Transaction cost recovery inventory management
First Claim
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.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
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Citations
13 Claims
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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5. An inventory management system, the system comprising:
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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; anddetermine 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. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification