Method, system and storage medium for providing a custom combination best offer from a qualified buyer

• US 8,015,070 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2009
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Gong, Shaocheng, Sinha, Ayon
• Primary Examiner(s): ALLEN, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US12/436,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20100287030A1
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261- 272, 705/80
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

In various exemplary embodiments, a system and associated method to provide customized combination package best offers is disclosed. The method includes receiving a selection of a plurality of items from a potential buyer, the selection of the plurality of items creating a customized combination package. A determination is made as to whether the potential buyer is qualified to make the best offer. Available price history associated with the customized combination package is provided to a qualified buyer. A best offer from the qualified buyer is then received and provided to a seller selling the plurality of items.

Claims

1. A method to provide a customized combination package best offer, the method comprising:

receiving, from a potential buyer, a selection of a plurality of items offered for sale by a single seller, the selection of the plurality of items creating a customized combination package;

determining, using one or more processors, whether the potential buyer is a qualified buyer; and

based on a determination that the potential buyer is qualified,

providing an available price history for the customized combination package to the qualified buyer;

receiving a best offer for the customized combination package from the

qualified buyer; and

providing the best offer to the seller

selling the plurality of items for acceptance or rejection.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an error message to an unqualified buyer.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing purchase history associated with the qualified buyer to the seller.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing identity and feedback information of the seller to the potential buyer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the potential buyer is qualified comprises comparing data associated with the potential buyer to qualifying buyer criteria.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing available price history comprises providing an average price associated with the customized combination package.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing available price history comprises providing a lowest price associated with the customized combination package.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing available price history comprises determining one or more prices for an identical customized combination package.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein providing available price history comprises determining one or more prices for each item in the customized combination package.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising prescreening the seller prior to allowing the seller to offer items for selection.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a listing for a combination package identical to the customized combination package when the best offer for the customized combination package is accept.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing of the available price history comprises:

determining if a combination package identical to the customized combination package has been previously sold by the seller;

based on the combination package having been previously sold by the seller, providing a price history for the customized combination package to the buyer;

based on the determination that no combination package identical to the customized combination package has been previously sold, determining if a smaller combination comprising less than all of the items in the customized combination package has been previously sold by the seller; and

based on the smaller combination having been previously sold by the seller, providing a price history for the smaller combination to the buyer.

13. A system to provide a customized combination package best offer, the system comprising:

one or more processors to execute;

a buyer qualification module to determine if a potential buyer is a qualified buyer;

an offer processing module to receive, from the potential buyer, a selection of a plurality of items offered for sale by a single seller, the selection of the plurality of items creating a customized combination package, the offer processing module further to receive a best offer for the customized combination package from the qualified buyer, and to provide the best offer to the seller selling the plurality of items for acceptance or rejection; and

a price history module to provide an available price history for the customized combination package to the qualified buyer.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a seller qualification module to prescreen the seller prior to allowing the seller to offer items for selection in generating the customized combination package.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a reputation engine to manage feedback data associated with the potential buyer and seller.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a messaging engine to provide notifications associated with the best offer.

17. A machine-readable storage medium in communication with at least one processor, the machine-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes a machine to perform a method for providing a customized combination package best offer, the method comprising:

receiving, from a potential buyer, a selection of a plurality of items offered for sale by a single seller, the selection of the plurality of items creating a customized combination package;

determining, using one or more processors, whether the potential buyer is a qualified buyer; and

based on a determination that the potential buyer is qualified,

providing an available price history for the customized combination package to the qualified buyer;

receiving a best offer for the customized combination package best offer from the qualified buyer; and

providing the best offer to the seller selling the plurality of items for acceptance or rejection.

18. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises providing an error message to an unqualified buyer.

19. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises providing purchase history associated with the qualified buyer to the seller.

20. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises providing identity and feedback information of the seller to the potential buyer.

21. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein determining whether the potential buyer is qualified comprises comparing feedback data associated with the potential buyer to qualifying buyer criteria.

22. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises prescreening the seller prior to allowing the seller to offer items for selection.