Patent ID: 7464051

Claim:
A method for promoting business relationships, the method comprising the machine-implemented steps of: adding one or more buying entities to a first group that is associated with a first buying entity, wherein each buying entity in the first group is associated with a separate group of one or more other buying entities; determining, by a computer, whether any buying entity in the first group has previously rated a particular selling entity; determining whether any buying entity in any group that is associated with any buying entity in the first group has previously rated the particular selling entity; in response to determining specifically that at least a second buying entity in the first group, or at least a third buying entity in a second group that is associated with a fourth buying entity in the first group, has previously rated the particular selling entity, but not in response to determining that some other entity which is neither a buying entity in the first group nor a buying entity in any group that is associated with any buying entity in the first group has rated the particular selling entity, putting, on a page that is accessible to the first buying entity through a browser, a rating that either the second buying entity or the third buying entity assigned to the particular selling entity.