Patent ID: 7310733

Claim:
A method for maintaining login preference information of users of a network-based transaction facility, the method comprising: communicating user interface information to a client via a communications network, the user interface information including information concerning a plurality of features within the network-based transaction facility and specifying a login interface facilitating user input of login preference information pertaining to each of the plurality of features, and wherein the login preference information is specific to a user to which it relates and is customized by that user; receiving the login preference information from the client via the communications network, and wherein the login preference information is housed in a database for subsequent retrieval and use; and utilizing the login preference information to selectively activate a number of the plurality of features, which are identified in the login preference information for the user, within the network-based transaction facility, associated with commerce and online auctioning, via the communications network, and wherein activation for the number of the plurality of features is enforced with subsequent login sessions initiated by the user by utilizing the login preference information, after the user provides login information, which is separate from the login preference information and which identifies the user, in order to initiate the subsequent login sessions, and wherein for each login session a browser session cookie is set with the login preference information retrieved from the database and when the session cookie expires a particular login session with the user is terminated and the session cookie removed, and wherein the features include options defined by the user associated with bidding, listing items for sale, feedback on transactions with other users, chatting with a number of the other users, history of transactions, and email communications, and wherein each feature identified in the login preference information includes an option to allow the user to determine whether a user password is to be used to access that particular feature each time a user attempts to access that particular feature during an active login session, and wherein when the login preference information indicates a preference by the user to exclude the use of the session cookie for each login session the preference information is retrieved from the database.