Methods and apparatus for using self-contained transaction components to facilitate online transactions

1. A method comprising:

creating, in a web page of a first publisher, a listing of a first item, the web page of the first publisher including a self-contained transaction component;

adding the first item to the self-contained transaction component in response to a selection of the first item from the listing of the first item by a user;

creating, in a web page of a second publisher, a listing of a second item, the webpage of the second publisher including the self-contained transaction component having the first item displayed therein, wherein the second web page is unaffiliated with the first web page;

adding the second item to the self-contained transaction component in response to a selection of the second item from the listing of the second item by the user;

performing, by the self-contained transaction component operating on a computing device, from entirely within the self-contained transaction component without leaving the web page of the second publisher:

determining an account of the user, wherein the determination includes at least one of authenticating the user using an existing account and creating a new account for the user;

determining billing information for the user, wherein the determination includes at least one of using previously used billing information for the user and receiving new billing information for the user; and

completing a purchase of the first item and the second item.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

displaying, in a portion of the web page of the first publisher, the self-contained transaction component, the self-contained transaction component comprising an e-cart.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

displaying, in a portion of the web page of the second publisher, the e-cart, wherein the e-cart comprises the first item.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, via the self-contained transaction component, an indication to remove one of the first item and the second item from the self-contained transaction component.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

responsive to the indication, removing the one of the first item and the second item from the self-contained transaction component.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, via the self-contained transaction component, shipping information for at least one of the first item and the second item, the shipping information associated with the user.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, via the self-contained transaction component, authenticating information of the user.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, via the self-contained transaction component, an indication to store the first item and the second item added to the self-contained transaction component; and

transmitting, to a server, an indication to store the first item and the second item in a database of the server.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting, to a server of a vendor of the first item, information corresponding to the first item of the completed purchase; and

transmitting, to a server of a vendor of the second item, information corresponding to the second item of the completed purchase.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

executing, by the server of the vendor of the first item, a first portion of the completed purchase corresponding to the first item; and

executing, by the server of the vendor of the second item, a second portion of the completed purchase corresponding to the second item.

11. A system comprising:

one or more computer processors having memory with executable instructions which configure the one or more computer processors to:

create, in a web page of a first publisher, a listing of a first item, the web page of the first publisher including a self-contained transaction component;

add the first item to the self-contained transaction component in response to a selection of the first item from the listing of the first item by a user;

create, in a web page of a second publisher, a listing of a second item, the webpage of the second publisher including the self-contained transaction component having the first item displayed therein, wherein the second web page is unaffiliated with the first web page;

add the second item to the self-contained transaction component in response to a selection of the second item from the listing of the second item by the user;

perform, by the self-contained transaction component, from entirely within the self-contained transaction component without leaving the web page of the second publisher:

determine an account of the user, wherein the determination includes at least one of authenticating the user using an existing account and creating a new account for the user;

determine billing information for the user, wherein the determination includes at least one of using previously used billing information for the user and receiving new billing information for the user; and

complete a purchase of the first item and the second item.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the executable instructions further comprise instructions to:

display, in a portion of the first web page of the first publisher, the self-contained transaction component, the self-contained transaction component comprising an e-cart.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the executable instructions further comprise instructions to:

display, in a portion of the web page of the second publisher, the e-cart, wherein the e-cart comprises the first item.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the executable instructions further comprise instructions to:

receive, via the self-contained transaction component, an indication to remove one of the first item and the second item from the self-contained transaction component.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the executable instructions further comprise instructions to:

remove, responsive to the indication, the one of the first item and the second item from the self-contained transaction component.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the executable instructions further comprise instructions to:

receive, via the self-contained transaction component, shipping information for at least one of the first item and the second item, the shipping information associated with the user.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the executable instructions further comprise instructions to:

receive, via the self-contained transaction component, authenticating information of the user.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the executable instructions further comprise instructions to:

receive, via the self-contained transaction component, an indication to store the first item and the second item added to the self-contained transaction component; and

transmit, to a server, an indication to store the first item and the second item in a database of the server.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the executable instructions further comprise instructions to:

transmit, to a server of a vendor of the first item, information corresponding to the first item of the completed purchase; and

transmit, to a server of a vendor of the second item, information corresponding to the second item of the completed purchase.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the executable instructions further comprise instructions to:

indicate, to the server of the vendor of the first item, to execute a first portion of the completed purchase corresponding to the first item; and

indicate, to the server of the vendor of the second item, to execute a second portion of the completed purchase corresponding to the second item.