A method of allocating resources in batch mode via a computer system to reduce burst loading, the method comprising the steps of: transmitting over a network to a plurality of terminals information regarding a future first time period, the first time period being a presale period when resource requests for a first set of resources will be accepted but will not be allocated; receiving a plurality of resource requests over the network from a plurality of requesters during the first period of time, wherein the requested resources are event tickets and have respective fixed prices; ranking the plurality of resource requests based on one or more of the following criteria: location of one or more resource requesters; historical transaction frequency of one or more resource requesters; quantity of previous resource allocations to one or more resource requesters; historical transaction value of resource allocations to one or more resource requesters; information related to reallocation of resources by one or more resource requesters to others; a quantity of resources currently being requested by one or more resource requesters; whether a number of resources currently being requested by one or more resource requesters is an odd or even number of resources; preferred membership status of one or more resource requesters, wherein the ranking is independent of the order in which the resource requests are received during the first period of time so that resource requesters will not obtain a ranking advantage via a relatively earlier submission of a resource request during the first period of time, to thereby reduce bursts of resource requests during at least a portion of the first period of time and reduce burst loading on the computer system; during a second period of time, allocating resources using a processing system to at least a portion of the plurality requesters based at least in part on corresponding resource request rankings; and transmitting a communication over the network to at least one requester allocated a requested resource, the communication including a notification regarding the requested resource allocation. transmitting over a network to a plurality of terminals information regarding a future first time period, the first time period being a presale period when resource requests for a first set of resources will be accepted but will not be allocated; receiving a plurality of resource requests over the network from a plurality of requesters during the first period of time, wherein the requested resources are event tickets and have respective fixed prices; ranking the plurality of resource requests based on one or more of the following criteria: location of one or more resource requesters; historical transaction frequency of one or more resource requesters; quantity of previous resource allocations to one or more resource requesters; historical transaction value of resource allocations to one or more resource requesters; information related to reallocation of resources by one or more resource requesters to others; a quantity of resources currently being requested by one or more resource requesters; whether a number of resources currently being requested by one or more resource requesters is an odd or even number of resources; preferred membership status of one or more resource requesters, wherein the ranking is independent of the order in which the resource requests are received during the first period of time so that resource requesters will not obtain a ranking advantage via a relatively earlier submission of a resource request during the first period of time, to thereby reduce bursts of resource requests during at least a portion of the first period of time and reduce burst loading on the computer system; location of one or more resource requesters; historical transaction frequency of one or more resource requesters; quantity of previous resource allocations to one or more resource requesters; historical transaction value of resource allocations to one or more resource requesters; information related to reallocation of resources by one or more resource requesters to others; a quantity of resources currently being requested by one or more resource requesters; whether a number of resources currently being requested by one or more resource requesters is an odd or even number of resources; preferred membership status of one or more resource requesters, wherein the ranking is independent of the order in which the resource requests are received during the first period of time so that resource requesters will not obtain a ranking advantage via a relatively earlier submission of a resource request during the first period of time, to thereby reduce bursts of resource requests during at least a portion of the first period of time and reduce burst loading on the computer system; during a second period of time, allocating resources using a processing system to at least a portion of the plurality requesters based at least in part on corresponding resource request rankings; and transmitting a communication over the network to at least one requester allocated a requested resource, the communication including a notification regarding the requested resource allocation.