-users to the selling-user, the user interface adapted to receive input from the selling-user with regard to each of the plurality of pending offers including an option to accept or reject the received individual offers.

2. The network-based commerce system ofclaim 1, wherein the presentation module includes any one or more of a web server, an e-mail server, an instant message server, an RSS server, a voice server and a fax server.

3. The network-based commerce system ofclaim 2, wherein the interface provided by the presentation module to the selling-user is to enable the selling user to simultaneously reject two or more of the plurality of pending offers.

4. The network-based commerce system ofclaim 2, wherein the interface provided by the presentation module to the selling-user includes a text field to receive text from the selling user to be included with a notice to the buying-user that the pending offer is rejected or accepted.

5. The network-based commerce system ofclaim 2, wherein the presentation module communicates a notice to the buying-user that the pending offer is rejected or accepted.

6. The network-based commerce system ofclaim 5, wherein the notice to the buying-user of the pending offer rejection or acceptance is based either on input received by the presentation module from the selling-user or an expiration of the offer.

7. The network-based commerce system ofclaim 1, wherein the pending offer expires 48 hours after receipt by the presentation module when the offer is not accepted or rejected by the selling-user.

8. The network-based commerce system ofclaim 1, further including a payment module that processes payments for an accepted offer upon the presentation module receiving a offer acceptance from a selling-user.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium, with instructions thereon for operation of a network-based commerce system, the instructions causing the network-based commerce system to:

provide sellers an option when listing an item for sale to receive offers for the item from buyers;

receive offers submitted by offerees over the network-based commerce system;

notify sellers of received offers over the network-based commerce system;

provide sellers options to accept, reject, and ignore the individual offers received, wherein ignored offers expire after a period; and

notify offerees of acceptance or rejection of their submitted offers.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium ofclaim 9, wherein the period after which offers expire is 48 hours.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium ofclaim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the system to:

generate an electronic communication to a seller upon posting a listing on the network-based commerce system, the electronic communication confirming the posting was successful;

generate an electronic communication to an offeree upon receipt of an offer, the communication confirming the offeree's offer was successfully received;

generate an electronic communication to the seller upon receipt of the offeree's offer for the seller's listing, the electronic communication notifying the seller of the offer; and

generate an electronic communications to the offeree upon acceptance or rejection of the offer, the electronic communication notifying the offeree of the acceptance or rejection.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium ofclaim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the system to:

prevent an offeree from making another offer for item the offeree has an offer pending on.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium ofclaim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the system to:

prevent an offeree from making another offer for item the offeree has made an offer for.

14. A method of operating a network-based electronic commerce system comprising:

providing sellers an option when listing an item for sale to receive offers for the item from buyers;

receiving offers submitted by offerees over the network-based commerce system;

notifying sellers of received offers over the network-based commerce system;

providing sellers options to accept, reject, and ignore the individual offers received, wherein ignored offers expire after a period; and

notifying offerees of acceptance or rejection of their submitted offers.

15. The method ofclaim 14, wherein the period after which offers expire is 48 hours.

16. The method ofclaim 14, further comprising:

generating and sending an electronic communication to a seller upon posting a listing on the network-based commerce system, the electronic communication confirming the posting was successful;

generating and sending an electronic communication to an offeree upon receipt of an offer, the communication confirming the offeree's offer was successfully received;

generating and sending an electronic communication to the seller upon receipt of the offeree's offer for the seller's listing, the electronic communication notifying the seller of the offer; and

generating and sending an electronic communications to the offeree upon acceptance or rejection of the offer, the electronic communication notifying the offeree of the acceptance or rejection.

17. The method ofclaim 14, further comprising:

preventing an offeree from making another offer for item the offeree has an offer pending on.

18. The method ofclaim 14, further comprising:

prevent an offeree from making another offer for item the offeree has made an offer for.

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