Introducing a fixed-price transaction mechanism in conjunction with an auction transaction mechanism
An auction price-setting method to present an auction price-setting process and a fixed price process to provide a fixed price offer for an item and to publish the fixed price offer on a listing based on a criterion.
1. A network-based commerce system including:
a processor coupled to a memory through a bus; and
a fixed price-setting process executed from the memory by the processor to cause the processor to facilitate the operation of a network-based auction price-setting process for a listing of an item, the fixed price-setting process to provide a fixed price offer for the item and to publish the fixed price offer on the listing, responsive to a bid to buy the item reaching a certain value during the auction.
2. The network-based commerce system of claim 1 , wherein the fixed price offer is higher than a current highest bid.
3. The network-based commerce system of claim 1 , wherein the fixed price offer is lower than a high proxy bid.
4. The network-based commerce system of claim 3 , wherein the fixed price-setting process further causes the processor to automatically designate a buyer associated with the high proxy bid as the winner of the auctioned item.
5. The network-based commerce system of claim 4 , wherein the automatic designation is performed when the buyer has opted into being designated the winner automatically.
6. The network-based commerce system of claim 3 , wherein the fixed price-setting process further causes the processor to automatically notify a buyer associated with the current high proxy bid upon the publication of the fixed price offer.
7. A network-based commerce system including:
a means for facilitating the operation of a network-based auction price setting process for a listing of an item;
a processing means coupled to a memory through a bus;
a program means for providing a fixed price offer for the item, the program means to be executed from the memory by the processing means; and
a means for publishing the fixed price offer on the listing, responsive to a bid to buy the item reaching a certain value during the auction.
8. The network-based commerce system of claim 7 , wherein the fixed price offer is higher than a current highest bid.
9. The network-based commerce system of claim 7 , wherein the fixed price offer is lower than a high proxy bid.
10. The network-based commerce system of claim 9 , further including:
a means for automatically designating a buyer associated with the high proxy bid as the winner of the auctioned item.
11. The network-based commerce system of claim 10 , wherein the means for automatically designating is performed when the buyer has opted into being designated the winner automatically.
12. The network-based commerce system of claim 9 , further including:
a means for automatically notifying a buyer associated with the current high proxy bid upon the publication of the fixed price offer.
13. A machine-readable medium having instructions to cause a machine to perform a method to facilitate operation of a network-based commerce system, the method including:
facilitating the operation of a network-based auction price setting process for a listing of an item;
providing a fixed price offer for the item; and
publishing the fixed price offer on the listing, responsive to a bid to buy the item reaching a certain value during the auction.
14. The machine-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the fixed price offer is higher than a current highest bid.
15. The machine-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the fixed price offer is lower than a high proxy bid.
16. The machine-readable medium of claim 15 , further including:
automatically designating a buyer associated with the high proxy bid as the winner of the auctioned item.
17. The machine-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the automatically designating is performed when the buyer has opted into being designated the winner automatically.
18. The machine-readable medium of claim 15 , further including:
automatically notifying a buyer associated with the current high proxy bid upon the publication of the fixed price offer.
19. A method to facilitate operation of a network-based commerce system, the method including:
facilitating the operation of a network-based auction price-setting process for a listing of an item using a fixed price-setting process executed from a memory by a processor;
providing a fixed price offer for the item; and
publishing the fixed price offer on the listing, responsive to a bid to buy the item reaching a certain value during the auction.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the fixed price offer is higher than a current highest bid.
21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the fixed price offer is lower than a high proxy bid.
22. The method of claim 21 , further including:
automatically designating a buyer associated with the high proxy bid as the winner of the auctioned item.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the automatically designating is performed when the buyer has opted into being designated the winner automatically.
24. The method of claim 21 , further including:
automatically notifying a buyer associated with the current high proxy bid upon the publication of the fixed price offer.