Patent ID: 8744884

Claim:
A system for optimizing the shipment of merchandise, said system including: a first receiver maintaining a first inventory of merchandise at a first receiver location, wherein a first inventory determination determines the limits of merchandise required to be maintained for said first inventory according to one or more first metrics in response to first data electronically received from said first receiver; a second receiver maintaining a second inventory of merchandise at a second receiver location, wherein a second inventory determination determines the limits of merchandise required to be maintained for said second inventory according to one or more second metrics in response to second data electronically received from said second receiver; and computer hardware, computer software stored on a computer and operating on a computer or a combination of computer hardware and computer software stored on a computer and operating on a computer determining a shipment of merchandise, wherein said shipment includes merchandise from a first source location and from a second source location to said first receiver and to said second receiver, wherein said shipment of said merchandise is optimized by determining one or more maximum loads of one or more transport vehicles at least in part by calculating an amount of merchandise for shipment by one or more transport vehicles from said first and second source locations to said first and second receivers that reduces logistics costs and that results in shipment of merchandise within the limits of merchandise required to be maintained for the first inventory and within the limits of merchandise required to be maintained for the second inventory according to a calculation employing at least said one or more first metrics, said one or more second metrics, said first data, and said second data.