System and method for optimization of group shipments to reduce shipping costs
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving data related to delivering shipments to a set of recipients at separate addresses;
generating by a computer a first shipping option to deliver shipments to a first sub-set of the recipients within a first time period, and to deliver shipments to a second sub-set of recipients within a second time period that is greater than the first time period, shipments to the second sub-set of recipients being a greater distance than shipments to the first sub-set of recipients, and the first shipping option providing a cost of shipping savings relative to shipping to all of the recipients within the first time period, wherein the generating of the first shipping option comprises selecting the second sub-set of recipients to include a quantity of recipients to provide a cost of shipping savings equal or greater to a predetermined percentage, wherein the generating of the first shipping option further comprises generating the first shipping option to deliver shipments to the first sub-set of recipients via a first shipping method, and to deliver the shipments to the second sub-set of recipients via a second shipping method;
presenting the first shipping option in a user interface to a user for selection;
generating a second shipping option to deliver shipments to the first sub-set of the recipients within the first time period, and to deliver shipments to a third sub-set of recipients within a third time period that is greater than the second time period, wherein a quantity of the third sub-set of recipients is unequal to the quantity of the second sub-set of recipients, the second shipping option providing a cost savings unequal to the first shipping option; and
providing the second shipping option to the user for selection.
13 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Described herein is a method and system to provide optimizing shipping costs that can help arbitrate between a precise solution at an unreasonable cost and a reasonable solution at a very reasonable cost. In one embodiment, a first shipping option is generated to deliver shipments to a first sub-set of recipients within a first time period, and to deliver shipments to a second sub-set of recipients within a second time period that is greater than the first time period, with the shipments to the second sub-set of recipients being a greater distance than shipments to the first sub-set of recipients. The first shipping option provides a cost of shipping savings relative to shipping to all of the recipients within the first time period. The generating of the first shipping option includes selecting the second sub-set of recipients to include a quantity of recipients to provide a cost of shipping savings equal or greater to a predetermined percentage.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving data related to delivering shipments to a set of recipients at separate addresses; generating by a computer a first shipping option to deliver shipments to a first sub-set of the recipients within a first time period, and to deliver shipments to a second sub-set of recipients within a second time period that is greater than the first time period, shipments to the second sub-set of recipients being a greater distance than shipments to the first sub-set of recipients, and the first shipping option providing a cost of shipping savings relative to shipping to all of the recipients within the first time period, wherein the generating of the first shipping option comprises selecting the second sub-set of recipients to include a quantity of recipients to provide a cost of shipping savings equal or greater to a predetermined percentage, wherein the generating of the first shipping option further comprises generating the first shipping option to deliver shipments to the first sub-set of recipients via a first shipping method, and to deliver the shipments to the second sub-set of recipients via a second shipping method; presenting the first shipping option in a user interface to a user for selection; generating a second shipping option to deliver shipments to the first sub-set of the recipients within the first time period, and to deliver shipments to a third sub-set of recipients within a third time period that is greater than the second time period, wherein a quantity of the third sub-set of recipients is unequal to the quantity of the second sub-set of recipients, the second shipping option providing a cost savings unequal to the first shipping option; and providing the second shipping option to the user for selection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A tangible machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon a set of instructions, which when executed on a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
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receiving data related to delivering shipments to a set of recipients at separate addresses; generating by a computer a first shipping option to deliver shipments to a first sub-set of the recipients within a first time period, and to deliver shipments to a second sub-set of recipients within a second time period that is greater than the first time period, shipments to the second sub-set of recipients being a greater distance than shipments to the first sub-set of recipients, and the first shipping option providing a cost of shipping savings relative to shipping to all of the recipients within the first time period, wherein the generating of the first shipping option comprises selecting the second sub-set of recipients to include a quantity of recipients to provide a cost of shipping savings equal or greater to a predetermined percentage, wherein the generating of the first shipping option further comprises generating the first shipping option to deliver shipments to the first sub-set of recipients via a first shipping method, and to deliver the shipments to the second sub-set of recipients via a second shipping method; presenting the first shipping option in a user interface to a user for selection; generating a second shipping option to deliver shipments to the first sub-set of the recipients within the first time period, and to deliver shipments to a third sub-set of recipients within a third time period that is greater than the second time period, wherein a quantity of the third sub-set of recipients is unequal to the quantity of the second sub-set of recipients, the second shipping option providing a cost savings unequal to the first shipping option; and providing the second shipping option to a user for selection. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A system comprising:
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a processor configured to receive data related to delivering shipments to a set of recipients at separate addresses; wherein the processor is further configured to generate a first shipping option to deliver shipments to a first sub-set of the recipients within a first time period, and to deliver shipments to a second sub-set of recipients within a second time period that is greater than the first time period, shipments to the second sub-set of recipients being a greater distance than shipments to the first sub-set of recipients, and the first shipping option providing a cost of shipping savings relative to shipping to all of the recipients within the first time period, and wherein the processor is further configured to select the second sub-set of recipients to include a quantity of recipients to provide a cost of shipping savings equal or greater to a predetermined percentage, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a second shipping option to deliver shipments to the first sub-set of the recipients within the first time period, and to deliver shipments to a third sub-set of recipients within a third time period that is greater than the second time period, wherein a quantity of the third sub-set of recipients is unequal to a quantity of the second sub-set of recipients, the second shipping option providing a cost savings unequal to the first shipping option; and a display to present the first shipping option in a user interface to a user for selection. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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Specification