Method and System for SMS Intermediation

Abstract

A system for receiving, at a server with one or more processors, a request for a respective product page from a first client system. The system then sends the respective product page to the first client system for display, wherein the respective product page includes a send SMS message link. The system receives, from the first client system, a first SMS message, wherein the first SMS message is generated by user selection of the send SMS message link. The system transmits the first SMS message to a second client system associated with a seller of the respective product.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of two-way back-and-forth anonymous communication, the method comprising:
 allocating a single number to use when communicating as part of the back-and-forth communication between a first client system of a first party and a second client system of a second party;   transmitting a first communication received from the first client system to the second client system using the single number such that the first party remains anonymous to the second party; and   transmitting a second communication received from the second client system to the first client system using the single SMS number such that the second party remains anonymous to the first party.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the single number is selected from a pool of available numbers. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising returning the single number to the pool of available numbers. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the single number comprises a single SMS number. 
     
     
         5 . The method as described in  claim 1 , wherein the first communication is received from a personal number of the first client system, and wherein the personal number of the first client system is not exposed as part of the first communication to the second client system. 
     
     
         6 . The method as described in  claim 1 , wherein the single number is indicated as a source of the first communication at the second client system, and wherein the single number is indicated as a source of the second communication at the first client system. 
     
     
         7 . The method as described in  claim 1 , further comprising creating a transaction record including a first ID associated with the first party, a second ID associated with the second party, and the single number. 
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 at least a memory and a processor to perform operations comprising:
 allocating a single number to use when communicating as part of a back-and-forth communication between a first client system of a first party and a second client system of a second party; 
 transmitting a first communication received from the first client system to the second client system using the single number such that the first party remains anonymous to the second party; and 
 transmitting a second communication received from the second client system to the first client system using the single SMS number such that the second party remains anonymous to the first party. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the single number is selected from a pool of available numbers. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise returning the single number to the pool of available numbers. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the single number comprises a single SMS number. 
     
     
         12 . The system as described in  claim 8 , wherein the first communication is received from a personal number of the first client system, and wherein the personal number of the first client system is not exposed as part of the first communication to the second client system. 
     
     
         13 . The system as described in  claim 8 , wherein the single number is indicated as a source of the first communication at the second client system, and wherein the single number is indicated as a source of the second communication at the first client system. 
     
     
         14 . The system as described in  claim 8 , further comprising creating a transaction record including a first ID associated with the first party, a second ID associated with the second party, and the single number. 
     
     
         15 . One or more computer-readable storage media comprising instructions stored thereon that, responsive to execution by one or more processors, perform operations comprising:
 allocating a single number to use when communicating as part of a back-and-forth communication between a first client system of a first party and a second client system of a second party;   transmitting a first communication received from the first client system to the second client system using the single number such that the first party remains anonymous to the second party; and   transmitting a second communication received from the second client system to the first client system using the single SMS number such that the second party remains anonymous to the first party.   
     
     
         16 . The one or more computer-readable storage media of  claim 15 , wherein the single number is selected from a pool of available numbers. 
     
     
         17 . The one or more computer-readable storage media of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise returning the single number to the pool of available numbers. 
     
     
         18 . The one or more computer-readable storage media of  claim 15 , wherein the first communication is received from a personal number of the first client system, and wherein the personal number of the first client system is not exposed as part of the first communication to the second client system. 
     
     
         19 . The one or more computer-readable storage media of  claim 15 , wherein the single number is indicated as a source of the first communication at the second client system, and wherein the single number is indicated as a source of the second communication at the first client system. 
     
     
         20 . The one or more computer-readable storage media of  claim 15 , further comprising creating a transaction record including a first ID associated with the first party, a second ID associated with the second party, and the single number.