System and method for evaluating and recommending planograms

• US 7,440,903 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2005
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Jeffrey A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MISIASZEK, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US11/045,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20060190341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/14, 705/28, 705/29, 705/1
• 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 evaluating and recommending 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;

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 determine and provide a readiness rating value for each planogram prior to implementation of the 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 prior to implementation of the planogram, and being indicative of whether the planogram is ready to be implemented;

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;

wherein each retail computing system is configured to provide an implementation recommendation for each planogram associated with the corresponding retail store, wherein each implementation recommendation is based on the corresponding readiness rating value; and

wherein each implementation recommendation indicates whether the corresponding planogram is ready to be implemented or whether implementation of the corresponding planogram should be delayed.

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, 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.

4. The retail system of claim 3, wherein the implementation recommendation levels are color coded.

5. 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.

6. The retail system of claim 5, 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.

7. 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.

8. The retail system of claim 7, wherein each retail computing system is adapted to provide notification of subsequent changes in product prices for previously provided planogram labels.

9. 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.

15. The retail system of claim 7, wherein each retail computing system is adapted to provide notification of subsequent changes in product prices prior to implementation of the planogram in the corresponding one of the plurality of retail stores.

10. A method of evaluating and recommending planograms, the method comprising:

receiving at a central computer system a plurality of planograms, each planogram being associated with one or more retail stores of a plurality of retail stores, each having a retail store computer system, 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 computer system the planogram(s) associated with the retail store;

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

determining at each retail store computer system a readiness rating value for each associated planogram prior to implementation of the planogram, by comparing at each retail store the threshold quantities and in-stock quantities of each product of each planogram prior to implementation of the planogram,

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; and

is indicative of whether the planogram is ready to be implemented; and

providing at each retail store computer system an implementation recommendation for each planogram associated with the corresponding retail store, wherein each implementation recommendation is based on the corresponding readiness rating value; and

wherein each implementation recommendation indicates whether the corresponding planogram is ready to be implemented or whether implementation of the corresponding planogram should be delayed.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the readiness rating value includes:

determining at each retail store a percentage of a sum of the threshold quantities of each product of the planogram that are indicated as being in-stock.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the implementation recommendation is selected from one of a plurality of implementation recommendation levels, wherein one of the plurality of implementation recommendation levels indicates recommended delay in implementing the associated planogram, and another one of the plurality of recommendation levels indicates that the associated planogram is ready to be implemented.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the readiness rating value includes:

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

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing at each retail store a notification of changes in product prices for previously provided labels prior to implementation of the planogram(s) associated with the retail store.

11. 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.

12. The planogram implementation system of claim 11, further comprising:

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

20. The planogram implementation system of claim 11, further comprising:

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

21. The planogram implementation system of claim 11, further comprising:

means for providing at each retail store a notification of any changes in product prices for previously provided labels prior to implementation of the planogram(s) associated with the retail store.

13. 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.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, the method further comprising:

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

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, the method further comprising:

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