Patent Publication Number: US-2016232604-A1

Title: Methods and systems to adjust a reserve price in a network-based commerce system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/094,685, filed Dec. 2, 2013 which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/495,597, filed Jun. 30, 2009 which is a continuation that claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/749,628, filed Dec. 30, 2003 which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/437,194, filed Dec. 31, 2002 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/494,400, filed Aug. 11, 2003, which are incorporated herein by reference in entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of network-based commerce and, more specifically, to the facilitation of price negotiations between a buyer and a seller by a network-based auction facility. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many network-based commerce systems have emerged in the past several years. Through network-based commerce systems, potential sellers can enter information about their product or service for potential buyers to bid on. The information submitted by potential sellers is then organized, stored and presented as a listing by the network-based commerce system. Potential buyers can search through the organized seller information to find products or services on which they wish to purchase. A purchase price may be established with respect to a particular listing utilizing one of a number of price-setting mechanisms. For example, a particular commerce system may support one or more of a fixed price-setting mechanism (e.g., the seller publishes a price at which the item is to be sold, this price being fixed) and an auction price-setting mechanism. 
     Considering an auction price-setting mechanism, once a bidder locates an item (or listing) to bid on, the bidder can compete with other bidders for the item by submitting bids during a specified auction time period. At the end of the specified auction time period, the highest bid bidder is notified and the transaction between the seller and the highest bid bidder is facilitated. 
     While the current network-based commerce systems work well, a number of significant technical challenges to the automation of the commerce process remain. For example, many items in a network-based commerce system providing an auction price-setting mechanism have at most one bid during the specified auction time. An interested bidder must sometimes wait days for an auction to end even though his or her bid is the only bid received. Also, there are many potential buyers who do not like auction formats. 
     Another problem occurs when a seller sets an artificially high reserve price for a product listing, which turns out to be higher than any bidder is willing to pay for the Rev. listing and/or higher than a market price for the item. In this situation, the relevant item may not sell. 
     However, unlike traditional brick and mortar commerce locations that generally have sales representatives to answer questions about a good or service, network-based commerce systems (e.g., websites) may not have the capability to ask questions about the good/service, or the provision of such help functions may be expensive. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary network-based transaction facility in the form of a network-based commerce system. 
         FIG. 2  is a database diagram illustrating an exemplary database for the transaction facility. 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method of receiving listing information from a seller, indicating whether to offer the item at a seller fixed-price offer. 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method of generating a buyer preferred index page using category preferences or search criteria. 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method of displaying user interfaces for and operating a commerce system with an auction price-setting process and optionally a fixed price-setting process. 
         FIG. 6A  is a flow chart depicting a method, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, to adjust a seller fix-price offer in an auction. 
         FIG. 6B  is a flow chart depicting a method, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, to adjust a reserve price in an auction. 
         FIG. 6C  depicts a flow chart illustrating a method, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, to facilitate buyer proposal of an offer price. 
         FIG. 6D  depicts a flow chart illustrating a method, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, to adjust a reserve price and/or a seller-fixed-price offer for a listing based on a buyer request. 
         FIG. 7A  is a flow chart illustrating a method, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, to exchange reserve price information of a seller and proxy bid information of a buyer. 
         FIG. 7B  is a flow chart illustrating a method, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, to publish reserve price information based on predetermined criteria. 
         FIG. 7C  is a flow chart illustrating a method, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, to publish a fixed-price offer during an auction price-setting process. 
         FIG. 8  is a flow chart illustrating a method, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, for the operation of a listing analyzer. 
         FIG. 9  is a flow chart illustrating a method, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, to facilitate seller-controlled publication of question and answer information. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates an exemplary seller interface to receive information on seller&#39;s offerings. 
         FIG. 11  illustrates an exemplary buyer interface to facilitate a buyer in locating items to purchase or bid on. 
         FIG. 12  illustrates an exemplary item list generated in response to buyer&#39;s category selection or search criteria provided in the user interface. 
         FIG. 13  illustrates an exemplary buyer interface used to receive buyer information including an indication to use the fixed-price purchase process or the auction purchase process. 
         FIG. 14  shows a diagrammatic representation of machine in the exemplary form of a computer system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Activation of a fixed price offer in a network-based commerce system is disclosed. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be evident, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. 
     TERMINOLOGY 
     The term “user,” “buyer,” “seller,” and “bidder” shall be taken to refer to any entity, human or automated, that contributes to, or participates in, a transaction, communication or process. 
     The term “transaction” shall be taken to include any communication or exchange between two or more entities with a view to establishing a business agreement, an exchange of value or a commercial relationship. Accordingly, the word “transaction” shall be deemed to cover, but not be limited to, a purchase-and-sale transaction established as a result, for example, of the placement of an advertisement or as a result of the conclusion of an auction process, the auction process being conducted across a communications network or otherwise. 
     The term “data file” shall be taken to mean a collection of transaction listings. Accordingly, the phrase “data file” shall be deemed to cover, but not be limited to, a collection of transaction listings, for example, which is being propagated to a network-based transaction facility. 
     Commerce System 
       FIG. 1  is block diagram illustrating an exemplary network-based commerce system  10 . While an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described within the context of a network-based commerce system  10 , the invention will find application in many different types of computer-based, and network-based, facilities, platforms or marketplaces (commerce, transaction or otherwise). 
     The network-based commerce system  10 , in an exemplary embodiment, includes one or more of a number of types of front-end servers that each includes at least one Dynamic Link Library (DLL) to provide certain functionality. Page servers  12  deliver web pages (e.g., markup language documents), picture servers  14  dynamically deliver images to be displayed within web pages, listing servers  16  facilitate category-based browsing of listings, search servers  20  that handle search requests to the network-based commerce system  10  and facilitate keyword-based browsing of listings, and application servers  18  provide an intelligent interface to the back-end of the network-based commerce system  10 . E-mail servers  22  provide, inter alia, automated e-mail communications to users of the network-based commerce system  10 . Application servers  18  provide a set of functions (e.g., defined by an Application Program Interface (API)) for querying the network-based commerce system  10 . These queries include getting information on items, getting user information, listing items, etc. Application functions are invoked via an HTTP transport protocol request from an application. 
     The page servers  12 , picture servers  14 , listing servers  16 , application servers  18 , search servers  20 , e-mail servers  22  and database engine server  26  may individually, or in combination, act as a communication engine to facilitate communications between, for example, the client machine  38  and the network-based commerce system  10 . In addition, the page servers  12 , picture servers  14 , listing servers  16 , application servers  18 , search servers  20 , e-mail servers  22  and database engine server  26  may individually, or in combination, act as a transaction engine to facilitate transactions between, for example, the client machine  38  and the network-based commerce system  10 . Furthermore, the page servers  12 , picture servers  14 , listing servers  16 , application servers  18 , search servers  20 , e-mail servers  22 , and database engine server  26  may individually, or in combination, act as a display engine to facilitate the display of items (e.g., as listings) on a client machine  38 . 
     The back-end servers include a database engine server  26 , a search index server  24  and a credit card database server  28 , each of which maintains and facilitates access to a respective database. 
     The network-based commerce system  10  may be accessed by a client program, such as for example a browser  36  (e.g., a Internet Explorer browser distributed by Microsoft Corp. of Redmond, Wash.) that executes on a client machine  38  and accesses the network-based commerce system  10  via a network such as, for example, the Internet  34 . Other examples of networks that a client may utilize to access the network-based commerce system  10  include a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless network (e.g., a cellular network), or the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) network. 
     Further, while the environment described above with reference to  FIG. 1  employs a client-server architecture, it will be appreciated that a peer-to-peer (or distributed) architecture may also be employed to support the network-based commerce system. 
     Database Structure 
       FIG. 2  is a database diagram illustrating an exemplary database  30 , maintained by and accessed via the database engine server  26 , which at least partially implements and supports the network-based commerce system  10 . 
     The database  30  may, in one embodiment, be implemented as a relational database, and includes a number of tables having entries, or records, that are linked by indices and keys. In an alternative embodiment, the database  30  may be implemented as a collection of objects in an object-oriented database.  FIG. 2  shows one embodiment of a database, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention can be used with other database structures. 
     Central to the database  30  is a user table  54 , which contains a record for each user of the network-based commerce system  10 . A user may operate as a seller, buyer, or both, when utilizing the network-based commerce system  10 . The database  30  also includes items tables  60  that may be linked to the user table  54 . The items tables  60  may include a seller items table  52  and a bidder items table  58 . A user record in the user table  54  may be linked to multiple items that are being, or have been, listed or offered for sale via the network-based commerce system  10 . A link indicates whether the user is a seller or a bidder (or buyer) with respect to items for which records exist within the items tables  60 . 
     The database  30  also includes one or more category tables  47 . Each record within the category table  47  describes a respective category. In one embodiment, a specific category table  47  describes multiple, hierarchical category data structures, and includes multiple category records, each of which describes the context of a particular category within the one of the multiple hierarchical category structures. For example, the category table  47  may describe a number of real, or actual, categories to which item records, within the items tables  60 , may be linked. 
     The database  30  also includes one or more attributes tables  49 . Each record within an attributes table  49  describes a respective attribute. In one embodiment, a specific attributes table  49  describes multiple, hierarchical attribute data structures, and includes multiple attribute records, each of which describes the context of a particular attribute within the one of the multiple hierarchical attribute structures. For example, the attributes table  49  may describe a number of real, or actual, attributes to which item records, within the items tables  60 , may be linked. Also, the attributes table  49  may describe a number of real, or actual, attributes to which categories, within the category table  47 , may be linked. 
     The database  30  also includes a note table  46  populated with note records that may be linked to one or more item records within the items tables  60  and/or to one or more user records within the user table  54 . Each note record within the note table  46  may include, inter alia, a comment, description, history or other information pertaining to an item being offered via the network-based commerce system  10 , or to a user of the network-based commerce system  10 . Also, the database  30  includes a targeted site table  67  populated with targeted site records that may be linked to one or more item records within the items tables  60  and/or to one or more user records within the user table  54 . 
     A number of other tables are also shown to be linked to the user table  54 , namely a user past aliases table  48 , a feedback table  50 , a bids table  56 , an accounts table  64 , an account balances table  62  and a batch items table  40 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a flowchart for an exemplary embodiment of a method to acquire listing information from a seller. The seller issues a listing request (block  100 ) to the commerce system  10 , and the commerce system  10  generates instructions (block  110 ) offering the seller the option to sell his item using an auction price-setting process and/or a fixed price-setting process. After the instructions have been transmitted (block  120 ), and a page server  12  (see  FIG. 1 ) facilitates the display of the instructions, the seller decides whether to offer a bidder the chance to buy the item utilizing the fixed price-setting process (block  130 ). In one embodiment, if the bidder options to buy the listed item utilizing the fixed price-setting process, the auction for the listing is automatically closed. 
     The seller transmits a purchase process indicator by either an affirmative (block  140 ) or a negative (block  150 ). The server (commerce system  10 ) can receive and store in note table  46  of database  30  ( FIG. 2 ) this information for later use (block  160 ). The seller also transmits other offering information, such as a description, picture, a reserve price, and contact information to be collected and stored in the listings tables  60  of the database  30  (see  FIG. 2 ) (block  170 ). 
       FIG. 4  shows a flow chart showing one embodiment of a buyer&#39;s interaction with the network-based commerce system  10 , which in the exemplary embodiment provides a web site to facilitate user interaction. The buyer locates the web site by inputting the commerce system identifier (e.g., a URL) (block  405 ) into the client program  36  running on client machine  38  (see  FIG. 1 ) which transmits the commerce system identifier (block  610 ) through the Internet  34  (See  FIG. 1 ). The network-based commerce system  10  receives the transmission and a listing server  16  (see  FIG. 1 ) generates (block  420 ) a list of available categories of items stored in items table  60  (see  FIG. 2 ) for buyer selection. The commerce system  10  (block  430 ) transmits the category list and transmits an interface, generated by page server  12  (see  FIG. 1 ), to allow the buyer to enter search for navigation criteria, which may the selectable from the category list, or may be independent of the category list (e.g., a text search). The buyer selects a category preference from the category list or generates search criteria (block  440 ). The buyer then transmits (block  450 ) the category preference and/or search criteria, again, via the Internet  34  (see  FIG. 1 ). Upon receipt of the category preference and/or search criteria, the commerce system  10  uses a search server  20  (see  FIG. 1 ) to generate an item index page of relevant offerings including visual indicators displayed in respect to items in which the seller is allowing a buyer to buy the item at a seller fixed-price offer, utilizing a fixed price-setting process (block  460 ). The item index page is transmitted to the buyer (block  480 ). After receiving the item index page (block  470 ), the buyer generates a request for an item to purchase or bid on. Picture servers  14  (see  FIG. 1 ) can also be used to show the buyer pictures (if available) of the item. The buyer&#39;s request is then transmitted (block  490 ). 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  presented a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method by which the buyer interfaces with the network-based commerce system  10 , when a seller fixed-price offer is an alternative option to bidding. After the commerce system  10  receives the bidder&#39;s request (block  200 ) from the client machine  38 , decision block  210  decides if there is still time remaining in an auction price-setting process for the relevant item (item requested by the bidder). Specifically, the auction price-setting process may be time limited. In this embodiment, if a predetermined period of time has passed, the buyer will not be allowed to buy at the seller fixed-price offer. Instead the auction price-setting process will end and the highest bidder (if there is one) will be determined (block  380 ). However, in alternative embodiments, the buyer is allowed to buy at the seller fixed-price offer after a predetermined period of time has passed, as will be described below in conjunction with  FIG. 6 . If there is time remaining, a determination is made in decision block  220  whether a prior bid has been received. In this embodiment, if a prior bid has been received, then the seller fixed-price offer is no longer available to the buyer and the buyer&#39;s only option is to bid and a second user interface will be generated (block  390 ). If no prior bid has been received, and the item has a seller fixed-price offer available, a first user interface will be generated (block  230 ). The commerce system  10  will make the typical auction price-setting process available through the first user interface (block  240 ) and will make the fixed price-setting process available to the client through the first user interface (block  250 ). The seller fixed-price offer is retrieved for the first user interface (block  260 ). The first user interface is generated as a markup language document suitable for viewing by the buyer (block  270 ). The generated markup language document is then transmitted for viewing by the buyer on the client machine  38  using pages servers  12  on the network-based commerce system  10  (block  280 ). 
     Referring again to decision block  220 , if it is determined that an initial bid value has been received, a second user interface will be generated (block  390 ). The auction price-setting process is then invoked, and made available through the second user interface (block  400 ). The second user interface is generated as a markup language document suitable for viewing by the buyer (block  270 ). The generated markup language document is then transmitted to the buyer (block  280 ). 
     After the markup language document has been transmitted to the buyer, a determination is made at decision block  420 , based on the transmitted markup language document, whether the fixed price-setting process is available to the buyer. If the fixed price-setting process is available to the buyer, the buyer then makes a determination at decision block  290  whether to buy the item utilizing the fixed price-setting process (e.g., at the seller fixed-price bronze offer) or utilizing the auction price-setting process (e.g., whether to bid on the item). If the buyer chooses to purchase the item using the fixed price-setting process, an indication to this end is transmitted to the commerce system  10 . 
     If the fixed price-setting process is not available to the buyer (as determined in decision block  420 ) or fixed price-setting process is available, but the buyer chooses not to use the list option, the buyer provides a bid (block  310 ). The bid is then transmitted to the commerce system  10  (block  320 ). 
     Upon receiving a transmission at the network-based commerce system  10 , from the buyer, a determination is made at decision block  330  whether the buyer has chosen the fixed price-setting process. If the buyer has chosen the fixed price-setting process, the auction price-setting process is stopped (block  340 ) and a transaction is established between the buyer and the seller (block  410 ). Optionally, the commerce system  10  can check the buyer&#39;s credit before stopping the auction. 
     If the buyer has not opted to use the fixed price-setting process, as determined by the commerce system  10  at decision block  330  (either because it wasn&#39;t available or he or she preferred to place a bid instead), the bid is received (block  350 ). Optionally, if the bid is greater than the seller fixed-price offer (and the fixed price-setting process is still available), the commerce system  10  may invite the buyer to use the fixed price-setting process. In one embodiment, upon receipt of the bid, the fixed price-setting process option is removed (block  360 ) and a determination is made at decision block  370  to see if there is any time remaining in the auction price-setting process. If there is time remaining, bids can be received and processed until expiration of the auction price-setting process. However, if there is no more time remaining in the auction price-setting process, the highest valid bid is determined from the received bids (block  380 ), and a transaction is established between the highest bidder and the seller (block  410 ). 
       FIG. 6A  is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method to just a seller fixed-price offer, provided within the context of a concurrent auction price-setting process, where the option remains for the buyer to purchase a listed item at the commerce system  10  for the seller fixed-price of a during the auction price-setting process, even after bids have been submitted. However, the fixed price-setting process option may disappear if submitted bids surpass either the reserve price or the fixed-price offer. 
     A seller client side  601 , a buyer client side  603 , and a server side  602  separate  FIG. 6A . At block  605 , within the seller client side  601 , a seller may provide an indication to adjust a seller fixed-price offer for a listing when generating offer information. For example, a seller may decide to adjust a seller fixed-price offer of a listing after determining that the current seller fixed-price offer is higher than a buyer is willing to play and/or higher than a market price for the item. 
     At block  606 , the commerce system  10  receives the listing information, including the indication that a reserve price and/or seller fixed price offer of the listing may be adjusted during the auction price-setting process. One exemplary embodiment of a method to receive and process listing information from a seller at the commerce system  10  is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The listing information, including reserve price and/or fixed-price offer price information, may be collected and stored in the seller items table  52  of database  30 . 
     At block  608 , a buyer selects a buyer opt-in indication to opt into a binding agreement if the seller fixed-price offer is adjusted at or below a submitted bid of the buyer during the auction price-setting process. That is, when a buyer places a bid on an item, the buyer will be given the option (e.g., via a bid confirmation page) to make the bid an opt-in bid or an opt-out bid. In one embodiment, if the buyer does nothing, the bid defaults to being an opt-out bid, as will be described. 
     If a buyer opts-in, the buyer agrees that the placed bid is binding regardless of whether an adjustment made to the reserve price or seller fixed-price offer of an item during the auction price-setting process. If a buyer has opted out, this indicates the buyer&#39;s desire that a placed bid not be binding in the event that an adjustment is made to the reserve price or the seller fixed-price offer. It should be understood that the buyer may submit a proxy bid for the item, in which case the commerce system  10  will submit a bid (e.g., based on a predetermined increment) on the behalf of a buyer up to a maximum bid price set by the buyer. 
     At block  610 , the network-based commerce system  10  receives the buyer bid option, including an opt-in or opt-out bid preference. The bid option information may be stored in the user table  54  of database  30  (at block  612 ). 
     At block  614 , the seller transmits an option to adjust the predefined seller fixed-price offer of a listing for an item during an auction price-setting process. 
     At block  616 , the commerce system  10  receives the option to adjust the seller fixed-price offer. At block  618 , the commerce system  10  adjusts the seller fixed-price offer based on the indication given by the seller in block  614 . 
     At block  619 , the commerce system  10  determined whether the adjusted fixed-price offer is less than the proxy of the bidder. If the seller fixed-price offer is lowered, but is still above the bidder&#39;s proxy bid, control passes to block  623 . If the seller fixed-price offer is lowered and is less than the bidder&#39;s proxy, control passes to block  620 . 
     At block  623 , no action will be taken and the auction will continue. The bids will stand, and the auction price-setting process will still show the reserve price has not been met. 
     At block  620 , a determination is made whether a buyer has submitted an opt-in bid. If an opt-in bid has been submitted, control passes to block  622 . If an opt-out bid has been submitted, control passes to block  628 . At block  622 , if the seller lowers the seller fixed-price offer to at or below the opt-in bidder&#39;s proxy bid, the high bidder will then automatically become the winner of the item and the agreement is binding (block  624 ). At block  625 , the commerce system  10 , via a page server  12 , will show the auction price-setting process has ended for the item with the seller fixed-price offer. At block  626 , a transaction is established between the buyer and seller. 
     At block  627 , the buyer is notified of being a winner of the listing. Notification may be performed via an email mechanism, instant messaging, peer-to-peer communications, update of the listing, or other well-known electronic or non-electronic communications mechanisms well-known to those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     If the seller fixed-price offer is lowered (block  618 ), but is still higher than the opt-in bidder&#39;s high bid (block  622 ), the auction price-setting process will continue (block  630 ). 
     At block  620 , if a buyer has opted out, the proxy bid of the buyer is not binding if the price is lowered. At block  628 , if the seller lowers the seller fixed-price offer below the opt-out bidder&#39;s proxy bid, the commerce system  10  will transmit a notification of the adjustment to the buyer(s) (and/or other relevant parties) that have established proxy bids at or greater than the adjusted seller fixed-price offer. 
     The relevant parties may include all of the buyers that have submitted a bid for the item and/or watchers (e.g., individuals that are have indicated an interest in the auction but may have not submit a bid). The relevant parties may also include parties that are given special consideration during the auction for a variety of reasons. 
     If the seller lowers the seller fixed-price offer to a price that is still greater than a buyer proxy bid, no special messaging is given to the high bidder and the auction price-setting process continues as normal, at block  630 . 
     At block  634 , the buyer (and/or relevant parties) receives notifications of the adjustment of the reserve price and/or fixed-price offer. Notification may be performed via an email mechanism, instant messaging, peer-to-peer communications, update of listing, or other well-known electronic or non-electronic communications mechanisms well-known to those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     At block  636 , the buyer receives notification of being a winner of the offering. 
     It should be understood that the seller fixed-price offer for the listing may initially be set before or during the auction for the item. It should also be understood that the seller fixed-price offer will be available on the listing until the item is purchased or the auction for the listing ends. The seller may further, during an auction, invoke and activate the seller fix-price offer feature, as discussed above. Also, the fixed price-setting process option may be disabled if submitted bids surpass either the reserve price or the fixed-price offer, as discussed above in conjunction with  FIG. 5 . It should be understood that the seller may adjust the reserve price and/or the seller fixed-price offer as often as wanted. 
     It should be appreciated that the process flow of  FIG. 6A  may be used when the seller options to adjust the reserve price. However, instead of designating a winner (at block  624 ), ending the auction (at block  625 ), and initiating a transaction (at block  626 ), the commerce system  10  may inform the bidders that the reserve has been met. Furthermore, if the seller fixed-price offer is lowered below the reserve price, the reserve price will also be automatically lowered to the same amount as the seller fixed-price offer. 
       FIG. 6B  is a flowchart illustrating a method, according to one embodiment of the present invention, to adjust a reserve price in an auction. Operations on a seller client side  601 , a buyer client side  603 , and a server side  602  are distinguished in  FIG. 6B . At block  640 , a seller adjust a reserve price for a listing. At block  642 , the seller receives the seller&#39;s adjustment of the reserve price for the listing. At block  644 , the reserve price is adjusted at the commerce system  10 . 
     At block  646 , if the buyer has submitted an opted-in bid, (as in block  608 ), control passes to block  648 . At block  646 , if the buyer has submitted an opt-out bid, control passes to block  654 . At block  648 , if the reserve price is lowered below a maximum proxy bid submitted by the buyer, at block  644 , control passes to block  650 . At block  650 , the buyer will remain the current high bidder, but the high bid will be raised to the adjusted reserve price, and the reserve will be noted as met at block  652 . The auction price-setting process is now binding. At block  648 , if the reserve price is lowered, but is still above the opt-in bidder&#39;s proxy. The commerce system  10  will still show the reserve price is not yet met and the auction price-setting process will continue at block  658 . 
     At block  654 , if it is determined that the seller has lowered the reserve price below the proxy of the opt-out buyer, control passes to block  656 . At block  656 , the proxy bid will be lowered to below the adjusted reserve price. For example, the proxy bid will be lowered to one dollar below the lowered reserve price. In one embodiment, in addition to the email that will be sent to all bidders when the reserve has been lowered, there may also be messaging that will explain that the proxy bid has been changed. There may also be a capability to receive more detailed information (e.g., a link to a WWW page generated by the page server  12 , that gives more detailed information to the bidder). 
     If the reserve price is lowered, but is still above the opt-out bidder&#39;s proxy, at block  654  control passes to block  658 . At block  658 , the auction price-setting process will continue, the bids will stand, and the commerce system  10  will still show reserve not met. 
     It should also be understood that the reserve price may be removed or disabled from a listing. In this fashion, the auction facility  10  will notify the parties that the reserve price has been met automatically or upon receiving the next bid for the item. This would mean, for example, that the current high bidder would be bound to purchase the listed item at the current high bid price or the reserve price is automatically adjusted to be a specific amount (e.g., $1) above the current high bid (and the next bid that is placed will meet the reserve price). It should also be understood that in one embodiment, the reserve price and/or seller fixed-price offer may also be increased. The reserve price and/or seller fixed-price offer for the listing may initially be set before or during the auction price-setting process for the item. Further, the seller fix-price offer may be available on the listing until the item is purchased or the auction price-setting process for the listing ends. Also, the bidders may be notified (e.g., via email, instant messenger, update of listing, etc) of any change in reserve price (at block  644 ), high bid (at block  650 ), and proxy bid (at block  656 ). It should be understood that the seller may adjust the reserve price and/or the seller fixed-price offer as often as wanted. 
       FIG. 6C  is a flowchart illustrating a method, according to one embodiment of the present invention, to receive buyer proposed offer price. According to this method, a buyer may indicate a desire to a seller to purchase a listed item from the seller at a buyer-proposed offer price, thereby negotiating with the seller to buy the item. Operations at a seller client side  601 , a buyer client side  603 , and a server side  602  are shown in  FIG. 6C . 
     At block  654 , a buyer generates a buyer-proposed price for an offered item listed on the commerce system  10 . The buyer-proposed offer price may be the price the buyer is willing to pay for the listed item, and the seller may accept or reject. 
     At block  656 , the commerce system  10  receives the buyer-proposed offer price for the listing. At block  658 , the commerce system  10  notifies the seller of the buyer-proposed offer price (e.g., via email, instant messaging, and update of listing, among other well-known mechanisms). 
     At block  660 , the seller receives the notification of the buyer-proposed offer price. At decision block  662 , the seller declines or accepts the buyer-proposed offer price as an agreed-upon price of the item. At block  664 , the seller transmits the indication of the acceptance or the declining of the buyer-proposed offer price to the network-based commerce system  10 . 
     At block  666 , the network-based commerce system  10 , receives the indication of the seller&#39;s acceptance or declining of the buyer-proposed price as an agreed-upon price. At block  668 , if the seller accepts the buyer-proposed price, control passes to block  670 . At block  668 , if the seller declines the buyer-proposed price, control passes to block  674  and the auction continues. At block  670 , the auction price-setting process is stopped. At block  672 , a transaction obligations are established between the buyer and the seller. It should also be understood that although the seller may not accept the buyer-proposed offer price, the seller may, in the alternative, adjust the reserve price and/or seller fixed-price offer of the listing of the item, as described above. In this way, the buyer and seller may negotiate to reach a mutually agreed to sale price. 
       FIG. 6D  is a flowchart illustrating a method, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, to adjust a reserve price and/or seller fixed-price offer for a listing, based on a buyer request. At block  674 , the buyer generates a request for the seller to adjust the predefined seller fixed-price offer of the listing and/or the reserve price of the listing. In this way, the buyer attempts to negotiate with the seller to lower the reserve price and/or fixed-price during an auction price-setting process, lest, for example, the auction price-setting process terminates without a winner. 
     At block  676 , the network-based commerce system  10  receives the buyer request to adjust the reserve price and/or seller fixed-price offer. At block  678 , the network-based commerce system  10  notifies the seller of the request to adjust the seller fixed-price offer and/or reserve price (e.g., via email, instant messaging, among other notification mechanisms). 
     At block  680 , the seller receives the buyer&#39;s request to adjust the seller fixed-price offer and/or reserve price. At block  682 , the seller indicates whether to adjust the fixed-price offer and/or reserve price. At block  684 , the buyer transmits the indication to adjust the reserve price and/or seller fixed-price offer proposed by the buyer. 
     At block  686 , the network-based commerce system  10  receives the indication to adjust the reserve price and/or seller fixed-price offer. At block  688 , if the indication is to accept the buyer-proposed adjustment, control passes to block  690 . If the indication is not to accept the buyer-proposed adjustment, control passes to block  694 . At block  694 , the buyer (and any other relevant party) are notified of the rejection and the auction continues. 
     At block  690 , the network-based commerce system  10  adjusts the reserve price and/or seller fixed-price offer based on the buyer adjustment request. The adjustment of the reserve price and/or seller fixed-price offer may be published to the client machine  38  using page server  12  a commerce system  10 . 
     At block  692 , the buyer is notified of the adjustment of the seller fixed-price offer and/or reserve price. In one embodiment, any additional relevant party may also be notified of the adjustment of the seller fixed-price offer and/or reserve price. The notification may be via email, instant messaging, etc. 
     At block  696 , the buyer receives the notification of the adjustment of the seller fixed-price offer and/or reserve price (e.g., via email, instant messaging, among other examples) 
       FIG. 7A  is a flowchart illustrating a method, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, to facilitate exchanging reserve price information of a seller and proxy bid information of a buyer. The process flow of  FIG. 7A  is separated into a seller client side  701 , a buyer client side  703 , and a server side  702 . This process flow allows a buyer and seller to agree to exchange proxy and reserve price information with a view to promoting establishment of a mutually agreed to price for the item. In one embodiment, this process flow may be initiated upon the server  702  inviting a seller and/or a buyer to exchange proxy bid information and reserve price information. These invitation may be provided on the listings to the related items before or during the auction price-setting process. 
     At block  712 , the seller indicates a willingness to exchange reserve price information related to a listing if the buyer agrees to provide proxy bid information. This indication is sent to the commerce system  10 . 
     At block  715 , the network-based commerce system  10  receives an indication that the seller is willing to exchange the reserve price information of a listing if the buyer is willing to agree to provide proxy bid information. 
     At block  721 , a buyer indicates a willingness to exchange proxy bid information related to the listing if the seller agrees to provide the current reserve price of the listing for the item. This indication is sent to the commerce system  10 . 
     At block  718 , the network-based commerce system  10  receives an indication that the buyer is willing to exchange the proxy bid information of a listing if the buyer is willing to agree to provide reserve price information. 
     At block  720 , a determination is made at the commerce system  10  whether both the seller and the buyer agree to exchange the reserve price information and proxy bid information, respectively. Following a positive determination at block  720 , the reserve price information is sent to the seller and the proxy bid information is sent to the buyer at block  727 . 
     At block  730 , the seller receives the buyer proxy bid information. 
     At block  736 , the buyer receives the seller reserve price information. 
     This exchange seller and buyer information could occur during or after an auction. In one embodiment, upon conclusion of an auction, a notification (e.g., email, etc.) is sent to the seller and/or buyer inviting them to exchange reserve price and/or proxy bid information to the other party. In one embodiment, a notification could be triggered when the proxy and reserve prices are within a predetermined proximity (e.g., a 20% proximity) to each other. Further, these exchanges could be maintained as private communications between a particular buyer and a seller. Alternatively, an exchange offer could be indicated in the listing, either during or after the auction. It should be noted that this concept is mutually exclusive with the publication of the proxy and reserve prices during an auction. 
     It should be understood that the commerce system  10  may allow the seller and/or buyer to communicate their desire to exchange information directly to the other party. The receiving party may then reply with an indication whether to accept the invitation to exchange information or not. 
     In one embodiment, the auction facility  10  automatically displays the proxy bid (e.g., the maximum amount a buyer is willing to bid to purchase an item on a listing) while the proxy bid amount is less than a reserve price. 
     In one embodiment, the seller would be able to communicate different prices (e.g., reserve or seller fix-price offer) to different sellers, depending upon various conditions. For example, where the buyer had an excellent reputation, or utilized a specific payment service (e.g., PayPal), the seller may wish to offer a discounted price. Further, other factors such as shipping etc. could be built into the price, in which case the seller could communicate different prices based on buyer location. Essentially, this mechanism would allow the seller to engage in multiple parallel negotiations with individual buyers and different conditions possibly applying to each buyer. This mechanism could provide a “second phase” in the negotiation process whereby, following establishment of a base price at the close of an auction or fixed-price-setting process, the buyer and seller could engage in separate negotiations regarding the shipping or other charges. 
       FIG. 7B  is a flowchart illustrating a method, according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, to facilitate publishing reserve price information based on criteria. The process flow of  FIG. 7B  is separated into a seller client side  701  and a server side  702 . 
     At block  739 , a seller indicates a willingness to publish a reserve price listing of an item that is otherwise hidden from the buyers on the commerce system  10 , upon completion of certain criteria. This concept is motivated by the understanding that, in a below-reserve situation, buyers are not bidding against other buyers but in fact bidding against the reserve price. It should be understood that when the high proxy bid exceeds the reserve price, the proxy bid information is no longer published so as to allow buyer to compete against each other with the required anonymity. In one embodiment, the auction may be limited in certain commerce categories (e.g., high value categories), or that could otherwise be optional enabled/disabled by a seller. 
     At block  742 , the commerce system  10  receives an indication to publish the reserve price upon the completion of the given criteria. At block  745 , a determination is made whether the criteria have been met. The criteria may be, for example, to publish either or both of the proxy and reserve prices if the high proxy bid is less than the reserve price. If the criteria have been met, control passes to block  748 . At block  748 , the commerce system  10  publishes the reserve price and/or proxy bid information for the item. If the criteria have not been met, control passes to block  751 . At block  751 , the commerce system  10  removes or retract the reserve price and/or proxy bid information from publication via a page server  12 . 
     It should be understood that the bidder may be notified (e.g., via email, instant messenger, update of listing, etc) of the publication of the reserve price and/or proxy (at block  748 ) or the removal of publication (at block  751 ). 
     It should also be understood that the commerce system  10  may publish the proxy bid without receiving an indication from the seller. In this fashion, the commerce system  10  publishes the proxy bid (e.g., the maximum amount the buyer is willing to pay for an item) regardless of the seller&#39;s desire. 
       FIG. 7C  is a flowchart illustrating a method, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, to publish a fixed-price offer during an auction. The process flow of  FIG. 7C  is separated into a seller client side  701  and a server side  702 . 
     At block  760 , the seller indicates a desire to publish a predefined fixed-price offer for an item listed for auction when a specific criterion has been met. The seller fixed-price offer may be made available, or alternatively the seller fixed-price offer may be published, once the actual or proxy bids have reached a certain value. Accordingly, the seller fix-price offer is not published until this point. Again, notification would be utilized to advise buyers or watchers that the seller fix-price offer auction had been activated, or that the seller fix-price offer had been published. For example, the specific criteria may be not to display the seller fixed-price offer until a specific time has lapse on the auction. 
     At block  763 , the commerce system  10  receives the indication from the buyer not to display the fixed-price offer until the criteria has been met. At block  767 , a determination is made whether the criteria has been met. If the criteria has been met, then control passes to block  770 . If the criteria is not met, control passes to block  733 . At block  770 , the commerce system  10  publishes the fixed-price offer related of the listing describing an item during auctioned. 
     At block  773 , a determination is made whether the auction has ended. If the auction has not ended, control passes returns to block  767 . If the auction has ended, control passes to block  775 . 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a process flow of one embodiment of a list analyzer. The processes are separated into the processes of a seller client side  801 , a buyer client side  803 , and a server side  802 . The list analyzer process reviews a listing of an offering submitted by a seller and makes suggestions to how the listing may be improved to increase the likelihood of a sale resulting. 
     At block  812 , a seller prepares a listing of offering at the client machine  38 . At block  815 , the seller submits the listing to the commerce system  10 . At block  818 , the commerce system  818  receives the listing of the offering. At block  821 , the commerce system  10  analyzes the listing. For example, the commerce system  10  could review the submitted listing by automatically checking the fields and setting for completeness (e.g., amount of text description, photo on listing, etc.), suggest formatting (e.g., bold type), suggest text, suggest images, and/or a pricing strategy (e.g., use a seller fixed-price with no reserve price information). 
     At block  824 , if suggestions are to be made to the seller based on the analysis of the listing, control passes to block  827 . If, at block  824 , suggestions are not to be made to the seller based on the analysis of the listing, control passes to block  830 . 
     At block  830 , the auction continues. 
     At block  827 , the suggestions are sent to the seller. At block  833 , the seller receives the suggestions. At block  836 , the seller determines whether to accept the suggestions. If, at block  836 , the seller, determines to accept the suggestions, control returns to block  815  and the updated listing is sent to the commerce system  10 . 
     In one embodiment, the analyzing of the listing at block  821  may check for a valid VIN number (Vehicle Identification Number) when listing a vehicle to reduce the insurance premiums. The commerce system  10  may check the vehicle VIN against a vehicle history database to double check against title fraud, odometer rollback, etc. In one embodiment, the vehicle database may be stored locally on the commerce system  10  or remote on a third party database, such as an auction insurance company. If the vehicle history database is stored remotely, the remote database could report back problems to the commerce system  10 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a process flow of one embodiment of a seller-controlled publication of question and answer sets. The processes are separated into the processes of a seller client side  901 , a buyer client side  903 , and a server side  902 . At block  912 , a bidder submits a question about a listing to a seller via the commerce system  10 . At block  915 , the commerce system  10  receives the question. At block  918 , the commerce system  10  sends the question to the seller of the listing. At block  921 , the seller receives the question. At block  924 , if the seller determines to publish the question on the listing, control passes to block  927 . At block  924 , if the seller determines not to publish the question and an answer to the question on the listing, control passes to block  933 . At block  927 , the commerce system  10  receives the indication to publish the question and answer. At block  930 , the question and answer are published in association with the listing via the page server  12 . At block  933 , the seller sends the question and answer to the bidder. At block  936 , the commerce system  10 , receives the question and answer. At block  939 , the commerce system sends the question and answer to the buyer that asked the question. At block  942 , the bidder receives the question and answer. 
     It should be understood that the bidder need not send the question to the seller about the listing via the commerce system  10 . Alternatively, the bidder may communicate the question directly to the seller (e.g., via email), and also, the bidder may determine to communicate the answer to the question directly to the bidder. In this fashion, the seller may provide different responses to the same question to different bidders. 
       FIG. 10  provides an exemplary embodiment of the user interface  500  created at block  110  in  FIG. 3  to relay offering options to the seller and collect information on the seller&#39;s item. The user interface  500  gives the seller the option to allow a bidder to buy the item at a seller fixed-price offer  514 . 
       FIG. 11  provides an exemplary embodiment of the category list  517  and search criteria request generated by block  420  in  FIG. 4 . A buyer can generate search criteria (block  440 ) by typing the search criteria (block  516 ). 
       FIG. 12  provides an exemplary embodiment of the item index page generated at block  460  in  FIG. 4 . A possible placement of the fixed-price purchase process availability icon  518  is shown next to the item. Also displayed in the embodiment of the item index page is a list of prices  514  which could either be the current bid or the seller fixed-price offer if available. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the fields as displayed in  FIG. 12 . 
       FIG. 13  shows an exemplary embodiment of the markup language document generated at block  270  in  FIG. 5 . Regular auction panel  503  is generated (blocks  240  and  400 ). Fixed price purchase process panel  504  is generated (block  250 ) in  FIG. 5 . The buyer can submit a bid  520  or, depending on the availability of the fixed price purchase process, can start the fixed price purchase process in panel  504 . 
       FIG. 14  shows a diagrammatic representation of machine in the exemplary form of a computer system  1000  within which a set of instructions, for causing the machine to perform any one of the methodologies discussed above, may be executed. In alternative embodiments, the machine may comprise a network router, a network switch, a network bridge. Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a web appliance, set-top box (STB) or any machine capable of executing a sequence of instructions that specify actions to be taken by that machine. 
     The computer system  1000  includes a processor  1002 , a main memory  1006  and a static memory  1008 , which communicate with each other via a bus  1024 . The computer system  1000  may further include a video display unit  1012  (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT)). The computer system  1000  also includes an alphanumeric input device  1014  (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device  1016  (e.g., a mouse), a disk drive unit  1018 , a signal generation device  1022  (e.g., a speaker) and a network interface device  1010 . 
     The disk drive unit  1018  includes a machine-readable medium  1020  on which is stored a set of instructions (i.e., software)  1004  embodying any one, or all of the methodologies described above. The software  1004  is also shown to reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory  1006  and/or within the processor  1002 . The software  1004  may further be transmitted or received via the network interface device  1010 . For the purposes of this specification, the term “machine-readable medium” shall be taken to include any medium which is capable of storing or encoding a sequence of instructions for execution by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one of the methodologies of the present invention. The term “machine-readable medium” shall accordingly be taken to included, but not be limited to, solid-state memories, optical and magnetic disks, and carrier wave signals. Further, while the software is shown in  FIG. 14  to reside within a single device, it will be appreciated that the software  1004  could be distributed across multiple machines or storage media, which may include the machine-readable medium. 
     In the foregoing detailed description, the method and system of the present invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader scope of the present invention. In particular, the separate blocks of the various block diagrams represent functional blocks of methods or apparatuses and are not necessarily indicative of physical or logical separations or of an order of operation inherent in the scope of the present invention. For example, the blocks of  FIGS. 3, 4, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, 7A, 7B, and 7C, 8, and 9  represent portions of a method, which, in some embodiments, may be reordered or may be organized in parallel rather than in a linear or step-wise fashion. The present specification and figures are accordingly to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.