Patent ID: 7930237

Claim:
A method for calculating shipping rates for an online open-bidding auction, comprising: receiving a seller's shipping preferences via a computer network, the seller's shipping preferences to be stored at least one first storage facility, wherein the seller's shipping preferences comprise a preference to ship one or more auction items, a preference to ship from one or more seller shipping locations, and a preference to ship via one or more shipping methods, wherein the seller's shipping preferences are electronically selected by the seller to be utilized in one or more online open-bidding auctions initiated by the seller; receiving shipping characteristics of at least one auction item, the shipping characteristics to be stored at least one second storage facility, wherein the shipping characteristics comprise at least one physical characteristic of the at least one auction item; receiving auction listing characteristics of the at least one auction item, the auction listing characteristics to be stored at least one third storage facility, wherein the auction listing characteristics comprise a description of the at least one auction item; providing an online auction listing for the at least one auction item in an online open-bidding auction initiated by the seller, wherein the online auction listing comprises the auction listing characteristics of the at least one auction item, at least one entry option to allow a buyer to enter of an indicator of a buyer's shipping location, and at least one request option to allow a buyer to request a shipping rate calculation; receiving a buyer's request via the online auction listing to calculate at least one shipping rate for the at least one auction item in the online open-bidding auction; electronically calculating the at least one shipping rate based at least in part upon at least one selected shipping method, at least one selected seller shipping location, the buyer's shipping location, the shipping characteristics of the at least one auction item, and an amount of at least one auction bid associated with the at least one auction item, wherein the amount of the at least one auction bid is based upon at least one bid amount provided by one or more of the buyer, the seller, and a third party; and electronically presenting the at least one calculated shipping rate to the buyer; wherein the at least one shipping rate may be calculated at any time during the online open-bidding auction for electronic presentation to the buyer.