Systems and methods for managing an inventory of products purchased by customers from a retailer

• US 10,242,338 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2017
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: High, Donald R., Halbrook, Courtland J., Hendricks, Joseph W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Iwarere, Oluseye
• Application Number:
  US15/463,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20170270472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 705 28, 705 262
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

In some embodiments, methods and systems are provided that permit a customer to purchase one or more products but not take possession of the products or cause delivery of the products at the time of the purchase order. The products are then stored at one or more product storage locations of the retailer while being marked as purchased by the customer in an inventory management database of the retailer. The customer is provided with a customer interface including a plurality of input fields configured to allow the customer to define one or both of: a delivery time period and a delivery destination for delivery of at least a portion of the products purchased by the customer; and a pickup location and a pickup time period for at least a portion of the products purchased by the customer.

Claims

1. A system of managing an inventory of products purchased by a customer from a retailer, the system comprising:

an order processing server of the retailer configured to process a purchase order by a customer for a plurality of products, wherein the customer does not take possession of the plurality of products or cause delivery of the plurality of products at the time of the purchase order;

wherein the order processing server is configured to;

generate a graphical interface configured to permit the customer to select at least one storage location of the retailer for storing the plurality of products being purchased by the customer, duration of storage of the plurality of products being purchased by the customer at the selected at least one storage location of the retailer, and storage conditions for storing the plurality of products being purchased by the customer at the selected at least one storage location of the retailer; and

display in the graphical interface, a price for the plurality of products based on the at least one storage location, duration of storage, and storage conditions selected by the customer;

an inventory management database configured to;

store electronic data associated with the plurality of products purchased by the customer, the plurality of products purchased by the customer at the price generated by the order processing server being marked in the inventory management database of the retailer as being purchased by the customer, the plurality of products marked as being purchased by the customer being stored at the at least one storage location of the retailer selected by the customer, for the storage duration selected by the customer, and at the storage conditions selected by the customer until subsequent delivery to the customer or pickup by the customer;

store electronic data indicating a real-time inventory of all storage space at the at least one storage location; and

store electronic data representing a real-time listing of all available storage space at the at least one storage location;

an electronic inventory management device including a programmable processor and configured, prior to the order processing server permitting the customer to select the at least one storage location of the retailer for storing the plurality of products being purchased by the customer and prior to the order processing server displaying the price in the graphical interface, to;

receive a product storage request of the customer from the order processing server;

transmit a query to the inventory management database to obtain from the inventory management database the real-time listing of all of the available storage space at the at least one storage location;

analyze the real-time listing of all of the available storage space at the at least one storage location obtained from the inventory management database to identify the at least one storage location that matches the duration of storage and the storage conditions selected by the customer; and

based on the identified at least one storage location that matches the duration of storage and the storage conditions selected by the customer, generate the price for the products to be stored at the identified at least one storage location, and transmit the generated price to the order processing server for displaying in the graphical interface; and

a customer access interface including a plurality of input fields configured to allow the customer to define one or both of;

a delivery time period and a delivery destination for delivery of at least a portion of the plurality of products; and

a pickup location; and

a pickup time period for at least a portion of the plurality of products.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the customer interface includes at least one input field configured to permit the customer, via entering information into the at least one field of the customer interface, to select a product type associated with the plurality of products being purchased by the customer, the product type being selected from a group consisting of frozen, fresh, perishable, toxic, flammable, and breakable, and wherein the order processing server is further configured to generate the price for the plurality of products based on the product type being purchased by the customer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the customer interface includes at least one input field configured to permit the customer, via entering information into the at least one input field of the customer interface, to access electronic data stored in the inventory management database and indicating a location of the at least one storage location of the retailer where the plurality of products purchased by the customer are stored, and to access electronic data stored in the inventory management database and indicating a total number of units of the products purchased by the customer that are stored at the at least one storage location of the retailer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the customer interface includes at least one input field configured to permit the customer, via entering information into the at least one input field of the customer interface, to at least one of:

view and modify a delivery list for the at least a portion of the plurality of products purchased by the customer from the retailer;

select delivery of the at least a portion of the plurality of products purchased by the customer from the retailer from the at least one storage location of the retailer to the delivery destination defined by the customer; and

select pick-up of the at least a portion of the plurality of products purchased by the customer from the retailer at the one or more storage locations of the retailer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the customer interface includes at least one input field configured to permit the customer, via entering information into the at least one input field of the customer interface, to at least one of:

set up time intervals for automatic delivery of the at least a portion of the plurality of products purchased by the customer from the retailer from the at least one storage location of the retailer to the destination defined by the customer;

enable automatic reordering of the at least a portion of the plurality of products delivered from the at least one storage location of the retailer to the destination defined by the customer; and

set-up periodic notification alerts to be sent to an electronic device of the customer to remind the customer to arrange for delivery, pick-up, and reorder of the at least a portion of the plurality of products purchased by the customer from the retailer.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a retailer access interface, the retailer access interface including a plurality of input fields configured to permit the retailer to at least one of:

access the inventory management database to view the electronic data associated with the plurality of products purchased by the customer and stored at the at least one storage location of the retailer; and

to set at least one business rule in association with the plurality of products purchased by the customer and stored at the at least one storage location of the retailer.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a retailer access interface, wherein the retailer access interface includes at least one input field configured to permit the retailer, via entering information into the at least one input field of the retailer access interface, to set at least one business rule governing pricing for the plurality of products purchased by the customer and stored at the at least one storage location of the retailer, the pricing being based on the at least one storage location, duration of storage, and storage conditions selected by the customer for the plurality of products being purchased by the customer and at least one of a total number of units of the products being purchased by the customer and delivery options associated with the plurality of products being purchased by the customer.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a retailer access interface, wherein the retailer access interface at least one input field configured to permit the retailer, via entering information into the at least one input field of the retailer access interface, to set at least one business rule permitting at least one of the plurality of products purchased by the customer and stored at the at least one storage location of the retailer to be delivered to a different customer of the retailer to fulfill an active product order, the business rule providing for replacement at the at least one storage location of the retailer of the at least one of the plurality of products purchased by the customer after removal of the at least one of the plurality of products purchased by the customer for delivery to the different customer.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one smart label on the plurality of products purchased by the customer and stored at the at least one storage location of the retailer, the at least one smart label being configured to:

monitor an expiration date and storage conditions for the plurality of products purchased by the customer, the storage conditions including temperature, humidity, dust count, pollen count, and allergen count; and

to generate and transmit at least one alert indicating an approaching expiration date for the plurality of products purchased by the customer, a past expiration date for the plurality of products purchased by the customer, and at least one unacceptable storage condition for the plurality of products purchased by the customer.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the retailer access interface includes at least one input field configured to permit the retailer, via entering information into the at least one input field of the retailer access interface, and in response to receiving the at least one alert from the at least one smart label, to update the inventory management database with electronic data indicating that an expired one of the plurality of products purchased by the customer has been replaced by an identical product having a later expiration date, and that at least one of the plurality of products purchased by the customer and stored in the at least one unacceptable storage condition has been moved to a storage location having acceptable storage conditions for the at least one of the plurality of products purchased by the customer.

11. A method of managing an inventory of products purchased by a customer from a retailer, the method comprising:

processing, at an order processing server of the retailer, a purchase order by a customer for a plurality of products, wherein the customer does not take possession of the plurality of products or cause delivery of the plurality of products at the time of the purchase order;

generating, via the order processing server, a graphical interface configured to permit the customer to select at least one storage location of the retailer for storing the plurality of products being purchased by the customer, duration of storage of the plurality of products being purchased by the customer at the selected at least one storage location of the retailer, and storage conditions for storing the plurality of products being purchased by the customer at the selected at least one storage location of the retailer;

displaying, via the order processing server and in the graphical interface, a price for the plurality of products based on the at least one storage location, duration of storage, and storage conditions selected by the customer;

marking, in an inventory management database of the retailer, the plurality of products as being purchased by the customer at the price generated via the order processing server, the plurality of products marked as being purchased by the customer being stored at the at least one storage location of the retailer selected by the customer, for the storage duration selected by the customer, and at the storage conditions selected by the customer until subsequent delivery to the customer or pickup by the customer;

storing, in the inventory management database, electronic data indicating a real-time inventory of all storage space at the at least one storage location and electronic data representing a real-time listing of all available storage space at the at least one storage location;

providing an electronic inventory management device including a programmable processor;

prior to the order processing server permitting the customer to select the at least one storage location of the retailer for storing the plurality of products being purchased by the customer and prior to the order processing server displaying the price in the graphical interface;

receiving, at the inventory management device, a product storage request of the customer from the order processing server;

transmitting, from the inventory management device, a query to the inventory management database to obtain from the inventory management database the real-time listing of all of the available storage space at the at least one storage location;

analyzing, via the processor of the inventory management device, the real-time listing of all of the available storage space at the at least one storage location obtained from the inventory management database to identify the at least one storage location that matches the duration of storage and the storage conditions selected by the customer; and

based on the identified at least one storage location that matches the duration of storage and the storage conditions selected by the customer, generating, via the processor of the inventory management device, the price for the products to be stored at the identified at least one storage location, and transmitting the generated price from the inventory management device to the order processing server for displaying in the graphical interface; and

providing a customer interface including a plurality of input fields configured to allow the customer to define one or both of;

a delivery time period and a delivery destination for delivery of at least a portion of the plurality of products; and

a pickup location and a pickup time period for at least a portion of the plurality of products.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising permitting the customer, via entering information into at least one of the input fields of the customer interface, to select a product type associated with the plurality of products being purchased by the customer, the product type being selected from a group consisting of frozen, fresh, perishable, toxic, flammable, and breakable, and further comprising, generating, via the order processing server, the price for the plurality of products based on the product type being purchased by the customer.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising permitting the customer, via entering information into at least one of the input fields of the customer interface, to access electronic data stored in the inventory management database and indicating a location of the at least one storage location of the retailer where the plurality of products purchased by the customer are stored, and to access electronic data stored in the inventory management database and indicating a total number of units of the products purchased by the customer that are stored at the at least one storage location of the retailer.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising permitting the customer, via entering information into at least one of the input fields of the customer interface, to at least one of:

view and modify a delivery list for the at least a portion of the plurality of products purchased by the customer from the retailer;

select delivery of the at least a portion of the plurality of products purchased by the customer from the retailer from the at least one storage location of the retailer to the delivery destination defined by the customer; and

select pick-up of the at least a portion of the plurality of products purchased by the customer from the retailer at the at least one storage location of the retailer.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising permitting the customer, via entering information into at least one of the input fields of the customer interface, to at least one of:

set up time intervals for automatic delivery of the at least a portion of the plurality of products purchased by the customer from the retailer from the at least one storage location of the retailer to the destination defined by the customer;

enable automatic reordering of the at least a portion of the plurality of products delivered from the at least one storage location of the retailer to the destination defined by the customer; and

set-up periodic notification alerts to be sent to an electronic device of the customer to remind the customer to arrange for delivery, pick-up, and reorder of the at least a portion of the plurality of products purchased by the customer from the retailer.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing a retailer access interface, the retailer access interface including a plurality of input fields configured to permit the retailer to at least one of:

access the inventory management database to view the electronic data associated with the plurality of products purchased by the customer and stored at the at least one storage location of the retailer; and

to set at least one business rule in association with the plurality of products purchased by the customer and stored at the at least one storage location of the retailer.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising permitting the retailer, via entering information into at least one of the input fields of the retailer access interface, to set at least one business rule governing pricing for the plurality of products purchased by the customer and stored at the at least one storage location of the retailer, the pricing being based on the at least one storage location, duration of storage, and storage conditions selected by the customer for the plurality of products being purchased by the customer and at least one of a total number of units of the products being purchased by the customer and delivery options associated with the plurality of products being purchased by the customer.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising permitting the retailer, via entering information into at least one of the input fields of the retailer access interface, to set at least one business rule permitting at least one of the plurality of products purchased by the customer and stored at the at least one storage location of the retailer to be delivered to a different customer of the retailer to fulfill an active product order, the business rule providing for replacement at the at least one storage location of the retailer of the at least one of the plurality of products purchased by the customer after removal of the at least one of the plurality of products purchased by the customer for delivery to the different customer.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing at least one smart label on the plurality of products purchased by the customer and stored at the at least one storage location of the retailer, the at least one smart label being configured to:

monitor an expiration date and storage conditions for the plurality of products purchased by the customer, the storage conditions including temperature, humidity, dust count, pollen count, and allergen count; and

to generate and transmit at least one alert indicating an approaching expiration date for the plurality of products purchased by the customer, a past expiration date for the plurality of products purchased by the customer, and at least one unacceptable storage condition for the plurality of products purchased by the customer.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising, permitting the retailer, via entering information into at least one of the input fields of the retailer access interface, and in response to receiving the at least one alert from the at least one smart label, to update the inventory management database with electronic data indicating that an expired one of the plurality of products purchased by the customer has been replaced by an identical product having a later expiration date, and that at least one of the plurality of products purchased by the customer and stored in the at least one unacceptable storage condition has been moved to a storage location having acceptable storage conditions for the at least one of the plurality of products purchased by the customer.