On-line planogram system

• US 20060190341A1
• Filed: 01/28/2005
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Inventors: Burgess, Roger, Riley, Colleen, Nece, Troy
• Granted Patent: US 7,440,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A retail system for implementing planograms includes a communications network, a central computing system, and a plurality of retail computing systems. The central computing system is configured to receive and to transmit a plurality of planograms, each planogram being associated with one retail store of a plurality of retail stores and a plurality of products to be displayed for sale at the associated retail store. Each planogram includes data indicating threshold quantities of each product of the associated plurality of products. Each retail computing system is at a corresponding one of the plurality of retail stores and is configured to receive, via the communications network, planograms associated with the corresponding retail store and to receive inventory information indicating in-stock quantities of the plurality of products associated with each planogram. Each retail computing system is also configured to provide a readiness rating value for each planogram, the readiness rating value being based on a comparison of the threshold quantities and in-stock quantities of each product associated with the planogram and being indicative of whether the planogram is ready to be implemented.

Claims

1. A retail system for implementing planograms, the system comprising:

a communications network;

a central computing system configured to receive and to transmit a plurality of planograms, each planogram being associated with one retail store of a plurality of retail stores and each being associated with a plurality of products to be displayed for sale at the associated retail store, and each planogram including data indicating threshold quantities of each product of the associated plurality of products; and

a plurality of retail computing systems, each at a corresponding one of the plurality of retail stores, each retail computing system being configured to receive, via the communications network, planograms associated with the corresponding retail store and inventory information indicating in-stock quantities of the plurality of products associated with each planogram, and each retail computing system also being configured to provide a readiness rating value for each planogram, the readiness rating value being based on a comparison of the threshold quantities and in-stock quantities of each product associated with the planogram and being indicative of whether the planogram is ready to be implemented.

2. The retail system of claim 1, wherein each planogram corresponds to one or more display fixtures with the associated retail store and each product of the planogram is assigned to a product position on the one or more display fixtures, and wherein the threshold quantity for each product comprises a minimum number of product units required to face the assigned product position.

3. The retail system of claim 1, wherein the readiness rating value comprises a percentage of the sum of the threshold quantities of each product of the planogram that are indicated as being in-stock.

4. The retail system of claim 1, wherein each retail computing system is configured to provide an implementation recommendation for each planogram associated with the corresponding retail store, wherein the implementation recommendation is based on the corresponding readiness rating value.

5. The retail system of claim 4, where the implementation recommendation comprises a plurality of levels, wherein the implementation rating has a first level when the readiness rating value is within a first range of readiness rating values, has a second level when the readiness rating value is within a second range of readiness rating values, and has a third level when the readiness rating value is within a third range of readiness rating values.

6. The retail system of claim 5, wherein the implementation recommendation levels are color coded.

7. The retail system of claim 1, further comprising at least one interface at each retail store of the plurality of retail stores, wherein the at least one interface is adapted to enable a user to view each planogram associated with the corresponding retail store and to view the readiness rating of each planogram.

8. The retail system of claim 7, wherein the at least one interface comprises a wireless computing device, the system further comprising a radio frequency network at each retail store of the plurality of retail stores, wherein the wireless computing device communicates with the retail computing system via the radio frequency network.

9. The retail system of claim 1, wherein the central computing system is configured to receive and transmit pricing and label information associated with each planogram, and wherein each retail computing system is configured to receive, via the communications network, the pricing and label information associated with each planogram associated with the corresponding retail store, and each retail computing system is configured to provide planogram labels for each product of each planogram based on the pricing and label information, each planogram label including a product price.

10. The retail system of claim 9, wherein each retail computing system is adapted to provide notification of subsequent changes in product prices for previously provided planogram labels.

11. The retail system of claim 1, wherein the central computing system is configured to receive and transmit signage information associated with each planogram, and wherein each retail computing system is configured to receive, via the communications network, signage information for each planogram associated with the corresponding retail store, and each retail computing system is configured to provide signs for each planogram based on the signage information.

12. An on-line planogram system comprising:

a central planogram module adapted to receive and store a plurality of planograms, each planogram being associated with one retail store of a plurality of retail stores and each being associated with a plurality of products to be displayed on one or more display fixtures within the associated retail store, and each planogram including a first digital image illustrating a respective position of each product on the one or more display fixtures according to a first planogram orientation; and

a plurality of retail planogram modules, each at a corresponding one of the plurality of retail stores, each retail planogram module adapted to obtain planograms associated with the corresponding retail store, and each retail planogram module also being configured to provide a second digital image for each planogram, each second digital image being based on the first digital image and illustrating a respective position of each product on the one or more display fixtures according to a second display fixture orientation which is the reverse of the first planogram orientation.

13. The on-line planogram system of claim 12, wherein the retail stores are associated with a retail corporation, and wherein the central planogram module is at a headquarters facility of the retail corporation.

14. The on-line planogram system of claim 12, wherein the central planogram module is coupled to each retail planogram module via a communications link.

15. The on-line planogram system of claim 12, further comprising at least one interface at each retail store, each interface adapted to enable a user to selectively view planograms, including the first and second digital images, associated with the corresponding retail store.

16. The on-line planogram system of claim 12, wherein the central planogram module and retail planogram modules comprise electronically readable code.

17. The on-line planogram system of claim 12, wherein the central planogram module stores the planograms at a memory location remote from the retail stores.

18. The on-line planogram system of claim 12, wherein each retail planogram module is adapted to store obtained planograms at a memory location local to the corresponding retail store.

19. A method of implementing planograms, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of planograms, each planogram being associated with one or more retail stores of a plurality of retail stores and being associated with a plurality of products to be displayed for sale at the associated retail store(s), and each planogram including data indicating threshold quantities of each product of the associated plurality of products;

providing to each retail store the planogram(s) associated with the retail store;

receiving at each retail store inventory information indicating in-stock quantities of the plurality of products associated with each planogram; and

determining at each retail store a readiness rating value for each associated planogram, wherein the readiness rating value is indicative of whether the planogram is ready to be implemented.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining a readiness rating includes:

comparing at each retail store the threshold quantities and in-stock quantities of each product of each planogram.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

providing at each retail store an implementation recommendation for each planogram based on the corresponding readiness rating value.

22. A method of implementing planograms, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of planograms, each planogram being associated with one or more retail stores of a plurality of retail stores and being associated with a plurality of products to be displayed on one or more display fixtures within the associated retail store(s), and each planogram including a first digital image illustrating a respective position of each product on the one or more display fixtures according to a first planogram orientation;

providing to each retail store the planogram(s) associated with the retail store;

providing at each retail store a second digital image for one or more selected planograms by automatically reversing the corresponding first digital image such that the second digital image illustrates respective positions of each product on the one or more display fixtures according to a second planogram orientation which is the reverse of the first planogram orientation.

23. A planogram implementation system comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of planograms, each planogram being associated with one or more retail stores of a plurality of retail stores and being associated with a plurality of products to be displayed for sale at the associated retail store(s), and each planogram including data indicating threshold quantities of each product of the associated plurality of products;

means for providing to each retail store the planogram(s) associated with the retail store;

means for receiving at each retail store inventory information indicating in-stock quantities of the plurality of products associated with each planogram; and

means for determining at each retail store a readiness rating value for each associated planogram, wherein the readiness rating value is indicative of whether the planogram is ready to be implemented.

24. The planogram implementation system of claim 23, further comprising:

means for comparing at each retail store the threshold quantities and in-stock quantities of each product of each planogram.

25. A computer-readable medium including instructions executable by a processing system for performing a method comprising:

receiving a plurality of planograms, each planogram being associated with one or more retail stores of a plurality of retail stores and being associated with a plurality of products to be displayed for sale at the associated retail store(s), and each planogram including data indicating threshold quantities of each product of the associated plurality of products;

providing to each retail store the planogram(s) associated with the retail store;

receiving at each retail store inventory information indicating in-stock quantities of the plurality of products associated with each planogram; and

determining at each retail store a readiness rating value for each associated planogram, wherein the readiness rating value is indicative of whether the planogram is ready to be implemented.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, the method further comprising:

comparing at each retail store the threshold quantities and in-stock quantities of each product of each planogram.