Systems and methods for demand tracking in a retail environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017140317-A1
Application number	US-201715418378-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 27, 2017
Priority date	Jul 30, 2014
Publication date	May 18, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A demand tracking system in a retail environment including a retail store having a plurality of product displays is provided. The system includes at least one processor coupled to a memory storing information regarding a demand for each product of a plurality of products in the retail store, the demand for each product including a difference between a current quantity of each product on a respective product display and a maximum capacity of the respective product display, an interface configured to receive product sales information and user action information and to provide user action requests, and a demand tracking component. The demand tracking component is configured to adjust the demand for each of the plurality of products based on the product sales information and user action information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A demand tracking system in a retail environment including a retail store having a plurality of product displays, the system comprising:
at least one processor coupled to a memory storing information regarding a demand for each product of a plurality of products in the retail store, the demand for each product including a difference between a current quantity of each product on a respective product display of the plurality of product displays and a maximum capacity of the respective product display; an interface, executed by the at least one processor, configured to receive product sales information and user action information and to provide user action requests; a demand tracking component, executed by the at least one processor, configured to:
obtain a first set of rules that track product demand as a function of product sales;
use the first set of rules to increase, responsive to receiving product sales information including an indication of a product sold of the plurality of products and a quantity sold, the demand for the at least one product sold by a value equal to the quantity sold;
obtain a second set of rules that evaluates demand relative to one or more thresholds;
use the second set of rules to determine whether the demand for the product sold transgressed a threshold; and
generate, responsive to the demand for the product sold transgressing the threshold, a user action request including a first instruction to restock a first quantity of the product sold to the product display, the first quantity equal to the demand of the product sold.

2 . The demand tracking system of claim 1 , wherein the demand tracking component is further configured to obtain a third set of rules that track product demand as a function of user actions, and use the third set of rules to set the demand to zero responsive to receiving the user action information including an indication that the product sold has been restocked.

3 . The demand tracking system of claim 1 , wherein the product sold is one of a case item type and an individual item type.

4 . The demand tracking system of claim 3 , wherein the demand tracking component is further configured to decrease the demand for the product sold at least in part by setting the demand to zero responsive to the product sold having the individual item type.

5 . The demand tracking system of claim 3 , wherein the demand tracking component is further configured to decrease the demand for the product sold at least in part by decreasing the demand by a value equal to an integer multiple of a case size responsive to the product sold having the case item type.

6 . The demand tracking system of claim 1 , wherein the demand tracking component is further configured to obtain a third set of rules that track product demand as a function of expected user action, and use the third set of rules to determine whether the demand is understated for the product sold based on the user action information.

7 . The demand tracking system of claim 6 , wherein the demand tracking component is further configured to generate a user action request including a second instruction to restock a second quantity of the product sold to the product display, the quantity equal to the understated demand of the product sold.

8 . The demand tracking system of claim 1 , wherein the demand tracking component is further configured to obtain a third set of rules that track product demand as a function of user actions, and use the third set of rules to determine whether the demand is overstated for the product sold based on the user action information.

9 . The demand tracking system of claim 8 , wherein the demand tracking component is further configured to decrease the demand for the product sold responsive to determining that the demand is overstated.

10 . The demand tracking system of claim 1 , wherein the interface is further configured to receive product receiving information including an indication of the product received and a quantity of the product received and wherein the demand tracking component is further configured to obtain a third set of rules that track product demand as a function of receiving information, and use the third set of rules to decrease the demand for the received product responsive to receiving the product receiving information.

11 . The demand tracking system of claim 1 , wherein the demand tracking component is further configured to obtain a third set of rules that track product demand as a function of expected user actions, and use the third set of rules to determine a percentage demand in excess of an integer number of case items, determine whether the percentage demand in excess of the integer number of case items has a predefined relationship with a percentage threshold break level corresponding to the product, and set the demand to zero responsive to receiving the user action information and determining the percentage demand in excess of the integer number of case items has the predetermined relationship with the percentage threshold break level.

12 . A computer implemented method for tracking demand in a retail environment including a retail store having a plurality of product displays, the method comprising:
storing a demand for each product of a plurality of products in the retail store, the demand for each product including a difference between a current quantity of each product on a respective product display of the plurality of product displays and a maximum capacity of the respective product display; receiving product sales information including an indication of a product sold of the plurality of products and a quantity sold; obtaining a first set of rules that track product demand as a function of product sales; using the first set of rules and increasing the demand for the at least one product sold by a value equal to the quantity sold; obtaining a second set of rules that evaluates demand relative to one or more thresholds; using the second set of rules and determining whether the demand for the product sold transgressed a threshold; and generating, responsive to the demand for the product sold transgressing the threshold, a user action request including a first instruction to restock a first quantity of the product sold to the product display, the first quantity equal to the demand of the product sold.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein receiving the product sales information further includes receiving product sales information including an indication of the product type, the product type including one of a case item type and an individual item type.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising receiving user action information including an indication that the product sold has been restocked; obtaining a third set of rules that track product demand as a function of user actions; and using the third set of rules and setting the demand to zero responsive to receiving the user action information and the product sold to having the individual item type.

15 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising receiving user action information including an indication that the product sold has been restocked and decreasing the demand by a value equal to an integer multiple of a case size responsive to receiving the user action information and the product sold having the case item type.

16 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising receiving user action information; obtaining a third set of rules that track product demand as a function of expected user action; using the third set of rules and determining whether t

Assignees

• Wal Mart Stores Inc

Inventors

• Vann David L
• Taylor Robert J
• Jones Nicholaus A
• Jones Matthew A
• Shields Daniel R

Classifications

• G06Q30/02

  Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising · CPC title

• G06Q10/08

  Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management · CPC title

• G06Q10/06315 Primary

  Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis · CPC title

• G06Q10/087

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title