Patent ID: 7627515

Claim:
A computer-implemented system that facilitates establishing prices associated with items, comprising: a clustering component that clusters a collection of non-identical items into one or more sets of non-identical items such that the collection of non-identical items are created to require a minimum number of bids will be received by the system for each collection of non-identical items; a pricing component that receives one or more of active bids and stored bids and simulates an auction of at least one non-identical item within a selected set of non-identical items as if the non-identical items within the selected set were identical to determine price(s) associated with the at least one non-identical item; and a price transformation component that scales the determined price in accordance with a user-specified payment plan, the determined price relating to the price for displaying an advertisement on a page view, and the scaled prices relate to one of a number of clicks received upon the advertisement, a number of secured clicks received upon the advertisement, and a number of purchases made by way of the advertisement.