Abstract: A system and method are provided for rewarding participation in an auction where a first user places an item up for auction on a central database. A first potential buyer places a first bid at a first price for the item on the central database. A second potential buyer places a subsequent bid at a second bid price, exceeding the first price at least by a predetermined bid increment, to become a current high bidder for the item. When the auction is complete, the current high bidder wins the auction and the central database then records an award to non-winning bidders, such as the first potential buyer, as an incentive for future participation in other auctions. The reward can be offered to each unique bidder who does not win the auction, the last losing bidder, or some other variants of non winning bidders. The awards accumulated by non-winning bidders can be applied to future purchases where the user wins a subsequent auction.

Abstract: A method of marking and packaging golf balls in which each golf ball in a box or package is marked with a common multi-digit indicia and by a separate marking separately identifying each ball in the box or package and in which all of the golf balls in another box or package are marked with another common multi-digit indicia which differs from the previous package according to a predetermined sequence.