LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING PICKUP ROUTES FOR RETAIL STORES

• US 20150294395A1
• Filed: 06/22/2015
• Published: 10/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2013
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Deshpande, Ajay A., Hendrix, Kimberly D., McFaddin, Herbert S., Narayanaswami, Chandrasekhar
• Application Number:
  US14/745,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20150294395A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders

Abstract

According to an aspect, a method for retail store logistics management includes receiving information for pickup order fulfillment including items to be picked up and a store product location map indicating inventory locations and quantities in a retail store. Surveillance data for the store identifies high congestion areas on the sales floor. A pick list and a pickup route through the store are determined to efficiently collect the items on the pick list while avoiding the high congestion areas on the sales floor. The pickup route is displayed as an ordered list or as a route shown on a product location map of the store on a mobile device to guide a user of the mobile device along the pickup route while collecting the items on the pick list.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for store logistics management, comprising:

receiving information for pickup order fulfillment including items to be picked up;

receiving a store product location map indicating inventory locations and quantities in a retail store;

receiving surveillance data for the store identifying high congestion areas on the sales floor;

determining a pick list for pickup order fulfillment;

determining a pickup route through the store to efficiently collect the items on the pick list while avoiding the high congestion areas on the sales floor; and

displaying the pickup route as an ordered list or a route showing a product location map of the store on a mobile device to guide a user of the mobile device along the pickup route while collecting the items on the pick list.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising ordering the pick list based on an item characteristic comprising perishability, expiration date, size, weight, or quantity of an item to be collected.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving information indicating restricted areas of the sales floor and determining the pickup route to avoid the restricted areas.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning items located in a store room a higher collection priority than items stored on a sales floor when placing items on the pick list and assigning items located in inner shelf areas on a sales floor a higher collection priority than items stored in a special display area on the sales floor when placing items on the pick list.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising dividing one or more pickup orders into multiple zone pick lists and associated zone pickup routes corresponding to respective zones of the store.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising combining all or portions of multiple online orders from multiple customers when determining the pick list.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving sales associate availability information and scheduling item collection for pickup order fulfillment based in part on the sales associate availability information.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication that an item is not present for collection as indicated on the pick list, cancelling the items from pick list, and updating the pickup route to also account for re-shelving the items collected for the canceled pick list.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the pickup route based on one or more parameters learned over time.