Method and system automatically to support multiple transaction types, and to display seller-specific transactions of various transaction types in an integrated, commingled listing

Abstract

This invention provides for a method of (or apparatus for) facilitating the display of items of multiple transaction types in a commingled listing. The display of items of multiple transaction types in a commingled listing may include items which are being offered by a specific Seller at a network based commerce facility.

1 . A system comprising:
 a database having an items table, wherein the items table includes a first item offered for sale using an auction-type price setting process and a second item offered for sale using a fixed price setting process:   one or more servers configured to:
 receive, from a client machine, a request having information associated with items that are offered for sale on a network-based transaction facility; 
 generate a commingled list of items offered for sale from the items table based on the request, wherein the commingled list includes the first item and the second item; and 
   a display engine configured to cause a presentation of the commingled list on a user graphical interface of the client machine, wherein the user graphical interface includes an indication that the first item is associated with the auction-type price setting process and that the second item is associated with the fixed price setting process.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user graphical interface provides a selectable option that, when selected, causes the commingled list to be filtered based on a particular price-setting process. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more servers is further configured to generate a filtered commingled list that includes only items that are priced using the particular price setting process, and wherein the display engine is further configured to cause the presentation of the filtered commingled list. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the items table is linked to a user table, and wherein the items table includes a sellers items table and a bidders items table. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the items table includes a number of fields for each of a plurality of records that describe an item offered for sale via the network-based transaction facility, and wherein at least one of the number of fields includes a sale type field associated with the fixed price setting process or the fixed price setting process. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the database includes a first database maintained for offering information that is not included within a virtual store, and a second database maintained for offering information for offerings that are presented via a virtual store. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the second database is implemented as a relational database that includes a plurality of tables having records indicating a price setting process associated with an offering being made through the virtual store. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the request includes a selection to view items offered at the virtual store. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , where the request includes a selection to view items offer through the virtual store according to a category associated with the items. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the items table further includes a third item offered for sale using an hybrid price setting process, and wherein the hybrid price setting process allows for purchase of an item at a fixed price before an initial bid can be placed on the item. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 receiving, from a client machine, a request having information associated with items that are offered for sale on a network-based transaction facility;   accessing a database having an items table, wherein the items table includes a first item offered for sale using an auction-type price setting process and a second item offered for sale using a fixed price setting process;   generating, using one or more servers, a commingled list of items offered for sale from the items table based on the request, wherein the commingled list includes the first item and the second item; and   causing, using a display engine, a presentation of the commingled list on a user graphical interface of the client machine, wherein the user graphical interface includes an indication that the first item is associated with the auction-type price setting process and that the second item is associated with the fixed price setting process.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the user graphical interface provides a selectable option that, when selected, causes the commingled list to be filtered based on a particular price-setting process. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , the method further comprising:
 generating a filtered commingled list that includes only items that are priced using the particular price setting process; and   causing the presentation of the filtered commingled list.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the database includes a first database maintained for offering information that is not included within a virtual store, and a second database maintained for offering information for offerings that are presented via a virtual store. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the second database is implemented as a relational database that includes a plurality of tables having records indicating a price setting process associated with an offering being made through the virtual store. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the request includes a selection to view items offered at the virtual store. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , where the request includes a selection to view items offer through the virtual store according to a category associated with the items. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the items table further includes a third item offered for sale using an hybrid price setting process, and wherein the hybrid price setting process allows for purchase of an item at a fixed price before an initial bid can be placed on the item. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein an initial quantity of an item being offers for sale using the fixed price setting process more than one. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a sequence of instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform a method comprising:
 receiving, from a client machine, a request having information associated with items that are offered for sale on a network-based transaction facility;   accessing a database having an items table, wherein the items table includes a first item offered for sale using an auction-type price setting process and a second item offered for sale using a fixed price setting process;   generating a commingled list of items offered for sale from the items table based on the request, wherein the commingled list includes the first item and the second item; and   causing a presentation of the commingled list on a user graphical interface of the client machine, wherein the user graphical interface includes an indication that the first item is associated with the auction-type price setting process and that the second item is associated with the fixed price setting process.