Methods of adjusting sales plans

• US 20070016494A1
• Filed: 06/27/2005
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Ptasienski, Lawrence, Brown, Katherine
• Application Number:
  US11/167,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20070016494A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method of adjusting a sales plan using information gathered from an item monitoring system. In one embodiment of the a method of adjusting a sales plan, the method comprises the steps of: providing a sales plan related to items; providing an item monitoring system, comprising: at least one sensor, wherein the sensor senses a plurality of items in a first amount of space associated with the sensor, wherein the sensor is capable of sensing both items containing metal and items containing no metal; a communications network; and a computer, wherein the computer receives information from the sensor through the communications network; gathering information from the item monitoring system during a first instance; processing the information to determine the quantity of items within the first amount of space at the first instance; and adjusting the sales plan related to items based on the information processed.

Claims

1. A method of adjusting a sales plan, comprising the steps of:

providing a sales plan related to items;

providing an item monitoring system, comprising;

at least one sensor, wherein the sensor senses a plurality of items in a first amount of space associated with the sensor, wherein the sensor is capable of sensing both items containing metal and items containing no metal;

a communications network; and

a computer, wherein the computer receives information from the sensor through the communications network;

gathering information from the item monitoring system during a first instance;

processing the information to determine the quantity of items within the first amount of space at the first instance; and

adjusting the sales plan related to items based on the information processed.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

recording the date and time when the information was gathered during the first instance.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

gathering information from the item monitoring system during a second instance;

processing the information to determine the quantity of items within the first amount of space at the second instance and recording the date and time when the information was gathered during the second instance;

determining a pattern of items leaving the first amount of space and adjusting a sales plan related to the items based on the pattern.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing step comprises determining the location of the first amount of space.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the sales plan includes predicting when customers will most likely remove the items from the first amount of space and stocking items ahead of time to replenish the first amount of space with items.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sales plan may comprise one of the following:

number of items ordered, shipped or received by the store;

pricing of the items;

or location of items within the store.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprises charging manufacturers of the items premium prices for the ability to include their items in the amount of space in the store where the items are removed fastest by customers.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the pattern is determined without the use of point of sales information.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of items within the first amount of space are a plurality of the same stock-keeping units.

10. A method of adjusting a sales plan, comprising the steps of:

providing a sales plan related to items;

providing an item monitoring system, comprising;

at least one sensor, wherein the sensor senses a plurality of items in a first amount of space associated with the sensor, wherein the sensor is capable of sensing both items containing metal and items containing no metal;

a communications network; and

a computer, wherein the computer receives information from the sensor through the communications network;

gathering information from the item monitoring system during a first instance;

processing the information to determine the quantity of items within the first amount of space at a first instance;

gathering information from sources not related to the item monitoring system; and

adjusting the sales plan related to items based on the information from the item monitoring system and the sources not related to the item monitoring system.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

recording the date and time when such information was gathered during the first instance.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

gathering information from the item monitoring system during a second instance;

processing the information to determine the quantity of items within the first amount of space at the second instance and recording the date and time when the information was gathered during the second instance; and

determining a pattern of items leaving the first amount of space and determining the influence of the non-item monitoring system information on the pattern.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the non-item monitoring system information may comprise one of the following:

types of people shopping within the store;

advertisement located adjacent to the first amount of space.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the processing step comprises determining the location within the store of the first amount of space.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein adjusting the sales plan includes predicting when customers will most likely remove the items from the first amount of space and stocking items ahead of time to replenish the first amount of space with items.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the sales plan may comprise one of the following:

number of items ordered, shipped or received by the store;

pricing of the items;

or location of items within the store.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the pattern is determined without the use of point of sales information.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of items within the first amount of space are a plurality of the same stock-keeping unit.

19. A method of monitoring items within a store, comprising the steps of:

providing an item monitoring system, comprising;

a sensor, wherein the sensor senses a plurality of items in a first amount of space associated with the sensor, wherein the sensor is capable of sensing both items containing metal and items containing no metal;

a communications network; and

a computer, wherein the computer receives information from the sensor through the communications network;

gathering information from the item monitoring system;

processing the information to determine the quantity of items within the first amount of space;

gathering point-of-sale information related to the items, wherein the point-of sale information is gathered when items are sold and determine the quantity of items sold by the store;

determining the difference between quantity of items removed from the first amount of space and quantity of items sold by the store.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of:

activating an alarm to a user if there is a suspicion that some of the items have been stolen due to a large difference between the quantity of items removed from the first amount of space and the quantity of items sold by the store.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of:

recording the date and time when such information was gathered about the first amount of space.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the processing step comprises determining the location of the first amount of space.