Connecting business-to-business buyers and sellers
First Claim
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1. A method for promoting business relationships, the method comprising the machine-implemented steps of:
- adding one or more buying entities to a first group that is associated with a first buying entity, wherein each buying entity in the first group is associated with a separate group of one or more other buying entities;
determining, by a computer, whether any buying entity in the first group has previously rated a particular selling entity;
determining whether any buying entity in any group that is associated with any buying entity in the first group has previously rated the particular selling entity;
in response to determining specifically that at least a second buying entity in the first group, or at least a third buying entity in a second group that is associated with a fourth buying entity in the first group, has previously rated the particular selling entity, but not in response to determining that some other entity which is neither a buying entity in the first group nor a buying entity in any group that is associated with any buying entity in the first group has rated the particular selling entity, putting, on a page that is accessible to the first buying entity through a browser, a rating that either the second buying entity or the third buying entity assigned to the particular selling entity.
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Abstract
A system for connecting buying entities and selling entities in a business-to-business context is disclosed. In one aspect, the system allows buying entities to associate with one another to form “trusted buyer networks” so as to share “trusted buyer insights” about selling entities. In one aspect, the system allows selling entities to see the size of a buying entity'"'"'s “trusted buyer network” so that they know the potential impact of either satisfying or disappointing the buying entity and receiving a corresponding rating visible to the buying entity'"'"'s entire “trusted buyer network.”
66 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for promoting business relationships, the method comprising the machine-implemented steps of:
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adding one or more buying entities to a first group that is associated with a first buying entity, wherein each buying entity in the first group is associated with a separate group of one or more other buying entities; determining, by a computer, whether any buying entity in the first group has previously rated a particular selling entity; determining whether any buying entity in any group that is associated with any buying entity in the first group has previously rated the particular selling entity; in response to determining specifically that at least a second buying entity in the first group, or at least a third buying entity in a second group that is associated with a fourth buying entity in the first group, has previously rated the particular selling entity, but not in response to determining that some other entity which is neither a buying entity in the first group nor a buying entity in any group that is associated with any buying entity in the first group has rated the particular selling entity, putting, on a page that is accessible to the first buying entity through a browser, a rating that either the second buying entity or the third buying entity assigned to the particular selling entity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A machine-readable storage medium for promoting business relationships, the machine-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
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adding one or more buying entities to a first group that is associated with a first buying entity, wherein each buying entity in the first group is associated with a separate group of one or more other buying entities; determining whether any buying entity in the first group has previously rated a particular selling entity; determining whether any buying entity in any group that is associated with any buying entity in the first group has previously rated the particular selling entity; in response to determining specifically that at least a second buying entity in the first group, or at least a third buying entity in a second group that is associated with a fourth buying entity in the first group, has previously rated the particular selling entity, but not in response to determining that some other entity which is neither a buying entity in the first group nor a buying entity in any group that is associated with any buying entity in the first group has rated the particular selling entity, putting, on a page that is accessible to the first buying entity through a browser, a rating that either the second buying entity or the third buying entity assigned to the particular selling entity. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification