1. A method comprising: receiving, in a mobile item-purchasing device, identification information from a physical item for sale by a seller; electronically matching, via the mobile item-purchasing device, the item for sale with an item on a buying list of an inventory control system in response to entering the identification information for the item for sale into the mobile item-purchasing device; electronically obtaining, via the mobile item-purchasing device, a purchase price for the item for sale; purchasing the item via the mobile item-purchasing device utilizing the electronically obtained purchase price; determining, via the mobile item-purchasing device, a hot spot buying condition when purchasing activity by the mobile item-purchasing device occurs at a rate higher than a predetermined purchasing activity threshold; identifying, via the mobile item-purchasing device, a location of the mobile-item purchasing device associated with the hot spot buying condition as a hot spot buying location; and based on the determination of the hot spot buying condition, automatically sending a purchasing assistance message from the mobile item-purchasing device to at least one other mobile item-purchasing device notifying the at least one other mobile item purchasing of the hot spot buying location.