METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR LISTING ITEMS GLOBALLY AND REGIONALLY, AND CUSTOMIZED LISTING ACCORDING TO CURRENCY OR SHIPPING AREA

• US 20100131510A1
• Filed: 01/25/2010
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Chard, Rhys, Sacco, Nathan, Boone, Barry
• Granted Patent: US 8,266,016 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/740
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A method to facilitate network-based commerce includes determining a site that a user accesses, the site being one of multiple sites operated by a network-based commerce facility. A category list available for the site is retrieved, the category list identifying categories of offerings available via the site. The category list is communicated to the user. The site is a regional site, and the category list is a region-specific category list.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

generating a map file storing a first plurality of records, the first plurality of records respectively storing summarizing information for a first plurality of offerings, the first plurality of offerings including a second plurality of offerings, the first plurality of records including a second plurality of records, the second plurality of records respectively storing summarizing information for the second plurality of offerings, the generating being performed by a server machine;

receiving a request from a user;

determining a geographic region of the user, based on the request; and

retrieving the second plurality of records from the map file, based on the geographic region.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

determining the geographic region includes parsing a uniform resource locator.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

retrieving a category list that identifies categories of the second plurality of offerings, the retrieving being based on the second plurality of records; and

communicating the category list to the user.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 further comprising:

generating the category list.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 further comprising:

arranging the category list to identify the categories of the second plurality of offerings in a particular order.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying an offering included in the second plurality of offerings, the identifying being based on the second plurality of records; and

determining that the offering is available for sale in the geographic region.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein:

the request from the user includes an offering characteristic; and

the identifying of the offering is based on the offering characteristic.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 further comprising:

displaying information concerning the offering to the user.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein:

the information concerning the offering includes a listing currency corresponding to the offering.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein:

the information concerning the offering includes a native currency corresponding to the geographic region.

11. A system comprising:

a listing module implemented by a processor and configured by instructions stored in a memory, the listing module to generate a map file storing a first plurality of records, the first plurality of records respectively storing summarizing information for a first plurality of offerings, the first plurality of offerings including a second plurality of offerings, the first plurality of records including a second plurality of records, the second plurality of records respectively storing summarizing information for the second plurality of offerings;

a parser module to receive a request from a user; and

a kernel module to determine a geographic region of the user, based on the request, and to retrieve the second plurality of records from the map file, based on the geographic region.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the kernel module is to retrieve a category list that identifies categories of the second plurality of offerings, based on the second plurality of records, the system further comprising;

a communication module to communicate the category list to the user.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the kernel module is to arrange the category list to identify the categories of the second plurality of offerings in a particular order.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the kernel module is to identify an offering included in the second plurality of offerings, based on a second plurality of records, and to determine that the offering is available for sale in the geographic region.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the request from the user includes an offering characteristic; and

the kernel module is to identify the offering based on the offering characteristic.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the communication module is to display information concerning the offering to the user.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the information concerning the offering includes a listing currency corresponding to the offering.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the information concerning the offering includes a native currency corresponding to the geographic region.

19. A machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform a method comprising:

generating a map file storing a first plurality of records, the first plurality of records respectively storing summarizing information for a first plurality of offerings, the first plurality of offerings including a second plurality of offerings, the first plurality of records including a second plurality of records, the second plurality of records respectively storing summarizing information for the second plurality of offerings;

receiving a request from a user;

determining a geographic region of the user, based on the request; and

retrieving the second plurality of records from the map file, based on the geographic region.

20. A system comprising:

means for generating a map file storing a first plurality of records, the first plurality of records respectively storing summarizing information for a first plurality of offerings, the first plurality of offerings including a second plurality of offerings, the first plurality of records including a second plurality of records, the second plurality of records respectively storing summarizing information for the second plurality of offerings;

means for receiving a request from a user;

means for determining a geographic region of the user, based on the request; and

means for retrieving the second plurality of records from the map file, based on the geographic region.