Patent ID: 7921029

Claim:
A method implemented on a computer arrangement including a processing section for forecasting market demand for a product in a universe of stores over a subject time interval, the universe of stores comprising sample stores and non-sample stores, the method comprising: generating a prediction of market demand for the product in the universe of stores for the subject time interval based on historical data on purchases and sales of the products in the universe of stores, wherein generating the prediction comprises applying projection factors to data on purchases and sales of the products at sample stores to estimate data on purchases and sales of the products at non sample stores; receiving data from reporting stores on actual purchases and sales of the products during the subject time interval; calculating, using the processing section, an adjustment factor by comparing actual and predicted purchases and sales of the products at reporting stores during the subject time interval; applying the adjustment factor to estimate actual purchases and sales of the products at non-reporting stores during the subject time interval; and updating the prediction and projection factors based on the actual and the estimated actual purchases and sales of the products during the subject time interval, wherein the sample stores include the reporting and non-reporting stores.