Large-scale electronic shopping systems need to accommodate both (a)a large number of products, many of which are close substitutes, and (b) aheterogeneous body of customers who have complex, multidimensional andperhaps rapidly changing-preferences regarding the products for salein the system....

The aim of this paper is to address the requirements for electronic shopping systems. Large-scale computerized electronic shopping systems need to accommodate both (a) a large number of products, many of which are close substitutes, and (b) a heterogeneous body of customers who have complex,...