Abstract: In an embodiment, a primary user initiates a collaborative session in a shopping application executing in a mobile device of the primary user. Primary user can select secondary users and invite them to join the collaborative shopping in-store. Primary user can select a specific store, retrieve and view items in a catalog associated with the store. Primary user and the secondary users in the collaborative session, can collaboratively select items from the catalog and compile a collaborative shopping list. The primary and secondary users can add the items from the compiled collaborative shopping list to a shopping cart. The location of the primary and secondary users and the location of the selected and added items are displayed in a store navigator user interface in the collaborative session. The primary or secondary user can choose to end the collaborative shopping, by initiating a self-checkout to close the collaborative session.

Abstract: A method for operating a dynamic pricing system wherein the initial price of products and/or services (items) offered for sale decreases in pre-determined increments based on pre-determined quantities sold during the sale, allowing all buyers to purchase the item at the lowest price point reached by the disparate, aggregated group of buyers, thus providing incentive for buyers to entice additional buyers to purchase the item, driving the price of the item down to the lowest attainable level for all buyers while increasing sales at low cost for sellers.

Abstract: A matching support device which achieve matching between demand information and supply information, quickly and accurately reflecting changes in information. The present invention is provided with an information recording unit 11 which acquires supply information and/or demand information in order to record the supply information and/or the demand information, a matching unit 12 which performs the matching between the demand information and the supply information, and a result transmission unit 14 which transmits results of the matching to a supplier terminal and a consumer terminal. The information recording unit 11, during an arbitrary period specified from the supplier terminal and/or the consumer terminal, continues reception of the supply information and/or the demand information and holds a record of the supply information and/or the demand information for the arbitrary period. The matching unit 12 performs the matching between the supply information and the demand information for the arbitrary period.

Abstract: First business process data obtained from a first trading participant includes a set of transaction messages having a first data format in accordance with a first protocol for conducting business transactions used by the first trading participant. A virtual trading participant receives fictitious business process data from the first trading participant and acknowledging the fictitious business process data and replying to the first trading participant that the fictitious business process data has been acknowledged. Operational characteristics and a connectivity of a currently trading participant connected to a process management platform accessible via an interconnection fabric are tested, by utilizing the virtual trading participant to determine if the data defining individual business processes is in a uniform format understood by a process management platform. The virtual trading participant is utilized to ensure compatibility with an identified version of the uniform format.

Abstract: A method of sharing and managing ownership of and access to digital media works includes initially offering for sale a predetermined number of blocks of a digital media work, for example, a song, each block representing a share of ownership of the song. Access is provided to a user to use the digital media work, for example, to listen to the song, via a link provided after purchasing a block of the song. The selling price of the blocks is updated based on a demand for the digital media work. For example, the selling price can be increased in incremental amounts in proportion to a percentage of the number of blocks sold until the entire initial stash of blocks is sold. Thereafter, blocks can be sold to, and traded between, users in various gaming and other applications that promote social aspects of the method, as well as for profit.

Abstract: A method to provide digital transmission of an item from a shopper to a recipient using an e-commerce website. The method includes adding a “gifting” function by inserting a few lines of code, selecting an item by the shopper and inserting personal details and details of a recipient, activating the “gifting” function and finalizing the purchase of the item. The method also includes receiving authorization by the system, submitting a request via an API to partnering gift card issuers, one of the partnering networks for a closed loop by a particular store or open loop gift card code by a partnering network, digitally sending the code to the recipient, along with an image and other details, receiving the code by the recipient to be used to redeem the item selected by the purchaser or another item and using the code in a corresponding store.

Abstract: A system for processing sales transaction may include a first computing device in communication with a buyer-operated computing device, and a computer-readable storage medium in communication with the first computing device. The computer-readable storage medium may include programming instructions for receiving an order including one or more of a commitment of a buyer to purchase an item, and a preferred share value associated with the buyer, receiving contact information associated with one or more third parties, receiving a fractional share value associated with each of the one or more third parties, and in response to a sum of the fractional share values associated with each third party and the preferred share value equaling the purchase price associated with the item, using the received contact information to send a message to each third party. Each message may include the fractional share associated with the third party.

Abstract: An approach is provided for efficiently creating a group shopping event. The approach involves determining one or more items in one or more preference lists associated with one or more users. The approach also comprises determining one or more associations among one or more other items in the one or more preference lists with the one or more items. The approach further comprises processing and/or facilitating a processing of the one or more associations to cause, at least in part, a selection of at least one of the one or more other items. The approach additionally comprises determining to generate at least one group shopping event based, at least in part, on a bundling of the selected at least one of the one or more other items with the one or more items to create one or more bundles.

Abstract: A system and a method for facilitating joint orders (“co-orders”) from one or more associated customers and non-customers to one or more vendors via computer networks. The system includes one or more customer subsystems, one or more vendor subsystems, at least one coordination subsystem, zero or more social network subsystems, connected to computer networks. One user fixes one or more parameters of a co-order, sends zero or more invitations to other users to join in forming the co-order, which they can accept. Information about the co-order is synchronized between participating user devices. Once users have agreed on particulars of the co-order, it is placed with one or more vendors. Users may be customers and non-customers thus allowing participation of experts, friends, etc.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to facilitate a transaction between a seller and a buyer. According to one embodiment, seller offer information is received at a controller. The seller offer information is associated with an item, such as a secondary market item, being offered for sale by a seller. Buyer offer information, associated with a buyer offering to make a purchase, is also received. An evaluation rule is determined, and the seller offer information and the buyer offer information are matched based on the evaluation rule. It is then arranged for the seller to sell the item to the buyer.

Abstract: A communication server 200 acquires a request specifying a desired location for content creation from a requester terminal 310, and provides a notification of the request to an accepter terminal 300 accepting the content creation. The notification history managing unit 206 stores, as notification history, the distance from an accepter terminal to be provided with the notification to the desired recoding location and acceptance information. Upon acquisition of a new request, a request notification terminal selecting unit 203 selects a accepter terminal 300 that is likely to accept the request according to the notification history, and the request notifying unit 204 provides the selected accepter terminal 300 with the notification.

Abstract: The number of users viewing a given variable directly affects the rate of change and/or outcome of said variable. In the case of eCommerce, pricing of products and/or services is based upon a user accessing a website on which products and/or services are for sale. An initial price indicia associator associates initial price indicia with the products and/or services files. The initial pricing can be based upon historical indicia or the engine itself. Thereafter, a price indicia adjuster adjusts the pricing responsive to user access of the website or related website. A user interface meter shown on the website indicates to potential buyers how much interest there is in the product and/or service being sold so that peer activity is exhibited to potential buyers to encourage sales and impulsive buying behavior. Pricing is dynamic and adjusts in real-time at a rate determined by the amount of users accessing the website.

Abstract: Joint pricing and replenishment of freshness inventory or products having different qualities determines the joint pricing and inventory strategies to optimize the retailer's benefits from product freshness, employing a dynamic programming formulation that incorporates a demand model that captures consumer choice based on both the freshness and price.

Abstract: A rules engine uses a set of sequenced rules in determining which rule to apply when assigning buyers in a procurement organization to requisitions submitted to the procurement organization. The rules are user-configurable to provide flexible reconfiguration of how the rules engine determines buyer assignments. Attributes of the requisitions may be utilized to determine the appropriate buyers by comparing the attributes with the rules. Sequencing of the rules allows for prioritization of the rules in instances where multiple rules may be applicable to a received requisition. Updates to a rule set can be tested on sample requisitions to allow users to see the results of the updates.

Abstract: Various embodiments of group buying systems are described. The system enables users to form groups and designate a common delivery/pickup location (e.g., a single home or office), where group members may have their packages delivered. The system also may be configured to suggest that group members make group purchases (e.g., some or all group members by the same or similar items) and may facilitate of aggregation of packages for delivery to the designated common delivery/pickup location.

Abstract: A collaborative bargaining system receives expressions of interest from potential buyers of an item. The collaborative bargaining system receives bids from sellers of the item. Each bid consists of a price per item based on a minimum quantity of items. A time limited exclusive opportunity is awarded to one seller of the item to obtain from the interest group a commitment to buy the minimum quantity of items at the price per item as bid by the one seller.

Abstract: Various embodiments may include a computerized system and method for determining a selection of technologies or processes for use in part production. A dataset of technologies or processes may be considered and standardized. Generic CAD models may be generated from the standardized dataset. Optimization metrics for each generic CAD model may be received. Data from a sourcing, a manufacturing and a design data source may also be received. An optimization algorithm may be used for each generic CAD model based on the optimization metrics and the data from the data sources. One or more optimized CAD models may be generated and one or more optimized technologies or processes for use in part manufacturing may be obtained. The optimized technologies or processes may be based on the one or more optimized CAD models. The optimized technologies or processes may be transmitted for selection and use in producing manufactured parts.

Abstract: Provided are computer implemented methods and systems for selling products and services using crowdsourcing. An exemplary method comprises receiving information associated with a crowdsourcing item. The crowdsourcing item is associated with an owner of the crowdsourcing item. The information includes a target amount for crowdsourcing. One or more contributions associated with the crowdsourcing item are received from one or more users. The total amount of the contributions is periodically calculated. When determined that the total amount has reached the target amount, the total amount is transferred to the owner. Additionally, the crowdsourcing item may be produced by the owner using the contributions and delivered to the users who made contributions either by one item to each of the users or by a share of the crowdsourcing item proportional to the contribution made.

Abstract: A system and method for ensuring the quality of a group buying experience includes: receiving a request to sell a product; negotiating a service level agreement with the business; receiving customer feedback on the group buying experience; computing a customer satisfaction score for the group buying experience representing a degree of customer satisfaction; mapping the computed customer satisfaction score to terms in the service level agreement; and providing an instruction related to the customer satisfaction score.

Abstract: A method of facilitating a creation of group of customers and soliciting an offer for a plurality of goods or services, which includes enrolling a plurality of consumers in a service for submission of at least one offer to at least one vendor to purchase goods or services; receiving requests for goods and/or services from the plurality of consumers via a networking device; automatically processing requests for goods and/or service from the plurality of consumers to build at least one group request of similar and/or identical goods and/or services for a submission to at least one vendor; and submitting the at least one group request to the at least one vendor on behalf of the plurality of consumers.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for a user, such as, for example, a vehicle dealership or a vehicle manufacturer to identify a vehicle that is available to the user or that the user, or a dealership associated the user, would like to sell or lease. Once the vehicle is identified, identifying prospective customers for the vehicle based on information associated with existing/previous customers or prospective customers, such as customers who currently have a vehicle that the identified vehicle is a likely substitute.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for adjusting a customer catalog for the production and distribution of visual media products based on system capacity. The method includes using a communication network to receive data including production pricing grids, distribution pricing grids, and production capacity thresholds from a network of visual media production entities; and receiving quoting requirements from a plurality of customers for producing and distributing visual media products selected from an on-line catalog. The method further includes using a processor to calculate system capacity, an aggregation of customer orders, and initial customer pricing for the aggregation; calculating adjusted pricing based upon system capacity; and updating the catalog with the adjusted pricing.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for aggregating multiple customer quoting requirements for product production and distribution to select appropriate production entities. The method includes receiving data from a network of production entities, including production and distribution pricing grids; receiving quoting requirements from a plurality of customers for producing and distributing a plurality of customer designated products that include quoting deadlines; and storing historic information related to the timing and customer requirements of prior completed customer quotes. The method further includes using a processor to aggregate multiple customer quoting requirements by simultaneously using at least the production and distribution pricing grids from the one or more production entities, the customer quoting requirements and the stored historic information to determine if the quoting requirements should be aggregated now or in the future.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for managing production capacity. The method includes calculating a baseline of aggregated media product volumes and an associated target cost; using a processor to determine if the current volume of received quoting requirements will produce the baseline of aggregated media product volumes; and calculating adjusted target cost estimates. The method further includes using the communication network to send the quoting requirements and the calculated target cost estimates to a subset of the network of production entities; receiving actual cost estimates based on the calculated target cost estimates from the subset of the network of production entities; calculating customer prices for the plurality of customers for producing and distributing customer designated media products based on the received actual cost estimates; and using the communication network to provide customer prices to plurality of customers for producing and distributing customer designated media products.

Abstract: A mobile group-buying method including: receiving, by a Location-Based Service (LBS) platform, a group-forming request initiated by a mobile user; and sending, by the LBS platform, a group-forming invitation to mobile users whose geographical locations meet a requirement, recording mobile users who accept the group-forming invitation, and launching a corresponding group-buying service in the case where the number of the recorded mobile users reaches a predetermined threshold. The method is capable of enhancing the accuracy of information pushing.

Abstract: A method and a system for collaborative bundling of items in an online marketplace are provided. For example, a first identification of a first item for sale in an online marketplace and an indication of availability to bundle may be received from a client device. Based on the indication of availability to bundle, an identification interface that presents identifications of one or more items suitable for bundling with the first item may be provided to the client device. A selection of a second identification of a second item may be received. The second identification may be selected from the identifications of the one or more items. A negotiation within the online marketplace pertaining to a bundling of the first and second items may be facilitated. A bundle listing including the first identification of the first item and the second identification of the second item may be generated based on the negotiation.

Abstract: A network transaction method is for consumers and users to trade a product via the internet. The network transaction method provides a must-buy or first-to-buy transaction mode and includes the steps of exhibiting product information to allow one of the consumers to select the product; generating a transaction webpage and a sign-in webpage according to the selected product to trade, and the sign-in webpage being provided for the users to sign in directly or push a post to recommend other users to sign in; using the sign-in action to change a transaction price of the product, such that the consumer can end the sign-in action according to the current transaction price or product information provided by the system automatically, and finally allow the consumer to close the transaction and make a payment for the product to be traded. In addition, a network transaction system is also introduced.

Abstract: Members of a buyers' group hosted at an online marketplace submit desired-item descriptions for items the desired purchase. The desired-item descriptions are developed into desired-item listings presented at the buyers' group. Multiple buyers may be interested in the same desired-item listing and having expressed a purchase commitment for the item listing, their cumulative numbers as potential buyers may be displayed to sellers navigating the marketplace. A seller having a corresponding sale item to the desired-item may submit an item description that is developed into an item listing and containing an offer to sell the item. In this way buyers are able to attract offers to sell items that the buyers desire and by attracting multiple sellers, bidding wars between sellers develop higher value deals for the buyers.

Abstract: A method for the offer and sale of one or more products and/or services with a discounted price associated with a minimum number of buyers. An expiry time is associated to the offer. The offer is opened with a starting price that is higher than the prearranged discounted price. Once the offer has been opened, users can subscribe to it through paying the discounted price. For every person subscribing to the offer, the price decreases by an amount that is proportional to the number of persons that subscribe to the offer until it reaches the prearranged discounted price. If the number of persons who subscribed the offer is equal to the prearranged minimum number of buyers the offer is dosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for ordering a product and forecasting consumer interest, including a computer, software executing on the computer for listing a plurality of products for purchase, software executing on the computer for determining when a user views a product of the plurality of products, software executing on the computer for determining when a user orders a product of the plurality of products, software executing on the computer for tolling the views of each product and for tolling the orders of each product, software executing on the computer for identifying a first customer based on the tolled views, and software executing on the computer for identifying a second customer based on the tolled orders.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system of demand aggregation in a geo-spatial network are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes creating an item group associated with a registered user of a geo-spatial network, inviting a set of neighboring users geo-spatially proximate to the registered user to join the item group, placing at least one of the set of neighboring users as a member of the item group and/or communicating items of the item group to a set of providers of the items of the item group. The method may include placing a good and/or a service in the item group, and/or generating a frequency data, a pricing data, a unit data, and/or a time data. The method may further include geo-fencing the item group in an area that encompasses a neighborhood community in a threshold geographical radius from the registered user who creates the item group.

Abstract: Items are sold via a wireless mobile telecommunications network in which multimedia presentations describing items offered for sale are broadcast for reception by wireless mobile devices. Users of the devices can transmit responses indicating requests to buy the items or bid for them in auctions.

Abstract: A multiple criteria buying and selling system and method is provided. A seller initially establishes a deal structure for a product, which provides seller defined selling criteria information relating to the purchasing of the product, such as volume per unit price, quality, delivery time and warranty information. A buyer will be able to review a list of deals if the seller's selling criteria matches a buyer defined buying criteria. The deal structure is preferably set up so as to provide buyers with both price and non-price criteria information that the buyer's would consider important in a purchase of the type of product being offered by the seller. The deal structure is electronically made available to potential buyers of the product. For example, the deal structure may be displayed on an Internet site.

Abstract: A method and system for creating of gift clusters of multiple items in a client/server environment by users, and for the ordering of such user-defined gift clusters of multiple items. In particular, a user can specify multiple items to be associated together as a gift cluster, and can also specify a variety of descriptive information about the gift cluster. That user or another user can then order the gift cluster as a gift for themselves or for another recipient, and may also order the gift cluster for the same or different recipients multiple times. When customers are later searching for appropriate gift clusters, the various categorization or other descriptive information can then assist is identifying appropriate gift clusters. The gift clustering functionality may be provided by and work in conjunction with a particular item ordering service, or instead may work independently from any particular item ordering service.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program for accumulating information relating to product demand and consumption for each of a plurality of end users by a buying group representing a single purchase in bulk to disintermediate the supply chain, accumulating the received product demand into a predictive demand schedule by an expert service provider, and transmitting the accumulated predictive product demand schedule to a manufacturer/original source of the product by the expert service provider. Product availability information based upon the accumulated predictive product demand is received from the manufacturer/original source of the product, and is provided to the plurality of end users. One or more product orders are received, the product is ordered from the manufacturer/original source of the product, all aspects of the supply chain being managed by the expert service provider, and the product is shipped to one or more of the plurality of end users.

Abstract: A system and method for providing private demand-driven pricing for fixed cost digital goods are described. An encrypted price of identically-priced digital goods is additively perturbed. The digital goods are stored in a database by a seller system and an approximate revenue maximizing price for the digital goods has not been realized. A purchasing decision about one of the digital goods based upon the additively-perturbed price is sent to the seller system without revealing the particular digital good. A conditionally disclosed symmetric key is received in return under which the digital goods in the database have been encrypted. The purchaser system and seller system engage in symmetric private information retrieval on the database. The purchaser system decrypts the digital good purchased with the symmetric key. The seller system privately updates the encrypted price of the digital goods to close on the approximate revenue maximizing price whenever a purchase is made.

Abstract: Techniques are described for facilitating transactions involving items and users in various ways. In some situations, item transactions are coordinated by an automated Item Transaction (or “IT”) system provided via one or more computing systems, such that users of the IT system who have available items are matched with other users of the IT system who desire those items. The types of items being involved in transactions via the IT system may vary, and in some situations may include items such as music CDs, video DVDs, computer games, computer software, etc. The operation of the IT system may be enhanced in various ways, including by selecting appropriate users to receive opportunities to sell items available from those users, such as in a manner to balance supply and demand for items, and by notifying the selected users of those opportunities.

Abstract: During a marketing technique, lists of desired items and associated prices are received from multiple consumers. For example, consumers may provide lists of desired items and the (discounted) prices at which these items are of interest. By assigning the consumers to different price ranges based on the associated prices and an occurrence of at least one of the items in the lists, an aggregated interest in the item, including numbers of consumers that desire the item in the different price ranges, is determined. Information associated with the aggregated interest in the item is then provided to at least one entity that provides the item, thereby facilitating sales of the item to a subset of the consumers associated with one or more of the price ranges.

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.

Abstract: The subject invention relates to electronic buying and selling systems and methods. In particular, the invention concerns relations among distinct price curves, price curve attributes (i.e., factors of the offer that can affect the price curves) and buyers or potential buyers. For instance, a price offered to a system user can vary based on total volume of all people aggregating in private environments, cumulative total order by user, ship date, optimal time, as well as terms and conditions associated with the offer (e.g., no cancellation of order, cancellation possible, payment method . . . ).

Abstract: The present invention provides an information exchange method, a user end, and a system for online collaborative shopping. The method includes: sending a collaborative shopping request message that includes one or more user identifiers to a collaborative server; receiving a collaborative shopping startup message; submitting a shopping web page of the main control user end to the collaborative server, and submitting, to the collaborative server, operation information generated when a user of the main control user end operates a shopping web page; and receiving operation information generated when a user on the collaborative user end operates a shopping web page according to a commodity feature concerned by the user on the shopping web page, and displaying, on the shopping web page, an operation result of the user on the collaborative user end for the shopping web page.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic quantity purchasing system which is a host computer that a user may access to purchase quantities of goods or services at a locked-in price for later redemption. The preferred communication means employed is via secure, high-speed Internet access. Data storage is electronic. Users employ the system to make an instant purchase of a small or large quantity of a commodity, such as gasoline at the current purchase price. Users can redeem all or part of their balance for real product at a physical location in the future when desired. The redemption will draw down the user's account balance at the locked-in purchase price, so the user is able to circumvent the market price in effect at the time of redemption.

Abstract: A system that facilitates publishing and consuming information that is of time sensitivity, for example, price information. Methods are employed to achieve completeness and freshness in information for a given domain. A preferred embodiment is a shopping site that is capable of comparing prices, purchasing bundled products and dealing with coupons.

Abstract: The present invention involves a server for accommodating multiple payments in an e-commerce transaction. The server includes a processor with a communications device and software modules. The vendor software module is adapted to receive payment requirements from a vendor via the communications device, and also to receive payment parameters from an initiator. The payment parameters include an item payment amount and an identification of at least one contributor. The contributor software module is adapted to obtain payment information from at least one of the initiator and the contributors wherein the payment information is sufficient to authorize the commitment of funds to a transaction. The aggregation software module is adapted to send participation messages via the communications device to at least one contributor. The participation messages include information on the item, the item payment amount, and directions for the contributor to interact with the contributor module.

Abstract: A guided procurement system for guiding the buyer for procuring when the item to be purchased is not present in the catalog database, which is an integration of a procurement tool, supplier information system tool and supplier performance system tool. The system includes a processor unit and a computer readable medium storing instructions executable by the processor unit, including a first procurement guiding module that is adapted for guiding the requester for procurement when the item is not available in the catalog database, and a second procurement guiding module that is adapted for guiding the procurement team or the buyer for procurement from the right supplier. The system is adapted for guiding the buyer while procuring by suggesting the source of procurement based on the user provided information on a web form. It further guides by suggesting the supplier from which a particular item can be procured.

Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to systems and methods for funding the purchase of one or more gifts. In one embodiment, a method for purchasing gifts may include providing a computing device configured to access one or more retailer websites. Each retailer website may list one or more gifts available for purchase. The method may include selecting a plurality of gifts available for purchase. The method may include ranking the selected plurality of gifts to indicate a funding order. The method may include receiving one or more monetary contributions to fund the purchase of one or more of the selected plurality of gifts. The method may include allocating the one or more monetary contributions according to the rank of the selected plurality of gifts prior to purchase of one or more of the gifts. The method may include deselecting at least one of the selected gifts.

Abstract: In an online group-buying method, a server sends a group-buying invitation message, which includes shop information associated with a seller terminal, to an invitee terminal in an invitee list in response to a group-buying invitation request message from an inviter terminal. Upon receipt of a join message and a purchase order, which is associated with one or more products provided by the seller terminal, from the invitee terminal, the server sends the join message and the purchase order to the inviter terminal. Then, the inviter terminal sends an integrated purchase order, which is generated according to at least the purchase order, to the seller terminal.

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.

Abstract: The present invention includes a social networking system wherein the users may be broadly categorized as payor users or payee users. Payor users are generally individuals or students, while payee users generally businesses or charities. Each user in the social networking system of the present invention is associated with financial data. The financial data is thereafter used to facilitate commercial transactions and transfer donations within the social networking system between users, generally from a payee user to a payor user. The payor user is not required to enter financial data or log in to an additional system to facilitate the transaction. The transaction is facilitated entirely within the constructs of the social networking system. Pursuant to this, payee users may add products and services to their associated profiles to vend their products and services from within the social networking system.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods, systems and apparatus for integrating commerce networks are disclosed. One method includes receiving a commercial transaction request associated with a business process from a member of the second commerce network, to conduct commerce with a member of the first commerce network, wherein the request includes a second commerce network associated identifier, confirming that the member of the second commerce network is a user of the second commerce network based on the second commerce network associated identifier, enabling the member of the second commerce network to join the first commerce network upon confirmation that the member of the second commerce network is a user of the second commerce network, and allowing the member of the second commerce network to conduct commerce on the first commerce network after enabling the member of the second commerce network.