eBay Inc.
On-line auction sales leads

Abstract:

A method for generating on-line sales leads in an on-line auction. The method determines when a prospective bidder for an on-line auction of a specific item by a seller accesses the on-line screen for the item. The method obtains the e-mail address of the prospective bidder and either correlates the e-mail address of the prospective bidder with the item by seller or with a classification for the item. The correlated e-mail address is then delivered to the seller or to a purchaser and may be accompanied with information identifying the specific item, the classification, whether a bid was made or not, etc. Furthermore, the delivery occurs at periodic fixed time intervals or when a fixed number of e-mail addresses are obtained.