Fulfillment of orders from multiple sources
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method, comprising:
- storing a plurality of inventories in a memory accessible by a server, each of the plurality of inventories expressing an inventory of products associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of fulfillment entities;
facilitating interaction in the server with a client to generate an order for one of the products to be fulfilled by a selected one of the plurality of fulfillment entities;
receiving a directive from the client during the interaction that the one of the products is to be picked up from a physical site within a geographical area;
identifying multiple ones of the plurality of inventories that include the one of the products and that correspond to respective ones of the plurality of fulfillment entities that have a fulfillment network with a physical presence within the geographical area specified by the client;
identifying a lead time associated with the one of the products for each of the multiple ones of the plurality of inventories;
generating a listing of each of the plurality of fulfillment entities associated with a respective one of the multiple ones of the plurality of inventories, the listing including the lead time for the one of the products for each of the plurality of fulfillment entities;
serving the listing up to the client during the interaction between the server and the client;
directing a selected one of the fulfillment entities to take steps to fulfill the order for the product; and
specifying a contingency deadline by which the selected one of the plurality of fulfillment entities is to take action to fulfill the order, where a predefined period of time exists between the contingency deadline and a promised delivery date provided to the client.
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Abstract
This disclosure relates to order fulfillment by various fulfillment sources in a fulfillment network. A fulfillment source is selected in the fulfillment network to fulfill an order before a contingency deadline. If the order is not fulfilled by the deadline, other fulfillment sources are used. Lead times for fulfillment of orders for products are adjusted for respective fulfillment sources based on their past fulfillment history.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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storing a plurality of inventories in a memory accessible by a server, each of the plurality of inventories expressing an inventory of products associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of fulfillment entities; facilitating interaction in the server with a client to generate an order for one of the products to be fulfilled by a selected one of the plurality of fulfillment entities; receiving a directive from the client during the interaction that the one of the products is to be picked up from a physical site within a geographical area; identifying multiple ones of the plurality of inventories that include the one of the products and that correspond to respective ones of the plurality of fulfillment entities that have a fulfillment network with a physical presence within the geographical area specified by the client; identifying a lead time associated with the one of the products for each of the multiple ones of the plurality of inventories; generating a listing of each of the plurality of fulfillment entities associated with a respective one of the multiple ones of the plurality of inventories, the listing including the lead time for the one of the products for each of the plurality of fulfillment entities; serving the listing up to the client during the interaction between the server and the client; directing a selected one of the fulfillment entities to take steps to fulfill the order for the product; and specifying a contingency deadline by which the selected one of the plurality of fulfillment entities is to take action to fulfill the order, where a predefined period of time exists between the contingency deadline and a promised delivery date provided to the client.
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2. A method, comprising:
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storing a plurality of inventories in a memory accessible by a server, each of the plurality of inventories expressing an inventory of products associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of fulfillment entities; identifying multiple ones of the plurality of inventories that include a product; identifying a lead time associated with the product for each of the multiple ones of the plurality of inventories; generating a listing of each of the plurality of fulfillment entities associated with a respective one of the multiple ones of the inventories, the listing including the lead time for the product for each of the plurality of fulfillment entities; serving the listing up to a client; directing a selected one of the plurality of fulfillment entities to take steps to fulfill an order for the product; and specifying a contingency deadline by which the selected one of the plurality of fulfillment entities is to take action to fulfill the order, where a predefined period of time exists between the contingency deadline and a promised delivery date provided to the client. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system, comprising:
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a server; a plurality of inventories stored in a memory accessible by the server, each of the plurality of inventories expressing an inventory of products associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of fulfillment entities; and electronic commerce logic executable in the server, the electronic commerce logic comprising; logic that identifies multiple ones of the plurality of inventories that include a product; logic that identifies a lead time associated with the product for each of the multiple ones of the plurality of inventories; logic that generates a listing of each of the plurality of fulfillment entities associated with a respective one of the multiple ones of the plurality of inventories, the listing including the lead time for the product for each of the plurality of fulfillment entities; logic that serves the listing up to a client; logic that directs a selected one of the plurality of fulfillment entities to take steps to fulfill an order for the product; and logic that specifies a contingency deadline by which the selected one of the plurality of fulfillment entities is to take action to fulfill the order, where a predefined period of time exists between the contingency deadline and a promised delivery date provided to the client. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A method, comprising:
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interacting with a server using a client to generate an order for a product, where a plurality of network pages are received in the client from the server during the interaction; selecting a fulfillment channel for a fulfillment of the order in one of the plurality of network pages on the client; selecting one of a plurality of fulfillment entities for the fulfillment of the order in one of the plurality of network pages on the client; and specifying a contingency deadline by which the one of the plurality of fulfillment entities is to take action to fulfill the order, where a predefined period of time exists between the contingency deadline and a promised delivery date provided to the client. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification