System and method for submitting an offer to purchase over a network-based commerce facility

1. A computer implemented method to facilitate a transaction in a network-based auction facility, the method including:

presenting via a client computer a plurality of listings to a user;

monitoring selection of one of the plurality of listings by the user to identify a selected listing;

retrieving listing details of the selected listing from a database;

providing a graphical user interface to the user showing both the listing details of the selected listing and an indication of an equivalent periodic payment of a plurality of periodic payments associated with an offer to purchase; wherein the periodic payment is based on financing data and informs the user of the cost of the selected listing based on periodic payments;

presenting the user with a bid option on said graphical user interface, the bid option being an option to bid based on periodic payments; and

receiving at the network-based auction facility a bid from the user based on the option to bid based on periodic payments.

2. The method of claim 1 , in which the user interface provides the user with an option to conclude the transaction for the selected listing based on the plurality of periodic payments.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network-based commerce facility is a web-based auction facility.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the periodic payment is a monthly payment and the products are movable goods.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the monthly payment is one of a lease payment and an installment sale payment.

6. The method of claim 3 , which includes:

presenting the user with at least two bid options via the user interface, a first bid option being the bid option based on the periodic payment and the second bid option being an option to bid based on a single payment; and

monitoring, via the user interface, selection of one of the first or the second bid options by the user.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein acceptance of a bid using the first bid option is dependent upon personal information of the user.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the listings optionally have associated insurance costs, the monthly payment including the associated insurance costs.

9. The method of claim 1 , which includes:

presenting the user with an option to obtain financing to finance the transaction associated with a listing;

presenting the user with an interface to obtain personal information of the user;

communicating a request for financing to a financing facility; and

selectively allowing the user to conclude the transaction based on the periodic payment.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the network-based commerce facility is a web-based auction facility, the method including:

receiving financing data from the financing facility;

identifying from the financing data a maximum bid based on the periodic payment to effect the transaction, the maximum bid being uniquely associated with the user; and

allowing the user to bid on the listed item up to the maximum bid.

11. The method of claim 1 , which includes presenting the user with a calculator interface to estimate the periodic payment.

12. A machine-readable medium embodying a set of instructions to facilitate a transaction in a network-based auction facility, the instructions when executed causing the machine to:

present via a client computer a plurality of listings to a user;

monitor selection of one of the plurality of listings by the user to identify a selected listing;

retrieve listing details of the selected listing from database;

provide a graphical user interface to the user showing both the listing details of the selected listing and an indication of an equivalent periodic payment of a plurality of periodic payments associated with an offer to purchase; wherein the periodic payment is based on financing data and informs the user of the cost of the selected listing based on periodic payments; and

present the user with a bid option on said graphical user interface, the bid option being an option to bid based on periodic payments; and

receive at the network-based auction facility a bid from the user based on the option to bid based on periodic payments.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the user interface provides the user with an option to conclude the transaction for the selected listing based on the plurality of periodic payments.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the network-based commerce facility is a web-based auction facility.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the periodic payment is a monthly payment and the products are movable goods.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the monthly payment is one of a lease payment and an installment sale payment.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to:

present the user with at least two bid options via the user interface, a first bid option being the bid option based on a the periodic payment and the second bid option being an option to bid based on a single payment; and

monitor selection, via the user interface, of one of the first or second bid options by user.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein acceptance of a bid using the first bid option is dependent upon personal information of the user.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the listings have associated insurance costs, the monthly payment including the associated insurance costs.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to:

present the user with an option to obtain financing to finance the transaction associated with a listing;

present the user with an interface to obtain personal information of the user;

communicate a request for financing to a financing facility; and

selectively allow the user to conclude the transaction based on the periodic payment.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 20 , wherein the network-based commerce facility is a web-based auction facility, the instructions causing the machine to:

receive financing data from the financing facility;

identify from the financing data a maximum bid based on the periodic payment to effect the transaction, the maximum bid being uniquely associated with the user; and

allow the user to bid on the listed item up to the maximum bid.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the user is presented with a calculator interface to estimate the periodic payment.

23. A system to facilitate a transaction in a network-based auction facility, the system including:

an executable database stored in a computer readable medium including a plurality of listings; and

at least one server configured to:

selectively present via a client computer the plurality of listings to a user

monitor selection of one of the plurality of listings by the user to identify a selected listing;

provide a graphical user interface to the user showing both the listing details of the selected listing and an indication of an equivalent periodic payment of a plurality of periodic payments associated with an offer to purchase; wherein the periodic payment is based on financing data and informs the user of the cost of the selected listing based on periodic payments;

present the user with a bid option on said graphical user interface, the bid option being an option to bid based on periodic payments; and

receive at the network-based auction facility a bid from the user based on the option to bid based on periodic payments.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the user is provided with an option to conclude the transaction for the selected listing based on the plurality of periodic payments.

25. The system of claim 23 , wherein the network-based commerce facility is a web-based auction facility.

26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the periodic payment is a monthly payment and the products are movable goods.

27. The system of claim 26 , wherein the monthly payment is one of a lease payment and an installment sale payment.

28. The system of claim 27 , wherein the at least one server:

presents the user with at least two bid options via the user interface, a first bid option being the bid option based on the periodic payment and the second bid option being an option to bid based on a single payment; and

monitors selection, via the user interface, of one of the first or the second bid options by the user.

29. The system of claim 28 , wherein acceptance of a bid using the first bid option is dependent upon personal information of the user.

30. The system of claim 23 , wherein the listings have associated insurance costs, the monthly payment including the associated insurance costs.

31. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one server:

presents the user with an option to obtain financing to finance the transaction associated with a listing;

presents the user with an interface to obtain personal information of the user;

communicates a request for financing to a financing facility; and

selectively allows the user to conclude the transaction based on the periodic payment.

32. The system of claim 31 , wherein the network-based commerce facility is a web-based auction facility, and the at least one server:

receives financing data from the financing facility;

identifies from the financing data a maximum bid based on a periodic payment to conclude the transaction, the maximum bid being uniquely associated with the user; and

selectively allows the user to bid on the listed item up to the maximum bid.

33. A system to facilitate a transaction in a network-based auction facility, the system including:

means for storing a plurality of listings;

means for selectively presenting via a client computer the plurality of listings to a user;

means for monitoring selection of one of the plurality of listings by the user to identify a selected listing;

means for providing a graphical user interface to the user showing both the listing details of the selected listing and an indication of an equivalent periodic payment of a plurality of periodic payments associated with an offer to purchase; wherein the periodic payment is based on financing data and informs the user of the cost of the selected listing based on periodic payments;

means for presenting the user with a bid option on said graphical user interface, the bid option being an option to bid based on periodic payments; and

means for receiving at the network-based auction facility a bid from the user based on the option to bid based on periodic payments.