Patent ID: 7543743
Filing Date: 2009-06-09
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method, comprising: using one or more computers to perform; specifying a target inventory level of a given one of a plurality of inventory items, wherein said target inventory level specifies a quantity of said given inventory item; determining a breakeven holding time of a unit of said given inventory item in excess of said target inventory level, wherein a cost of holding a given excess unit until said breakeven holding time equals, within an equality threshold, a difference between a sale value for sale of said given inventory item through a sales channel and a disposition value for disposition of said given inventory item through a disposition channel; determining a time rate of sales demand of units of said given inventory item per unit of time; determining a healthy inventory level of said given inventory item, wherein said healthy inventory level exceeds said target inventory level by a function of said time rate of sales demand and said breakeven holding time; and if a current inventory level of said given inventory item exceeds said healthy inventory level, disposing of units of said given inventory item in excess of said healthy inventory level via said disposition channel.