In the definition of an on-line group-buying sale (122), a price of a
featured item may be specified as a fixed amount, such as $25 per month.
As indicated at (124), the sale 122 has an increasing incentive as more
buyers (104) join the sale. Buyers (104) make offers as indicated at
(126). As more buyers (104) make offers below a maximum threshold, the
on-line group-buying sale software (120) increases the incentive as
indicated at (128). At the conclusion of the sale (122), the on-line
group-buying sale software (120) confirms acceptance of all offers
specifying an incentive at or below the final, increased incentive in the
sale (122), as indicated at (130). The modified pricing on-line
group-buying sale can be applied to a variety of featured items, such as
long distance calling plans, rebates for the purchase of an automobile,
bank certificates of deposit, or credit instruments, with an increasing
number of free long distance minutes, an increasing face value for the
rebate, an increasing interest rate for the certificate of deposit, or a
lower interest rate for the credit instrument, as more buyers join the
sale.