Patent ID: 7418410

Claim:
A method of requesting bids from a plurality of vendors, the method comprising: controlling a plurality of graphical interfaces which are operatively coupled to a database and a processor, the processor being operable over a network, the graphical interfaces including: (a) a vendor registration graphical interface; (b) a request graphical interface; (c) a first additional graphical interface; and (d) a second additional graphical interface; receiving, through the vendor registration graphical interface, product/service information and geographical information from each one of the plurality of vendors; receiving, through the request graphical interface, a request for a product/service from a customer, the request including request data indicative of: (a) the product/service; (b) a desired delivery location; and (c) a quantity of a plurality of desired responses; storing a unique request identifier associated with the request; determining that a first geographical area is closer to the desired delivery location than a second geographical area is to the desired delivery location; selecting a first quantity of vendors associated with the first geographical area; selecting a second quantity of vendors associated with the second geographical area if the first quantity of vendors is less than the quantity of desired responses; sending at least one electronic message to each one of the selected vendors, the at least one electronic message including a first activator which is operatively coupled to the first additional graphical interface, the first additional graphical interface: (i) indicating the unique request identifier; (ii) including a second activator which is operatively coupled to a third additional graphical interface, the third additional graphical interface being accessible over the network, the third additional graphical interface indicating at least part of the request data; and (iii) includes a third activator which, when activated, rejects the request; and enabling the customer to access the second additional graphical interface, the second additional graphical interface: (a) indicating the unique request identifier; (b) including a second activator which is operatively coupled to a fourth additional graphical interface, the fourth additional graphical interface being accessible over the network, the fourth additional graphical interface indicating at least part of the product/service information; and (c) including a third activator which, when activated, closes the request.