TWI855879B - Computerized system and computer-implemented methods for item order management - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a computerized method for item order management, including receiving an order quantity of an item; retrieving, from a data store, a bulk shipment quantity associated with the item; determining a number of bulk shipments to meet the order quantity; retrieving a number of destinations; determining a quantity of surplus shipments to form a multiple of the number of destinations; transmitting a bulk supplier order in response to the quantity of surplus shipments being less than a threshold; determining a least amount of minimum order quantities to supply a difference between the order quantity and a product of a floor round of the number of bulk shipments and the bulk shipment quantity, and transmitting a supplier order for the amount of minimum order quantities and the number of bulk shipments in response to the quantity of surplus shipments being greater than the threshold.

Description

Computerized system for item ordering management and computer-implemented method

The present disclosure generally relates to computerized systems and methods for item ordering and allocation management. Specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to creative and unconventional systems and methods for optimizing item purchase quantities and allocations based on regional consumer habits.

Modern manufacturing and shipping customs permit lower unit pricing due to increased efficiencies in bulk shipment and purchasing (e.g., by reducing transaction costs while maintaining sales margins). Distributor economies of scale are often passed on to individual consumers, thereby reducing consumer costs and thereby increasing sales and profits for both distributors and manufacturers.

However, supplier orders that allow economies of scale require complex tracking and management of inventory and sales. In addition, sales, deliveries, and shipments are often measured in rates (e.g., units sold per hour), and these rates often accelerate and decelerate rapidly. Distributors may try to estimate these values based on historical sales data. However, these approaches ignore other variables (e.g., changes in warehouse storage space and capacity) because many fast-moving data streams cannot be measured and combined to produce customized purchase orders.

Additionally, some distributors may have multiple consumer groups with different consumption habits. Although bulk purchases are reasonable for some consumer groups with high consumption rates, individual purchases may be more suitable for other consumer groups with low consumption rates to avoid waste and other inventory costs.

What makes batch purchasing decisions more complex is that anticipating purchases from consumers requires staging of goods across regions. Different regions may exhibit different consumption patterns, which individually may be better matched by ordering from the manufacturer individually or in batches. However, when multiple consumer groups are considered in aggregate, new efficiencies may emerge, such as by combining individual orders into batch orders.

Because of these complexities, distributors were previously forced to accept simple computerized methods that based orders and allocations on average past sales. At the same time, distributors often intentionally overestimated requirements to ensure that customer needs were met and, therefore, maintain customer satisfaction. However, the complexity of trying to avoid over-ordering in managing many rapidly changing variables reported through multiple data streams resulted in waste and unsold inventory that offset the savings from economies of scale.

Alternatively, to avoid wasted goods and inventory costs, some distributors default to purchasing individually from manufacturers (which jeopardizes the advantages of economies of scale) or purchase insufficient inventory (which results in the inability to meet customer demand and shipping schedules).

Therefore, there is a need for improved methods and systems that optimize batch purchase quantities while taking into account fluctuating consumption patterns, real-time data reporting of warehouse capacity, and inventory costs.

The present disclosure relates to a computer-implemented method for item ordering management, including: determining the occupied capacity of a destination; determining the inbound capacity of the destination; determining the outbound capacity of the destination; determining the total capacity of the destination; determining the unused storage capacity of the destination; in response to the unused storage capacity being greater than the bulk shipping capacity, transmitting a first order for the bulk shipping quantity and the remaining shipping quantity; and in response to the unused storage capacity being less than the bulk shipping capacity, transmitting a second order or any of the above orders.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is related to a computerized system for item order management, including: a memory storing instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to perform the method.

Other systems, methods, and computer-readable media are also discussed herein.

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers are used to the extent possible in the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or similar parts. Although several exemplary embodiments are described herein, various modifications, adaptations and other implementations are possible. For example, the components and steps shown in the drawings may be replaced, added or modified, and the exemplary methods described herein may be modified by replacing, reordering, removing or adding the steps of the disclosed methods. Therefore, the following detailed description is not limited to the disclosed embodiments and examples. Instead, the proper scope of the invention is defined by the attached patent application scope.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for integrating data from multiple data sources (which may be captured or reported in real time) into purchasing and inventory management models to automatically anticipate inventory shortages and optimize inventory allocations based on real-time conditions.

Referring to FIG. 1A , a schematic block diagram 100 is shown that illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a system including a computerized system for shipping, transportation, and logistics operations capable of communication. As shown in FIG. 1A , the system 100 may include various systems, each of which may be connected to each other via one or more networks. The systems may also be connected to each other via direct connections (e.g., using cables). The systems depicted include a shipment authority technology (SAT) system 101, an external front-end system 103, an internal front-end system 105, a transportation system 107, mobile devices 107A, 107B, and 107C, a seller portal 109, a shipment and order tracking (SOT) system 111, a fulfillment optimization (FO) system 113, a fulfillment messaging gateway (FMG) 115, a supply chain management (SCM) system 117, a warehouse management system (WMS) 119, mobile devices 119A, 119B, and 119C (shown as being located within a fulfillment center (FC) 200), and a ^3rd party fulfillment (FC) system 119. fulfillment, 3PL) systems 121A, 121B and 121C, fulfillment center authorization system (FC Auth) 123 and labor management system (LMS) 125.

In some embodiments, the SAT system 101 may be implemented as a computer system that monitors order status and delivery status. For example, the SAT system 101 may determine whether an order has exceeded its Promised Delivery Date (PDD), and may take appropriate actions including placing a new order, reshipping items in an undelivered order, canceling an undelivered order, initiating contact with the ordering customer, etc. The SAT system 101 may also monitor other data including output (e.g., the number of packages shipped during a specific time period) and input (e.g., the number of empty cartons received for shipping). The SAT system 101 may also act as a gateway between different devices in the system 100, enabling communication between devices such as the external front-end system 103 and the FO system 113 (e.g., using store-and-forward or other techniques).

In some embodiments, the external front-end system 103 may be implemented as a computer system that enables external users to interact with one or more systems in the system 100. For example, in an embodiment in which the system 100 is capable of presenting a system so that a user can place an order for an item, the external front-end system 103 may be implemented as a website server that receives search requests, presents an item page, and solicits payment information. For example, the external front-end system 103 may be implemented as one or more computers running software such as Apache Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) server, Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS), NGINX, etc. In other embodiments, the external front-end system 103 may run customized website server software that is designed to receive and process requests from external devices (e.g., mobile device 102A or computer 102B), obtain information from databases and other data stores based on those requests, and provide responses to the received requests based on the obtained information.

In some embodiments, the external front-end system 103 may include one or more of a web caching system, a database, a search system, or a payment system. In one aspect, the external front-end system 103 may include one or more of these systems, and in another aspect, the external front-end system 103 may include an interface (e.g., server-to-server, database-to-database, or other network connection) connected to one or more of these systems.

A set of illustrative steps shown by FIG. 1B , FIG. 1C , FIG. 1D , and FIG. 1E will help illustrate some operations of the external front-end system 103 . The external front-end system 103 may receive information from a system or device in the system 100 for presentation and/or display. For example, the external front-end system 103 may host or provide one or more web pages, including a search result page (SRP) (e.g., FIG. 1B ), a single detail page (SDP) (e.g., FIG. 1C ), a cart page (e.g., FIG. 1D ), or an order page (e.g., FIG. 1E ). A user device (e.g., using a mobile device 102A or a computer 102B) may navigate to the external front-end system 103 and request a search by entering information in a search box. The external front-end system 103 may request information from one or more systems in the system 100. For example, the external front-end system 103 may request information from the FO system 113 to satisfy the search request. The external front-end system 103 may also request and receive (from the FO system 113) a promised delivery date or "PDD" for each product included in the search results. In some embodiments, the PDD may represent an estimate of when a package containing the product will arrive at the user's desired location, or the date on which the product is promised to be delivered to the user's desired location if ordered within a specific time period, such as before the end of the day (11:59 p.m.). (PDD is further discussed below with reference to the FO system 113.)

The external front-end system 103 may prepare an SRP based on the information (e.g., FIG. 1B ). The SRP may include information that satisfies the search request. For example, this may include pictures of products that satisfy the search request. The SRP may also include corresponding prices for each product, or information related to enhanced delivery options, PDD, weight, size, offers, discounts, etc. for each product. The external front-end system 103 may send the SRP to the requesting user device (e.g., via a network).

The user device may then select a product from the SRP, for example, by clicking or tapping on the user interface (or using another input device) to select a product presented on the SRP. The user device may formulate a request for information about the selected product and send it to the external front-end system 103. In response, the external front-end system 103 may request information related to the selected product. For example, the information may include additional information in addition to the information presented for the product on the corresponding SRP. This additional information may include, for example, shelf life, country of origin, weight, size, number of items in the package, handling instructions, or other information about the product. The information may also include suggestions for similar products (e.g., based on big data and/or machine learning analysis of customers who purchased the product and at least one other product), answers to frequently asked questions, reviews from customers, manufacturer information, pictures, etc.

The external front-end system 103 may prepare a single detail page (SDP) (e.g., FIG. 1C ) based on the received product information. The SDP may also include other interactive elements such as a “Buy Now” button, an “Add to Cart” button, a quantity field, an item picture, and the like. The SDP may further include a list of sellers that provide the product. The list may be sorted based on the price offered by each seller, so that the seller offering the product at the lowest price may be listed at the top. The list may also be sorted based on seller rankings, so that the highest-ranked seller may be listed at the top. Seller rankings may be determined based on a variety of factors, including, for example, a seller's past tracking record of meeting the promised PDD. The external headend system 103 may deliver the SDP to the requesting user device (eg, via a network).

The requesting user device may receive an SDP listing product information. After receiving the SDP, the user device may then interact with the SDP. For example, a user of the requesting user device may click on or otherwise interact with an "add to cart" button on the SDP. This will add the product to a shopping cart associated with the user. The user device may transmit such a request to add a product to a shopping cart to the external front-end system 103.

The external front-end system 103 may generate a shopping cart page (e.g., FIG. 1D ). In some embodiments, the shopping cart page lists products that have been added to a virtual “shopping cart” by the user. The user device may request the shopping cart page by clicking on or otherwise interacting with an icon on the SRP, SDP, or other page. In some embodiments, the shopping cart page may list all products that have been added to the shopping cart by the user, as well as information about the products in the shopping cart, such as the quantity of each product, the unit price of each product, the price of each product based on the associated quantity, information about the PDD, the delivery method, shipping costs, user interface elements for modifying products in the shopping cart (e.g., deletion or modification of quantities), options for ordering additional products or setting up recurring deliveries of products, options for setting interest payments, user interface elements for continuing purchases, etc. A user at a user device may click on or otherwise interact with a user interface element (e.g., a button that reads "Buy Now") to initiate a purchase of the products in the shopping cart. In doing so, the user device may transmit such a request to initiate a purchase to the external front-end system 103.

The external front-end system 103 may generate an order page (e.g., FIG. 1E ) in response to receiving a request to initiate a purchase. In some embodiments, the order page re-lists the items from the shopping cart and requests entry of payment and shipping information. For example, the order page may include portions requesting information about the purchaser of the items in the shopping cart (e.g., name, address, email address, phone number), information about the recipient (e.g., name, address, phone number, delivery information), shipping information (e.g., speed/method of delivery and/or collection), payment information (e.g., credit card, bank transfer, check, stored credit), a user interface element requesting a cash receipt (e.g., for tax purposes), etc. The external front-end system 103 may send the order page to a user device.

The user device may enter information on the order page and click on or otherwise interact with user interface elements that send the information to the external front end system 103. The external front end system 103 may send information from the user interface elements to different systems in the system 100 to enable the creation and processing of a new order using the products in the shopping cart.

In some embodiments, external front-end system 103 may be further configured to enable sellers to send and receive order-related information.

In some embodiments, the internal front-end system 105 may be implemented as a computer system that enables internal users (e.g., employees of an organization that owns, operates, or leases the system 100) to interact with one or more systems in the system 100. For example, in an embodiment in which the system 100 is capable of presenting a system so that a user can place an order for an item, the internal front-end system 105 may be implemented as a website server that enables an internal user to view diagnostic and statistical information about an order, modify item information, or check statistics related to an order. For example, the internal front-end system 105 may be implemented as one or more computers running software such as Apache HTTP Server, Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS), NGINX, etc. In other embodiments, the internal front-end system 105 may run custom website server software that is designed to receive and process requests from systems or devices shown in the system 100 (as well as other devices not shown), obtain information from databases and other data stores based on those requests, and provide responses to the received requests based on the obtained information.

In some embodiments, the internal front-end system 105 may include one or more of a website cache system, a database, a search system, a payment system, an analysis system, an order monitoring system, etc. In one aspect, the internal front-end system 105 may include one or more of these systems, and in another aspect, the internal front-end system 105 may include an interface (e.g., server-to-server, database-to-database, or other network connection) connected to one or more of these systems.

In some embodiments, the transport system 107 may be implemented as a computer system that enables communication between systems or devices in the system 100 and mobile devices 107A to 107C. In some embodiments, the transport system 107 may receive information from one or more mobile devices 107A to 107C (e.g., mobile phones, smart phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), etc.). For example, in some embodiments, the mobile devices 107A to 107C may include devices operated by delivery workers. Delivery workers (who may be permanent, temporary, or shift employees) may utilize mobile devices 107A to 107C to effectuate the delivery of packages containing products ordered by users. For example, to deliver a package, a delivery worker may receive a notification on a mobile device indicating which package to deliver and where to deliver the package. Upon arriving at the delivery location, the delivery worker may use the mobile device to locate the package (e.g., in the back of a truck or in a crate of packages), scan or otherwise capture data associated with an identifier on the package (e.g., a barcode, image, text string, radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, etc.), and deliver the package (e.g., by leaving the package at the front door, leaving it with security guards, handing it to the recipient, etc.). In some embodiments, the delivery worker may use the mobile device to capture a photo of the package and/or may use the mobile device to obtain a signature. The mobile device may send information to the transport system 107 including information about the delivery, such as the time, date, Global Positioning System (GPS) location, a photo, an identifier associated with the delivery worker, an identifier associated with the mobile device, etc. The transport system 107 may store this information in a database (not shown) for access by other systems in the system 100. In some embodiments, the transport system 107 may use this information to prepare and send tracking data to other systems indicating the location of a particular package.

In some embodiments, certain users may use one type of mobile device (e.g., a permanent worker may use a dedicated PDA with customized hardware such as a bar code scanner, stylus, and other devices) while other users may use other types of mobile devices (e.g., temporary or shift workers may utilize off-the-shelf cell phones and/or smartphones).

In some embodiments, the transport system 107 may associate a user with each device. For example, the transport system 107 may store an association between a user (represented by, for example, a user identifier, an employee identifier, or a phone number) and a mobile device (represented by, for example, an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), an International Mobile Subscription Identifier (IMSI), a phone number, a Universal Unique Identifier (UUID), or a Globally Unique Identifier (GUID)). The transport system 107 may use this association in conjunction with data received at the time of delivery to analyze data stored in a database to determine, among other information, the location of a worker, the efficiency of a worker, or the speed of a worker.

In some embodiments, the seller portal 109 may be implemented as a computer system that enables a seller or other external entity to electronically communicate with one or more systems in the system 100. For example, a seller may utilize a computer system (not shown) to upload or provide product information, order information, contact information, etc. for products that the seller wishes to sell through the system 100 using the seller portal 109.

In some embodiments, the shipping and order tracking system 111 may be implemented as a computer system that receives, stores, and transmits information about the location of packaging containing products ordered by customers (e.g., by users using devices 102A-102B). In some embodiments, the shipping and order tracking system 111 may request or store information from a website server (not shown) operated by a shipping company that delivers the packaging containing the products ordered by the customer.

In some embodiments, the shipping and order tracking system 111 can request and store information from the systems depicted in the system 100. For example, the shipping and order tracking system 111 can request information from the transportation system 107. As discussed above, the transportation system 107 can receive information from one or more mobile devices 107A-107C (e.g., mobile phones, smart phones, PDAs, etc.) associated with one or more of a user (e.g., a delivery worker) or a vehicle (e.g., a delivery truck). In some embodiments, the shipping and order tracking system 111 can also request information from a warehouse management system (WMS) 119 to determine the location of individual products within a fulfillment center (e.g., fulfillment center 200). The shipping and order tracking system 111 may request data from one or more of the transportation system 107 or the WMS 119, process it, and present it to a device (e.g., user devices 102A and 102B) based on the request.

In some embodiments, the fulfillment optimization (FO) system 113 may be implemented as a computer system that stores information about customer orders from other systems (e.g., the external front-end system 103 and/or the shipping and order tracking system 111). The FO system 113 may also store information describing where specific items are housed or stored. For example, certain items may be stored in only one fulfillment center, while certain other items may be stored in multiple fulfillment centers. In still other embodiments, certain fulfillment centers may be designed to store only a specific set of items (e.g., fresh produce or frozen product). The FO system 113 stores this information as well as related information (e.g., quantity, size, receipt date, expiration date, etc.).

The FO system 113 may also calculate a corresponding promised delivery date (PDD) for each product. In some embodiments, the PDD may be based on one or more factors. For example, the FO system 113 may calculate the PDD for a product based on: past demand for the product (e.g., how many times the product has been ordered during a period of time), expected demand for the product (e.g., how many customers are forecasted to order the product during an upcoming period of time), past network-wide demand indicating how many products have been ordered during a period of time, expected network-wide demand indicating how many products are expected to be ordered during an upcoming period of time, one or more counts of the products stored in each fulfillment center 200, which fulfillment center stores each product, expected orders or current orders for the product, etc.

In some embodiments, the FO system 113 may determine the PDD for each product periodically (e.g., every hour) and store it in a database for retrieval or transmission to other systems (e.g., external front-end system 103, SAT system 101, shipping and order tracking system 111). In other embodiments, the FO system 113 may receive electronic requests from one or more systems (e.g., external front-end system 103, SAT system 101, shipping and order tracking system 111) and calculate the PDD on demand.

In some embodiments, the fulfillment messaging gateway (FMG) 115 may be implemented as a computer system that receives requests or responses in one format or protocol from one or more systems in the system 100 (e.g., the FO system 113), converts them into another format or protocol, and transmits them in the converted format or protocol to other systems such as the WMS 119 or third-party fulfillment systems 121A, 121B, or 121C, and vice versa.

In some embodiments, the supply chain management (SCM) system 117 may be implemented as a computer system that performs forecasting functions. For example, the SCM system 117 may forecast the demand level for a specific product based on, for example, past demand for the product, expected demand for the product, past demand for the entire network, expected demand for the entire network, product counts stored in each fulfillment center 200, expected orders or current orders for each product, etc. Based on such forecast levels and the volume of each product in all fulfillment centers, the SCM system 117 may generate one or more purchase orders to purchase and store sufficient quantities to meet the forecast demand for the specific product.

In some embodiments, a warehouse management system (WMS) 119 may be implemented as a computer system that monitors workflow. For example, the WMS 119 may receive event data from individual devices (e.g., devices 107A-107C or 119A-119C) indicating discrete events. For example, the WMS 119 may receive event data indicating that a package was scanned using one of the devices. As discussed below with reference to fulfillment center 200 and FIG. 2 , during the fulfillment process, a package identifier (e.g., barcode or RFID tag data) may be scanned or read by a machine (e.g., an automated or handheld barcode scanner, an RFID reader, a high-speed camera, a device such as tablet 119A, a mobile device/PDA 119B, a computer 119C, or the like) at a particular stage. WMS 119 may store each event indicating a scan or read of a package identifier in a corresponding database (not shown) along with the package identifier, time, date, location, user identifier, or other information, and may provide this information to other systems (e.g., shipping and order tracking system 111).

In some embodiments, the WMS 119 may store information associating one or more devices (e.g., devices 107A-107C or 119A-119C) with one or more users associated with the system 100. For example, in some cases, the association of a user (e.g., a part-time employee or a full-time employee) with a mobile device may be that the user owns the mobile device (e.g., the mobile device is a smartphone). In other cases, the association of a user with a mobile device may be that the user temporarily keeps the mobile device (e.g., the user checks in a mobile device at the beginning of the day, will use the mobile device during the day, and will return the mobile device at the end of the day).

In some embodiments, WMS 119 may maintain a work log for each user associated with system 100. For example, WMS 119 may store information associated with each employee, including any assigned processes (e.g., unloading a truck, picking items at a pick-up area, rebining wall work, packaging items), user identifiers, locations (e.g., floors or areas in fulfillment center 200), the number of units the employee moved through the system (e.g., number of items picked, number of items packaged), identifiers associated with devices (e.g., devices 119A-119C), and the like. In some embodiments, WMS 119 may receive check-in information and check-out information from a timing system, such as a timing system operating on devices 119A- 119C.

In some embodiments, third-party fulfillment (3PL) systems 121A-121C represent computer systems associated with third-party providers of logistics and products. For example, while some products are stored in fulfillment center 200 (as discussed below with respect to FIG. 2 ), other products may be stored off-site, may be produced on demand, or may not otherwise be stored in fulfillment center 200. 3PL systems 121A-121C may be configured to receive orders from FO system 113 (e.g., via FMG 115 ) and may provide products and/or services (e.g., delivery or installation) directly to customers. In some embodiments, one or more of the 3PL systems 121A-121C may be part of the system 100, while in other embodiments, one or more of the 3PL systems 121A-121C may be external to the system 100 (e.g., owned or operated by a third-party provider).

In some embodiments, fulfillment center authorization system (FC Auth) 123 may be implemented as a computer system having various functions. For example, in some embodiments, FC Auth 123 may act as a single-sign on (SSO) service for one or more other systems in system 100. For example, FC Auth 123 may enable a user to log in via internal front-end system 105, determine that the user has similar privileges to access resources at shipping and order tracking system 111, and enable the user to access those privileges without requiring a second login process. In other embodiments, FC Auth 123 may enable a user (e.g., an employee) to associate themselves with a specific task. For example, some employees may not have electronic devices (e.g., devices 119A-119C), but may instead move between tasks and between zones during the course of a day within fulfillment center 200. FC Auth 123 may be configured to enable these employees to indicate what tasks they are performing and what zone they are in at different times of the day.

In some embodiments, the labor management system (LMS) 125 may be implemented as a computer system that stores attendance information and overtime information of employees (including full-time employees and part-time employees). For example, the LMS 125 may receive information from the FC Auth 123, the WMS 119, the devices 119A to 119C, the transportation system 107, and/or the devices 107A to 107C.

The specific configuration shown in FIG. 1A is only an example. For example, although FIG. 1A shows that the FC Auth system 123 is connected to the FO system 113, not all embodiments require such a specific configuration. In fact, in some embodiments, the systems in the system 100 can be connected to each other through one or more public or private networks including the Internet, an intranet, a wide-area network (WAN), a metropolitan-area network (MAN), a wireless network that complies with the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11a/b/g/n standards, a leased line, etc. In some embodiments, one or more of the systems in system 100 may be implemented as one or more virtual servers implemented at a data center, a server farm, or the like.

FIG. 2 illustrates a fulfillment center 200. A fulfillment center 200 is an example of a physical location where items are stored for shipment to customers when ordered. A fulfillment center (FC) 200 may be divided into a plurality of zones, each of which is illustrated in FIG. 2 . In some embodiments, these “zones” may be viewed as virtual divisions between different stages of the process of receiving items, storing items, retrieving items, and shipping items. Thus, although “zones” are illustrated in FIG. 2 , other divisions of zones may exist, and in some embodiments, the zones in FIG. 2 may be omitted, duplicated, or modified.

Inbound area 203 represents an area of FC 200 that receives items from sellers who wish to sell products using system 100 from Figure 1A. For example, a seller may deliver items 202A and 202B using truck 201. Item 202A may represent a single item that is large enough to occupy its own shipping pallet, while item 202B may represent a group of items that are stacked together on the same pallet to save space.

The worker will receive the items in the inbound area 203 and can optionally check the items for damage and correctness using a computer system (not shown). For example, the worker can use the computer system to compare the quantity of items 202A and 202B with the quantity of items ordered. If the quantity does not match, the worker can reject one or more of the items 202A or 202B. If the quantity matches, the worker can move the items (using, for example, a cart, a hand truck, a forklift, or manually) to a buffer zone 205. The buffer zone 205 can be a temporary storage area for items that are not currently needed in the picking zone (for example, because there is a sufficiently high quantity of such items in the picking zone to meet the forecast demand). In some embodiments, the forklift 206 operates to move items around in the buffer zone 205 and between the inbound zone 203 and the unloading zone 207. If the item 202A or 202B is needed in the picking zone (e.g., due to forecasted demand), the forklift can move the item 202A or 202B to the unloading zone 207.

Unloading area 207 may be an area of FC 200 where items are stored before being moved to picking area 209. A worker assigned a picking task (a "picker") may approach items 202A and 202B in the picking area, scan a barcode of the picking area using a mobile device (e.g., device 119B) and scan the barcodes associated with items 202A and 202B. The picker may then take the items to picking area 209 (e.g., by placing the items on a cart or transporting the items).

The picking area 209 may be an area of the FC 200 where items 208 are stored on storage units 210. In some embodiments, the storage units 210 may include one or more of physical shelving, bookcases, boxes, shipping boxes, refrigerators, freezers, cold storage, etc. In some embodiments, the picking area 209 may be organized into multiple floors. In some embodiments, workers or machines may move items into the picking area 209 in a variety of ways including, for example, forklifts, elevators, conveyor belts, transporters, carts, trolleys, carts, automated robots or devices, or manual methods. For example, the picker may place items 202A and 202B on a cart or transporter in the unloading area 207 and walk the items 202A and 202B to the picking area 209.

The picker may receive instructions to place (or "stow") an item in a specific location in the picking area 209 (e.g., a specific space on the storage unit 210). For example, the picker may use a mobile device (e.g., device 119B) to scan item 202A. The device may, for example, use a system that indicates aisles, shelves, and locations to indicate where the picker should stow item 202A. Then, before stowing item 202A in this location, the device may prompt the picker to scan a barcode at this location. The device may send (e.g., via a wireless network) data to a computer system (e.g., WMS 119 in FIG. 1A) to indicate that item 202A has been stowed at the location by a user using device 119B.

Once the user places an order, the picker may receive instructions on device 119B to pick up one or more items 208 from storage unit 210. The picker may pick up item 208, scan a barcode on item 208, and place it on transport mechanism 214. Although transport mechanism 214 is shown as a slide, in some embodiments, the transport mechanism may be implemented as one or more of a conveyor belt, an elevator, a transporter, a forklift, a trolley, a cart, etc. Item 208 may then arrive at packaging area 211.

The packaging area 211 may be the area where the self-picking area 209 of the FC 200 receives items and packages the items into boxes or bags for final shipment to customers. In the packaging area 211, a worker assigned to receive items (a "rebin worker") receives the item 208 from the self-picking area 209 and determines what order the item 208 corresponds to. For example, the rebin worker may use a device such as a computer 119C to scan a bar code on the item 208. The computer 119C may visually indicate which order the item 208 is associated with. For example, this may include a space or "cell" on the wall 216 that corresponds to the order. Once the order is complete (e.g., because the cell contains all of the items for the order), the distribution worker may indicate to the packaging worker (or "packer") that the order is complete. The packer may pick the items from the cell and place them into boxes or bags for shipping. The packer may then send the boxes or bags to a hub zone 213, such as by forklift, truck, dolly, wheelbarrow, conveyor, manual means, or other means.

The hub 213 may be the area of the FC 200 that receives all boxes or bags ("packages") from the packaging area 211. Workers and/or machines in the hub 213 may pick up packages 218 and determine which part of the delivery area each package is intended to go to, and route the packages to the appropriate camp area 215. For example, if the delivery area has two smaller sub-areas, the packages will go to one of the two camp areas 215. In some embodiments, a worker or machine may scan the package (e.g., using one of devices 119A-119C) to determine its final destination. Routing the package to the camp area 215 may include, for example, determining a portion of a geographic area that is a destination for the package (eg, based on a zip code), and determining the camp area 215 associated with the portion of the geographic area.

In some embodiments, the camp area 215 may include one or more buildings, one or more physical spaces, or one or more areas where packages are received from the hub 213 for sorting into routes and/or sub-routes. In some embodiments, the camp area 215 is physically separate from the FC 200, while in other embodiments, the camp area 215 may form part of the FC 200.

Workers and/or machines in the camp area 215 can determine which route and/or sub-route a package 220 should be associated with, for example, based on a comparison of the destination with existing routes and/or sub-routes, a calculation of the workload of each route and/or sub-route, the time of day, the shipping method, the cost of shipping the package 220, the PDD associated with the items in the package 220, etc. In some embodiments, a worker or machine can scan a package (e.g., using one of the devices 119A to 119C) to determine its final destination. Once a package 220 is assigned to a particular route and/or sub-route, the worker and/or machine can move the package 220 to be shipped. In exemplary FIG. 2, the camp area 215 includes a truck 222, a car 226, and delivery workers 224A and 224B. In some embodiments, truck 222 may be driven by delivery worker 224A, where delivery worker 224A is a full-time employee who delivers packages for FC 200, and truck 222 is owned, leased, or operated by the same company that owns, leases, or operates FC 200. In some embodiments, car 226 may be driven by delivery worker 224B, where delivery worker 224B is a "flex" or occasional worker who makes deliveries as needed (e.g., seasonally). Car 226 may be owned, leased, or operated by delivery worker 224B.

3 is a flow chart showing an exemplary embodiment of an item order management process 300 according to the disclosed embodiment. In some embodiments, the SCM system 117 can run the process 300 to generate one or more purchase orders to purchase and store sufficient quantities to meet the forecast demand for various products.

In step 302, the SCM system 117 may receive an order quantity for an item. The order quantity may be based on, for example, historical consumption patterns and consumption projections. Although the process 300 is discussed with respect to a single item type, the process 300 may also accommodate order quantities for multiple items, such as orders for multiple stock keeping units (SKUs). In some embodiments, the SCM system 117 may retrieve inventory information and generate order quantities based on the inventory information (rather than receiving the order quantity or based on receiving the order quantity), such as by retrieving inventory data from one or more WMS 119 or FO systems 113. For example, the SCM system 117 may retrieve the current inventory of the SKU at the fulfillment center from the database and repeat this process for each of the multiple fulfillment centers to determine the total inventory of the SKU. The SCM system 117 may also retrieve past supplier orders and past consumer purchases, for example, from the FO system 113 and calculate the current inventory.

In addition, the SCM system 117 can determine the order quantity based on the difference between the current inventory and the required inventory. The required inventory can be determined based on unfulfilled sales to consumers or planned sales of SKUs and the planned supplier time required to deliver the goods to the fulfillment center. For example, if SCM system 117 determines that there are 1,000 widgets in stock in at least one fulfillment center, 1,500 widgets have been purchased but not yet shipped to customers, 1,500 will be purchased within a week, and it will take a week for the supplier to deliver the new widgets to the fulfillment center, then SCM system 117 may determine that the order quantity is 2,000 widgets (1,500 purchased + 1,500 planned purchases - 1,000 in stock = 2,000 to order).

In some embodiments, the SCM system 117 may also determine the order quantity based on the required reserve quantity. The required reserve quantity may be the number of SKUs to be kept in inventory to meet a surge in consumer purchases. For example, the consumption rate of a SKU may be 1000 units per week, but occasionally, the consumption rate may jump to 1500 units per week. The required reserve quantity may therefore be 500, so that shipping delays to consumers are minimized due to low inventory.

Therefore, the SCM system 117 can retrieve the required reserve corresponding to the item from a data store. The data store can be a database that the SCM system 117 can access (e.g., via a network), or it can be an internal store of the SCM system 117. The required reserve can be based on a statistical confidence interval around historical consumption rates. For example, a distributor may want a 99.9% probability of satisfying consumer purchases using current inventory. Based on past consumption patterns, the SCM system 117 can calculate a statistical distribution (e.g., a Gaussian distribution) and determine the range that 99.9% of consumption rates are expected to fall within. The SCM system 117 can then base the required reserve on this confidence interval.

In addition, the SCM system 117 may retrieve the quantity of stored items corresponding to at least one destination. The destination may be, for example, a fulfillment center where the items are packaged and shipped to consumers as described above, and the quantity of stored items may be the inventory of SKUs at the destination. The SCM system 117 may calculate the quantity of stored items as described above (rather than retrieving the quantity of stored items from the data storage or based on retrieving the quantity of stored items from the data storage). The SCM system 117 may then set the order quantity to include the reserve order quantity, which is the difference between the required reserve quantity and the quantity of stored items.

In some embodiments, the reserve order quantity may reflect the total reserve quantity for multiple destinations. The reserve order quantity may also be based on the quantity of items stored at a single destination and the required reserve quantity. For example, the required reserve quantity may include at least one location-specific reserve quantity, which corresponds to a destination and is based on the delivery rate of the items from the destination. The delivery rate may correspond to the number of consumers who purchase the items served by a particular destination. In addition, the reserve order quantity may be the total of multiple location-specific reserves, and the SCM system 117 may store the location-specific reserves associated with the corresponding destination to later allocate the goods to the destination.

Returning to FIG. 3 , at step 304 , the SCM system 117 may retrieve the batch shipment quantity associated with the item from the data store. The batch shipment quantity may be set by the manufacturer or supplier based on the characteristics of the item. For example, a batch shipment of paper towels may be 100 boxes based on the standard pallet size and box capacity used by paper towel manufacturers, and a batch shipment of chairs may be 4 due to the weight of the chairs. Batches may also be divided into tiers, such that, for example, a batch shipment of 100 boxes of paper towels may cost $0.30 per box, while a batch shipment of 200 boxes of paper towels may cost $0.25 per box.

At step 306, the SCM system 117 may determine the number of batch shipments required to satisfy the order quantity. Step 306 may calculate a fraction of the batch shipment quantity. For example, if the order quantity from step 302 is 1500 units, and the batch shipment quantity is 1000 units, then 1.5 batch shipments will be required to satisfy the order quantity.

However, in many cases, manufacturers may not accept fractional quantities of bulk shipments because doing so may increase baseline shipping and transaction costs while reducing total sales, thereby reducing profits. In addition, the efficiency of bulk ordering may be offset if the distributor has to divide the bulk shipment into smaller sizes to match the requirements of the destination and potentially avoid overwhelming the destination with excess units that may not be dispatched quickly. In addition to increasing the distributor's unit shipping costs, excess, unsold units increase storage costs and even potentially result in waste, such as if the units are never sold.

Thus, the SCM system 117 may determine whether to round up the fraction of the batch shipment quantity calculated at step 306, or round down the fraction of the batch shipment quantity, and order the remaining units needed to satisfy the order quantity individually or at different batch shipment levels.

For example, bulk shipments may be arranged into pallet groups, and each pallet may hold, for example, 300 units of a SKU. If the distributor network requires 750 units, then 750 units correspond to 2.5 pallets. The pallet order will be for 2 pallets (600 units) or for 3 pallets (900 units). In some cases, the determination of rounding up or rounding down may be determined by the nature of the SKU. For example, for SKUs that may be held on reserve in anticipation of an unusual increase in customer demand (i.e., "excess" or "long-term" inventory), orders may be rounded up when the pallet count exceeds a threshold (e.g., 2.5 pallets) because it may be cost-effective to enter inventory into long-term storage for a particular pallet count (i.e., at least 3). Alternatively, certain SKUs may be dispatched quickly (i.e., "non-excess" or "short-term" inventory). In these cases, orders may be rounded up when the pallet count exceeds a lower threshold (e.g., at 0.5) because the inventory will be maintained in short-term storage and shipped to customers quickly. If the pallet number is rounded down, additional units are needed to meet the original requirement and the remaining units can be ordered as individual units. For example, if the network requires 700 units and a pallet is 300 units, the network requires 2.33 pallets. For 600 units, this can be rounded down to 2 pallets and the remaining 100 units can be ordered individually.

In some cases, redundant or long-lived SKUs may also be rounded up, even in situations where individual units are purchased. For example, a supplier may provide units on a pallet quantity or a minimum order quantity, where the minimum order quantity contains fewer units than the pallet and indicates the minimum number of units that the supplier will ship. Therefore, if less than the threshold number of pallets of a redundant SKU is required, the order may be calculated to the minimum order quantity. For example, if the distributor network needs 750 units of a SKU, and the pallet contains 1500 units and the minimum order quantity is 400 units, the delivery network will require 2 pallets or 1.875 minimum order quantities. Based on handling and storage costs, 2 pallets may be too few, and therefore the network may tend to order the minimum order quantity. To reduce the number of transactions, the minimum order quantity of 1.875 may be increased to, for example, 3, since the excess surplus units are still useful to offset the sales surge. However, non-surplus SKUs may be treated differently, since the minimum order quantity of 1.875 may be rounded up to 2 (since the excess inventory may be wasted).

In addition, SKUs may be categorized by the final shipping method to the customer. For example, certain SKUs (e.g., low-value, non-fragile SKUs) may be shipped in bags (i.e., "carry-on"). High-value or fragile SKUs may need to be shipped in boxes along with other packaging (i.e., "non-carry-on"). Other SKUs may be shipped in large quantities from manufacturers or suppliers, or in original packaging (i.e., "grande"). For example, because consumers may often purchase large quantities of toilet paper, boxes of toilet paper may be categorized as grandes, and the boxes may be shipped from the destination to the consumer in the original packaging provided by the toilet paper manufacturer. In some embodiments, the SKU type may determine the threshold required to round up pallets and minimum order quantities.

Thus, at step 308, the SCM system 117 may capture the number of destinations, such as the number of destinations in a fulfillment center network, or the number of destinations that require additional inventory to meet the required reservation and planned consumption rates. The SCM system 117 may then determine the remaining shipment quantity at step 310 to form a multiple of the number of destinations. By way of example, the order quantity for paper towels may be 1,200 boxes, and the batch shipment quantity may be 300 boxes. Therefore, to obtain 1,200 boxes, 4 batch shipments are required. However, if there are 5 destinations that require additional paper towel inventory, then one destination will not be re-supplied unless the batch shipment is divided into individual units. Therefore, at step 310, the SCM system 117 may determine that the remaining shipment quantity is 1, such that the batch shipment number (4) and the remaining shipment quantity (1) are multiples of the destination number (5).

As an additional example, the chairs may be ordered in a quantity of 16 chairs and the batch quantity of the chairs may be 3. Therefore, 5.33 batch shipments may be required to fulfill the order quantity. Furthermore, there may be 8 destinations that require additional inventory of chairs to satisfy the corresponding required reservations. At step 310, the SCM system 117 will determine that a remaining shipment of 2.66 batch shipments is required so that the 8 total batch quantities can be evenly distributed across the 8 destinations. In other words, in order to allocate at least 16 chairs to the 8 destinations when shipping the chairs in batches of 3, the SCM system 117 will order a total of 18 chairs, or 2 more than the 16 chairs actually required.

As a result, the SCM system 117 may have to order more inventory than is actually needed in order to distribute the inventory throughout the network. In some cases, the additional inventory may be small, so that the risk of waste and the additional storage costs of unnecessary inventory are also small. In other cases, the additional inventory may be large, resulting in increased waste and increased storage costs, which may offset the benefits of bulk shipping.

Therefore, the SCM system 117 may compare the remaining shipment quantity to a threshold value at step 312. The threshold value may depend on SKU characteristics such as sell-through rate, perishability, and unit value. For example, high-throughput items such as cosmetics may have a high threshold value because the risk of waste may be reduced and storage costs may be small. Perishable goods may have a lower threshold value due to the risk of unsold losses. High-value goods may have high storage costs and therefore have a high threshold value so that the distributor avoids incurring excessive costs. Additionally, the threshold value may be proportional to the batch shipment quantity. For example, adding 3 batch shipments to 1 batch shipment to be a multiple of 4 destinations may cost too much, while adding 3 batch shipments to 97 batch shipments to be a multiple of 4 may cost very little more than the original planned cost of storing the original order.

In some embodiments, the SCM system 117 can calculate the threshold value based on the total amount of money saved by bulk ordering and the estimated storage costs and waste of excess goods. For example, if an order is placed in a shipment of 100 boxes, the distributor can pay $0.25 for each box of tissues, with a total cost of $25. If the distributor only needs 40 boxes and purchases them individually, the distributor can pay $0.50 for each box, with a total cost of $50. Therefore, the distributor can save $25 by ordering in bulk. However, an additional 60 boxes (i.e., 0.6 surplus shipments) may require $30 in additional handling and storage costs (which could have been avoided by purchasing individually). Thus, it is more advantageous to purchase 40 boxes individually for $50 than to purchase 100 boxes in bulk for $25 and incur a $30 charge. Therefore, the SCM system 117 may set a threshold of 0.5 surplus shipments, indicating that it is cost-effective to increase the original purchase quantity by up to 0.5 surplus shipments, but not to increase further. In addition, the SCM system 117 may calculate the threshold based on the SKU type (i.e., portable, non-portable, bulky) and whether the SKU is considered a redundant SKU or a non-redundant SKU. As an example, a non-redundant SKU that is expected to leave the destination quickly might have a higher threshold value, indicating a need to reduce excess inventory, whereas a redundant SKU might have a lower threshold value (due to the fact that excess inventory can be stored longer).

In some cases, a distributor may find increased efficiencies in handling bulk shipments as a group. For example, handling a bulk shipment may require additional equipment (e.g., a forklift) to handle the shipping mechanism (e.g., a pallet). In contrast, smaller or individual shipments may be simpler and less expensive to handle, resulting in lower total costs (although the unit cost may be higher).

Therefore, if the total batch shipment quantity exceeds the batch shipment threshold, the distributor may only order the batch shipment. Therefore, after determining that the remaining shipment quantity is less than the first threshold (i.e., step 312 is yes), the SCM system 117 may proceed to step 318. At step 318, the SCM system 117 may compare the sum of the batch shipment quantity and the remaining shipment quantity to the batch shipment threshold. If the sum is greater than the batch shipment threshold, step 318 is yes and the SCM system 117 may proceed to step 320. In some embodiments, the SCM system 117 may omit step 318 or step 312.

At step 320, the SCM system 117 may transmit a supplier order for the bulk shipment quantity and the remaining shipment quantity. The SCM system 117 may require manual approval of the supplier order before transmission. The SCM system 117 may transmit the supplier order to the manufacturer of the SKU or, for example, another distributor. In addition, the supplier order may specify a delivery location and time.

In some cases, a manufacturer or other supplier may specify a minimum order quantity for an item. For example, a tissue manufacturer may refuse to ship less than 10 boxes of tissue at a time, or may be willing to ship a single box of tissue at a time, making the minimum order quantity one. For example, the SCM system 117 can retrieve the minimum order quantity corresponding to the item from a data store. Therefore, if bulk shipment is not selected, the distributor may need to place an order based on the minimum order quantity. The SCM system 117 can also retrieve a minimum order quantity minimum number (i.e., a minimum order quantity minimum number), which can be based on the status of the SKU as a redundant SKU or a non-redundant SKU. For example, a redundant SKU may have a minimum order quantity of 3, causing the SCM system 117 to order at least 3 minimum order quantities, while a non-redundant SKU may have a minimum order quantity of 1 to reduce excess inventory.

Therefore, if step 318 is negative, such that the batch shipment quantity and the remaining shipment quantity are less than the batch shipment threshold, the SCM system 117 may proceed to step 322 to determine the minimum order quantity minimum to supply the order quantity. For example, if the order quantity is 1005 units and the minimum order quantity is 10 units, the minimum order quantity minimum to supply the order quantity would be 101 because a minimum order quantity of 100 would be less than 1005. The SCM system 117 may proceed to step 324 and transmit an alternative supplier order for the minimum order quantity minimum to supply the order quantity.

Returning to step 312, if the remaining shipment quantity is less than a threshold value at step 312 (i.e., it is not cost-effective to increase the order size to gain benefit from bulk purchases), the SCM system 117 may determine a mix of bulk shipments and minimum order quantities. At step 314, the SCM system 117 may determine a minimum order quantity, minimum, to supply the difference between the order quantity and the product of the floor of the bulk shipment quantity and the bulk shipment quantity. Step 314 may include subtracting the floor of the bulk shipment quantity (i.e., the total bulk shipment quantity) and the bulk shipment quantity from the order quantity of the item. The difference may be divided by the minimum order quantity, and the minimum order quantity may be rounded up, thus ensuring that enough units can be ordered to satisfy the dealer's reservations, orders, and planned orders.

Additionally, at step 316, the SCM system 117 may transmit a supplier order for the quantity and batch shipment quantity for the minimum order quantity. The supplier order may be transmitted to the supplier of the SKU, such as by email, website, or fax, along with details such as the SKU, quantity, shipment type, delivery date, and delivery destination. Thus, through process 300, the SCM system 117 may determine the best combination of batch shipment and minimum order quantity to meet the received order quantity (i.e., batch, a mix of batch and minimum order quantity, or only the minimum order quantity), taking advantage of economies of scale while reducing losses due to waste, storage, and handling costs.

Although process 300 provides a way to maximize bulk shipment orders by considering the number of destinations in a distribution network, in some cases, different destinations may have different needs and capabilities. For further illustration, FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of regional destination usage and capacity according to the disclosed embodiment. In FIG. 4, a geographic region (e.g., a country, county, city, or other political/geographical subdivision) is divided into three zones, zone 402, zone 404, and zone 406. Each zone has at least one destination (i.e., fulfillment center 200). For example, zone 404 has two destinations 410 and 412. Therefore, zones may have different numbers of destinations.

In addition, destinations may have different capacities, throughputs, and inventories. Information about destination attributes may be stored, for example, in a data store or another database. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the SCM system 117 may also query the WMS 119 to obtain destination attributes. For example, destination 410 has six units of capacity (as shown by the six boxes), six units of inventory (as shown by the filled boxes), and zero units of spare capacity. In contrast, destination 412 has nine units of capacity (shown by the nine boxes), seven units of inventory and two units of spare capacity. Capacity may be SKU-specific, indicating, for example, that a destination can store 150 televisions. Capacity may be SKU-agnostic, indicating open space where any of a plurality of items may be stored individually or in combination.

The flux of a destination may be based on the spending habits of nearby customers. For example, books may be frequently purchased in zone 404, while video games may be frequently purchased in zone 402. Thus, destinations 410 and 412 may have a larger inventory and required reservation of books than video games, while destinations 414 and 416 may have a larger inventory and required reservation of video games than books.

Due to varying consumption patterns and destination capacities, the SCM system 117 may consider the ability of an individual destination to accommodate additional inventory when transmitting a supplier order. For example, although a particular destination may have the required reservation for an item, the SCM system 117 may determine that the particular destination does not have sufficient free storage capacity to store the required reservation and forgo sending the supplier order. Alternatively, the SCM system 117 may determine that the destination cannot store a bulk shipment of the item, which may include excess inventory in order to benefit from the bulk shipment price, but the destination is able to store the individual item. Therefore, the SCM system 117 may place a supplier order for a minimum quantity of the item (rather than in bulk quantity) based on the available space at the destination.

FIG5 is a flow chart showing an exemplary embodiment of an item order management process for analyzing inventory trends and destination capacity according to the disclosed embodiments. The SCM system 117 can perform the steps of process 500 for each destination individually, for example, determining whether each destination can handle bulk shipments due to space constraints. The SCM system 117 can reduce the number of bulk shipments in the supplier order in response to insufficient space at the destination and order the minimum order quantity instead.

At step 502, the SCM system 117 may determine the occupied capacity of the destination. The SCM system 117 may perform step 502 by accessing the WMS 119 or the FO system 113, or may access a data store to determine the inventory at the destination, the inventory including the stock-keeping units of measure and the corresponding capacities. The SCM system 117 may also determine the capacity of the goods and calculate the total occupied capacity based on the inventory. For example, the SCM system 117 may combine information about the unit capacity of the first SKU, such as 1 cubic foot, with the inventory of the first SKU, such as 1000, to determine that the first SKU occupies 1000 cubic feet. The SCM system 117 may repeat this process for each SKU at the destination to arrive at the total occupied capacity. The SCM system 117 may measure capacity as a unit of storage (e.g., the number of filled shelves or pallet parking spaces, or other measures of space occupied by items). Occupied capacity may be based on SKU-specific storage requirements. For example, a destination may have 10 dedicated bicycle storage spaces.

At step 504, the SCM system 117 may also determine inbound capacity. For example, the SCM system 117 may access a data store to determine inbound inventory at the destination, the inbound inventory including stock keeping units of measure and corresponding capacity for the supplier orders placed. At step 504, the SCM system 117 may review previously transmitted supplier orders and expected arrival dates for the new inventory. In some embodiments, the inbound inventory may include stock keeping units of measure that are expected to arrive at the destination prior to the estimated arrival of the bulk shipment. For illustration purposes, the SCM system 117 may retrieve from the data store typical delivery times for the SKUs, e.g., tissue boxes are typically delivered within a week of transmitting the supplier order. In addition, the SCM system 117 can access the data store to obtain the unit capacity of the SKU and combine the unit capacity with the order quantity to determine the inbound capacity. As previously described, capacity can also be measured in storage units. Therefore, the SCM system 117 can check the previously transmitted supplier orders when determining whether the destination can store additional shipments of tissue boxes to determine which shipments are expected to arrive at the destination within a week.

At step 506, the SCM system 117 may access a data store to determine the outbound inventory at the destination, which includes the stock-keeping units of measure and the corresponding capacity of the customer orders placed. The FO system 113 may supply the SCM system 117 with information about the customer orders placed, or the SCM system 117 may obtain this information from the data store. The outbound inventory may include the stock-keeping units of measure that are expected to leave the destination before the estimated arrival. Continuing with the tissue box example, the outbound inventory may be the units that will be shipped to the customer (thus creating empty space) within a week.

At step 508, the SCM system 117 may access a data store to determine the total capacity of the destination. The SCM system 117 may determine that a particular destination has a total storage capacity of 30,000 cubic feet, or 15,000 shelf locations, or 1,000 pallet parking spaces. The data store may associate the destination identifier with the total capacity attribute. The SCM system 117 may also retrieve destination information from other or multiple data stores.

At step 510, the SCM system 117 may determine the unused storage capacity of the destination. The unused storage capacity may be the difference between the total capacity and the occupied capacity. The SCM system 117 may also combine the total capacity, outbound capacity, occupied capacity, and inbound capacity. For example, the SCM system 117 may find a first sum of the total capacity and the outbound capacity based on the outbound inventory; and a second sum of the occupied capacity and the inbound capacity based on the inbound inventory. The SCM system 117 may then find the difference between the first sum and the second sum, and set the difference as the unused storage capacity.

At step 512, the SCM system 117 may compare the unused storage capacity to the bulk shipment capacity to see if the destination has enough unallocated space to store the bulk shipment. If the unused storage capacity is greater than the bulk shipment capacity, step 512 is yes and the SCM system 117 may proceed to step 514 to transmit a supplier order for the bulk shipment quantity and the remaining shipment quantity. However, if the bulk shipment capacity is greater than the unused storage capacity, the destination may not be able to store the excess inventory in bulk form, and step 512 is no. The SCM system 117 may then proceed to step 516 to transmit an order for the minimum order quantity to supply the order quantity. The SCM system 117 may also forgo transmitting any supplier orders until the destination has sufficient unused storage capacity.

In some embodiments, the SCM system 117 may identify alternative destinations that have sufficient spare capacity to store bulk shipments. For example, returning to Figure 4, destination 410 is full, while destinations 408, 412, 414, and 416 have unused storage capacity. If destination 410 does not have sufficient inventory to meet the required reservations for the items, the SCM system 117 may direct the additional inventory to another destination. In addition, the SCM system 117 may direct inventory to destinations in the same region. In this way, the SCM system 117 can arrange for inventory sufficient to meet the required reservations within the zone. This can avoid shipment delays caused by reservations held in different, distant zones, which may also have different consumption patterns and rarely consume the specific items reserved.

As an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method for item order management may include multiple steps. The steps may include: determining an order quantity for an item based on a planned item reservation level and an inventory level for each of a plurality of zones; retrieving a batch shipment quantity associated with the item from a data storage device; determining a batch shipment quantity to satisfy the order quantity; determining an unused storage capacity for each destination within each of the plurality of zones; determining a remaining shipment quantity to form a multiple of the number of zones; transmitting a supplier order for the batch shipment quantity and the remaining shipment quantity in response to the remaining shipment quantity being less than a threshold value; and allocating batch shipments to a destination based on the planned item reservation level and the inventory level for the zone and in response to the unused storage capacity of the destination in the corresponding zone exceeding the capacity for the batch shipments.

Although the present disclosure has been shown and described with reference to specific embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be practiced in other environments without modification. The above description is presented for illustrative purposes. The above description is not exhaustive and is not limited to the precise form or embodiments disclosed. Various modifications and adaptations will be apparent to those skilled in the art by considering the description and practice of the disclosed embodiments. Additionally, although aspects of the disclosed embodiments are described as being stored in a memory, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the aspects may also be stored on other types of computer-readable media, such as secondary storage devices (e.g., hard disks or compact disk read-only memory (CD ROM)) or other forms of random access memory (RAM) or read-only memory (ROM), universal serial bus (USB) media, digital versatile discs (DVD), Blu-ray or other optical drive media.

Computer programs based on the written description and disclosed methods are within the skill of experienced developers. Various programs or program modules can be created using any technology known to those skilled in the art, or can be designed in conjunction with existing software. For example, program sections or program modules can be designed using or with the aid of .Net Framework, .Net Compact Framework (and related languages such as Visual Basic, C, etc.), Java, C++, Objective-C, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), HTML/AJAX combination, Extensible Markup Language (XML), or HTML including Java applets.

In addition, although exemplary embodiments have been described herein, those skilled in the art will contemplate the scope of any and all embodiments having equivalent elements, modifications, omissions, combinations (e.g., combinations of aspects between various embodiments), adaptations and/or changes based on this disclosure. For example, in some embodiments, steps may be replaced, substituted, added, or reordered in the process without departing from the present disclosure. In addition, in some embodiments, some steps may occur simultaneously. The limitations in the claims should be interpreted broadly based on the language used in the claims and are not limited to the examples described in this specification or during the prosecution of the application. The examples should be considered non-exclusive. Furthermore, the steps of the disclosed methods may be modified in any manner, including by reordering the steps and/or inserting or deleting steps. Therefore, the specification and examples are intended to be considered as illustrative only, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims and the full scope of their equivalents.

100: System/Block Diagram 101: Shipping Authorization Technology (SAT) System 102A: Mobile Device/Device/User Device 102B: Computer/Device/User Device 103: External Front-end System 105: Internal Front-end System 107: Transportation System 107A, 107C: Mobile Device/Device 107B: Mobile Device 109: Seller Portal 111: Shipping and Order Tracking System 113: Fulfillment Optimization (FO) System 115: Fulfillment Message Gateway (FMG) 117: Supply Chain Management (SCM) System 119: Warehouse Management System (WMS) 119A: Mobile Device/Device/Tablet 119B: Mobile device/PDA/device 119C: Mobile device/device/computer 121A, 121B, 121C: Third-party fulfillment (3PL) system 123: Fulfillment center authorization system (FC Auth) 125: Labor management system (LMS) 200: Fulfillment center (FC) 201, 222: Truck 202A, 202B, 208: Item 203: Inbound area 205: Buffer area 206: Forklift 207: Unloading area 209: Picking area 210: Storage unit 211: Packing area 213: Central area 214: Transportation agency 215: Camp area 216: Wall 218, 220: Packaging 224A, 224B: Delivery Worker 226: Car 300: Item Order Management Process/Process 302, 304, 306, 308, 310, 312, 314, 316, 318, 320, 322, 324, 502, 504, 506, 508, 510, 512, 514, 516: Steps 402, 404, 406: Area 408, 410, 412, 414, 416: Destination 500: Process

FIG. 1A is a schematic block diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a network according to disclosed embodiments, the network including a computerized system for shipping, transportation, and logistics operations capable of communication. FIG. 1B illustrates a sample search result page (SRP) according to disclosed embodiments, including one or more search results satisfying a search request and an interactive user interface element. FIG. 1C illustrates a sample single display page (SDP) according to disclosed embodiments, including products and information about the products and an interactive user interface element. FIG. 1D illustrates a sample shopping cart page according to disclosed embodiments, including items in a virtual shopping cart and an interactive user interface element. FIG. 1E illustrates a sample order page including items from a virtual shopping cart and information about purchasing and shipping and interactive user interface elements according to disclosed embodiments. FIG. 2 is an illustration of an exemplary fulfillment center configured to utilize the disclosed computerized system according to disclosed embodiments. FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary embodiment of an item order management process according to disclosed embodiments. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of regional destination usage and capacity according to disclosed embodiments. FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary embodiment of an item order management process analyzing inventory trends and destination capacity according to disclosed embodiments.

402, 404, 406: District

408, 410, 412, 414, 416: destination

Claims (11)

A computer-implemented method for item ordering management, comprising: determining occupied capacity of a destination; determining inbound capacity of the destination; determining outbound capacity of the destination; determining total capacity of the destination; determining unused storage capacity of the destination; in response to the unused storage capacity being greater than the bulk shipping capacity, transmitting a first order for a bulk shipment quantity and a remaining shipment quantity; and in response to the unused storage capacity being less than the bulk shipping capacity, transmitting a second order or any of the above orders. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the outbound capacity of the destination comprises: accessing a data store to determine the inventory of the destination; determining the capacity of each stock keeping unit (SKU) associated with the inventory of the destination; and determining a total occupied capacity based on the determined inventory and the capacity of each SKU. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the inbound capacity of the destination comprises: retrieving an estimated inbound inventory of a stock unit of measure and an estimated inbound delivery time from a data store; accessing the data store to obtain a unit capacity of the stock unit of measure; and combining the unit capacity and the estimated inbound inventory to determine the inbound capacity. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein determining the outbound capacity of the destination includes obtaining an expected departure time of each stock measurement unit from the destination from a data storage. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the batch shipment capacity is the capacity of the item shipped in batches set by the supplier of the item. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein determining the unused storage capacity includes: Accessing a data storage device to determine an inventory of the destination, the inventory including a stock measurement unit and a corresponding capacity; Calculating the occupied capacity based on the inventory; Accessing the data storage device to determine the total capacity of the destination; and Setting the difference between the total capacity and the occupied capacity as the unused storage capacity. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein determining the unused storage capacity further comprises: Accessing the data storage to determine the inbound inventory at the destination, the inbound inventory including the inventory units of measure and the corresponding capacity of the supplier orders placed; Accessing the data storage to determine the outbound inventory at the destination, the outbound inventory including the inventory units of measure and the corresponding capacity of the customer orders placed; and Setting the unused storage capacity as the difference between: The sum of the total capacity and the outbound capacity based on the outbound inventory; and The sum of the occupied capacity and the inbound capacity based on the inbound inventory. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 7, wherein: the inbound inventory includes units of inventory that are expected to arrive at the destination before the estimated arrival of the bulk shipment associated with the bulk shipment capacity; and the outbound inventory includes units of inventory that are expected to leave the destination before the estimated arrival. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein transmitting the second order includes transmitting an order for a minimum order quantity. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the transmission of any of the above orders is performed until the unused storage capacity is greater than the batch shipping capacity. A computerized system for item ordering management, comprising: a memory storing instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to perform any of the methods in claim 1 to claim 10.

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