SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CATEGORY-BASED CONTEXTUAL ADVERTISEMENT GENERATION AND MANAGEMENT

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a first request for creation of a fixed price ad via a digital network interface, the first request including a first category selection of one or more categories in which the fixed price ad may appear, the fixed price ad being an advertisement for which a fixed price is payable, the fixed price not being dependent upon user action related to the fixed price ad;

receiving a second request for creation of a variable revenue ad via a digital network interface, the second request including a second category selection of one or more categories in which the variable revenue ad may appear, the second request further including a variable revenue value associated with the variable revenue ad, the variable revenue value being used to prioritize a display position for the variable revenue ad in a host site listing; and

generating a set of information and metrics related to the fixed price ad and the variable revenue ad, the set of information and metrics including metrics associated with each of the fixed price ad and the variable revenue ad, the metrics including a budget, a daily cost limit, and total spend value information, the set of information and metrics further including information identifying each change made to a configuration of the fixed price ad and the variable revenue ad over a time period.

2 . The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the set of information and metrics further including information identifying the first category selection of the one or more categories in which the fixed price ad may appear and information identifying the second category selection of the one or more categories in which the variable revenue ad may appear.

3 . The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the set of information and metrics further including metrics for an average Cost per Click (CPC) associated with the ad, an average Click through Rate (CTR) associated with the ad, a number of clicks to view a view item page, and a number of clicks from the view item page to a seller website.

4 . The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the set of information and metrics further including metrics for a number of emails related to a subject of the ad, a number of bids related to the subject of the ad, a date/time the ad was created or display of the ad started, and a date/time the ad was terminated or display of the ad was stopped.

5 . The method as claimed in claim 1 including associating a view item page with each of the fixed price ad and the variable revenue ad.

6 . The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fixed price ad being an advertisement for a product or service.

7 . The method as claimed in claim 1 including limiting the first category selection to a pre-defined number of categories.

8 . The method as claimed in claim 1 including applying a separate cost to each category selected in the first category selection.

9 . An article of manufacture comprising a machine-readable storage medium having machine executable instructions embedded thereon, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

receive a first request for creation of a fixed price ad via a digital network interface, the first request including a first category selection of one or more categories in which the fixed price ad may appear, the fixed price ad being an advertisement for which a fixed price is payable, the fixed price not being dependent upon user action related to the fixed price ad;

receive a second request for creation of a variable revenue ad via a digital network interface, the second request including a second category selection of one or more categories in which the variable revenue ad may appear, the second request further including a variable revenue value associated with the variable revenue ad, the variable revenue value being used to prioritize a display position for the variable revenue ad in a host site listing; and

generate a set of information and metrics related to the fixed price ad and the variable revenue ad, the set of information and metrics including metrics associated with each of the fixed price ad and the variable revenue ad, the metrics including a budget, a daily cost limit, and total spend value information, the set of information and metrics further including information identifying each change made to a configuration of the fixed price ad and the variable revenue ad over a time period.

10 . The article of manufacture as claimed in claim 9 wherein the set of information and metrics further including information identifying the first category selection of the one or more categories in which the fixed price ad may appear and information identifying the second category selection of the one or more categories in which the variable revenue ad may appear.

11 . The article of manufacture as claimed in claim 9 wherein the set of information and metrics further including metrics for an average Cost per Click (CPC) associated with the ad, an average Click through Rate (CTR) associated with the ad, a number of clicks to view a view item page, and a number of clicks from the view item page to a seller website.

12 . The article of manufacture as claimed in claim 9 wherein the set of information and metrics further including metrics for a number of emails related to a subject of the ad, a number of bids related to the subject of the ad, a date/time the ad was created or display of the ad started, and a date/time the ad was terminated or display of the ad was stopped.

13 . The article of manufacture as claimed in claim 9 including associating a view item page with each of the fixed price ad and the variable revenue ad.

14 . The article of manufacture as claimed in claim 9 wherein the fixed price ad being an advertisement for a product or service.

15 . The article of manufacture as claimed in claim 9 being further configured to limit the first category selection to a pre-defined number of categories.

16 . The article of manufacture as claimed in claim 9 being further configured to apply a separate cost to each category selected in the first category selection.

17 . A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor to store information related to an advertisement (ad); and

an advertisement processor to: receive a first request for creation of a fixed price ad via a digital network interface, the first request including a first category selection of one or more categories in which the fixed price ad may appear, the fixed price ad being an advertisement for which a fixed price is payable, the fixed price not being dependent upon user action related to the fixed price ad; receive a second request for creation of a variable revenue ad via a digital network interface, the second request including a second category selection of one or more categories in which the variable revenue ad may appear, the second request further including a variable revenue value associated with the variable revenue ad, the variable revenue value being used to prioritize a display position for the variable revenue ad in a host site listing; and generate a set of information and metrics related to the fixed price ad and the variable revenue ad, the set of information and metrics including metrics associated with each of the fixed price ad and the variable revenue ad, the metrics including a budget, a daily cost limit, and total spend value information, the set of information and metrics further including information identifying each change made to a configuration of the fixed price ad and the variable revenue ad over a time period.

18 . The system as claimed in claim 17 wherein the set of information and metrics further including information identifying the first category selection of the one or more categories in which the fixed price ad may appear and information identifying the second category selection of the one or more categories in which the variable revenue ad may appear.

19 . The system as claimed in claim 17 wherein the set of information and metrics further including metrics for an average Cost per Click (CPC) associated with the ad, an average Click through Rate (CTR) associated with the ad, a number of clicks to view a view item page, and a number of clicks from the view item page to a seller website.

20 . The system as claimed in claim 17 wherein the set of information and metrics further including metrics for a number of emails related to a subject of the ad, a number of bids related to the subject of the ad, a date/time the ad was created or display of the ad started, and a date/time the ad was terminated or display of the ad was stopped.