Patent ID: 7257552

Claim:
A computer-assisted method of managing an inventory associated with product distribution and facilitating a transfer of purchases to each of a plurality of consumers, the method comprising: on a computer system, for said each of a plurality of consumers: associating a plurality of items with each other, wherein each of the associated plurality of items is ordered by said each of the plurality of consumers from a different one of a plurality of merchants; identifying a temporary storage facility proximate to said each of a plurality of consumers, from which the associated plurality of items can be transferred to said each of a plurality of consumers; identifying a date and time for transferring the associated plurality of items to said each of a plurality of consumers; on the computer system, for said each of a different one of a plurality of merchants: estimating a transportation time for said each of the associated plurality of items ordered by said each of a plurality of consumers from said each of a different one of a plurality of merchants to be transported to the identified temporary storage facility; based at least on the estimated transportation time and the identified date and time, synchronizing a shipment of said each of the associated plurality of items from the point of origin to the identified temporary storage facility in accordance with a just-in-time schedule compliant with the identified date and time for transferring the associated plurality of items to said each of a plurality of consumers; and for said each of a plurality of consumers: receiving said associated plurality of items at the identified temporary storage facility; based at least on the association of the items on the computer system, physically aggregating the associated plurality of items at the identified temporary storage facility; and transferring the physically aggregated associated plurality of items to said each of a plurality of consumers.