Method and system to enable a fixed price purchase within a multi-unit online auction environment

Abstract

A method includes presenting to a buyer a multi-unit auction, permitting the buyer to bid one or more of a price and a number of units in the auction, and permitting the buyer to re-bid in the auction. The auction includes a rule that prevents the buyer from reducing the price in the re-bid, and the auction further includes a rule that prevents the buyer from reducing the number of units in the re-bid.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 using a computer processor for presenting to a buyer in a multi-unit auction a fixed-price purchase process for purchase of one or more units of an offering;   using the processor for selecting a threshold, the threshold other than the fixed-price; and   using the processor for removing said one or more units available for fixed-price purchase only if a current price after bid is more than said threshold and a number of units currently bid on is more than the total number of said one or more units.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein said threshold is in the range of 0 to 100 inclusive. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein said threshold is equal to 100, thereby maintaining the total number of said one or more units available for fixed-price purchase throughout the entirety of said auction. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein said threshold is equal to 0, thereby reducing the total number of said one or more units available for fixed-price purchase by the number of units bid for; and
 comprising using the processor for removing said fixed-price purchase process from said auction when said number of units available for fixed-price purchase is less than or equal to zero.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , comprising using the processor for displaying on a user interface the number of units available for fixed-price purchase. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 ,
 wherein said current price after bid is equal to or greater than said threshold as a percentage of said fixed-price;   and comprising using the processor for reducing said quantity available for fixed-price purchase on a one for one basis with said quantity of units bid on.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , comprising using the processor for removing said fixed-price purchase process from said auction when the quantity of units bid on is greater than or equal to the number of units in said auction. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein said selection of said threshold permits the selection of a type of fixed-price process from a group consisting of a temporary fixed-price process, a semi-persistent fixed-price process, and a persistent fixed-price process. 
     
     
         10 . A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by a processor execute a process comprising:
 presenting to a buyer in a multi-unit auction a fixed-price purchase process for purchase of one or more units of an offering;   selecting a threshold, the threshold other than the fixed-price; and   removing said one or more units available for fixed-price purchase only if a current price after bid is more than said threshold and a number of units currently bid on is more than the total number of said one or more units.   
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein said threshold is in the range of 0 to 100 inclusive. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein said threshold is equal to 100, thereby maintaining the total number of said one or more units available for fixed-price purchase throughout the entirety of said auction. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein said threshold is equal to 0, thereby reducing the total number of said one or more units available for fixed-price purchase by the number of units bid for; and comprising instructions for removing said fixed-price purchase process from said auction when said number of units available for fixed-price purchase is less than or equal to zero. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , comprising instructions for using the processor for displaying on a user interface the number of units available for fixed-price purchase. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 10 ,
 wherein said current price after bid is equal to or greater than said threshold as a percentage of said fixed-price;   and comprising instructions for reducing said quantity available for fixed-price purchase on a one for one basis with said quantity of units bid on.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , comprising instructions for removing said fixed-price purchase process from said auction when the quantity of units bid on is greater than or equal to the number of units in said auction. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein said selection of said threshold permits the selection of a type of fixed-price process from a group consisting of a temporary fixed-price process, a semi-persistent fixed-price process, and a persistent fixed-price process. 
     
     
         18 . A system comprising:
 a computer processor operable for:   presenting to a buyer in a multi-unit auction a fixed-price purchase process for purchase of one or more units of an offering;   selecting a threshold, the threshold other than the fixed-price; and   removing said one or more units available for fixed-price purchase only if a current price after bid is more than said threshold and a number of units currently bid on is more than the total number of said one or more units.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein
 said threshold is equal to 100, thereby maintaining the total number of said one or more units available for fixed-price purchase throughout the entirety of said auction; or   said threshold is equal to 0, thereby reducing the total number of said one or more units available for fixed-price purchase by the number of units bid for, wherein the computer processor is operable for removing said fixed-price purchase process from said auction when said number of units available for fixed-price purchase is less than or equal to zero.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 ,
 wherein said current price after bid is equal to or greater than said threshold as a percentage of said fixed-price;   and wherein the computer processor is operable for reducing said quantity available for fixed-price purchase on a one for one basis with said quantity of units bid on.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein said selection of said threshold permits the selection of a type of fixed-price process from a group consisting of a temporary fixed-price process, a semi-persistent fixed-price process, and a persistent fixed-price process.