Automatically initiating product replenishment
First Claim
1. A method in a data processing system for assessing item replenishment, comprising:
- receiving, at a server computer system via the Internet, an electronic transmission from a purchasing entity, the received electronic transmission comprising an instruction to purchase a first item through an online item ordering facility;
accessing, in a memory unit of the server computer system, purchase history information mapped to the purchasing entity;
responsive to a determination, based on the purchase history information, that the purchasing entity purchased a second item, probabilistically determining, using one or more computer processors of the server computer system, that the purchasing entity follows a particular lifestyle preference;
determining a target replenishment time for the first item based on at least the lifestyle preference followed by the purchasing entity;
storing the target replenishment time in a replenish repository included in the memory unit; and
responsive to receiving a request for a web page via the Internet from a computing device, the request associated with the purchasing entity via a website cookie;
accessing the replenishment repository to determine that the first item should be replaced; and
transmitting the web page to the computing device, wherein the web page causes to be displayed on a display of the computing device a name of the first item and a user interface element that enables the purchasing entity to replenish the first item from the online item online item ordering facility by interacting with the user interface element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A facility for assessing product replenishment is described. The facility determines that a purchasing entity possesses an item, determines an expiration time for the item, and schedules, for a time preceding the expiration, a unilateral communication to the purchasing entity indicating that the item should be replenished. The facility can also manage automatic item replenishment, including determining a target date for replenishment of the item, transmitting to the purchaser in advance of the target date (when the purchaser is not engaged in an electronic shopping activity) a replenishment proposal, and ordering a replacement for the item. In some cases, the facility places an order within a predetermined tolerance of the target date without intervention by the consumer. The facility can also establish and test a condition for suggesting replenishment, can raise an event when the condition is satisfied, and can unilaterally make the replenishment suggestion when the event is raised.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method in a data processing system for assessing item replenishment, comprising:
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receiving, at a server computer system via the Internet, an electronic transmission from a purchasing entity, the received electronic transmission comprising an instruction to purchase a first item through an online item ordering facility; accessing, in a memory unit of the server computer system, purchase history information mapped to the purchasing entity; responsive to a determination, based on the purchase history information, that the purchasing entity purchased a second item, probabilistically determining, using one or more computer processors of the server computer system, that the purchasing entity follows a particular lifestyle preference; determining a target replenishment time for the first item based on at least the lifestyle preference followed by the purchasing entity; storing the target replenishment time in a replenish repository included in the memory unit; and responsive to receiving a request for a web page via the Internet from a computing device, the request associated with the purchasing entity via a website cookie; accessing the replenishment repository to determine that the first item should be replaced; and transmitting the web page to the computing device, wherein the web page causes to be displayed on a display of the computing device a name of the first item and a user interface element that enables the purchasing entity to replenish the first item from the online item online item ordering facility by interacting with the user interface element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions that, when executed by a computer processor, cause the computer processor to:
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receive, at a server computer system via the Internet, an electronic transmission from a purchasing entity, the received electronic transmission comprising an instruction to purchase a first item through an online item ordering facility; access, in a memory unit of the server computer system, purchase history information mapped to the purchasing entity; responsive to a determination, based on the purchase history information, that the purchasing entity purchased a second item, probabilistically determine that the purchasing entity follows a particular lifestyle preference; determine a target replenishment time for the first item based on at least the lifestyle preference followed by the purchasing entity; store the target replenishment time in a replenish repository included in the memory unit; and responsive to receiving a request for a web page via the Internet from a computing device, the computing device associated with the request via a website cookie; access the replenishment repository to determine that the first item should be replaced; and transmit the web page to the computing device, wherein the web page causes to be displayed on a display of the computing device a name of the first item and a user interface element that enables the purchasing entity to replenish the first item from the online item online item ordering facility by interacting with the user interface element. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for automatic item replenishment, comprising:
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a computer processor executing; an order history repository included in a first memory unit that stores a a replenishment targeting subsystem that, for a first item purchased by a purchaser on a purchase date from an item ordering facility, probabilistically determines that the purchaser has a particular lifestyle preference based on the purchasing entity having purchased a second item after the first item, determines a target date for replenishment of the first item based on the determined preference, and stores the target date in a replenish repository included in a second memory unit; a replenishment proposal subsystem that accesses the replenish repository, at a time preceding the target date, to determine that a replenishment suggestion is to be displayed to the purchaser, the replenishment suggestion indicating that the first item should be replaced, and transmits to a computing device associated with the purchaser in advance of the target date, a web page, wherein the web page causes to be displayed on a display of the computing device a name of the first item and a user interface element that enables the purchaser to replenish the first item from the online item online item ordering facility by interacting with the user interface element, wherein transmitting the web page is responsive to receiving a request for the web page via the Internet from the computing device, the computing device associated with the purchaser via a website cookie; and a replenishment ordering subsystem that orders a replacement for the first item responsive to an interaction with the user interface element by the purchaser. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification