Patent ID: 7171387

Claim:
A method for facilitating a transaction, comprising: receiving at a server computer via a communication network data indicative of an initial transaction involving a total quantity of a product, wherein said initial transaction is required to occur within a time period, said time period defined by a start date and an end date, said data including information regarding a total price associated with said initial transaction, said data including information regarding a marketplace where said product is available, said data including information regarding delivery of said product, said data including an identifier associated with said initial transaction, said data including an identifier associated with said product, said product being a physical product; determining a minimum order for said product at a marketplace; associating a plurality of secondary transactions with said initial transaction, wherein each of said secondary transactions is required to occur within said time period, one of said secondary transactions for execution at said marketplace for which said minimum order was determined, another one of said secondary transactions for execution at a marketplace that is different from said marketplace for which said minimum order was determined, each of said secondary transactions being determined based on a market impact of said initial transaction and on a market impact of said each secondary transaction on a respective marketplace at which said each secondary transaction is to be executed, said associating including allocating said total quantity of said product among said plurality of secondary transactions based on anticipated market impact of each of said secondary transactions on a price of said product at each of a plurality of marketplaces and based on delivery requirements and shipping times for said product; providing to another server computer via said communication network data indicative of each one of said plurality of secondary transactions; determining a fee associated with said plurality of secondary transactions, said fee based on a number of marketplaces involved in said plurality of secondary transactions; providing to said another server computer via said communication network data indicative of said fee; and using at least one of said server computers to execute said plurality of secondary transactions after said start date and before said end date.