Abstract: A networked computer arrangement and method in which a manufacturer or service provider may communicate to a plurality of traders the items, including goods and/or services, which may be available for purchase, the quantities of those available items, and any other conditions to be met for the purchase of the available items. Traders may apply guest bidder profiles or entitlement schema to the available goods lists to produce offerings for a plurality of guest brokers. Only bid-relevant product information is presented to each guest broker as needed in order to protect the offering party's overall position on the offered good(s). Guest broker profiles or entitlement schema may be based on perspective contractual arrangements between potential brokers, traders, and a manufacturer or service provider. Offerings are presented to the guest brokers, who are restricted from participating in the bidding process.

Abstract: A networked computer arrangement and method in which a manufacturer or service provider may communicate to a plurality of traders the items, including goods and/or services, which may be available for purchase, the quantities of those available items, and any other conditions to be met for the purchase of the available items. Traders may apply guest bidder profiles or entitlement schema to the available goods lists to produce offerings for a plurality of guest brokers. Only bid-relevant product information is presented to each guest broker as needed in order to protect the offering party's overall position on the offered good(s). Guest broker profiles or entitlement schema may be based on perspective contractual arrangements between potential brokers, traders, and a manufacturer or service provider. Offerings are presented to the guest brokers, who are restricted from participating in the bidding process.

Abstract: A networked computer arrangement and method in which a manufacturer or service provider may communicate to a plurality of traders the items, including goods and/or services, which may be available for purchase, the quantities of those available items, and any other conditions to be met for the purchase of the available items. Traders may apply guest bidder profiles or entitlement schema to the available goods lists to produce offerings for a plurality of guest brokers. Only bid-relevant product information is presented to each guest broker as needed in order to protect the offering party's overall position on the offered good(s). Guest broker profiles or entitlement schema may be based on perspective contractual arrangements between potential brokers, traders, and a manufacturer or service provider. Offerings are presented to the guest brokers, who are restricted from participating in the bidding process.

Abstract: A networked computer arrangement and method for preparing entitled offerings to prospective brokers, buyers and bidders, by establishing an entitlement schema in an offering and bid collection computer system based on a contractual arrangement between the brokers, traders, and offeror; preparing an entitled offering through filtering the a master list according to the broker schema to include only information for items to which each broker is allowed to purchase: and, subsequently. but prior to receiving any bids, presenting via a user interface the entitled offerings to the prospective brokers such that each broker may review entitled offerings containing information regarding items being offered for sale on which the broker is entitled to bid, but are not allowed to view information regarding items to which each broker is not entitled to purchase.

Abstract: A networked computer arrangement and method in which a manufacturer or service provider may communicate to a plurality of traders the items, including goods and/or services, which may be available for purchase, the quantities of those available items, and any other conditions to be met for the purchase of the available items. Traders may apply guest bidder profiles or entitlement schema to the available goods lists to produce offerings for a plurality of guest brokers. Only bid-relevant product information is presented to each guest broker as needed in order to protect the offering party's overall position on the offered good(s). Guest broker profiles or entitlement schema may be based on perspective contractual arrangements between potential brokers, traders, and a manufacturer or service provider. Offerings are presented to the guest brokers, who are restricted from participating in the bidding process.

Abstract: In an online four-tier offering and bidding process, a first offeror notifies traders of available products or services. Each trader then communicates offerings to resell the offered products or services to brokers associated with each trader. Then, the brokers respond with bids to purchase the offered products or services according to a reseller master agreement (RMA) which entitles each broker to offer to end users a subset of the offered products and services. A guest profile in the process contains entitlement definitions indicating allowable items about which a guest user may receive information but for which is to be restricted from placing bids, also according to the RMA. The process prepares entitled offerings through filtering an available items list according to the profiles so as to include only offered items per the guest's entitlement. These entitled offerings are then presented to one or more guests for review.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing assistance to a participant in an on-line auction is disclosed. The assistance is based upon selection of a bid advisor program. The bid advisor program offers a choice of three different types of pricing data derived from three different data bases—an historical data base, a current price offering data base, a market value data base. Once the participant selects the type of pricing hint desired, an algorithm searches the appropriate data base for the closest match on pricing and displays the suggested price. When the participant selects a price, the bid is placed and the bid assistant program either goes to another bid or is closed.

Abstract: A method and implementing system is provided in which a client is able to initiate an ongoing electronic transaction between a communication device and a network site. A separate port is established for the subsequent direct transmission of transaction status messages from the network site back to the user device. The client is enabled to customize a signaling system at the user terminal to designate various signals to correspond to different kinds of the transaction status messages such that the client is signaled directly when a transaction status change occurs with respect to the electronic transaction initiated by the client. In an example, a client is enabled to log on to an auction web site server and enter a bid on an auctioned item. When the entered bid is no longer winning, an appropriate message is sent to the client through the separate port.

Abstract: A networked computer arrangement and method in which a manufacturer or service provider may communicate to a plurality of traders the items, including goods and/or services, which may be available for purchase, the quantities of those available items, and any other conditions to be met for the purchase of the available items. Traders may apply guest bidder profiles or entitlement schema to the available goods lists to produce offerings for a plurality of guest brokers. Only bid-relevant product information is presented to each guest broker as needed in order to protect the offering party's overall position on the offered good(s). Guest broker profiles or entitlement schema may be based on perspective contractual arrangements between potential brokers, traders, and a manufacturer or service provider. Offerings are presented to the guest brokers, who are restricted from participating in the bidding process.