System and method for enhancing buyer and seller interaction during a group-buying sale

• US 8,712,864 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2011
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Fund 81 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Holding 79 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Van Horn, Tom, Woodford, Dale A., Halbert, Richard A., Wampler, Kevin Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Misiaszek, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/227,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20110320364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261- 272
• US Class Current: 705/26.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0605 Supply or demand aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

A method and system are provided that enable buyers and sellers to communicate with each other and to negotiate the purchase terms of featured merchandise in a group-buying opportunity. Sellers and buyers may use various forms of on-line group-buying mechanisms in conjunction with the negotiation features of the invention. Buyers may send various inquiries to sellers regarding merchandise offered for sale through the online group-buying sale. Sellers may respond to buyer questions and queries, and in some instances, sellers may communicate instructions to the on-line group-buying mechanism to alter the course of an on-line group-buying sale in progress, e.g., a further reduction in price. The method and system further provides a mechanism for calculating a demand curve based on received buyer offers and applying the demand curve to an on-line group-buying sale.

Claims

1. A method for displaying data on a display device in support of an on-line group buying sale, comprising:

displaying a description of a hypothetical featured item offered in an online group-buying sale provided by an on-line group-buying commerce system;

receiving an indication of a hypothetical offer to purchase the hypothetical featured item;

displaying real-time messages responsive to a voting mechanism, the voting mechanism configured to;

request, from the online group-buying sale, input relating to a conditional change in a hypothetical price of the hypothetical featured item, and

receive, from the online group-buying sale, a message including votes relating to the conditional change in the hypothetical price of the hypothetical featured item; and

displaying the message through an input interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the description of the hypothetical featured item offered, the real-time messages, and the input interface are displayed at substantially the same time.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a demand curve generated based on hypothetical offers for the hypothetical featured item.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a summary of on-line group-buying hypothetical offers for the hypothetical featured item.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying one of a representation of a zoom, modify, update, refresh, or accept function.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a selection indicating a communication.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the conditional change in the price of the hypothetical featured item includes lowering the price of the hypothetical featured item in exchange for acceptance of a condition related to the hypothetical featured item.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a data display process, the data display process comprising:

displaying a description of a hypothetical featured item offered in an online group-buying sale provided by an on-line group-buying commerce system;

receiving an indication of a hypothetical offer to purchase the hypothetical featured item;

displaying real-time messages responsive to a voting mechanism that is configured to;

request, from the online group-buying sale, input relating to a conditional change in a hypothetical price of the hypothetical featured item, and

receive, from the online group-buying sale, a message including votes relating to the conditional change in the hypothetical price of the hypothetical featured item; and

displaying the message through an input interface.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the description of the hypothetical featured item offered, the real-time messages, and the input interface are displayed at substantially the same time.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the data display process further comprises displaying a demand curve generated based on hypothetical offers for the hypothetical featured item.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the data display process further comprises displaying a summary of on-line group-buying hypothetical offers for the hypothetical featured item.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the data display process further comprises displaying one of a representation of a zoom, modify, update, refresh, or accept function.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the data display process further comprises receiving a selection indicating a communication.