Relationship management in an auction environment

• US 8,442,883 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Rashid, Taimur A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TIEN C
• Application Number:
  US11/171,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20070203820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,875 Days
• Field of Search: 705 1- 45, 705/14.7, 705/36.R, 705/80
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A system for providing relationship management in an auction environment can include a relationship management system and an auction system. The relationship management system and the auction system are communicatively coupled to one another. The relationship management system is configured to provide a relationship management function in conjunction with access to the auction system.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a customer relationship management system;

a first auction system, wherein

said customer relationship management system is configured to provide a relationship management function to an entity,

said first auction system is configured to allow said entity to offer an item for sale via said first auction system, and

said customer relationship management system is further configured to provide said relationship management function in conjunction with access to said first auction system;

a first auction system connector, wherein

said customer relationship management system and said first auction system are communicatively coupled to one another via said first auction system connector,

said first auction system comprises a first application programming interface specific to said first auction system,

said first auction system connector is configured to communicate with said first application programming interface,

said customer relationship management system comprises a second application programming interface specific to said customer relationship management system,

said first auction system connector is configured to communicate with said second application programming interface, and

said first auction system connector is configured to use said first and said second application programming interfaces to communicatively couple said customer relationship management system and said first auction system;

a second auction system, wherein

said second auction system is configured to allow said entity to offer another item for sale via said second auction system; and

a second auction system connector, wherein

said customer relationship management system and said second auction system are communicatively coupled to one another via said second auction system connector,

said second auction system comprises a third application program interface specific to said second auction system,

said second auction system connector is configured to communicate with said second and said third application program interfaces, and

said second auction system connector is configured to use said third and said second application program interfaces to communicatively couple said customer relationship management system and said second auction system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein

said customer relationship management system comprises a product management module.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a customer relationship management application service provider system, wherein

said customer relationship management system and said customer relationship management application service provider system are configured to communicate with one another.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein

said customer relationship management system comprises a product management module, and

said product management module supports communication with said customer relationship management application service provider system.

5. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

a payment system, wherein

said customer relationship management system and said customer relationship management application service provider system are communicatively coupled to one another.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein

said customer relationship management system and said customer relationship management application service provider system are communicatively coupled to one another via said customer relationship management application service provider system.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a payment system connector, wherein

said customer relationship management system and said customer relationship management application service provider system are communicatively coupled to one another via said payment system connector.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an on-line storefront system, wherein

said on-line storefront system and said customer relationship management system are communicatively coupled to one another, and

said customer relationship management system is further configured to provide said relationship management function in conjunction with access to said on-line storefront system.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

an on-line storefront system connector, wherein

said customer relationship management system and said on-line storefront system are communicatively coupled to one another via said first auction system connector.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said first auction system further comprises:

an internet server application programming interface, wherein

said internet server application programming interface provides a programmatic interface that permits access to said first auction system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said first auction system further comprises:

an auction platform, wherein

said first application programming interface and said internet server application programming interface are communicatively coupled to said auction platform.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

an auction database, wherein

said auction platform is configured to access said auction database.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said first auction system further comprises:

a search module; and

a listing module, wherein

said search module and said listing module are communicatively coupled to said auction platform,

said first application programming interface provides said first auction system connector with access to said search module and said listing module, and

said internet server application programming interface provides access to said search module and said listing module.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a changed first auction system connector by changing said first auction system connector, wherein

said changed first auction system connector is configured to communicate with a changed first application program interface, and

said changed first auction system connector is configured to use said changed first application program interface and said second application program interface to communicatively couple said customer relationship management system and said first auction system.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a changed first auction system connector by changing said first auction system connector, wherein

said changed first auction system connector is configured to communicate with a changed second application program interface, and

said changed first auction system connector is configured to use said first application program interface and said changed second application program interface to communicatively couple said customer relationship management system and said first auction system.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said item and said another item are the same item.

17. A method comprising:

receiving first information from a first auction system;

receiving second information from a customer relationship management system;

receiving third information from a second auction system;

displaying said first information, said second information, and said third information in a user interface, wherein

said user interface, said first auction system, said second auction system, and said customer relationship management system are communicatively coupled to one another,

said customer relationship management system provides a customer relationship management function to an entity in conjunction with access to said first auction system and access to said second auction system,

said first auction system allows said entity to offer an item for sale via said first auction system, and

said second auction system allows said entity to offer another item for sale via said second auction system;

automatically transferring said first information from said first auction system to said customer relationship management system via a first auction system connector,

wherein

said first auction system comprises a first application programming interface specific to said first auction system,

said customer relationship management system comprises a second application programming interface specific to said customer relationship management system,

said first auction system connector is configured to communicate with said first application programming interface,

said first auction system connector is configured to communicate with said second application programming interface, and

said first auction system connector is configured to use said first and said second application programming interfaces to communicatively couple said customer relationship management system and said first auction system; and

automatically transferring said third information from said second auction system to said customer relationship management system via a second auction system connector, wherein

said customer relationship management system and said second auction system are communicatively coupled to one another via said second auction system connector,

said second auction system comprises a third application program interface specific to said second auction system,

said second auction system connector is configured to communicate with said second and said third application program interfaces, and

said second auction system connector is configured to use said third and said second application program interfaces to communicatively couple said customer relationship management system and said second auction system.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said displaying further comprises:

integrating said first information and said second information.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

transferring said second information from said customer relationship management system to said first auction system, wherein

said transferring is performed using said user interface.

20. A computer apparatus comprising:

a computer, wherein

said computer comprises a processor;

a memory;

a first auction system, wherein

said first auction system is configured to allow an entity to offer an item for sale via said first auction system;

a second auction system, wherein

said second auction system is configured to allow an entity to offer another item for sale via said second auction system;

a customer relationship management system, wherein

said customer relationship management system comprises means for providing a customer relationship management function to said entity in conjunction with access to said first and second auction system;

means for receiving first information from said first auction system, using said computer, wherein

said means for receiving said first information and said first auction system are coupled to one another;

means for receiving second information from said customer relationship management system, using said computer, wherein

said means for receiving said second information and said customer relationship management system are coupled to one another;

means for receiving third information from said second auction system, using said computer;

means for integrating said first information, said second information, and said third information, using said computer;

means for displaying said first information, said second information, and said third information in a user interface, using said computer, wherein

said means for receiving first information, said means for receiving second information, and said means for receiving third information are coupled to said means for integrating, and

said means for integrating is coupled to said means for displaying;

means for accessing said first and second auction systems, using said computer;

a first auction system connector, wherein

said customer relationship management system and said first auction system are communicatively coupled to one another via said first auction system connector,

said first auction system comprises a first application programming interface specific to said first auction system,

said customer relationship management system comprises a second application programming interface specific to said customer relationship management system,

said first auction system connector is configured to communicate with said first application programming interface,

said first auction system connector is configured to communicate with said second application programming interface, and

said first auction system connector is configured to use said first and said second application programming interfaces to communicatively couple said customer relationship management system and said first auction system; and

a second auction system connector, wherein

said customer relationship management system and said second auction system are communicatively coupled to one another via said second auction system connector,

said second auction system comprises a third application program interface specific to said second auction system,

said second auction system connector is configured to communicate with said second and said third application program interfaces, and

said second auction system connector is configured to use said third and said second application program interfaces to communicatively couple said customer relationship management system and said second auction system.