TRANSACTION FEEDBACK MECHANISMS
Randomness and/or blind submissions are employed to substantially remove biased feedback from online transaction rating processes. In one instance, a probability mechanism is determined before a transaction occurs but is not employed until after the transaction occurs. In another instance, feedback is collected from participants in a transaction in a blind manner. These mechanisms allow participants to submit their feedback without being biased by the other participant's feedback, producing less biased feedback submissions.
1 . A method for rating participants in online transactions, comprising:
establishing a probability mechanism, before a transaction occurs, for determining which transaction participant is allowed to submit a transaction rating; and
employing the probability mechanism after the transaction is completed to determine which participant can submit a transaction rating.
2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
employing the probability mechanism after a seller participant has received payment and a buyer participant has received transaction associated goods and/or services.
3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
employing a probability mechanism with a biased probability towards a transaction participant.
4 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
determining a probability mechanism based on, at least in part, input from at least one transaction participant.
5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
utilizing a probability mechanism with a probability biased towards a participant who is a buyer in the transaction.
6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
employing a third party to the transaction to determine a probability for the probability mechanism.
7 . An online auction service that employs the method of claim 1 .
8 . An online marketplace that employs the method of claim 1 .
9 . A method for rating participants in online transactions, comprising:
collecting ratings from participants in an independent and undisclosed fashion; and
making the ratings available to the participants after a submission time is met and/or an event has occurred.
10 . The method of claim 9 further comprising:
disclosing ratings to participants after all participants have submitted their ratings and/or waived their rights to submit their ratings.
11 . The method of claim 9 further comprising:
revealing ratings after a pre-determined length of time initiated by a transaction event.
12 . The method of claim 9 further comprising:
divulging ratings after a time-of-day has been reached subsequent to a transaction event.
13 . The method of claim 9 further comprising:
disclosing ratings after all participants have submitted their ratings and/or waived their right to submit their rating.
14 . The method of claim 9 further comprising:
collecting ratings after a seller participant has received payment and a buyer participant has received transaction associated goods and/or services.
15 . An online auction service that employs the method of claim 9 .
16 . An online marketplace that employs the method of claim 9 .
17 . A system that determines online transaction feedback, comprising:
means for determining a probability mechanism before an occurrence of an online marketplace transaction; the probability mechanism determined by, at least in part, participants of the online marketplace transaction; and
means for determining which of the participants can submit feedback via employment of the probability mechanism after completion of the online marketplace transaction.
18 . A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable components of the system of claim 17 .
19 . A device employing the method of claim 1 comprising a computer, a server, and/or a handheld electronic device.
20 . A device employing the method of claim 9 comprising a computer, a server, and/or a handheld electronic device.