JP2002230351A - Auction service providing method using network and auction system using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an auction service providing method which can transfers the right of a successful bid to a second bidder while keeping anonymousness if an auction seller and a first successful bidder fail to complete dealings in the service of anonymous auction wherein bids are made anonymously and the auction seller is informed of contact address information on a successful bidder for the first time after the successful bid, and an auction system which uses the method. SOLUTION: In the service of anonymous auction, if the auction seller and first successful bidder fail to complete the dealings and the auction seller desires to sell to the second bidder, the right of the successful bid is transferred to the second bidder on condition that the second bidder acknowledges that, and the auction seller is informed of contact address information on the second bidder.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an auction service providing method for providing an online auction service using a network such as the Internet.
In particular, the present invention relates to an auction service providing method capable of transferring the right of a successful bid to a second-place bidder when a transaction between an exhibitor and a successful bidder is not established, and an auction system using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the rapid spread of the Internet in recent years, an online auction service has attracted attention as a service that supports online personal transactions, personal-business transactions, and business transactions. In such an auction service, a user operates a user terminal such as a personal computer connected to the Internet,
By accessing an auction site where such a service is provided, it is possible to easily list an item (article) to be sold and bid on an item to be purchased.
The auction site manages exhibition information and bidding information from users, provides information to users, and processes successful bids. When a successful bid is made, the result is notified to the successful bidder and the seller by e-mail or the like. .

[0003] Usually, in such an auction site, the main service is to carry out a process until the successful bid is made. Transaction procedures such as payment of the price after the successful bid and delivery of the goods are performed by the parties ( (Exhibitor / successful bidder) in many cases. In addition, if the seller or the successful bidder rejects the transaction for some reason after the successful bid, and the transaction is not completed, the fact is usually reported to the organizer of the auction site, and return of the contract fee etc. Is performed.

[0004] On the other hand, such an auction service allows anonymous bidding from the viewpoint of protecting the privacy of the user. Until the successful bidder is determined and the transaction between the parties is started, the parties (the seller and the successful bidder) are allowed to bid. Some sites have adopted a rule that they do not provide contact information such as e-mail addresses for both parties. Such an auction service is herein referred to as an anonymous auction.

[0005]

As described above, when a transaction is rejected after a successful bid and the transaction is not established, the seller is allowed to place the seller on the second place even if the selling price is slightly reduced. In many cases, the runner-up bidder may want to purchase the exhibit if the winning bidder gives up and obtains the right.

[0006] However, in the case of the anonymous auction, as described above, the seller and the successful bidder are notified of the contact information of both parties, but the seller and the second-place bidder know each other's contact information. No, in the situation described above,
The seller and the second-place bidder cannot directly negotiate and trade.

[0007] Such a situation is undesirable for exhibitors and second-place bidders, and it is also desired for the organizer of the auction site to provide the second-place bidder with a chance to sell and to increase the transaction closing rate. .

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an anonymous auction service in which a bid is made anonymously and the seller is notified of the contact information of the successful bidder for the first time after a successful bid. An auction service providing method and an auction system using the same that can transfer the right of a successful bid to a runner-up bidder while maintaining the purpose of anonymity.

[0009]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention is to provide an anonymous auction service in which, when a transaction between an exhibitor and a successful bidder is not established, the exhibitor can perform the following. If you want to sell to point bidders,
After obtaining the consent of the second bidder, the right of the successful bid is transferred to the second bidder, and the exhibitor is notified of this and the contact information of the second bidder. Therefore, according to the present invention, in the anonymous auction service, when the transaction between the exhibitor and the successful bidder is not established, it is possible to provide the second-place bidder with the opportunity of the transaction while maintaining the purpose of the anonymity. Therefore, it is possible to provide a service that more appropriately satisfies the demands of exhibitors and bidders, and to increase the number of completed deals.

[0010] To achieve the above object, another aspect of the present invention is a method for providing an auction service in an auction system connected to a user terminal via a network and providing an auction service to the user via the user terminal. Prior to the successful bid, without notifying the seller of the contact information of the bidder, after the successful bid, the seller of the successful bid product is notified of the contact information of the successful bidder, the contact information Based on the information, in the auction service providing method in which the exhibitor and the successful bidder perform a transaction on the exhibit, if the transaction between the exhibitor and the successful bidder after the successful bid is not established, the auction system performs In response to a sale request from the seller to the second-place bidder made via the user terminal, the second-place bidder is provided with the user terminal Through, a first step to notify that can transfer the rights of the successful bid to the runner-up bidder,
The auction system responds to the request for transfer of the right of the successful bid made from the runner-up bidder via the user terminal, and in response to the exhibitor, the right of the successful bid is issued to the seller via the user terminal. It has a second step of notifying the transfer to the second-place bidder and notifying the contact information of the second-place bidder.

Further, in the above-mentioned invention, a preferred embodiment is characterized in that the contact information in the second step is an electronic mail address.

[0012] Further, in the above invention, another aspect is as follows.
The notification in the first step is made by e-mail, and the transfer request from the second-place bidder in the second step is such that the second-place bidder selects a link embedded in the email. It is performed using an application interface screen provided from the auction system.

[0013] In order to achieve the above object, another aspect of the present invention is an auction system connected to a user terminal via a network and providing an auction service to the user via the user terminal. Before, without notifying the seller of the contact information of the bidder, after a successful bid, to notify the seller of the successful bid item the contact information of the successful bidder, based on the contact information, In an auction system in which the exhibitor and the successful bidder conduct a transaction on the exhibit, when the transaction between the exhibitor and the successful bidder after the successful bid is not established, the following is performed by the exhibitor via the user terminal. In response to the sales request to the second place bidder, the second place bidder is notified via the user terminal that the right to the successful bid can be transferred to the second place bidder. In response to the request for transfer of the right to the successful bid made from the bidder via the user terminal, the right to the successful bid was transferred to the second place bidder via the user terminal to the exhibitor. And the contact information of the second-place bidder is notified.

[0014] Further objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the embodiments of the present invention described below.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, such embodiments do not limit the technical scope of the present invention.
In the drawings, the same or similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals or reference symbols.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram according to an embodiment of an auction system to which the present invention is applied. In the figure, an auction system 1 is an auction system to which the present invention is applied, and provides an online auction service to a plurality of users 4 via the Internet 2 and user terminals 3 connected thereto.

As shown in the figure, the auction system 1 has a DB server 10, a Web server 20, and a mail server 30.
1, a bid information DB 12, a user information DB 13, and the like are stored and managed. In the exhibition information DB 11, the title, the category of the article, the detailed description of the article, the selling method, the bid closing time, the successful bid start price,
Various kinds of information such as desired transaction conditions are stored for each item to be exhibited, and each time a user 4 (exhibitor 4a) exhibits an item,
These pieces of information are registered.

Further, the bid information DB 12 stores a bid price, a bid time, a bidder's user I,
D, information such as the ID (item ID) of the bidding exhibit, and such information are stored in the DB each time there is a bid from the user 4. Furthermore, user information DB1
3 includes users 4 who use the auction system 1
Information about (exhibitor 4a, bidder, and successful bidder 4b) is stored. The stored information includes, for example, a user ID as a key item, a nickname and a name used for bidding, and contact information such as an address, a telephone number, and an e-mail (e-mail) address. ing.
Usually, such information is registered in an enrollment procedure required when the auction system 1 is used for the first time.

Next, the Web server 20 is provided with various Web pages 21 that form an interface screen for the user 4. The Web page 21 includes various pages corresponding to the functions and scenes, such as a top page serving as an entrance of a service in the auction system 1, a page for selling, and a page for bidding. These pages include a page for requesting that the transaction after the successful bid is rejected, a run-up application page, and a right transfer application page, which will be described later.

The mail server 30 is a server for sending and receiving electronic mails, and sends electronic mails to the user 4 when necessary. Specifically, an e-mail is transmitted when notifying the exhibitor 4a and the successful bidder 4b of the successful bid, or transferring the right of the successful bid to the second-place bidder 4c described later. The second-place bidder 4c means a bidder who has offered the next highest bid amount to a certain item for sale, after the successful bidder 4b.

When the user 4 uses the auction system 1, the user normally accesses the top page from a user terminal 3 such as a personal computer, and then moves to a desired page to receive a desired service.
For example, when selling an item, the user accesses a selling page and inputs necessary items on a displayed selling screen to perform a selling procedure. In response, the auction system 1 stores the input information in the DB server 10
Is registered in the exhibition information DB 11. As a result, the item subjected to the selling procedure becomes a bid target, and receives a bid from another user 4 via the bid page.

When the user 4 makes a bid, the user 4 accesses a page for bidding, inputs a desired purchase price for a desired item, and performs a bidding procedure. At this time, the information of the target item is displayed on the bidding screen displayed to the user 4 in the exhibition information DB of the DB server 10.
11 and is displayed. When the bid deadline time of the item for which a bid has been made is reached, the auction system 1
The successful bid process is executed, and the successful bidder 4b determined as a result and the exhibitor 4a of the item are notified by e-mail that the successful bid has been made. Also, at the time of contact by the e-mail, both the exhibitor 4a and the successful bidder 4b are notified of each other's nickname and e-mail address.

Thereafter, the exhibitor 4a and the successful bidder 4b communicate with each other using the notified e-mail address of the other party, and commence a transaction (payment, collection of goods, etc.) on the successful bid item. Auction system 1
Executes the processing of the contract fee assuming that the transaction for the item has been established at the time when the successful bid process is completed and the successful bidder 4b is determined. The closing fee is a fee paid by the exhibitor 4a to the organizer of the auction system 1 when an item for sale is awarded, and in the processing of the closing fee, specifically, in advance, the seller 4a transmits the item to the organizer. The processing of subtracting the contract fee for the item for which the bid was won from the amount of the deposit contained in the item is performed.

In the service in the auction system 1, personal information such as contact information registered by the user 4 during the enrollment procedure and stored in the user information DB 13 is disclosed to other users 4. Instead, a bid can be made using a nickname. Therefore,
The auction system 1 employs the above-described anonymous auction, and, as described above, notifies only the parties (seller 4a and successful bidder 4b) of the successful bidders of both e-mail addresses. .

The auction system 1 according to the present embodiment having the above-described configuration and function can maintain the purpose of the anonymous auction system even if the transaction after the successful bid is not established. The right of the successful bid is transferred to the second-place bidder 4c so that the transaction for the item can be continued. Hereinafter, a procedure and processing contents of a service provided from the auction system 1 in such a case will be described.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart exemplifying a procedure and processing contents after a transaction after a successful bid is not established. If the transaction with the successful bidder 4b is unsuccessful for some reason, the exhibitor 4a accesses the transaction rejection Web page 21 prepared in the auction system 1 from the user terminal 3 via the Internet 2. Then, an application is made to reject the transaction for the item for which the transaction has not been established (step S1 in FIG. 2).

In response, the auction system 1
Records the fact that the transaction has been refused in the information of the item, and executes the return processing of the contract fee already deducted at the time of the successful bid processing of the item (FIG. 2).
Step S2). When the processing for the transaction refusal is completed, the auction system 1 accesses the bid information DB 12, confirms that the second-place bidder 4c of the item exists, notifies the completion of the processing for the transaction refusal, and An e-mail is sent to the seller 4a asking whether he / she wants to sell the item to the second-place bidder 4c.
(Step S3 in FIG. 2). If there is no second-place bidder 4c for the item, only the fact that the above processing has been completed is notified. When sending an e-mail, the e-mail address of the seller 4a is obtained from the user information DB 13.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an electronic mail transmitted to the exhibitor 4a. As shown in the figure, the e-mail includes a message to the effect described above, and a runner-up application link selected when the seller 4a desires to sell to the runner-up bidder 4c (part a in FIG. 3). Is displayed. Such links include the URL of the runner-up application page described below.
Is embedded. The seller 4a receives the e-mail and, when wishing to sell to the second-place bidder 4c, selects the second-place application link (step in FIG. 2).
S4).

In response, the auction system 1
Stores the information of the item in the exhibition information DB 11 and the bidding information.
A Web page 21, which is obtained from the DB 12 and applies for sale to the second-place bidder 4c, that is, a second-order application page, is generated and returned to the user terminal 3 of the exhibitor 4a (step S5 in FIG. 2). . FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the runner-up application page. As shown in the figure, the runner-up application page includes information on the target exhibition item, notes on selling to the runner-up bidder 4c, and an application button (see FIG. 4).
b) is displayed. In this example, the displayed item information is an item ID, a title, and a second-place bid, but this information is useful for the seller 4a to determine the sale to the second-place bidder 4c. Other information may be displayed.

When the seller 4a wants to sell to the second-place bidder 4c, he or she selects the application button (b in FIG. 4) on this second-place application page (FIG. 2). Step S
6). In response to this, the auction system 1 acquires the e-mail address of the second-place bidder 4c from the user information DB 13, and gives the second-place bidder 4c the right to bid on the target item (hereinafter, the successful bid right). Is sent (step S in FIG. 2).
7).

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the electronic mail transmitted to the next-place bidder 4c. As shown in the figure,
This e-mail will include a message to the effect
A right transfer desire link (part c in FIG. 5) selected when the second-place bidder 4c desires to move the successful bid right is displayed. The URL of the right transfer application page described later is embedded in such a link. The second-place bidder 4c receives the e-mail and, when wishing to move the successful bid right, selects the right transfer request link (step S8 in FIG. 2).

In response, the auction system 1
Is a Web site for runner-up bidders 4c to apply for a transfer of the winning bid.
A page 21, that is, a right transfer application page is generated and transmitted to the user terminal 3 of the second-place bidder 4c (step S9 in FIG. 2). FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the right transfer application page. As shown in the figure, the right transfer application page
Information on the target exhibition item, precautions for transferring the right, and an application button (d in FIG. 6) are displayed.

If the runner-up bidder 4c is still interested in the target item and wants to buy the item, the application button on this right transfer application page (see FIG. 6)
d) is selected (step S10 in FIG. 2). In response, the auction system 1 moves the winning bid for the item to the second-place bidder 4c, and sends an e-mail notifying that the right has been transferred to the second-place bidder 4c. It transmits to both (step S11 of FIG. 2). Then, in this e-mail, the nickname and e-mail address of each other are put, similarly to the e-mail transmitted to the exhibitor 4a and the successful bidder 4b after the normal bidding process. Specifically, the e-mail to the seller 4a includes the nickname and e-mail address of the second-place bidder 4c, and the e-mail of the second-place bidder 4c includes the nickname and the e-mail address of the seller 4a. Is placed. In addition, the auction system 1 transmits the e-mail,
The processing of the contract fee according to the second place bid amount presented by the second place bidder 4c is executed (step S1 in FIG. 2).
2).

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of an e-mail sent to the seller 4a, and FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of an e-mail sent to the second-place bidder 4c. . As described above, the e-mail illustrated in the figure includes information indicating that the right has been transferred, information on the target item, and the nickname and e-mail address of the trading partner.

The exhibitor 4a and the runner-up bidder 4c receive the e-mails respectively (steps S13 and S13 in FIG. 2).
14) After recognizing that the successful bidder's right of the item has been transferred, they communicate with each other using the e-mail address of the other party notified by the e-mail, and start the transaction after the successful bid.

As described above, in the auction system 1 according to the present embodiment, when the transaction with the successful bidder 4b is not established, the auction of both the exhibitor 4a and the second-place bidder 4c is confirmed. After that, the transfer of the successful bid right and notification of the contact information of both parties are performed. Therefore, the contact information of the bidder is not arbitrarily notified to the other users 4 before becoming the successful bidder, and the purpose of the anonymous auction is maintained even when the right is transferred to the second-place bidder 4c. ing.

Therefore, by using the auction system 1, even if a transaction with the successful bidder 4b is not established, the second-place bidder 4c is given an opportunity to buy the same while maintaining the purpose of the anonymous auction. Convenience and transaction closing rate can be increased.

In the above embodiment, the exhibitor 4
As for a, the case where personal information such as contact information cannot be notified to other users 4 until a successful bid has been described, but when the seller 4a is a corporation, etc., a The information such as the contact information of the person 4a may be put together. In such a case, since the bidder can obtain the contact information of the seller 4a at the time of bidding, the bidder can provide the contact information to the bidder at the time of the above-mentioned successful bid or at the time of transfer of the winning right to the runner-up bidder 4c. Notice (email) includes the seller 4a
You do not need to include contact information. However, as a matter of course, in consideration of the convenience of the bidder, the notification to the bidder may include the contact information of the seller 4a. Even in such a case, the contact information of the bidder is not notified to the exhibitor 4a until after the successful bid or after the transfer of the successful bid right.

The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but extends to the inventions described in the claims and their equivalents.

[0040]

As described above, according to the present invention, in the anonymous auction service, when the transaction between the exhibitor and the successful bidder is not established, the transaction to the second-place bidder is maintained while maintaining the purpose of the anonymity. Opportunities can be transferred. Therefore,
It is possible to provide a service that more appropriately meets the demands of sellers and bidders, and to increase the number of contracts made.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram according to an embodiment of an auction system to which the present invention has been applied.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure and processing contents after a transaction after a successful bid is unsuccessful.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an e-mail transmitted to an exhibitor 4a when a transaction refusal process is completed.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a runner-up application page.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of an e-mail notifying that a successful bid right transmitted to a runner-up bidder 4c can be transferred.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a right transfer application page.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of an e-mail transmitted to the exhibitor 4a and indicating that the successful bid right has been transferred.

FIG. 8 is a view showing an example of an e-mail transmitted to a runner-up bidder 4c to notify that the successful bid right has been transferred.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Auction system 2 Internet 3 User terminal 4 User 4a Exhibitor 4b Successful bidder 4c Second place bidder 10 DB server 11 Exhibition information DB 12 Bid information DB 13 User information DB 20 Web server 21 Web page 30 Mail server

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A method for providing an auction service in an auction system connected to a user terminal via a network and providing an auction service to the user via the user terminal, comprising: Without notifying the seller,
After the successful bid, an auction in which the seller of the successful bid is notified of the contact information of the successful bidder, and based on the contact information, the seller and the successful bidder perform a transaction on the exhibit. In the service providing method, in a case where a transaction between the exhibitor and the successful bidder after the successful bid is not established, the auction system responds to a sales request to the next highest bidder performed from the exhibitor via the user terminal. A first step of notifying the second-place bidder that the right of the successful bid can be transferred to the second-place bidder via the user terminal; and In response to the request for transfer of the right of the successful bid made through the user terminal, the right of the successful bid is transferred to the second place bidder via the user terminal to the exhibitor. Auction service providing method characterized in that it comprises a second step of notifying the contact information to the effect that the said runner-up bidder. 2. The auction service providing method according to claim 1, wherein the contact information in the second step is an electronic mail address. 3. The electronic mail according to claim 1, wherein the notification in the first step is made by e-mail, and the transfer request from the second-place bidder in the second step is embedded in the e-mail. A method of providing an auction service, wherein the link is selected by the second-place bidder using an application interface screen provided by the auction system. 4. An auction system connected to a user terminal via a network and providing an auction service to the user via the user terminal, wherein before bidding, the contact information of the bidder is not notified to the seller. To
After the successful bid, an auction in which the seller of the successful bid is notified of the contact information of the successful bidder, and based on the contact information, the seller and the successful bidder perform a transaction on the exhibit. In the system, in a case where a transaction between the exhibitor and the successful bidder after the successful bid is not established, in response to a sales request from the exhibitor via the user terminal to the secondary bidder, the secondary bidder Against
Informing that the right of the successful bid can be transferred to the second place bidder via the user terminal, and responding to the transfer request of the right of the successful bid performed through the user terminal from the second place bidder An auction system for notifying the exhibitor of the transfer of the right of the successful bid to the second-place bidder and the contact information of the second-place bidder via the user terminal. .