Patent ID: 7249062

Claim:
A computer implemented method for offering a perishable object for sale, comprising: (a) making an offer from a seller to a buyer for an opportunity to engage in a transaction for a purchase of the perishable object at a single displayed non-zero monetary discounted price, wherein the single displayed non-zero monetary discounted price being the only non-zero monetary discounted price displayed for the purchase of the perishable object, wherein the single displayed non-zero monetary discounted price is set by the seller, and wherein a time that the offer at the non-zero monetary discounted single displayed price is made to the buyer is before a time when the transaction at the non-zero monetary discounted single displayed price would be carried out; (b) accepting by the buyer, at a time after the making of the offer to the buyer, the offer of the opportunity to engage in the transaction of the single displayed non-zero monetary discounted price, wherein the acceptance of the offer by the buyer obligates the buyer to purchase the perishable object but does not obligate the seller of the perishable object to sell the perishable object to the buyer such that the commitment of the buyer to purchase the perishable object is made before it is known whether the seller will make the perishable object available for sale; and (c) transacting or not transacting, at the option of the seller and at a time after acceptance by the buyer of the offer, a purchase of the perishable object by the buyer at the non-zero monetary discounted single price set by the seller; (d) wherein the perishable object is an object which loses essentially all of its value at a time of expiration of the perishable object.