Patent ID: 7363271

Claim:
A system for negotiating freight and insurance transactions, the system comprising a server comprising a computer readable medium comprising program instructions executable by the server to: provide a first set of interfaces configured to connect two or more freight carriers to the server; provide a second set of interfaces configured to connect two or more insurance providers to the server; search a network for pricing information, wherein to search the network the program instructions are executable by the server to access said pricing information and corresponding terms through at least said first and second sets of interfaces; and maintain a current database comprising said pricing information and said corresponding terms; provide one or more interfaces configured to connect one or more emarketplaces to the server, wherein the one or more emarketplaces are separate from said server and are configured to allow purchasers to enter descriptions of items the purchasers wish to ship and insure; receive from one of the one or more emarketplaces, an indication of a request for a quote for pricing information for freight services for one or more items and pricing information for insurance services for said one or more items; in response to receiving the indication, generate the quote, wherein to generate the quote the program instructions are further executable to search the current database for pricing information for freight services and insurance services relevant to said one or more items, wherein the pricing information searched in the current database is stored in the current database prior to the server receiving said indication; and provide said quote, wherein said quote indicates pricing information for freight services for said one or more items and insurance services for said one or more items.