Patent ID: 8346857

Claim:
A resource allocation system, comprising: a first network interface; a database storing information regarding a plurality of items, the information for at least a first of the plurality of items including: a date for an event at which the first item may be used; an identifier of a current holder of the first item, an indicator as to whether the first item has been transferred between two or more users; and program code stored in a non-transitory computer readable memory, which, when executed by a computing system, causes the computer system to perform operations comprising: storing a session identifier on a user terminal associated with a first user; processing an acquisition request for an item from the user terminal received at a first network site accessed by the user terminal; transmitting to the user terminal an indication that the acquisition request is accepted if the acquisition request meets at least a first predefined criterion; if the acquisition request is accepted, automatically transmitting to the user terminal an offer to transfer the item to another user prior to the user navigating away from the first network site; receiving the session identifier from the user terminal; using the session identifier for identification; providing for display via the user terminal, in association with the offer to transfer, an interface via which the user can specify a transfer price for the item; enabling a plurality of different entities to specify a first rule, wherein the first rule indicates that item may not be resold for more than a first amount; determining if the transfer price complies with the first rule, wherein the first rule indicates that item may not be resold for more than the first amount; transmitting for display via the user terminal a notification if the price does not comply with the first rule; determining if a transfer instruction has been received from the user terminal; and if the price complies with the first rule, at least partly in response to the receipt of the transfer instruction, offering the item to at least one other user; and transferring the item to a second user if a first criterion is met, wherein the first user is inhibited from using the item after the item is transferred to the second user; wherein the database stores: an identifier associated with the first user in association with the item; an identifier associated with the second user in association with the item, wherein the item is an event ticket, wherein the offer to transfer includes an offer to post the item for sale.