Patent ID: 8301508

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for conducting a multi-site auction supplied from a source of inventory, comprising the steps of: (a) establishing in a computerized common controller processor and memory a plurality of auction venues autonomous of one another but under the control of said computerized common controller processor and memory, wherein each of said plurality of auction venues is connected to one or more affiliated auction websites, which each permit a unique set of participants to access auctions generated by its respective auction venue; (b) establishing in said computerized common controller memory a unique set of parameters for each auction venue, wherein each set of parameters delineates a distinct marketing framework for each auction venue; (c) establishing an inventory comprising a plurality of items; (d) generating a data file in said computerized common controller memory for each of said plurality of items in said inventory, each said data file including a registration mark and at least one characteristic of said item; (e) distributing each data file to a single auction venue amongst said plurality of auction venues based upon an algorithm performed by said computerized common controller processor and memory, wherein said algorithm correlates said item characteristics in each said data file with said unique set of parameters for each said auction venue; and (f) conducting a separate auction at each of said auction venues from said one or more auction websites affiliated with each said auction venue, wherein each auction is displayed on each of said respective one or more affiliated auction websites and controlled by the centralized network controller processor and memory through each respective auction venue, and wherein each auction venue receives feedback information from its respective affiliated auction websites and retransmits said feedback information to all respective affiliated auction websites.