MULTIPLE PRICE CURVES AND ATTRIBUTES

• US 20090307145A1
• Filed: 08/12/2009
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valentine Communications LLC
• Original Assignee: Ewinwin Incorporated
• Inventors: Mesaros, Gregory J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,140,405 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0214 Referral reward systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0605 Supply or demand aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

The subject invention relates to electronic buying and selling systems and methods. In particular, the invention concerns relations among distinct price curves, price curve attributes (i.e., factors of the offer that can affect the price curves) and buyers or potential buyers. For instance, a price offered to a system user can vary based on total volume of all people aggregating in private environments, cumulative total order by user, ship date, optimal time, as well as terms and conditions associated with the offer (e.g., no cancellation of order, cancellation possible, payment method . . . ).

Claims

1. An electronic commerce system to facilitate discount sale of goods and/or services, comprising:

at least one processor coupled to memory to execute the following computer-executable components;

a first component that aggregates orders across two or more electronic forums that offer a good or service for sale in accordance with different price schedules that vary as a function of volume ordered; and

a second component that communicates a current price to a potential buyer by way of one of the forums based on aggregate orders for the good or service and a forum specific price schedule.

2. The system of claim 1, at least one of the price schedules are adjusted as a function of one or more buyer or seller criteria.

3. The system of claim 2, the criteria is at least one of order volume, orders to date from a supplier, time of shipment, or time of order placement.

4. The system of claim 1, displaying multiple buyer and/or seller criteria in the electronic forums

5. The system of claim 1, the price schedules are displayed as price curves.

6. The system of claim 1, at least one of the electronic forums is private, access to which is limited by a seller.

7. The system of claim 6, access is controlled based on at least one of invitation, accepting and satisfying terms and conditions, or prior transactions.

8. The system of claim 1, at least one of the price schedules is updated based on acceptance of a counter offer from one of a buyer or a seller.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a component that enables the potential buyer to observe changes to price schedules as a function of various combinations of criteria prior to placing an order.

10. A method of facilitating commerce, comprising:

employing at least one processor coupled to memory to execute the following computer-executable acts;

aggregating orders for goods and/or services offered for sale across multiple electronic forums in accordance with different price schedules that vary based on order volume; and

updating price in the electronic forums in accordance with a forum specific price schedule as a function of aggregate orders.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising adjusting at least one of the price schedules as a function of one or more buyer or seller criteria.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining an optimal price schedule based on buyer circumstances and available combinations of the criteria.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing the goods and/or services for sale in at least one private forum, access to which is controlled by a seller.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising offering the goods and/or services for sale to groups in a predetermined order by the electronic forums to provide a right of first refusal to select buyers.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising updating at least one of the price schedules based on acceptance of a counter offer from one of a buyer or a seller.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising displaying at least one of the price schedules in at least one of the electronic forums upon reaching a threshold volume set by a seller.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising provisioning alternate price schedules as a function of various combinations of criteria input by potential buyers.

18. A method of facilitating commerce, comprising:

employing at least one processor coupled to memory to execute the following computer-executable acts;

providing goods and/or services for sale in numerous electronic forums in accordance with a price schedule that varies as a function of volume ordered, wherein at least one of the forums is private;

aggregating orders across the forums for substantially identical goods and/or services offered for sale by a seller; and

dynamically updating price in the forums as a function of aggregate orders and applicable buyer and seller criteria.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising offering the goods and/or services for sale to groups in a predetermined order by way of the electronic forums to provide a right of first refusal to select buyers.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising updating at least one of the price schedules based on acceptance of a counter offer from a buyer or the seller.