SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RETAIL LINE MANAGEMENT

• US 20140236653A1
• Filed: 02/14/2014
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: FARRELL, William M.
• Application Number:
  US14/180,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20140236653A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/04 related to queuing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures

Abstract

Systems (100) and methods (100) for managing checkout line efficiency of a retail store. The methods involve electronically obtaining, by a store intelligence system (128), first data indicating an efficiency of each checkout lane of a plurality of checkout lanes (152) and second data indicating a total number of shopping carts (106) in each checkout lane and/or a total number of articles within each shopping cart. A checkout lane recommendation is then generated by the store intelligence system for a customer (104) based at least on the first data and/or the second data. The checkout lane recommendation is communicated from the SIS to a mobile communication device (102) in the possession of the customer.

Claims

1. A method for managing checkout line efficiency of a retail store, comprising:

electronically obtaining, by a Store Intelligence System (“

SIS”

), first data indicating an efficiency of each checkout lane of a plurality of checkout lanes;

electronically obtaining, by the SIS, second data indicating a total number of shopping carts in each checkout lane of the plurality of checkout lanes and a total number of articles within each of the shopping carts;

generating, by the SIS, a checkout lane recommendation for the customer based on the first data and the second data; and

communicating the checkout lane recommendation from the SIS to a mobile communication device in the possession of the customer.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first data specifies at least one of a start time of a checkout process, a number of articles scanned by a point of sale station during the checkout process, a rate of scanning by a cashier, a number of articles that still need to be scanned for a particular customer, and an end time of the checkout process.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the checkout lane recommendation comprises information specifying an estimate time of checkout for at least one of the plurality of checkout lanes.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising obtaining third data by the SIS indicating a change in position of the shopping cart relative to positions of other shopping carts within a respective checkout lane.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising updating the checkout lane recommendation based on the third data.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising communicating information from the SIS to a mobile communication device possessed by a store employee indicating the presence of the customer within the retail store.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising communicating information from the SIS to the mobile communication device specifying at least one of a welcome greeting, a customer benefit, a promotional material, an opening of a new checkout lane, a total number of articles in a respective shopping cart, an eligibility to use an express checkout lane, an eligibility to use a preferred customer checkout lane, and an issue which will likely slow down a checkout time.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining by the SIS an estimate time at which the customer will arrive at a checkout lane based on third data indicating a number of isles to/from which a respective shopping cart has traveled.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the checkout lane recommendation is further generated based on the third data.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising automatically notifying the customer via the mobile communication device that a new checkout lane has just been opened or is about to be opened if the customer has been waiting longer than other customers to checkout.

11. A system, comprising:

a Store Intelligence System (“

SIS”

) that;

electronically obtains first data indicating an efficiency of each checkout lane of a plurality of checkout lanes;

electronically obtains second data indicating a total number of shopping carts in each checkout lane of the plurality of checkout lanes and a total number of articles within each of the shopping carts;

generates a checkout lane recommendation for the customer based on the first data and the second data; and

communicates the checkout lane recommendation to a mobile communication device in the possession of the customer.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the first data specifies at least one of a start time of a checkout process, a number of articles scanned by a point of sale station during the checkout process, a rate of scanning by a cashier, a number of articles that still need to be scanned for a particular customer, and an end time of the checkout process.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the checkout lane recommendation comprises information specifying an estimate time of checkout for at least one of the plurality of checkout lanes.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the SIS obtains third data indicating a change in position of the shopping cart relative to positions of other shopping carts within a respective checkout lane.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the checkout lane recommendation is updated based on the third data.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein the SIS communicates information to a mobile communication device possessed by a store employee indicating the presence of the customer within the retail store.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein the SIS communicates information to the mobile communication device specifying at least one of a welcome greeting, a customer benefit, a promotional material, an opening of a new checkout lane, a total number of articles in a respective shopping cart, an eligibility to use an express checkout lane, an eligibility to use a preferred customer checkout lane, and an issue which will likely slow down a checkout time.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein the SIS determines an estimate time at which the customer will arrive at a checkout lane based on third data indicating a number of isles to/from which a respective shopping cart has traveled.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the checkout lane recommendation is further generated based on the third data.

20. The system according to claim 11, wherein the customer is automatically notified by the SIS via the mobile communication device that a new checkout lane has just been opened or is about to be opened if the customer has been waiting longer than other customers to checkout.