Transaction cost recovery inventory management

• US 8,706,554 B1
• Filed: 12/17/2012
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Whitler, Elbert Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): An, Ig T
• Application Number:
  US13/717,165
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 705/16, 705/30
• US Class Current: 705/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for determining a transaction cost recovery amount are provided. The transaction cost recovery amount may be determined for each of a plurality of locations. The locations may include point-of-sale terminals and/or checkout lanes. The transaction cost recovery amount may be determined based on Merchant Category Code (“MCC”) information. When a customer leaves a first location associated with a first MCC, the customer may be informed of a transaction cost recovery amount at a second location. The second location may be associated with a second MCC. The transaction cost recovery amount may be determined based on a product inventory. The transaction cost recovery amount may be imposed to maintain an inventory level above a critical level. The transaction cost recovery amount may be based on a decrease and/or increase in an inventory level.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the program code when executed by a processor causes a computer to determine a surcharge adjustment, the computer readable program code in said article comprising:

computer readable program code configured to cause the computer to detect a rate of change in an inventory level, the inventory level corresponding to a number of items available for purchase, each of the items having an identical stock keeping unit (“

SKU”

) identifier;

computer readable program code configured to cause the computer to determine a surcharge based on;

the rate of change; and

a number of the items purchased in a single transaction;

computer readable program code configured to cause the computer to impose the surcharge;

when a first number of the items are purchased;

after the threshold rate of change is detected; and

after a notice-time associated with the surcharge expires;

computer readable program code configured to cause the computer to impose an adjusted surcharge when a second number of the items are purchased;

wherein the surcharge is larger in magnitude than the adjusted surcharge and the first number is greater than the second number.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein when the rate of change in the inventory level corresponds to a decrease in the inventory level, the surcharge corresponds to an increase in a current surcharge.

3. The article of claim 1, wherein when the rate of change in the inventory level corresponds to an increase in the inventory level, the surcharge corresponds to a decrease in a current surcharge.

4. The article of claim 1, wherein when the rate of change is a first fate of change, the program code causes the computer to maintain a current surcharge until a second rate of change is detected;

and

apply the surcharge when the second rate of change is detected.

10. The article of claim 1 further comprising computer readable program code for causing the computer to determine the surcharge based on a requirement to maintain a sufficient inventory level to service a demand for the number of items available for purchase.

11. The article of claim 10 further comprising computer readable program code for causing the computer to determine the surcharge based on effecting a change in the demand.

12. The article of claim 10 further comprising computer readable program code for causing the computer to determine the surcharge based on:

effecting a target change in the demand; and

maintaining a target inventory level associated with the target change.

13. The article of claim 1 further comprising program code for causing the computer to determine the surcharge based on maintaining a target inventory level.

5. An inventory management system, the system comprising:

an inventory controller configured to;

detect a change in a number of products available for sale, each of the products having an identical stock keeping unit (“

SKU”

) identifier; and

determine a surcharge based on the change;

a digital display configured to;

receive a surcharge notice from the inventory controller; and

present the surcharge notice at a merchant location; and

a point-of-sale (“

POS”

) controller configured to;

impose the surcharge when a first number of the products are purchased in a single transaction;

after a threshold rate of change is detected; and

after a notice-time associated with the surcharge expires; and

impose an adjusted surcharge when a second number of the products are purchased after the threshold rate of change is detected;

wherein the surcharge is greater in magnitude than the adjusted surcharge and the first number is greater than the second number.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein, when the change is first change:

the inventory controller is further configured to detect a second change in the number of products available for sale; and

the POS controller is further configured to impose the surcharge in response to detection of the second change.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the POS controller is further configured to impose the surcharge after expiration of a notice time, the notice time beginning at a first time when the POS controller transmits the surcharge notice to the digital display.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the surcharge corresponds to an increase in a current surcharge imposed by the POS controller.

9. The system of claim 5 wherein the surcharge corresponds to a decrease in a current surcharge imposed by the POS controller.