Abstract: A method and system for notifying a client of a status of an electronic auction is provided. A notification preference is received, the notification preference identifies when to notify the client of a status of the electronic auction. The notification preference is matched to a current status of the electronic auction. Then the notification to the client is transmitted based on the matching of the notification preference to the current status of the electronic auction.

Abstract: A network computer system and method in which a manufacturer or service provider may communicate goods or services which are available for bidding by bidders. The bids received from the bidders are intended to be sealed bids, and most often to be single instance sealed bids. The invention collects the sealed bids from the bidders and maintains them as inaccessible from the traders and online system administration staff until certain conditions, such as expiration of a bidding time window, have been met. Following the meeting of the predetermined conditions, the bids are unsealed, either by administrator command or automatically, and made available and accessible to the traders and system administration staff. The system and method prevents potential security and confidentiality problems with online sealed bid systems, and protects the integrity of the sealed bid collection process.