Method and apparatus for facilitating buyer-driven purchase orders on a commercial network system

A computer based method for facilitating a transaction between at least one buyer, an intermediate, and at least one seller, comprising:

• receiving at the intermediate a forward purchase order for at least one item from at least one buyer, said intermediate having a central controller;
• forwarding a prenegotiated price for said items from the central controller to the buyer responsive to the submitted forward purchase order;
• upon receiving an acceptance of said prenegotiated price;
• and
• forwarding confirmations of transaction to the buyer and the selected seller.

A device having computer readable code embodied therein for causing a computer to perform the method steps for facilitating a transaction between at least two buyers, an intermediate, and at least one seller, comprising:

• receiving at the intermediate a forward purchase order for at least one item from at least two buyers, said intermediate having a central controller;
• forwarding a purchase stipulation from the central controller to the at least two buyers responsive to the submitted forward purchase order;
• upon receiving an acceptance of said purchase stipulation, aggregating said forward purchase order to orders of like kind in a pool to form a pooled purchase order;
• making the pooled purchase order including conditions of said pool to at least one seller;
• receiving a bid from at least one seller;
• verifying said bid with conditions of said pool;
• if conditions of said pool are satisfied, binding the seller to said intermediate and storing said bid in seller database;
• selecting a best bid from said database to determine a selected seller;
• and
• forwarding confirmations of sale to the at least two buyers and the selected seller.

A method for facilitating a transaction between a buyer, an intermediate, and at least one seller, comprising:

• receiving at the intermediate a forward purchase order for a goods or service from the buyer, said forward purchase order having a reserve price, said intermediate having a central controller;
• forwarding a purchase stipulation from the central controller to the buyer responsive to the submitted forward purchase order;
• receiving an acceptance of said purchase stipulation;
• posting at said central controller said forward purchase order;
• receiving a bid from at least one seller;
• verifying said bid with conditions of said forward purchase order;
• if conditions of said forward purchase order are satisfied, store bid in seller database;
• selecting a best bid from said database to determine a selected seller;
• and
• forwarding confirmations of sale to the buyer and the selected seller.