Online Platform for Unique Items

Abstract

Among other things, a server controls access to private information about attributes of a unique item, during one or more stages of an online transaction for the unique item between a first online party and a second online party. The controlling of the access to the private information includes the server digitally storing (a) the private information, (b) a listing of the unique item for the online transaction received from the first online party, the listing including one or more constraints on access to the private information by the second online party at one or more stages of the online transaction, and (c) an indicator of a current stage of the one or more stages of the online sale transaction. The server allows or prevents access to the private information at one of the stages of the online transaction through a browser or an app installed on a device of the second online party and based on the current stage of the online transaction.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 controlling, by a search engine server, access through a communication network to private information about attributes of a unique item, during one or more commitment stages of an online transaction for the unique item between a first online party and a second online party, comprising:
 digitally storing, by the search engine server, (a) the private information, (b) a listing of the unique item for the online transaction received from the first online party, (c) for each of multiple commitment stages of the online transaction, a constraint that specifies an extent to which the private information is accessible by participants of an online market at the commitment stage of the online transaction, and (d) an indicator of a current commitment stage of the one or more commitment stages of the online sale transaction, and 
 generating, by the search engine server in response to receiving search criteria, a search results user interface that that limits, in a search result associated with the unique item, access to the private information for the unique item based on the current commitment stage of the online transaction. 
   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein controlling access to the private information comprises receiving, by the search engine server, a request of the second online party for at least part of the private information and making a determination to permit or deny access to the private information by the second online party based at least on the current commitment stage and the constrain that specifies the extent to which the private information is accessible to the second online party at the commitment stage. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein controlling access to the private information comprises forwarding a request of the second online party to the first online party and receiving an instruction from the first online party to permit or deny access. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the commitment stage is a stage immediately prior to a commitment to complete the online transaction. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the commitment stage is an uncommitted stage. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the commitment stage comprises a browsing stage. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the unique online item comprises a unique artwork, and the private information comprises a title of the unique artwork. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the attributes that are inaccessible at one or more of the commitment stages include:
 a depiction of the unique item, or an identity of an owner of the unique item.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the online transaction comprises a sale transaction. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the first online party comprises a seller of the unique item and the second online party comprises a buyer of the unique item. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the server updates the stored indicator of the current stage to reflect progress in the one or more stages of the online transaction. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 31 , comprising the server updating the one or more constraints based on the instruction from the first online party. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein each of the commitment stages corresponds to a different level of interest of the second online party in completing the online transaction. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein one or more of the commitment stages comprises a stage that occurs after the second online party views a gallery of items that are similar to the unique item but that does not include the unique item itself. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the attributes include a price for the unique item that was automatically generated by a machine learning model based at least on past auction house-related sales data that is associated with the unique item. 
     
     
         46 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage devices storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:   controlling, by a search engine server, access through a communication network to private information about attributes of a unique item, during one or more commitment stages of an online transaction for the unique item between a first online party and a second online party, comprising:
 digitally storing, by the search engine server, (a) the private information, (b) a listing of the unique item for the online transaction received from the first online party, (c) for each of multiple commitment stages of the online transaction, a constraint that specifies an extent to which the private information is accessible by participants of an online market at the commitment stage of the online transaction, and (d) an indicator of a current commitment stage of the one or more commitment stages of the online sale transaction, and 
 generating, by the search engine server in response to receiving search criteria, a search results user interface that that limits, in a search result associated with the unique item, access to the private information for the unique item based on the current commitment stage of the online transaction. 
   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein controlling access to the private information comprises receiving, by the search engine server, a request of the second online party for at least part of the private information and making a determination to permit or deny access to the private information by the second online party based at least on the current commitment stage and the constrain that specifies the extent to which the private information is accessible to the second online party at the commitment stage. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein controlling access to the private information comprises forwarding a request of the second online party to the first online party and receiving an instruction from the first online party to permit or deny access. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the commitment stage is a stage immediately prior to a commitment to complete the online transaction. 
     
     
         50 . A non-transitory computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 controlling, by a search engine server, access through a communication network to private information about attributes of a unique item, during one or more commitment stages of an online transaction for the unique item between a first online party and a second online party, comprising:
 digitally storing, by the search engine server, (a) the private information, (b) a listing of the unique item for the online transaction received from the first online party, (c) for each of multiple commitment stages of the online transaction, a constraint that specifies an extent to which the private information is accessible by participants of an online market at the commitment stage of the online transaction, and (d) an indicator of a current commitment stage of the one or more commitment stages of the online sale transaction, and 
 generating, by the search engine server in response to receiving search criteria, a search results user interface that that limits, in a search result associated with the unique item, access to the private information for the unique item based on the current commitment stage of the online transaction.