Patent AU-2019204134-A1 (AU)
Title: Future order throttling
Inventor: SEAWARD LEONA
IPC: G06Q10/06
Filed: 2019-06-13
Abstract: A computer implemented method, including tracking, over time and by a bulk order processing server of an order processing system that includes (i) the bulk order processing server, (ii) local fulfillment center workstations each associated with a different third party fulfillment center, and (iii) multiple user devices, performance of the fulfillment center in fulfilling orders for items at the fulfillment center based on data collected at the local fulfillment center workstations, and user responses to alternate suggestions based on data collected at the multiple user devices, based on the tracking by the bulk order processing server, storing, in an electronic database accessible to the bulk order processing server of the order processing system, historical preparation information that describes historical performance of the fulfillment center in fulfilling orders for items at the fulfillment center based on the data collected at the local fulfillment center workstations, based on the tracking by the bulk order processing server, storing, in the electronic database accessible to the bulk order processing server of the order processing system, historical user information that indicates a likelihood that a user indicates acceptance of an alternate suggestion at one of the user devices, receiving, over a network, by the bulk order processing server, and from one of the user devices associated with the user and the order processing system, an order for an item to be fulfilled by a particular local fulfillment center for a fulfillment time, where the order indicates the item and the particular fulfillment center fulfills the order by enabling an employee at the fulfillment center to prepare the item for the user, wherein the particular user device is a mobile computing device and the order is entered through a graphical user interface of a web application presented on the mobile computing device, in response to receiving the order from the user device obtaining, from the database accessible to the bulk order processing server and based at least on the indication in the order of the fulfillment center, a portion of the stored historical preparation information for the fulfillment center that describes historical performance of the fulfillment center relevant to fulfillment of the item by the fulfillment time, obtaining, based at least on the indication in the order of the fulfillment center, current order information that describes other orders to be fulfilled at the fulfillment center, and determining, by the bulk order processing server, the requirement for an alternate suggestion for the user device for provision through the graphical user interface of the web application based at least on a portion of the stored historical preparation information and the current order information, in response to determining the alternate suggestion for the user device for provision through the graphical user interface of the web application, identifying, by the bulk order processing server, at least one of an alternate item, an alternate fulfillment center, or an alternate time to include in the alternate suggestion based on the stored historical user information that indicates a likelihood that the user will indicate acceptance of an alternate suggestion at one of the user devices and further based at least on historical performance of the alternate fulfillment center, current orders for the alternate fulfillment center, historical performance for the alternate item, current orders for the alternate item, or current orders for the alternate time, generating, by the bulk order processing server, the alternate suggestion based on the identification of at least one of the alternate item, the alternate fulfillment center, or the alternate time to include in the alternate suggestion, and providing, over the network and by the bulk order processing server, instructions that cause the graphical user interface of the web application on the user device to (i) provide the alternate suggestion to the user without the user providing further input after the user enters the order through the graphical user interface of the web application and (ii) disable entering, in the graphical user interface of the web application, a request for the item from the fulfillment center.