Patent ID: 8428988

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving, by one or more configured computing systems, an indication of an order for one or more items; determining, by the one or more configured computing systems, one of multiple distribution centers that is associated with the indicated order as a default distribution center from which to fulfill the indicated order; determining, by the one or more configured computing systems, whether fulfilling the indicated order at the default distribution center would result in an inventory shortage for at least one of the one or more items of the indicated order; if it is determined that fulfilling the indicated order at the default distribution center would result in the inventory shortage, determining, by the one or more configured computing systems, an alternate distribution center for the fulfilling of the indicated order; and if it is not determined that fulfilling the indicated order at the default distribution center would result in the inventory shortage, determining, by the one or more configured computing systems, to fulfill the indicated order using the default distribution center.