Method and system for determining packaging materials in e-commerce platform

Abstract

The present disclosure includes a method for determining a product packaging material in an e-commerce platform performed by at least one processor. The method for determining a product packaging material may include the steps of defining one or more target products to be packaged with a first product packaging material; receiving a customer order from a customer terminal; determining whether the target products are included in the customer order; and, if it is determined that the target products are included in the customer order, determining to package the target products with the first product packaging material regardless of the customer's preferred packaging method.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method and system for determining product packaging materials on an e-commerce platform. Background Technology

[0002] The rapid growth of e-commerce platforms has significantly improved the convenience and accessibility of online shopping. Consequently, various types of products are being delivered quickly nationwide. The selection of packaging materials used for delivery has a significant impact on protection by preventing product damage, delivery efficiency, environmental friendliness, and customer experience.

[0003] In particular, product damage is one of the serious challenges in e-commerce, with frequent occurrences of damage to goods or packaging caused by shock, pressure, and vibration during shipping. Such damage leads to customer dissatisfaction and can result in a decline in brand credibility. Furthermore, return and exchange procedures result in additional costs and time consumption. The problem to be solved

[0004] The present disclosure provides a method, a system, and a computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program for determining a safe product packaging material on an e-commerce platform to solve the above-mentioned problems. means of solving the problem

[0005] The present disclosure may be implemented in various ways, including a method, an apparatus (system), or a computer program stored on a readable storage medium.

[0006] A method for determining a product packaging material in an e-commerce platform performed by at least one processor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure for solving a technical problem may include: defining one or more target products to be packaged with a first product packaging material; receiving a customer order from a customer terminal; determining whether the target products are included in the customer order; and, if it is determined that the target products are included in the customer order, determining to package the target products with the first product packaging material regardless of the customer's preferred packaging method.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for determining a product packaging material may further include: a step of displaying a payment window on a customer terminal in response to receiving a customer order containing a defined target product from a customer terminal; a step of indicating to the customer terminal in the payment window for the customer order that the defined target product will be packaged in a first product packaging material; and a step of determining to package the defined target product in a first product packaging material when a payment request is received through the customer terminal.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for determining an article packaging material further comprises the step of defining packaging attribute information for a target article, wherein the defined packaging attribute information includes at least one of a packaging attribute name and a packaging attribute value, wherein the packaging attribute name is associated with a mandatory use of a specific packaging material and the packaging attribute value may be associated with a first article packaging material.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for determining packaging materials for an article may further include the step of automatically setting or adjusting packaging attribute information for a target article based on at least one of an article breakage rate or customer delivery feedback.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the step of determining whether a target item is included may include the step of determining that the target item is included in the customer order if the item included in the customer order includes packaging attribute information for the target item.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for determining a product packaging material may further include the step of determining to package the target product in a second product packaging material rather than a first product packaging material when it is determined that the target product is included in a customer order but an exception situation applies.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an exception situation may include at least one of a situation where the delivery address associated with a customer order is outside the delivery or collection range of the first product packaging material, or a situation where the target product is difficult to accommodate in the first product packaging material.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the step of determining to package in a first article packaging material may include the step of determining to package the target article and the general article in a single first article packaging material when the target article and one or more general articles included in a customer order can be packaged together in a single first article packaging material.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for determining an article packaging material may further include the step of determining to package the target article in the first article packaging material and to package the general article in one or more first article packaging materials or one or more second article packaging materials when a customer order includes a target article and one or more general articles together and cannot be packaged together in one first article packaging material.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when deciding whether to package a general article with one or more first article packaging materials or one or more second article packaging materials, it may be decided to package the general article with an article packaging material that requires fewer article packaging materials.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when deciding whether to package a general article with one or more first article packaging materials or one or more second article packaging materials, it may be decided to package the general article with an article packaging material based on attribute information of the general article or a customer's preferred packaging method.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first article packaging material may be a packaging bag comprising a carrying handle and a shock absorber.

[0018] A computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program for executing a method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure on a computer may be provided.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an information processing system comprises a memory and a processor connected to the memory and configured to execute at least one computer-readable program included in the memory, and the at least one program may include instructions for defining one or more target items to be packaged in a first item packaging material, receiving a customer order from a customer terminal, determining whether the target items are included in the customer order, and, if it is determined that the target items are included in the customer order, determining to package the target items in the first item packaging material regardless of the customer's preferred packaging method.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, at least one program may further include instructions for determining to package the defined target item in the first item packaging material when receiving a payment request through the customer terminal, in response to receiving a customer order including a defined target item from the customer terminal, displaying a payment window to the customer terminal in the payment window for the customer order, and in response to receiving a payment request through the customer terminal.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, at least one program further includes instructions for defining packaging attribute information for a target article, wherein the defined packaging attribute information includes at least one of a packaging attribute name and a packaging attribute value, the packaging attribute name may be associated with a specific packaging material usage obligation, and the packaging attribute value may be associated with a first article packaging material.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, at least one program may further include instructions for automatically setting or adjusting packaging attribute information for a target item based on at least one of an item breakage rate or customer delivery feedback. Effects of the invention

[0023] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the rate of product damage during the delivery process can be reduced by determining, through the operation of an e-commerce platform, that product packaging material with a low product damage rate.

[0024] The effects of the present disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains (referred to as "person skilled in the art") from the description in the claims. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0025] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings described below, wherein similar reference numerals indicate similar elements, but are not limited thereto. FIG. 1 is a drawing for explaining a specific article packaging material according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration in which an information processing system is connected to communicate with a plurality of user terminals to determine and display an article packaging material according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of a user terminal and an information processing system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a drawing for explaining packaging attribute information of a target article according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a drawing showing an example of a product packaging notification area of ​​a payment window corresponding to a customer order including a target product according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a drawing showing an example of a user interface corresponding to receiving a user selection for a product packaging notification area of ​​a payment window corresponding to a customer order including a target product according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 shows an example of a first user interface of a payment window corresponding to a customer order including a plurality of items according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 shows an example of a second user interface of a payment window corresponding to a customer order including a plurality of items according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 shows an example of a third user interface of a payment window corresponding to a customer order including a plurality of items according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a drawing showing an example of a user interface of a packer terminal associated with packaging of goods according to a customer order including a target item according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining product packaging materials on an e-commerce platform according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a process for determining product packaging materials in response to a customer order according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings described below, wherein similar reference numerals indicate similar elements, but are not limited thereto. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0026] Hereinafter, specific details for implementing the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. However, in the following description, specific descriptions regarding widely known functions or configurations will be omitted if there is a risk that the gist of the present disclosure may be unnecessarily obscured.

[0027] In the attached drawings, identical or corresponding components are assigned the same reference numerals. Additionally, in the description of the following embodiments, the description of identical or corresponding components may be omitted. However, even if a description of a component is omitted, it is not intended that such component is not included in any embodiment.

[0028] The advantages and features of the disclosed embodiments and the methods for achieving them will become clear by referring to the embodiments described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below but may be implemented in various different forms, and the embodiments provided are merely to make the present disclosure complete and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the invention.

[0029] The terms used in this specification will be briefly explained, and the disclosed embodiments will be described in detail. The terms used in this specification have been selected to be as generally used as possible, taking into account their functions in this disclosure; however, these terms may vary depending on the intent of those skilled in the art, case law, the emergence of new technologies, etc. Additionally, in specific cases, terms may be arbitrarily selected by the applicant, and in such cases, their meanings will be described in detail in the relevant description of the invention. Therefore, the terms used in this disclosure should be defined not merely by their names, but based on their meanings and the content throughout this disclosure.

[0030] In this specification, singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly specifies them as singular. Additionally, plural expressions include singular expressions unless the context clearly specifies them as plural. Throughout the specification, when a part is described as including a certain component, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components.

[0031] Additionally, the terms 'module' or 'part' as used in the specification refer to software or hardware components, and the 'module' or 'part' performs certain roles. However, the meaning of 'module' or 'part' is not limited to software or hardware. The 'module' or 'part' may be configured to reside in an addressable storage medium or configured to run on one or more processors. Thus, as an example, the 'module' or 'part' may include components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components, and task components, and at least one of processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, or variables. The components and the functions provided within the 'module' or 'part' may be combined into a smaller number of components and 'modules' or 'parts', or further separated into additional components and 'modules' or 'parts'.

[0032] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a ‘module’ or ‘part’ may be implemented as a processor and memory. The term ‘processor’ should be broadly interpreted to include a general-purpose processor, a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a controller, a microcontroller, a state machine, etc. In some environments, the term ‘processor’ may refer to an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (PLD), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc. The term ‘processor’ may also refer to a combination of processing devices, such as, for example, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a combination of multiple microprocessors, a combination of one or more microprocessors combined with a DSP core, or any other combination of such configurations. Additionally, the term ‘memory’ should be broadly interpreted to include any electronic component capable of storing electronic information. 'Memory' may refer to various types of processor-readable media, such as Random Access Memory (RAM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), Non-Volatile Random Access Memory (NVRAM), Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM), Erasable-Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), Electrically Erasable PROM (EEPROM), Flash Memory, Magnetic or Optical Data Storage Devices, Registers, etc. If a processor can read information from memory and / or write information to memory, the memory is said to be in an electronic communication state with the processor. Memory integrated into a processor is in an electronic communication state with the processor.

[0033] In the present disclosure, the 'system' may include at least one of a server device and a cloud device, but is not limited thereto. For example, the system may be composed of one or more server devices. As another example, the system may be composed of one or more cloud devices. As yet another example, the system may be configured and operated with both a server device and a cloud device.

[0034] In the present disclosure, 'display' may refer to any display device associated with a computing device, for example, any display device capable of displaying any information / data controlled by or provided by the computing device.

[0035] In the present disclosure, 'each of a plurality of A' or 'each of a plurality of A' may refer to each of all components included in a plurality of A, or each of some components included in a plurality of A.

[0036] Various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The size or location of display screens, images, buttons, etc., as illustrated and described in the drawings are exemplary and are not limited thereto. For example, some buttons may be added or omitted, or configured with sizes and locations different from those illustrated. Furthermore, the flowcharts and descriptions illustrated in the drawings are merely examples and may be implemented differently in some embodiments. For example, one or more steps may be omitted, the order of each step may be changed, one or more steps may be performed in overlap, or one or more steps may be performed repeatedly.

[0037] FIG. 1 is a drawing for explaining a specific article packaging material (20) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 1, the specific item packaging material (20) may be referred to as a ‘Fresh Bag’. The specific item packaging material (20) is a bag-shaped means of transport for carrying items in an internal storage space to a delivery destination. Since the specific item packaging material (20) includes an insulating material for keeping items cool and warm inside and is effective in maintaining the temperature of the items, it can be used to transport refrigerated or frozen food.

[0039] The specific item packaging material (20) is made of a waterproof material and has a structure resistant to moisture and water, so it can be effective for storing and delivering items. In addition, the specific item packaging material (20) can be collected by a delivery driver, so it can be used multiple times for delivery, making it environmentally friendly. The specific item packaging material (20) has a very high level of convenience of use as the top and bottom can be easily attached and detached through a Velcro structure, and it can also be effective for cushioning items by placing shock-absorbing material on the top, sides and / or bottom.

[0040] A specific item packaging material (20) may include a carrying handle (22). Accordingly, the delivery driver can conveniently lift the item to be delivered, and due to the distance between the ground (10) and the position (26) of the carrying handle (22), the item can be lifted more easily than with a box-shaped item packaging material.

[0041] Additionally, when a delivery driver moves a delivery item while holding the carrying handle (22) and places the delivery item on the ground (10), the distance (falling distance) between the ground (10) and the position (24) at the bottom of the specific item packaging material (20) can be formed lower compared to a box-shaped item packaging material without a carrying handle. Accordingly, the impact when placing the item is relatively less, so the rate of item damage can be reduced. For example, in the case of a specific item (e.g., banana), a damage rate of less than 50% can be confirmed compared to when using a box-shaped item packaging material.

[0042] Accordingly, the operator of the e-commerce platform may decide to use a specific product packaging material (20) for the delivered product in order to reduce the rate of product damage, improve customer satisfaction by preventing product damage, and also improve the delivery driver's transport efficiency.

[0043] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration in which an information processing system (230) is connected to communicate with a plurality of user terminals (210_1, 210_2, 210_3) in order to determine and display an article packaging material according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] Referring to FIG. 2, the information processing system (230) may include system(s) capable of determining and displaying product packaging materials. In one embodiment, the information processing system (230) may include one or more server devices and / or databases capable of storing, providing, and executing data and computer executable programs (e.g., downloadable applications) related to the service for determining and displaying product packaging materials, or one or more distributed computing devices and / or distributed databases based on cloud computing services. For example, the information processing system (230) may include separate systems (e.g., servers) for the service for determining and displaying product packaging materials.

[0045] The product packaging material determination and display services, etc. provided by the information processing system (230), can be provided to the user through applications installed on each of the plurality of user terminals (210_1, 210_2, 210_3).

[0046] Multiple user terminals (210_1, 210_2, 210_3) can communicate with an information processing system (230) through a network (220). The network (220) can be configured to enable communication between the multiple user terminals (210_1, 210_2, 210_3) and the information processing system (230). Depending on the installation environment, the network (220) may be configured as a wired network such as Ethernet, Power Line Communication, telephone line communication devices and RS-serial communication, a mobile communication network, a Wireless LAN (WLAN), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and ZigBee, or a combination thereof. The communication method is not limited and may include not only communication methods utilizing communication networks that the network (220) may include (e.g., mobile communication network, wired internet, wireless internet, broadcasting network, satellite network, etc.) but also short-range wireless communication between user terminals (210_1, 210_2, 210_3).

[0047] In FIG. 2, a mobile phone terminal (210_1), a tablet terminal (210_2), and a PC terminal (210_3) are illustrated as examples of user terminals, but are not limited thereto, and the user terminals (210_1, 210_2, 210_3) may be any computing device capable of wired and / or wireless communication and capable of installing and running applications, etc. For example, user terminals may include smartphones, mobile phones, navigation systems, computers, laptops, digital broadcasting terminals, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), PMPs (Portable Multimedia Players), tablet PCs, game consoles, wearable devices, IoT (Internet of Things) devices, VR (Virtual Reality) devices, AR (Augmented Reality) devices, etc. Additionally, FIG. 2 illustrates three user terminals (210_1, 210_2, 210_3) communicating with an information processing system (230) through a network (220), but is not limited thereto, and may be configured so that a different number of user terminals communicate with an information processing system (230) through a network (220).

[0048] In one embodiment, each of the user terminals (210_1, 210_2, 210_3) can receive information or data from another user terminal or transmit it to another user terminal through the network (220).

[0049] In FIG. 2, the information processing system (230) is shown as an independent device separated from the user terminals (210_1, 210_2, 210_3), but is not limited thereto, and the information processing system (230) may be implemented in an integrated manner with the user terminals (210_1, 210_2, 210_3).

[0050] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of a user terminal (210) and an information processing system (230) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0051] The user terminal (210) may refer to any computing device capable of running applications, web browsers, etc., and capable of wired / wireless communication, and may include, for example, the mobile phone terminal (210_1), tablet terminal (210_2), PC terminal (210_3) of FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 3, the user terminal (210) may include a memory (312), a processor (314), a communication module (316), and an input / output interface (318). Similarly, the information processing system (230) may include a memory (332), a processor (334), a communication module (336), and an input / output interface (338). As illustrated in FIG. 3, the user terminal (210) and the information processing system (230) may be configured to communicate information and / or data through a network (220) using their respective communication modules (316, 336). Additionally, the input / output device (320) may be configured to input information and / or data to the user terminal (210) or output information and / or data generated from the user terminal (210) through the input / output interface (318).

[0052] The memory (312, 332) may include any non-transient computer-readable recording medium. According to one embodiment, the memory (312, 332) may include a permanent mass storage device such as ROM (read-only memory), a disk drive, a solid-state drive (SSD), or flash memory. As another example, a permanent mass storage device such as ROM, an SSD, flash memory, or a disk drive may be included in the user terminal (210) or information processing system (230) as a separate permanent storage device distinct from the memory. Additionally, an operating system and at least one program code may be stored in the memory (312, 332).

[0053] These software components may be loaded from a computer-readable recording medium separate from memory (312, 332). This separate computer-readable recording medium may include a recording medium that can be directly connected to the user terminal (210) and the information processing system (230), for example, a computer-readable recording medium such as a floppy drive, disk, tape, DVD / CD-ROM drive, or memory card. As another example, the software components may be loaded into memory (312, 332) via a communication module (316, 336) rather than a computer-readable recording medium. For example, at least one program may be loaded into memory (312, 332) based on a computer program installed by files provided through a network (220) by developers or a file distribution system that distributes installation files for the application.

[0054] The processor (314, 334) may be configured to process instructions of a computer program by performing basic arithmetic, logic, and input / output operations. Instructions may be provided to the processor (314, 334) by memory (312, 332) or a communication module (316, 336). For example, the processor (314, 334) may be configured to execute instructions received according to program code stored in a recording device such as memory (312, 332).

[0055] The communication module (316, 336) may provide a configuration or function for the user terminal (210) and the information processing system (230) to communicate with each other via the network (220), and may provide a configuration or function for the user terminal (210) and / or the information processing system (230) to communicate with another user terminal or another system (e.g., a separate cloud system). For example, a request or data generated by the processor (314) of the user terminal (210) according to program code stored in a recording device such as memory (312) may be transmitted to the information processing system (230) via the network (220) under the control of the communication module (316). Conversely, a control signal or command provided under the control of the processor (334) of the information processing system (230) may be received by the user terminal (210) via the communication module (316) of the user terminal (210) through the communication module (336) and the network (220).

[0056] The input / output interface (318) may be a means for interfacing with an input / output device (320). As an example, the input device may include a device such as a camera including an audio sensor and / or an image sensor, a keyboard, a microphone, or a mouse, and the output device may include a device such as a display, a speaker, or a haptic feedback device. As another example, the input / output interface (318) may be a means for interfacing with a device in which the configuration or function for performing input and output is integrated into one, such as a touchscreen. For example, when the processor (314) of the user terminal (210) processes instructions of a computer program loaded in memory (312), a service screen configured using information and / or data provided by an information processing system (230) or another user terminal may be displayed on a display through the input / output interface (318). In FIG. 3, the input / output device (320) is depicted as not being included in the user terminal (210), but is not limited thereto and may be configured as a single device with the user terminal (210). Additionally, the input / output interface (338) of the information processing system (230) may be a means for interfacing with a device (not shown) for input or output that is connected to the information processing system (230) or that the information processing system (230) may include. In FIG. 3, the input / output interface (318, 338) is shown as an element configured separately from the processor (314, 334), but is not limited thereto, and the input / output interface (318, 338) may be configured to be included in the processor (314, 334).

[0057] The user terminal (210) and the information processing system (230) may include more components than those of FIG. 3. However, it is not necessary to clearly illustrate most of the prior art components. In one embodiment, the user terminal (210) may be implemented to include at least some of the input / output devices (320) described above. Additionally, the user terminal (210) may further include other components such as a transceiver, a GPS (Global Positioning System) module, a camera, various sensors, a database, etc. For example, if the user terminal (210) is a smartphone, it may include components that are generally included in a smartphone, and may be implemented to include various components such as an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a microphone module, a camera module, various physical buttons, buttons using a touch panel, input / output ports, and a vibrator for vibration.

[0058] While a program for an application including a product packaging material determination and display service is running, the processor (314) can receive text, images, video, voice and / or actions, etc. that are input or selected through an input device such as a touch screen, keyboard, audio sensor and / or image sensor, camera, microphone, etc. connected to an input / output interface (318), and can store the received text, images, video, voice and / or actions, etc. in memory (312) or provide them to an information processing system (230) through a communication module (316) and a network (220).

[0059] The processor (314) of the user terminal (210) may be configured to manage, process, and / or store information and / or data received from an input / output device (320), another user terminal, an information processing system (230), and / or a plurality of external systems. The information and / or data processed by the processor (314) may be provided to the information processing system (230) through a communication module (316) and a network (220). The processor (314) of the user terminal (210) may transmit information and / or data to the input / output device (320) through an input / output interface (318) and output it. For example, the processor (314) may display the received information and / or data on the screen of the user terminal (210).

[0060] The processor (334) of the information processing system (230) may be configured to manage, process, and / or store information and / or data received from a plurality of user terminals (210) and / or a plurality of external systems. The information and / or data processed by the processor (334) may be provided to the user terminals (210) through a communication module (336) and a network (220).

[0061] In the following, the processor may include the processor of the information processing system (230) or the processor of the user terminal (210).

[0062] FIG. 4 is a drawing for explaining packaging attribute information (400) of a target article according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0063] Referring to FIG. 4, the processor may define one or more target items that are packaged in a specific item packaging material (e.g., a fresh bag). To this end, the processor may define and store packaging attribute information (400) for the target items and may identify the target items based on the packaging attribute information (400).

[0064] The packaging attribute information (400) may include at least one of a packaging attribute name, a packaging attribute type, or a packaging attribute value. The packaging attribute name may include a name (PACKAGEOVERRIDE) associated with the mandatory use of packaging materials, the packaging attribute type may include a type (ENUM) indicating that the packaging attribute value is expressed as an enumeration, and the packaging attribute value may include a value associated with the first product packaging material (Freshbag) (e.g., FRESHBAG) and a value associated with the second product packaging material (WB) (BOX), but is not limited thereto.

[0065] In one embodiment, the processor may automatically set or adjust packaging attribute information for target items based on at least one of the item breakage rate, customer delivery feedback, or delivery policy. For example, the processor may adjust the packaging attribute information for target items if customer satisfaction with a policy of mandatory use of item packaging materials drops to a preset level. Additionally, the processor may add, delete, or change target items.

[0066] FIG. 5 is a drawing showing an example of a product packaging notification area (500) of a payment window corresponding to a customer order including a target product according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0067] Referring to FIG. 5, the processor can receive a customer order from a customer terminal and determine whether the customer order includes a target item. The processor can determine whether the customer order includes a target item before displaying a payment window corresponding to the customer order on the customer terminal.

[0068] For example, the processor may determine whether the target item is included in the customer order after the 'Buy Now' button on the user interface of the customer terminal for the target item is selected by user input, and before displaying a payment window corresponding to the customer order on the customer terminal. Additionally, the processor may determine whether the target item is included in the customer order after the item containing the target item is stored in the shopping cart and the 'Buy Now' button is selected by user input, and before displaying a payment window corresponding to the customer order on the customer terminal, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0069] The processor can determine that the target item is included in the customer order if the item included in the customer order contains packaging attribute information for the target item. The processor can display a payment window on the customer terminal in response to receiving a customer order containing the defined target item from the customer terminal. The processor can display information associated with at least one of the following in the payment window: delivery address information, delivery request details, payment method, method of receiving the product, cash to be accumulated, and final payment amount, and can display a product packaging notification area (500).

[0070] The product packaging notification area (500) may include at least one of delivery arrival time information (510), detailed information about specific product packaging (520), product packaging notification window (530), or order product information (550).

[0071] If the processor determines that a target item (e.g., 'banana') is included in a customer order, it may decide to package the target item in a specific item packaging material regardless of the customer's preferred packaging method. Additionally, the processor may display to the customer terminal (536, 'There are fragile items, so they will be shipped in a Fresh Bag.') at the payment window for the customer order that the defined target item will be packaged in a specific item packaging material.

[0072] The processor may disable a user selection command for a selection item (532) for packaging a target item (534) in a packaging material other than a specific item packaging material (e.g., a disposable box). The processor may configure the user interface so that selection for the selection item (532) is not possible. Accordingly, the delivery item may be forced to be packaged in a specific item packaging material (e.g., a 'fresh bag').

[0073] When an item (540) in the item packaging notification area (500) is selected, the processor may provide a pop-up window explaining why the item being shipped is packaged in a specific item packaging material.

[0074] FIG. 6 is a drawing showing an example of a user interface (620) corresponding to receiving a user selection for a product packaging notification area (610) of a payment window corresponding to a customer order including a target product according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0075] Referring to FIG. 6, the processor can disable a user selection command for a selection item (612) for packaging a target item in a different item packaging material (e.g., a disposable box) other than a specific item packaging material (e.g., a 'fresh bag'). Accordingly, even if the user wants to package it in a different item packaging material, packaging in a specific item packaging material may be forced.

[0076] When the processor receives a user selection (T1) for a selection item (612) for which the user selection command is disabled, it may display a pop-up window (W1) containing the reason why the target item is packaged in the first item packaging material. The processor may also display the pop-up window (W1) when a specific area of ​​the item packaging notification window or a specific item (614) is selected, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0077] The pop-up window (W1) may include at least one of the following: content that the target item is forced to be shipped in a specific item delivery material (622, 'Fresh bag delivery only'), the reason why the target item is packaged in a specific item packaging material (624, 'Some items are easily damaged when shipped in disposable boxes. We will send them in a Fresh bag that absorbs shock better and has a handle for stable transport'), or information related to the target item (626).

[0078] FIGS. 7 to 9 illustrate examples of user interfaces of a customer terminal according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a first user interface (700) of a payment window corresponding to a customer order including a plurality of items according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0079] Referring to FIG. 7, the processor may display a product packaging notification area (710) and product information (720–740) when a customer order includes a target product and one or more general products. The first product information (720) may include information associated with the target product, and the second product information (730) and third product information (740) may include information associated with the general product. The target product may be a product packaged in a specific product packaging material, and the general product may be a product excluding the target product, and may include fresh products, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0080] If the processor can pack the target item and one or more general items included in the customer order together in a single first item packaging material, the processor may decide to pack the target item and the general items in a single specific item packaging material.

[0081] The item packaging notification area (710) may include a selection item (712) in which the selection of other item packaging materials excluding a specific item packaging material is disabled, and the reason for packaging with a specific item packaging material ('All items, including fragile items, are shipped in a fresh bag').

[0082] FIG. 8 shows an example of a second user interface (800) of a payment window corresponding to a customer order including a plurality of items according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0083] Referring to FIG. 8, the processor may display a product packaging notification area (810) and product information (820–840) when a customer order includes a target product and one or more general products. The first product information (820) may include information associated with the target product, and the second product information (830) and third product information (840) may include information associated with the general product.

[0084] If a customer order includes a target item and one or more general items together and cannot be packed together in a single specific item packaging material, the processor may decide to pack the target item in the specific item packaging material and pack the general items in one or more specific item packaging materials or one or more other item packaging materials.

[0085] In one embodiment, when a processor decides whether to pack a general article in one or more specific article packaging materials or one or more other article packaging materials (e.g., boxes), it may decide to pack the general article in the article packaging material that requires fewer items. For example, the processor may pack the general article using a box because the size of the box is variable and can accommodate more articles.

[0086] The item packaging notification area (810) may include a selection item (812) in which the selection of other item packaging materials is disabled and the reason for packaging with a specific item packaging material (814, 'There are fragile items that are shipped in a fresh bag, and the rest are shipped in a box.'). Here, the rest are general items.

[0087] FIG. 9 shows an example of a third user interface (900) of a payment window corresponding to a customer order including a plurality of items according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0088] Referring to FIG. 9, the processor may display a product packaging notification area (910) and product information (920–940) when a customer order includes a target product and one or more general products. The first product information (920) may include information associated with the target product, and the second product information (930) and third product information (940) may include information associated with the general product.

[0089] If the target item and one or more general items included in the customer order can be packed together in a single first item packaging material, the processor may decide to pack the target item and general items in one or more specific item packaging materials. Additionally, even if the target item and one or more general items included in the customer order cannot be packed together in a single first item packaging material, the processor may decide to pack the target item and general items in one or more specific item packaging materials (e.g., fresh bags).

[0090] The item packaging notification area (910) may include a selection item (912) with other item packaging options disabled and a reason for packaging with a specific item packaging ('There are fragile items so they will be shipped in flashback').

[0091] The processor may display a pop-up window (950) when a selected item (912) or a portion of an area (e.g., 914) of the item packaging notification area (910) is selected. The pop-up window (950) may include at least one of the following: content that the target item is forced to be a specific item delivery material, the reason why the target item is packaged in a specific item packaging material ('There are items that are easily damaged when shipped in disposable boxes. We will send them in a Fresh Bag that absorbs shock better and has a handle for stable transport'), or target item information (952). In this case, the processor may display only the target item information (952) in the pop-up window (950) and not display general item information, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0092] In one embodiment, when the processor determines whether to package a general article in one or more specific article packaging materials or one or more other article packaging materials, it may determine to package the general article in an article packaging material based on attribute information of the general article (risk of breakage, attributes of the article itself, etc.) or a customer's preferred packaging method, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0093] In one embodiment, when the processor receives a payment request through a customer terminal, it may decide to package a defined target item in a specific item packaging material. That is, the processor may determine that the customer has effectively consented to the use of the specific item packaging material when the customer performs the payment request.

[0094] In one embodiment, the processor determines that a target item is included in a customer order, but if an exception occurs, it may decide to package the target item in a different item packaging material than the specific item packaging material. That is, the exception may include a situation where the target item is set but it is difficult to package the target item in the specific item packaging material due to the operating environment.

[0095] For example, exceptional situations may include at least one of a situation where the delivery address associated with a customer order is outside the delivery or collection range of a specific product packaging material, or a situation where the target product is difficult to accommodate in a specific product packaging material, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0096] FIG. 10 is a drawing showing an example of a user interface of a packer terminal associated with packaging of goods according to a customer order including a target item according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0097] Referring to FIG. 10, the processor defines a target item to be packaged with a specific item packaging material, and when it receives a customer order from a customer terminal that includes at least one target item, it can display a packaging method for the item corresponding to the customer order on the user interface (1000) of the packer terminal.

[0098] The user interface (1000) of the packer terminal may include an area (1010) associated with shipment verification and a barcode scan check area (1020). The user interface (1000) may include an area corresponding to a progress step (e.g., item barcode scan check) of the barcode scan check area (1020).

[0099] The area (1010) associated with outbound verification may include at least one of collection center information, workbench information, worker information, and login status information. The barcode scan check area (1020) may include at least one of a rebin wall barcode, a rebin shell barcode, an item barcode, an item packaging material barcode, or a shipping label barcode. The rebin wall and rebin shell are areas for collecting and packaging ordered items, and a plurality of rebin shells may be included within the rebin wall. All of the customer's ordered items may be placed within a single rebin shell, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0100] The processor requests a scan of an identification code (corresponding to a rib wall and rib shell) of an item packaging area corresponding to a customer order, and when the identification code of the item packaging area is scanned, it may display at least one of item information for each item included in the customer order, item quantity information, item scan status information, information on cooling materials for packaging, information on packaging replenishment materials, or an item image on a user interface (1000). The processor may include an item barcode scan request area (1030), an area associated with the customer order (1040), an item information display area (1050 to 1070), an image display area (1052) associated with a specific item scanned when a specific item is scanned, etc.

[0101] The area (1040) associated with the customer order may include at least one of shipping label code information, rebin shell information, item quantity information, and item packaging material information. The area (1040) associated with the customer order may include information such as a refrigerant and a filler.

[0102] The item information display area (1050 to 1070) may include information (1050) associated with the target item and information (1060, 1070) associated with general items. The processor may separately display information associated with the target item (e.g., items at risk of damage) in the information (1050) associated with the target item and in the image display area (1052) that appears when the target item is scanned, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0103] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method (1100) for determining product packaging materials on an e-commerce platform according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0104] In step S1110, the processor may define one or more target items that are packaged with a first item packaging material (e.g., a fresh bag).

[0105] In step S1120, the processor can receive a customer order from the customer terminal.

[0106] In step S1130, the processor can determine whether the target item is included in the customer order.

[0107] In step S1140, if the processor determines that the target item is included in the customer order, it may decide to pack the target item in the first item packaging material regardless of the customer's preferred packaging method.

[0108] FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a process (1200) for determining product packaging materials in response to a customer order according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0109] In step S1210, the processor may display a payment window on the customer terminal in response to receiving a customer order containing a defined target item from the customer terminal.

[0110] In step S1220, the processor may indicate to the customer terminal in the payment window for the customer order that the defined target item will be packaged in the first item packaging material.

[0111] In step S1230, when the processor receives a payment request through the customer terminal, it may decide to package the defined target item in the first item packaging material.

[0112] The processor may define packaging attribute information for a target article. Here, the packaging attribute information may include at least one of a packaging attribute name and a packaging attribute value. The packaging attribute name may be associated with a mandatory use of a specific packaging material, and the packaging attribute value may be associated with a first article packaging material.

[0113] The processor can automatically set or adjust packaging attribute information for target items based on at least one of the item breakage rate or customer delivery feedback.

[0114] The processor can determine that the target item is included in the customer order if the item included in the customer order contains packaging attribute information for the target item.

[0115] If the processor determines that the target item is included in the customer order but falls under an exception, it may decide to package the target item in a second item packaging material (e.g., a box) instead of the first item packaging material. The second item packaging material may have various sizes.

[0116] Here, the exceptional situation may include at least one of a situation where the delivery address associated with the customer order is outside the delivery or collection range of the first product packaging material, or a situation where the target product is difficult to accommodate in the first product packaging material.

[0117] In one embodiment, the processor may decide to pack the target item and the general item into one first item packaging if the target item and one or more general items included in the customer order can be packed together in one first item packaging.

[0118] In one embodiment, if a customer order includes a target item and one or more general items together and cannot be packaged together in a single first item packaging material, the processor may decide to package the target item in the first item packaging material and package the general items in one or more first item packaging materials or one or more second item packaging materials.

[0119] In one embodiment, when the processor decides whether to pack a general article with one or more first article packaging materials or one or more second article packaging materials, it may decide to pack the general article with an article packaging material that requires fewer article packaging materials.

[0120] In one embodiment, when the processor determines whether to package a general article with one or more first article packaging materials or one or more second article packaging materials, it may determine to package the general article with an article packaging material based on attribute information of the general article or a customer's preferred packaging method. Here, the first article packaging material may be a packaging bag including a carrying handle and a shock absorber.

[0121] The method described above may be provided as a computer program stored on a computer-readable recording medium for execution on a computer. The medium may continuously store a program executable by a computer, or temporarily store it for execution or download. Additionally, the medium may be various recording or storage means in the form of a single or multiple hardware components combined, and may not be limited to a medium directly connected to a computer system but may exist distributed over a network. Examples of media may include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes; optical recording media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs; magneto-optical media such as floptical disks; and media configured to store program instructions, including ROM, RAM, and flash memory. Furthermore, other examples of media may include recording or storage media managed by app stores that distribute applications or sites and servers that supply or distribute various other software.

[0122] The methods, operations, or techniques of the present disclosure may be implemented by various means. For example, these techniques may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof. Those skilled in the art will understand that the various exemplary logical blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithmic steps described in connection with the disclosure herein may be implemented in electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. To clearly illustrate such interchangeability between hardware and software, various exemplary components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been generally described above in terms of their functional aspects. Whether such functions are implemented in hardware or in software depends on the design requirements imposed on the specific application and the overall system. Those skilled in the art may implement the functions described in various ways for each specific application, but such implementations should not be construed as departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0123] In a hardware implementation, the processing units used to perform the techniques may be implemented in one or more ASICs, DSPs, digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, electronic devices, other electronic units designed to perform the functions described in this disclosure, computers, or a combination thereof.

[0124] Accordingly, the various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the present disclosure may be implemented or performed by any combination of general-purpose processors, DSPs, ASICs, FPGAs or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or those designed to perform the functions described herein. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but alternatively, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, for example, a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors coupled with a DSP core, or any other combination of configurations.

[0125] In firmware and / or software implementations, techniques may be implemented as instructions stored on a computer-readable medium such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), flash memory, compact disc (CD), magnetic or optical data storage devices, etc. The instructions may be executable by one or more processors, and the processor(s) may be enabled to perform specific aspects of the functions described in this disclosure.

[0126] Where implemented in software, techniques may be stored on a computer-readable medium as one or more instructions or code, or transmitted through a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media include both computer storage media and communication media, including any medium that facilitates the transmission of a computer program from one place to another. Storage media may be any available medium accessible by a computer. As a non-limiting example, such computer-readable media may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium accessible by a computer that can be used to transfer or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures. Additionally, any connection is appropriately referred to as a computer-readable medium.

[0127] For example, if software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair cable, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair cable, digital subscriber line, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included within the definition of a medium. As used herein, disk and disc include CD, laser disc, optical disc, DVD (digital versatile disc), floppy disk, and Blu-ray disc, wherein disks usually play data magnetically, whereas discs play data optically using a laser. The above combinations should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0128] The software module may reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, a hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other known form of storage medium. An exemplary storage medium may be connected to a processor so that the processor can read information from the storage medium or write information to the storage medium. Alternatively, the storage medium may be integrated into the processor. The processor and the storage medium may exist within an ASIC. The ASIC may exist within a user terminal. Alternatively, the processor and the storage medium may exist as separate components within the user terminal.

[0129] Although the embodiments described above have been described as utilizing aspects of the subject matter disclosed herein in one or more standalone computer systems, the present disclosure is not limited thereto and may be implemented in conjunction with any computing environment, such as a network or a distributed computing environment. Furthermore, aspects of the subject matter in the present disclosure may be implemented in a plurality of processing chips or devices, and storage may be similarly affected across a plurality of devices. Such devices may include PCs, network servers, and portable devices.

[0130] Although the present disclosure has been described in relation to some embodiments, various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as understood by a person skilled in the art to which the invention of the present disclosure pertains. Furthermore, such modifications and changes should be considered to fall within the scope of the claims appended to this specification. Explanation of the symbols

[0131] 20: Packaging materials for specific items 210: User terminal 230: Information Processing Systems

Claims

Claim 1 A method for determining a product packaging material in an e-commerce platform performed by at least one processor, comprising: defining one or more target products to be packaged with a first product packaging material; receiving a customer order from a customer terminal; determining whether the target products are included in the customer order; and, if it is determined that the target products are included in the customer order, determining to package the target products with the first product packaging material regardless of the customer's preferred packaging method. Claim 2 A method for determining a product packaging material according to claim 1, further comprising: a step of displaying a payment window on the customer terminal in response to receiving a customer order including the defined target product from the customer terminal; a step of displaying on the customer terminal in the payment window for the customer order that the defined target product will be packaged in the first product packaging material; and a step of determining to package the defined target product in the first product packaging material when a payment request is received through the customer terminal. Claim 3 A method for determining an article packaging material according to claim 1, further comprising the step of defining packaging attribute information for the target article, wherein the defined packaging attribute information includes at least one of a packaging attribute name and a packaging attribute value, wherein the packaging attribute name is associated with the mandatory use of a specific packaging material and the packaging attribute value is associated with the first article packaging material. Claim 4 A method for determining product packaging material, further comprising the step of automatically setting or adjusting packaging attribute information for the target product based on at least one of product damage rate or customer delivery feedback in paragraph 3. Claim 5 A method for determining product packaging materials, wherein, in paragraph 3, the step of determining whether the target product is included comprises the step of determining that the target product is included in the customer order when the product included in the customer order includes packaging attribute information for the target product. Claim 6 A method for determining a product packaging material according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining to package the target product in a second product packaging material rather than the first product packaging material when it is determined that the target product is included in the customer order but an exception applies. Claim 7 A method for determining a product packaging material according to claim 6, wherein the above exception situation includes at least one of a situation where the delivery address associated with the customer order is outside the delivery or collection range of the first product packaging material or a situation where the target product is difficult to accommodate in the first product packaging material. Claim 8 A method for determining a product packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining to package in the first product packaging material includes the step of determining to package the target product and the general product in the first product packaging material when the target product and one or more general products included in the customer order can be packaged together in the first product packaging material. Claim 9 A method for determining product packaging materials according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining to package the target product in the first product packaging material and to package the general product in one or more first product packaging materials or one or more second product packaging materials when the customer order includes the target product and one or more general products together and cannot be packaged together in one first product packaging material. Claim 10 A method for determining a product packaging material according to claim 9, wherein when deciding whether to package the above general product with the above one or more first product packaging materials or the above one or more second product packaging materials, the method for determining whether to package the above general product with the product packaging material that requires fewer product packaging materials. Claim 11 A method for determining a product packaging material according to claim 9, wherein when deciding whether to package the general product with the one or more first product packaging materials or the one or more second product packaging materials, the general product is determined to be packaged with a product packaging material based on attribute information of the general product or the customer's preferred packaging method. Claim 12 A method for determining an article packaging material, wherein, in claim 1, the first article packaging material is a packaging bag comprising a carrying handle and a shock absorber. Claim 13 A computer-readable recording medium for storing a computer program to execute a method according to any one of paragraphs 1 through 12 on a computer. Claim 14 An information processing system comprising: a memory; and a processor connected to the memory and configured to execute at least one computer-readable program included in the memory, wherein the at least one program comprises instructions for defining one or more target items to be packaged in a first item packaging material, receiving a customer order from a customer terminal, determining whether the target items are included in the customer order, and, if it is determined that the target items are included in the customer order, determining to package the target items in the first item packaging material regardless of the customer's preferred packaging method. Claim 15 In claim 14, the information processing system further comprises at least one program, which displays a payment window on the customer terminal in response to receiving a customer order including the defined target item from the customer terminal, and in the payment window for the customer order, displays to the customer terminal that the defined target item will be packaged in the first item packaging material, and, when a payment request is received through the customer terminal, further comprises instructions for determining to package the defined target item in the first item packaging material. Claim 16 In paragraph 14, the above-mentioned at least one program further comprises instructions for defining packaging attribute information for the target article, wherein the defined packaging attribute information comprises at least one of a packaging attribute name and a packaging attribute value, wherein the packaging attribute name is associated with the mandatory use of a specific packaging material and the packaging attribute value is associated with the first article packaging material, an information processing system. Claim 17 In claim 16, the information processing system further comprises at least one program for automatically setting or adjusting the packaging attribute information for the target item based on at least one of the item breakage rate or customer delivery feedback.

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