Method For Selling Multiple Like-Items In A Single Auction

• US 20090076926A1
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bidz.com Incorporated (Glendon Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: David Zinberg
• Inventors: Zinberg, David, Kuperman, Leon
• Application Number:
  US12/186,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20090076926A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

An on-line auction method enables a seller to sell multiple like-items with a single auction by (a) offering an item for auction that is to be sold to the winning bidder at the end of the auction, (b) promptly communicating a post-auction offer to non-winning bidders and non-bidding viewers to purchase an additional quantity of like-items within a short first acceptance period following the auction, (c) upon the expiration of the first acceptance period, extending a second offer to non-winning bidders to purchase a like-item within a longer second acceptance period; and (d) extending a third offer to purchase an additional quantity of like-items to bidders and non-bidding viewers who have accepted a post-auction offer.

Claims

1. An on-line auction method that enables a seller to sell multiple like-items with a single auction comprising the steps of:

(a) offering an item for auction that is to be sold to the winning bidder at the end of the auction;

(b) promptly communicating a post-auction offer to non-winning bidders and non-bidding viewers to purchase an additional quantity of like-items within a short first acceptance period following the auction;

(c) upon the expiration of the first acceptance period, extending a second offer to non-winning bidders to purchase a like-item within a longer second acceptance period; and

(d) extending a third offer to purchase an additional quantity of like-items to bidders and non-bidding viewers who have accepted a post-auction offer offers.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the post-auction offer of step (b) is a “

first come, first served”

offer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the post-auction offer of step (b) is communicated to all non-winning bidders and non-bidding viewers.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the number of post-auction offers of step (b) is promptly communicated following the close of the auction to the non-winning bidders in top-down order, and then to non-bidding viewers, until the number of communicated offers is approximately equal to the number of non-purchased like-items in inventory.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first acceptance period is approximately one minute from the receipt of the offer.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first offer is communicated electronically to the recipient of the offer via a pop-up window that appears on the recipient'"'"'s monitor.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the pop-up window includes an acceptance image that can be clicked by the recipient to accept the offer.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the recipient'"'"'s clicking of the acceptance image causes the accepted quantity of the like-item to be deleted by the on-line auction system from a stored list of available inventory so that the accepted quantity is effectively reserved for the accepting recipient pending completion of the transaction.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein, upon receiving the recipient'"'"'s acceptance of the offer via the clicking of the acceptance image while like-items remain in inventory, the auction system removes the accepted quantity of like-items from an “

available inventory”

category to effectively reserve the accepted quantity item for the transaction with that recipient.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the recipient is presented with a second pop-up window following the clicking of the acceptance image, acknowledging receipt of the acceptance and providing payment instructions.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the payment instructions include a payment image which, when clicked by the recipient, sends the recipient to a web page for completing the transaction.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the like-item is placed back into the inventory list upon the earlier of expiration of the first acceptance period and the recipient'"'"'s moving to another web page.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein the recipient is provided with a pop-up “

rejection”

window advising that the item is sold out when the recipient clicks the image after all available like-items in inventory have been accepted.

14. The method of claim 6 wherein the pop-up window is removed from the recipient'"'"'s monitor upon the earlier of the first acceptance period elapsing and the recipient going to a different web page.

15. The method of claim 6 wherein the pop-up window includes a telephone number for establishing contact with a customer representative of the auction to accept the offer and complete the transaction.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the second acceptance period is in excess of approximately 8 hours.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein following the close of the first acceptance period auction, the number of second offers of step (c) is promptly communicated to the non-winning bidders in top-down order until the number of communicated offers is approximately equal to the number of non-purchased like-items in inventory.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the second offers of step (c) are communicated to the recipients by email.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein a number of like-items equivalent to the number of outgoing second offers is removed by the auction system from its inventory list of available like-items to effectively reserving the items for the potential transactions.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the second offer is made subject to availability of the item.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the second offer offers the like-item at a price approximately equivalent to the recipient'"'"'s highest bid.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the second offer is restricted to non-winning bidders whose highest bids were equal to or above the seller'"'"'s minimally acceptable price.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the number of second offers does not exceed the number of available like-items in inventory.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the outgoing second offers are restricted to the top-bidding non-winning bidders in “

top down”

order until the number of outgoing offers equals the number of items available in inventory.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein the second offers are subject to unilateral revocation by the seller.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein the auction website'"'"'s system software is programmed to automatically make the third offer during the payment process following acceptance of prior offer.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein the number of like-items in inventory is not disclosed to the offeree.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the item is auctioned at a webpage that does not recite the availability of a like-item.

29. An on-line auction method that enables a seller to sell multiple like-items with a single auction comprising the steps of:

(a) offering an item for auction that is to be sold to the winning bidder at the end of the auction that is presented on a web page;

(b) forwarding an offer of at least one like item following the close of the auction to non-winning bidders and non-bidders without disclosure of the number of available like-items, said offer including an acceptance period having a duration of the lesser of (a) less than approximately three minutes and (b) the recipient'"'"'s movement to a new web page.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the offers are “

first come, first served”

.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the offers are made subject to exhaustion of inventory.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein the number of offers forwarded is approximately equivalent of the number of like-items in inventory.