JP2001126012A - System and method for bundling article of online auction - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a superior method for guaranteeing the auction cost of an auction article and reliable buying and selling for a buyer and to provide an efficient transaction format approximated to a market ideal. SOLUTION: A system for bundling the article of inverse auction comprises a communication network which can be accessed by a buyer and a seller and a host server which communicates with the communication network, receives the same article purchase offers, bundles the same purchase offers, shows the bundled purchase offers, to the network and makes the seller bid on the bundled purchase offers.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to online auctions, and more particularly to a reverse auction in which a buyer first posts a purchase offer for a product and then the seller bids to satisfy the offer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Ewanted. com Corp. h
http: // www. ewanted. com , Ima
ndi Corporation http: // www
w. imandi. com , and Response. c
om Inc. http: // www. response
d. com has established a reverse auction. Reverse auctions are auctions in which a potential buyer posts a purchase offer and then the potential sellers bid competitively to meet the terms of the purchase offer. The seller with the most competitive bid wins and concludes a transaction with the buyer.

[0003] Reverse auctions are commonly used to buy and sell collectibles and other scarce items.
Reverse auctions work well for buying and selling commodities. Services are also sold through reverse auctions.

[0004] One limitation of the standard reverse auction format is that sellers' transaction costs can be unnecessarily high. It is not always wise for a seller to read the reverse auction site in detail, prepare a large number of bids, and find a single buyer in need of one low margin product. The sale of low-margin items by a single buyer may not be profitable enough for the seller to work hard and prepare a bid at a reasonable price. Therefore, buyers requesting one low margin product may not always be able to get a seller bid at a reasonable price. Sellers of low-priced goods often want to sell in large quantities to make such transactions economical.

[0005] One way to combine the low price requirements of a buyer with the desire for a quantity of a seller is to bundle the buyers into a group and give the buyer greater purchasing power. Acompany Inc. http: ///
www. acompany. com uses a direct sales format that uses a sliding price scale for mass sales. Mass discounts are offered as the number of buyers increases. Grouping buyers results in buyers sharing these bulk discount prices. However, there is no prospect of allowing large numbers of sellers to compete directly, as occurs in reverse auctions.

[0006]

[Problems to be solved by the invention] acompany c
While the om approach is effective in promoting volume, there is still a need to make online purchases more economical.
It is believed that even the large discount prices offered by Company Inc. are not always competitive in an ideal market sense. This is because, in most cases, there is only one seller for a particular product. Thus, there is a need for better ways to guarantee buyers competitive prices and reliable trading for auctioned goods. There is also a need for an efficient trading format that more closely approximates market ideals.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Systems and methods for auctioning merchandise rely on a web-based server for operating a reverse auction over a network (eg, the Internet). Communication between the buyer and seller with the server allows the buyer to post a product purchase offer and allows the seller to post a bid in response to the purchase offer.

[0008] Systems and methods for auctioning merchandise establish a hybrid reverse auction with the ability to bundle multiple requests to purchase common merchandise. The systems and methods of the present invention also include the ability for both sellers and buyers to modify offers and bids, respectively. Bundling the buyer's purchase offer reduces the transaction costs of the seller per item, as it gives the seller the opportunity to bid on many items at once. Offer and bid modification capabilities allow buyers to participate in the reverse auction bidding process after the first purchase offer has been posted. Thus, both the seller and the buyer compete simultaneously for the auctioned product.

[0009] According to one aspect of the invention, bundling is encouraged from the server. The server posts the product offer on the network and encourages the buyer to derive a common purchase offer for the proposed product.

[0010] Each common offer specifies a common product and includes price and quantity conditions. The server bundles the common offer for presentation to the seller.
The common products are usually the same, but there are also cases where the common products can be replaced and cases where the common products share a common production line (or brand name).

The server provides a solicitation period for accepting a common offer, and modifies a bundle of common offers each time another common offer is accepted, or modifies one existing common offer.

[0012] A plurality of sellers bid on each other to complete a transaction raised from the bundled offer. The server posts the bid on the network. The seller modifies the seller's bid, if necessary, according to the auction principles described herein.

A system for bundling reverse auction products according to the present invention is a communication network accessible by buyers and sellers, and a host server communicating with the communication network, wherein the host server is the same product. Accepting a purchase offer, the host server bundles the same purchase offer, the host server posts the bundled purchase offer to a network, and allows sellers to bid on the bundled purchase offer. And a host server to achieve the above object.

The host server may set a recruiting period for receiving a common offer, and the recruiting period has a predetermined duration.

[0015] The host server may set an offer period for receiving a common offer and a bid period for accepting a bid for the common offer, wherein the bid period occurs simultaneously with the offer period, It allows purchase offers and bids to be accepted simultaneously and posted to the network.

[0016] The bidding period and the recruiting period may share a predetermined duration, and the host server may extend the duration by a certain extension period upon occurrence of a trigger event.

[0017] The trigger event may be acceptance of a bid.

[0018] The trigger event may be receipt of a purchase offer.

A system for auctioning bundled goods according to the present invention is a communication network accessible by buyers and sellers, and a host server communicating with the communication network, wherein the host server is a common host server. Establishing a solicitation period for accepting purchase offers, establishing a bidding period for accepting bids in response to the common purchase offer, each purchase offer and each bid including price and quantity conditions, the host server comprising: A host server that enables the price and quantity of each purchase offer and each bid to be modified at least at some time during the solicitation period, and that facilitates an auction in which both buyers and sellers actively compete for goods. Including
Thereby, the above object is achieved.

[0020] The recruitment period and the bidding period may occur simultaneously.

[0021] The recruitment period and the bidding period may occur simultaneously, the server establishing an expiration period, and the recruitment period and the bidding period may be extended when a bid or purchase offer is received during the expiration period.

The recruitment and bidding period may be extended only by receiving a meaningful offer or a meaningful bid.

[0023] A method for bundling reverse auction products according to the present invention includes receiving a first purchase offer for a first product and receiving a second purchase offer for a second product. The goods are content common and the first offer is the first offer such that the first offer and the second offer are common offers.
And a step having an offer price condition and a first offer quantity condition, wherein the second offer has a second offer price condition and a second offer quantity condition to form a bundled offer. Bundling a common offer, the bundled offer having a bundled offer quantity condition equal to the sum of the first offer quantity condition and the second offer quantity condition; The bundled offer includes a step of having a bundled offer price condition range, and posting the bundled offer to a network so that sellers can bid on the bundled offer, The above object is achieved.

[0024] The method for bundling a product for a reverse auction may further include posting the proposed product to a network, wherein accepting the first offer and the second offer comprises: Selecting one of the proposed products to facilitate bundling an offer and the second offer may be included.

[0025] A method for bundling reverse auction items comprises a first bid having a first bid condition and a first bid condition, and a second bid condition and a second bid condition. And accepting a second bid having the first bid quantity condition and the second bid quantity condition meeting at least a portion of the bundled offer quantity condition. Enable to fulfill the bundled offer.

A method for bundling reverse auction items may include that each bid includes a quantity condition matching the quantity condition of the bundled offer, wherein one seller satisfies the bundled offer. enable.

A method for bundling reverse auction products according to the present invention includes receiving a first purchase offer for a first product and receiving a second purchase offer for a second product. The goods are the same; and the first offer has a first offer price condition and a first offer quantity condition, and the second offer has a second offer price condition and a second offer price condition. Bundling the first and second offers so as to form a bundled offer, wherein the bundled offer comprises the first offer quantity condition and the Having a bundled offer quantity condition equal to the sum of the second offer quantity terms, wherein the bundled offer has a bundled offer price term range A step, so the seller can bid on offer is the bundle, and a step of posting the bundled offer to the network, thereby the objective described above being achieved.

[0028] A method for bundling products for a reverse auction includes a first bid having a first bid condition and a first bid quantity condition, and a second bid price condition and a second bid quantity condition. And accepting a second bid having the first bid quantity condition and the second bid quantity condition meeting at least a portion of the bundled offer quantity condition. Enable to fulfill the bundled offer.

[0029] The method for bundling reverse auction items may include that each bid includes a quantity condition that matches the quantity condition of the bundled offer, and one seller fulfills the bundled offer. enable.

[0030] The method for bundling the products of the reverse auction may further include posting the proposed products to a network, wherein receiving the first offer and the second offer comprises: And selecting one of the proposed products to facilitate bundling the second offer.

[0031] The method for bundling items for a reverse auction may further include modifying at least one purchase offer.

[0032] The method for bundling items for a reverse auction may further include modifying at least one bid.

[0033]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 illustrates a system, generally designated by the reference numeral 10, for bundling merchandise for a reverse auction. The system 10 includes a communication network 12, a host server 14, a buyer 16, and a seller 1
8 is shown. Communication network 12 is accessible by buyers 16 and sellers 18. Preferably, communication network 12 is the Internet, and buyers 16 and sellers 18 connect to the Internet through personal computers.

[0034] Host server 14 is a web server that hosts a hybrid reverse auction website that is in communication with the communications network. Host server 14
Accepts a purchase offer from buyer 16 and sells
Post their purchase offers on a website for 8 and other buyers 16 to view through the network.

The seller 18 looks at the posted purchase offer and communicates a bid in response to the posted purchase offer.
Preferably, the responding bids are posted on a website for buyer 16 and other sellers 18 to view.

The host server 14 initiates a hybrid reverse auction by posting a product offer for an auction. The product proposal is based on the buyer's request
Or it can happen from an auctioner. The product offer posted on the network prompts the buyer to post a purchase offer for the proposed product. The term "product proposal"
Is widely interpreted and is used interchangeably in this document with the term "proposed product."

[0037] The host server 14 bundles the proposed purchase offer for the goods via the reverse auction website and posts the bundled offer to the network. By posting bundled offers,
Sellers can bid on bundled purchase offers.

Although the invention is designed for the Internet, it can be appreciated that it can be applied to use in closed networks such as intranets, or in closed wide area networks. Also, the use of product suggestions facilitates collecting common purchase offers,
It can also be appreciated that there are other ways to collect common purchase offers. For example, on any given reverse auction site, a simple text search for purchase offers can be a categorization of common purchase offers.

[0039] Preferably, the bundling process is performed when a purchase offer is received by the host server. The server immediately posts to the network and modifies the posted bundle offer. Alternatively, the posting of the bundle offer is delayed until the bundle for the auction is fixed. By delaying the posting of the bundle offer, a bundle immediate auction becomes possible. Such an immediate auction takes place in a much shorter time than the 3-7 days often employed in typical online auctions.

For purposes herein, the term "buyer" includes a potential buyer and the term "seller" includes a potential seller. The term "goods" includes goods, services, security, financial securities, real estate, and other property.

FIG. 2 illustrates a method 20 for bundling according to the present invention. The method 20 ends a recruitment period 22; accepting a purchase offer 24; bundling a common purchase offer 26; posting the bundled offer to the network 28; and terminating the recruitment period. Step 30. The offer period includes the end period.

The method includes a step 31 of determining whether an offer has been accepted during an expiration period and a step 32 of extending the recruitment duration. Step 32 selectively modifies the recruitment duration, for example, to extend the recruitment period under certain desired circumstances. Preferably, step 32 is performed only if the offer is accepted during the end of the offer period (ie, the end period). However, the step 32 of extending the recruitment period may be performed under a variety of predetermined circumstances.

The recruitment period has a predetermined duration usually provided by the server. The server accepts the purchase offer (24). Some of the purchase offers are common. Server bundles common purchase offers (26)
And post the bundled purchase offer to the network (28). Preferably, the server continually updates the bundled offers and posts them as soon as they receive additional or modified common offers. Therefore,
The added and modified common offer is added to the bundle when accepted until the end of the offer period (30).

The end period is set at the end of the recruitment period. A typical auction can last for a week, but the end period can last for a few hours.

If the purchase offer is accepted during the end period (31) and the purchase offer is meaningful, the solicitation period is extended. Extension of application period (32)
Allows additional buyers to participate in the auction and to modify the current buyer's purchase offer. Extending the offer period preserves the fairness of the auction by preventing other buyers from "sniping" a reverse auction from the expected buyer. If a meaningless offer is received during the end period, the recruitment period 30 ends.

A purchase offer that will probably result in a transaction with the seller is considered a meaningful purchase offer. Thus, a typical sign of a meaningful offer is:
It is a more desirable price and quantity condition for the seller than many posted price and quantity conditions.

FIG. 3 illustrates a method 34 for bidding on a bundled offer. The method 34 includes starting a bidding period 36, accepting the bid 38, and posting the bid to the network 40.

The host server typically sets a bidding period according to the posting of the product proposal. The bidding period begins with posting a product offer or receiving an initial purchase offer. Typically, the start of the bidding period coincides with the start of the recruitment period (FIG. 2) and continues for the duration of the recruitment period. Accordingly, the bidding period shares the end period described with respect to FIG.

The predetermined duration of the bidding period can be extended upon the occurrence of a trigger event. A triggering event is, for example, the acceptance of a low bid or a higher purchase offer during an end period, or an increase in the quantity condition of any purchase offer.

In another embodiment of the invention, the bidding period and the solicitation period do not occur simultaneously, as may be desired, for example, if a purchase offer is bundled before bidding.

Method 34 includes a step 42 of determining whether a bid has been accepted in an end period. If so, a step of extending the bidding period 44 is performed. Preferably, the bidding period is extended only when a meaningful bidding occurs in step 42. A meaningful bid may be a low bid. Insignificant bidding extends the bidding period. An example of a meaningless bid is a bid that results in a transaction with a seller. This method of extending the bidding period prevents marginal bidders from "sniping" on auctions from prospective sellers. Extending the bidding period preserves the fairness and predictability of the auction.

Extending the bidding period automatically extends the solicitation period, allowing purchase offers by additional buyers, as well as modifying the current buyer's purchase offer (FIG. 2).

A purchase offer includes price terms, quantity terms, and may include a written statement of goods. Each bundled offer has a bundled quantity condition equal to the sum of all offer quantity conditions. Bundled offers typically have a bundled offer condition range that spans from the lowest offer price condition to the highest offer price condition.

The seller bids on a particular bundle. Each bid includes quantity and price terms. Each seller can bid only once, but the seller can modify that bid.
Many sellers bid on a single bundle. If one seller has insufficient quantity of goods to fill the bundle, additional bid sellers fill the rest of the bundle.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary method 50 for directing a buyer to post a common product purchase offer.
This is the step 52 of posting the product proposal on the network.
And step 5 of receiving the offer to purchase the proposed product
4, bundling the proposed purchase offer 56 for the merchandise, posting the bundled offer to the network 58, and receiving a bid for the bundled offer 60.

Step 60 includes receiving a new bid and / or receiving a revised bid. Step 54 includes receiving a new purchase offer and / or receiving a modified purchase offer. By allowing both buyers and sellers to compete directly during the offer period, buyers will also be able to bid through modifications to the posted purchase offer,
A hybrid reverse auction is established. One or more sellers with appropriate bids can win all or some bundled bids.
Thus, each seller may complete a transaction with all or some of the buyers who fulfill all or some of the buyer's purchase offers.

The method 50 includes a step 62 of determining whether the offer period has expired and a step 64 of closing the transaction. The server continues to accept the purchase offer until the recruitment period ends.

According to one aspect of the present invention, step 54 includes receiving an offer for the same product. The bundling step 56 includes a step of bundling the same product. Accepting a bid 60 includes accepting a bid for the same bundled product.

The system and method for auctioning an item establishes a form of reverse auction. In a standard reverse auction, buyers post purchase offers and sellers respond with bids. The system of the present invention includes the additional ability to bundle multiple seller-side requests to purchase a common item. The system of the present invention also
It also includes the ability for both sellers and buyers to adjust offers and bids, respectively. By bundling, the transaction cost of the seller for each product is reduced.
Offer and bid coordination capabilities allow buyers to participate in the reverse auction bidding process. Therefore,
Both sellers and buyers actively compete for the auctioned product.

While the above detailed description has set forth various embodiments of the present invention, the foregoing description is by way of example only and is not intended to limit the disclosed invention. It should be understood. Numerous methods for determining that a product's purchase offer is the same can be employed by the present invention. Assigning the quantity of a bundle to various sellers can be done in many ways, i.e., the first bid can be accepted first, or the lowest bid can be accepted first and associated with the highest priced purchase offer. Can be achieved. Accordingly, the invention is limited only by the following claims.

[0061]

The system and method for auctioning merchandise is a network (eg, the Internet).
Relies on a web-based server to operate a reverse auction via. Communicating with the server allows buyers and sellers to allow buyers to post product purchase offers, and allows sellers to post bids in response to their purchase offers, giving buyers competitive prices and confidence in auctioned products. A better way to guarantee a possible trade and an efficient trading format closer to the market ideal are provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a system according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a connection of a recruitment period according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a connection of a bidding period according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method including posting a product offer to a network according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 20 Start of Offering Period 24 Accepting Purchase Offers 26 Bundling Common Purchase Offers 28 Posting Bundled Offers to the Network 30 Offering Period End 31 Accepting Offers During the End Period? 32 Recruitment period extension 36 Tender period start 38 Tender acceptance 40 Bid posted to network 42 Tenders accepted during end period? 44 Extending the bidding period 48 Ending the bidding period 52 Posting the product offer to the network 54 Accepting the offer to purchase the proposed product 56 Bundle the offer to purchase the proposed product 58 Posting the bundled offer to the network 60 Copying the bundled offer Accepting bids 62 Recruitment period ended? 64 deal closed

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] June 5, 2000 (2006.5.5)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Claims

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Claims]

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of Front Page (71) Applicant 500001013 2710 Walsh Avenue, Suite 300, Santa Clara, CA 95051, U.S.A. S. A. F-term (reference) 5B049 AA06 BB11 CC01 CC02 CC05 CC08 EE00 GG02 GG04 GG07

Claims (20)

[Claims] 1. A system for bundling reverse auction items, comprising: a communication network accessible by buyers and sellers; and a host server communicating with the communication network, wherein the host server is the same. Accepting a product purchase offer, the host server bundling the same purchase offer, the host server posting the bundled purchase offer on a network, and allowing a seller to bid on the bundled purchase offer The host server and
Including the system. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the host server sets a recruitment period for receiving a common offer, and the recruitment period has a predetermined duration. 3. The host server sets a solicitation period for accepting a common offer and a bidding period for accepting a bid for the common offer, the bidding period occurring simultaneously with the solicitation period, and The system of claim 1, wherein the system enables offers and bids to be accepted simultaneously and posted to a network. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the bidding period and the recruiting period share a predetermined duration, and the host server extends the duration by a certain extension period upon occurrence of a trigger event. . 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the trigger event is a bid acceptance. 6. The system of claim 4, wherein the trigger event is the receipt of a purchase offer. 7. A system for auctioning bundled merchandise, comprising a communication network accessible by buyers and sellers, and a host server communicating with the communication network, wherein the host server is common. Establishing a solicitation period for accepting a purchase offer of the same, establishing a bidding period for accepting bids in response to the common purchase offer, each purchase offer and each bid including price and quantity conditions, A host server that enables the price and quantity of each purchase offer and each bid to be modified at least at some time during the solicitation period, and facilitates an auction in which both buyers and sellers actively compete for goods. And, including, the system. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the recruitment period and the bidding period occur simultaneously. 9. The claim, wherein the recruitment period and the bidding period occur simultaneously, the server establishes a termination period, and the recruitment period and the bidding period extend when a bid or purchase offer is received during the termination period. Item 9. The system according to Item 8. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the recruitment and bidding period is only extended by receiving a meaningful offer or a meaningful bid. 11. A method for bundling products from a reverse auction, comprising: receiving a first purchase offer for a first product; and receiving a second purchase offer for a second product. , The products are content common, such that the first offer and the second offer are common offers, and the first offer is a first offer price condition and a first offer quantity. Having a condition, the second offer having a second offer price condition and a second offer quantity condition, and bundling the common offer to form a bundled offer. , The bundled offer has a bundled offer quantity condition equal to the sum of the first offer quantity condition and the second offer quantity condition; The method, comprising: the bundled offer having a bundled offer price condition range; and posting the bundled offer to a network so that sellers can bid on the bundled offer. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: posting the proposed product to a network, wherein accepting the first offer and the second offer comprises bundling the first offer and the second offer. 12. The method of claim 11, including selecting one of the suggested products to facilitate. 13. The method further comprises accepting a first bid having a first bid price condition and a first bid quantity condition, and a second bid having a second bid price condition and a second bid quantity condition. The first bid quantity condition and the second bid quantity condition match at least a portion of a bundled offer quantity condition and enable more than one seller to fulfill the bundled offer. The method of claim 11. 14. The method of claim 11, wherein each bid includes a quantity condition that matches the quantity condition of the bundled offer, and allows one seller to satisfy the bundled offer. 15. A method for bundling products for a reverse auction, the method comprising: receiving a first purchase offer for a first product; and receiving a second purchase offer for a second product. The product is the same; and the first offer has a first offer price condition and a first offer quantity condition, and the second offer has a second offer price condition and a second offer price condition. Bundling the first and second offers to form a bundled offer, the bundled offer comprising: a first offer quantity condition; Having a bundled offer quantity condition equal to the sum of the second offer quantity conditions, wherein the bundled offer has a bundled offer price condition range A step, so the seller can bid on offer is the bundle, and a step of posting an offer is the bundled network, the method. 16. The method further comprising accepting a first bid having a first bid price condition and a first bid quantity condition, and a second bid having a second bid price condition and a second bid quantity condition. The first bid quantity condition and the second bid quantity condition match at least a portion of a bundled offer quantity condition and enable more than one seller to fulfill the bundled offer. A method according to claim 15 ,. 17. The method of claim 15, wherein each bid includes a quantity condition that matches the quantity condition of the bundled offer, and allows one seller to satisfy the bundled offer. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: posting the proposed product to a network, wherein accepting the first offer and the second offer facilitates bundling the first offer and the second offer. 16. The method of claim 15, comprising selecting one of the suggested products to do so. 19. The method of claim 15, further comprising modifying at least one purchase offer. 20. The method of claim 15, further comprising modifying at least one bid.