Method and system for publicizing commercial transactions on a computer network

Abstract

A computer method and system for publicizing commercial transactions. To publicize a commercial transaction, the system (“e-commerce system”) receives a selection of a purchase transaction for a first item. The e-commerce system identifies an auction for a second item such that the second item is related to the first item. For example, the first item may be a kayak, and the second item may be a kayak cover. The e-commerce system then generates a display description (e.g., web page) that includes information for conducting the purchase transaction for the first item and that includes information relating to the auction for the second item. In this way, a user who views information relating to the purchase transaction can also view information relating to the auction.

1 - 41 . (canceled)  
     
     
         42 . A method in a computer system for publicizing related commercial transactions, the method comprising: 
 receiving a selection of a first commercial transaction for a first item;    identifying a second commercial transaction for a second item that is related to the first item; and    generating a display description that includes information for conducting the first commercial transaction for the first item and that includes information relating to the identified second commercial transaction for the second item so that a user who may view information relating to the first commercial transaction for the first item can view information relating to the identified second commercial transaction for the second item.    
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the second commercial transaction is an auction.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the generated display description is a web page.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the information relating to the identified second commercial transaction is a link to a web page for the identified second commercial transaction for the second item.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the identifying of the second commercial transaction is based on a category of the first item and a category of the second item.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the identifying of the second commercial transaction is based on information received for the second commercial transaction.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47  wherein the information received is a substantially unique identifier of the first item.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 47  wherein the information received is a category of the first item.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 47  wherein the information received is a keyword.  
     
     
         51 . A system for generating a display description of related commercial transactions, comprising: 
 an item database component configured to store information for a first item available through a first commercial transaction;    a locate external transactions component configured to identify a second commercial transaction for a second item related to the first item available through the first commercial transaction;    a generate display description component configured to generate a display that includes information for conducting the first commercial transaction and that includes information relating to the identified second commercial transaction for the second item so that a user who may view information relating to the first commercial transaction can view information relating to the identified second commercial transaction.    
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 51  wherein the display generated by the generate display description component results in displaying information describing the first commercial transaction and the second commercial transaction simultaneously.  
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 51  wherein the second commercial transaction is selected based on information that associates the second commercial transaction with the first item.  
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 53  wherein the information associated with the second commercial transaction is cross advertising information.  
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 53  wherein the information associated with the second commercial transaction is a unique identifier of the first item.  
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 53  wherein the information associated with the second commercial transaction is a category of items.  
     
     
         57 . A computer-readable medium containing instructions for causing a computer system to cross-advertise commercial transactions, by a method comprising: 
 receiving a request to display information relating to an item associated with a first commercial transaction;    upon receiving the request, determining whether a user has specified to advertise a second commercial transaction with the item associated with the first commercial transaction; and    when it is determined that a user has specified to advertise the second commercial transaction with the item associated with the first commercial transaction, generating a display description that includes information relating to the item associated with the first commercial transaction and an indication of the second commercial transaction.    
     
     
         58 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 57  wherein the indication of the second commercial transaction includes a link to a web page for the second commercial transaction.  
     
     
         59 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 57  wherein the user specified to advertise the second commercial transaction with the item associated with the first commercial transaction by providing a unique identifier of the item.  
     
     
         60 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 57  wherein the user specified to advertise the second commercial transaction with the item associated with the first commercial transaction by providing a category of the item.  
     
     
         61 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 57  wherein the user specified to advertise the second commercial transaction with the item associated with the first commercial transaction by providing a keyword relating to the item.  
     
     
         62 . A method in a computer system for creating an item listing, the method comprising: 
 receiving information about a first item to be offered in a first commercial transaction;    identifying a second item that is offered in a second commercial transaction;    creating an item listing offering the first item in the first commercial transaction; and    associating information relating to the identified second commercial transaction for the second item with the item listing so that a user who may view information relating to the first commercial transaction for the first item can view information relating to the identified second commercial transaction for the second item.    
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 62  wherein identifying a second item comprises identifying an item previously purchased by one or more users that purchased the first item.