Patent ID: 7707074

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving, at a connection provider computer system from a seller's computer system, information describing one or more items for sale by the seller, the connection provider computer system being operated by a connection provider; developing, using the connection provider computer system and based on the information describing the one or more items for sale by the seller, a pricing and listing strategy for selling the one or more items on one or more online sales channels selected, from among multiple potential online sales channels, as being appropriate for selling the one or more items; facilitating, using the connection provider computer system, a sale of the one or more items through the one or more selected online sales channels based on the pricing and listing strategy; determining, using the connection provider computer system and from among multiple, different levels of service, a level of service selected by the seller, the multiple, different levels of service including a first level of service in which the connection provider allows the seller to fulfill orders through the seller's own fulfillment centers and a second level of service in which the connection provider fulfills orders for the seller through one or more tailored fulfillment centers; and in response to a determination that the level of service selected by the seller is the second level of service in which the connection provider fulfills orders for the seller through one or more tailored fulfillment centers; determining, using the connection provider computer system, parameters related to preparation activities needed to ready the one or more items for fulfillment of a sale and storage and handling requirements indicating characteristics that a fulfillment center needs to possess in order to properly store and handle the one or more items, the determined parameters being different than the information describing the one or more items for sale by the seller and being determined without the seller providing parameter information for the one or more items being sold; using the connection provider computer system to select, from among multiple potential fulfillment centers based on the determined parameters related to preparation activities and storage and handling requirements, one or more fulfillment centers tailored to fulfilling orders of items having properties in common with the one or more items; and facilitating, using the connection provider computer system, fulfillment of sold items through the one or more selected fulfillment centers tailored to fulfilling orders of items having properties in common with the one or more items, wherein the connection provider is a separate legal entity from the seller and from entities operating the multiple potential online sales channels, and wherein the connection provider services multiple, different sellers and facilitates fulfillment of items from multiple, different sellers through the one or more selected fulfillment centers.