Patent ID: 8458021

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving an inquiry with a parameter from a user, wherein the inquiry is associated with a sale of an item; identifying, by a processor, a discount item that satisfies the inquiry, the discount item having a discount price; identifying a comparable item for the discount item at a nondiscount rate using real-time data wherein the comparable item is not available for sale; identifying, by the processor, a sales opacity scale, wherein the sales opacity scale is determined independent of input from the user, wherein the sales opacity scale is associated with how much information is presented about the discount item; presenting the discount price and a comparable group to the user, the comparable group comprising the discount item presented according to an opacity level based on the sales opacity scale and the comparable item to yield a presented comparable group, wherein the presented comparable group does not identify which item of the comparable group is available at the discount price; receiving from the user a commitment to purchase based on the presented comparable group; and disclosing the discount item to the user after receiving the commitment.