Commodity replenishment method based on supplier dimension, electronic equipment, storage medium and program product

Abstract

The invention provides a supplier dimension-based commodity replenishment method, a storage medium, electronic equipment and a program product. Comprising the following steps: acquiring a first lowest inventory and a first highest inventory of a first commodity; when the sum of the first in-transit stock and the first in-stock stock of the first commodity is lower than the first minimum stock, triggering a replenishment request for the first commodity; determining a first replenishment amount and a target amount of money of the first commodity based on the first highest inventory and the first commodity unit price; determining the minimum delivery amount of a supplier to which the first commodity belongs, and at least one alternative commodity provided by the same supplier; when the target amount is smaller than the minimum delivery amount, determining a second replenishment amount of the second commodity based on the minimum delivery amount and the minimum stock amount and the maximum stock amount corresponding to the alternative commodities; and when the sum of the first amount corresponding to the second replenishment amount and the target amount is not less than the minimum delivery amount, generating a replenishment order for the supplier based on the first commodity and the second commodity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of computer technology, and more particularly to supplier-based product replenishment methods, electronic devices, storage media, and program products. Background Technology

[0002] In the e-commerce and manufacturing sectors, companies face a core challenge in inventory management: they need to improve inventory turnover and achieve inventory balance while avoiding stockouts.

[0003] Current replenishment strategies primarily focus on forecasting demand for individual products, using historical sales figures to extrapolate future demand for replenishment. While this can reduce the risk of stockouts, problems arise. For example, when the replenishment quantity for a single product is less than the supplier's minimum order quantity, the supplier may refuse delivery due to transportation cost considerations, leading to overselling or selling out of that product. Furthermore, during replenishment, purchasing staff may blindly replenish other items to reach the minimum order quantity, resulting in undemand-driven inventory buildup and wasted warehousing costs. Therefore, a replenishment method that comprehensively considers both supplier and internal product turnover needs is urgently needed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure provides supplier-based product replenishment methods, electronic devices, storage media, and program products.

[0005] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a supplier-based product replenishment method is provided. The method specifically includes: obtaining a first minimum inventory level, a first maximum inventory level, and a first unit price for a first product; triggering a replenishment request for the first product when the sum of the first in-transit inventory level and the first in-stock inventory level is lower than the first minimum inventory level; determining a first replenishment quantity and a target amount for the first product based on the first maximum inventory level and the first unit price; determining the minimum order quantity (MOQ) of the supplier to which the first product belongs, and at least one alternative product provided by the same supplier; when the target amount is less than the MOQ, determining a second replenishment quantity for a second product based on the minimum order quantity, the minimum inventory level, and the maximum inventory level corresponding to the alternative products; and generating a replenishment order for the supplier based on the first replenishment quantity of the first product and the second replenishment quantity of the second product when the sum of the first amount corresponding to the second replenishment quantity and the target amount is not less than the MOQ.

[0006] As described above, when inventory levels are insufficient, replenishment orders are generated from the supplier's perspective by considering multiple alternative products. A minimum order amount constraint is introduced for suppliers, and by optimizing calculations to coordinate replenishment quantities for multiple products, the demand for goods and the supplier's delivery requirements are balanced, reducing or avoiding overselling or additional replenishment costs caused by unreasonable replenishment. This solution comprehensively optimizes from the supplier's perspective, ensuring coordinated inventory status for all products and reducing long-term operating costs.

[0007] Determining a first replenishment quantity and a target amount for a first commodity based on a first maximum inventory level and a first commodity unit price according to at least one embodiment of this disclosure includes: determining a first commodity unit price, a first in-transit inventory level, and a first in-stock inventory level for the first commodity; calculating a first replenishment quantity for the first commodity based on the first maximum inventory level, the first in-transit inventory level, and the first in-stock inventory level for the first commodity; and calculating a target amount using the first commodity unit price and the first replenishment quantity for the first commodity.

[0008] As can be seen from the above, by integrating in-transit inventory and in-stock inventory to calculate replenishment quantities, a complete inventory status view is constructed, enabling replenishment decisions to be based on actual inventory demand rather than partial data. The replenishment quantity calculation mechanism with the maximum inventory level as the upper limit ensures that the inventory is always within a healthy range, meeting sales demand while avoiding resource waste. The accurately calculated target amount provides a reliable benchmark for subsequent collaborative replenishment at the supplier level. Only when this amount is lower than the supplier's minimum order amount is it necessary to introduce other products for collaborative optimization, avoiding inventory imbalance caused by blindly combining orders.

[0009] According to at least one embodiment of this disclosure, when the target amount is less than the minimum order amount, based on the minimum order amount and the minimum and maximum inventory levels corresponding to the candidate products, a second replenishment quantity of at least one second product is determined, including: comparing the target amount with the minimum order amount; when the target amount is less than the minimum order amount, calculating the inventory health of the first product and the second product respectively, wherein the inventory health is the inventory level after replenishment divided by the maximum inventory level minus 1; calculating a product dimension optimization term using the sum of the squares of the inventory health of the first product and the second product; dividing the sum of the squares of the deviations of the inventory health of the first product and the second product from the average inventory health by the square of the sum of the first replenishment quantity and the second replenishment quantity; calculating the average value of the ratio deviations of the first product and the second product respectively, and summing the squares of the differences between the ratio deviations of the first product and the second product and the average value, and dividing by the square of the total number of products as a supplier dimension balance optimization term; adding the product dimension optimization term and the supplier dimension balance optimization term to construct a threshold function; and obtaining the second replenishment quantity of the second product that meets the constraints when the threshold function value is minimized.

[0010] As described above, by calculating inventory health and minimizing the threshold function, the replenishment quantity ensures that it not only meets the demand for a single product but also balances the inventory status of multiple products from the supplier's perspective. This avoids the risk of additional procurement or stockouts due to insufficient replenishment of a single product to meet the minimum order amount. The second replenishment quantity calculated in this way is more accurate and reasonable, meaning it satisfies the replenishment demand for the first product while avoiding the problem of suppliers refusing to ship.

[0011] According to at least one embodiment of this disclosure, a threshold function is constructed by adding the product dimension optimization term and the supplier dimension balance optimization term; and a second replenishment quantity of the second product that meets the constraints is obtained by minimizing the value of the threshold function. This includes: after obtaining the second replenishment quantity by solving the threshold function value by combining the inventory health and supplier dimension balance optimization terms, determining whether the second replenishment quantity is a positive integer; determining whether the total replenishment amount obtained by multiplying the first replenishment quantity by the unit price of the first product and the second replenishment quantity by the corresponding unit price of the second product is not less than the minimum order amount; determining whether the inventory amount of the second product after replenishment obtained by summing the second replenishment quantity, the second in-transit inventory, and the second in-stock inventory is not less than the minimum inventory amount of the second product and not greater than the maximum inventory amount; if the determination results are all yes, then the second replenishment quantity of the second product meets the constraints.

[0012] As the above demonstrates, by applying strict constraints, the optimized second replenishment quantity is ensured to be not only mathematically optimal but also meets actual business requirements, such as integer replenishment and monetary thresholds. This improves the feasibility of replenishment orders and the efficiency of supplier cooperation. Inventory range constraints prevent stockouts or overstocking, increasing inventory turnover and capital utilization. The introduction of this overall constraint mechanism makes the replenishment strategy more robust, reduces human intervention, significantly lowers operational risks and costs, and provides reliable decision support for supply chain management.

[0013] According to at least one embodiment of this disclosure, after determining the minimum order amount of the supplier to which the first commodity belongs, and at least one alternative commodity provided by the same supplier, the method further includes: determining the unit price, maximum inventory, in-transit inventory, and in-stock inventory corresponding to each of the alternative commodities; calculating the replenishment quantity of each alternative commodity based on the maximum inventory, in-transit inventory, and in-stock inventory; summing the replenishment quantity and unit price of each alternative commodity to obtain the estimated total replenishment amount; determining whether the estimated total replenishment amount is not less than the minimum order amount; if the determination result is that the estimated total replenishment amount is not less than the minimum order amount, then calculating the second replenishment quantity of the second commodity.

[0014] As the above demonstrates, using the estimated total replenishment amount as a prerequisite for replenishment avoids unnecessary optimization calculations when the overall replenishment potential of suppliers is insufficient, saving computational resources and improving the efficiency of replenishment decisions. This judgment ensures that replenishment is only carried out under feasible conditions, reducing supplier rejection or additional coordination costs due to insufficient order amounts.

[0015] The method for determining the minimum and maximum inventory levels according to at least one embodiment of this disclosure includes: determining the average daily outbound volume, transit time, and replenishment time of a first commodity, as well as a safety stock level; calculating the minimum inventory level using the average daily outbound volume, transit time, and safety stock level; and calculating the maximum inventory level using the average daily outbound volume, transit time, replenishment time, and safety stock level.

[0016] As described above, by integrating multiple parameters such as average daily outbound volume, supplier production and transportation time, order cycle, and safety stock, the minimum and maximum inventory levels are calculated to ensure that inventory levels accurately match product demand and supply chain timeliness, avoiding stockouts due to excessively low inventory or overstocking due to excessively high inventory. Comprehensive consideration of historical outbound data (average daily outbound volume) and time factors (supplier production and transportation transit time, order cycle) makes inventory settings more forward-looking; at the same time, incorporating safety stock provides a buffer mechanism, enhancing resilience against fluctuations in product outbound volume.

[0017] According to at least one embodiment of this disclosure, the method for determining safety stock includes: determining the sales ratio, transit period, replenishment period, and outbound quantity variance of a first commodity; calculating the sum of the transit period and replenishment period; and taking the square root of the product of the sum of the periods and the outbound quantity variance, and then multiplying it by the sales ratio to obtain the safety stock.

[0018] As described above, calculating safety stock levels by integrating sell-through ratio, supplier production and transportation time, order cycle, and outbound volume variance ensures that buffer inventory accurately adapts to the value and volatility of goods, avoiding over- or under-reservation. Allocating more safety stock to high-sell-through-ratio goods enhances resilience; simultaneously considering time cycles and variance makes safety stock more dynamic, reducing inventory cost waste and improving supply chain resilience, significantly optimizing enterprise operational efficiency.

[0019] According to at least one embodiment of this disclosure, the method for determining the sales ratio includes: determining the ratio of the amount of the first commodity shipped out to the total amount shipped out over a period of time; the method for determining the variance of the shipping volume includes: calculating it by dividing the sum of the squares of the differences between the daily shipping volume and the average daily shipping volume of the commodity by the number of days in the period.

[0020] As shown above, by accurately calculating the sales-to-sales ratio and the variance of outbound volume, a quantitative assessment of commodity value and volatility can be achieved, ensuring that safety stock is more targeted. Sales-to-sales ratio weighting provides higher-contribution commodities with greater buffering, improving overall sales stability; the introduction of outbound volume variance enhances responsiveness to uncertainty, reduces inventory risk and cost waste, and significantly improves the sophistication and adaptability of supply chain management.

[0021] According to at least one embodiment of this disclosure, the method further includes: if the sum of the first replenishment quantity multiplied by the unit price of the first product and the second replenishment quantity multiplied by the unit price of the corresponding second product is less than the minimum order amount, then the second product is selected from at least one alternative product of the supplier until the total replenishment amount is not less than the minimum order amount.

[0022] As described above, by dynamically introducing alternative products and iteratively calculating, the total replenishment amount is ensured to reach the supplier's minimum order amount, avoiding supplier refusal to deliver due to insufficient order amount, thus significantly reducing the risk of stockouts for the primary product. The iterative process, combined with threshold function optimization, not only meets the amount requirements but also maintains all product inventory within a healthy range (from minimum to maximum inventory level), avoiding inventory backlogs or increased warehousing costs caused by blind replenishment.

[0023] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a memory storing execution instructions; and a processor executing the execution instructions stored in the memory, such that the processor performs the method described in the first aspect of any embodiment of this disclosure.

[0024] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a readable storage medium is provided, wherein executable instructions are stored therein, which, when executed by a processor, are used to implement the method described in the first aspect of any embodiment of this disclosure.

[0025] According to a fourth aspect of this disclosure, a computer program product is provided, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method described in the first aspect of any embodiment of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The accompanying drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description thereof, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure. These drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a supplier-based product replenishment method provided in this disclosure.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating a method for calculating a target amount provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0029] Figure 3 A schematic flowchart illustrating the method for calculating the second replenishment quantity provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating the constraint-based evaluation method provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic flowchart of the pre-replenishment estimation method provided in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0032] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the safety stock calculation method provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 7 This is a schematic block diagram of a supplier-based merchandise replenishment device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 8 This is a schematic block diagram of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The present disclosure will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. It should be understood that the specific examples described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0036] It should be noted that, where there is no conflict, the embodiments and features described in this disclosure can be combined with each other. The technical solutions of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0037] In some scenarios, businesses need to stock up on goods in advance and store them in warehouses. For example, renovation companies need to stock up on various building materials such as cement, sand, and plaster. Retail stores, on the other hand, need to stock up on snacks and beverages. When inventory is insufficient, businesses will notify suppliers to deliver goods to replenish stock and avoid selling out. However, when suppliers deliver goods, either the business or the supplier needs to bear the delivery costs. If too few goods are delivered, the shipping cost may exceed the cost of the goods themselves. This can lead to suppliers refusing to deliver, or businesses refusing to replenish goods due to high shipping costs, resulting in stockouts. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a reasonable replenishment solution that comprehensively considers the needs of both businesses and suppliers.

[0038] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a supplier-based product replenishment method provided in this disclosure. Figure 1 The method shown includes steps 101 to 106. This method can be executed by an electronic device such as a client (which can be a client of an application server in a distributed system).

[0039] Specifically, Figure 1 The method shown includes: Step 101: Obtain the first minimum inventory quantity, the first maximum inventory quantity, and the unit price of the first commodity.

[0040] It's important to note that businesses (such as renovation companies) typically maintain a stock of goods (the products mentioned here) in their warehouses. However, to effectively control inventory costs and meet normal supply demands, they set reasonable minimum and maximum inventory levels for various products. Generally, different products have different unit prices and average daily outflows, leading to varying inventory costs. Therefore, each product has its own corresponding minimum and maximum inventory levels. In practice, these levels are determined based on the specific circumstances of each product.

[0041] In this disclosed scheme, it is assumed that the first product is a product that the merchant has already purchased and stored in stock, and that the supplier of the first product provides the merchant with many other alternative products in addition to the first product. Furthermore, a first minimum inventory level is set as the minimum inventory level set by the merchant for the first product, and a first maximum inventory level is set as the maximum inventory level set by the merchant for the first product.

[0042] Step 102: When the sum of the first in-transit inventory and the first in-stock inventory of the first product is lower than the minimum inventory level, a replenishment request for the first product is triggered.

[0043] It should be noted that the "in-transit inventory" mentioned here refers to the quantity of the first item for which the merchant has placed an order and the supplier has shipped the goods; this first item is either already in transit or ready for shipment by the supplier. "Inventory inventory" refers to the quantity of the first item in the merchant's warehouse.

[0044] When calculating the current first-level inventory of the first commodity, not only the on-the-shelf inventory but also the in-transit inventory is considered. Goods in the in-transit inventory that are readily available can be viewed as a mobile warehouse. Furthermore, in some cases, payment is made before delivery, or a deposit is paid before delivery; these in-transit goods also become part of the inventory cost. Therefore, considering both in-transit and on-the-shelf inventory together as a single inventory level is more comprehensive and reasonable, enabling more precise control of inventory costs and preventing stockouts or warehouse overflows.

[0045] When the sum of the first in-transit inventory and the first in-stock inventory (i.e., the total first inventory) is lower than the minimum inventory level, a replenishment request for the first product will be triggered so that the merchant can send a replenishment order for the first product to the supplier as soon as possible, so as to avoid stockouts of the first product and affect normal sales or supply capacity.

[0046] Step 103: Determine the first replenishment quantity and target amount of the first product based on the first maximum inventory level and the first unit price of the first product.

[0047] The first replenishment quantity and target amount for the first commodity are determined based on the first maximum inventory level and the unit price of the first commodity. The unit price of the first commodity is the unit purchase price of that commodity. The first replenishment quantity (Q1) is calculated using the formula Q1 = Smax1 (which is the first maximum inventory level) - (ST1 (which is the first in-transit inventory level) + SW1 (which is the first in-stock inventory level)) to ensure that the inventory after replenishment is close to the maximum inventory level. For example, if the maximum inventory level of the first commodity A is 100, and the sum of the in-transit inventory level and the in-stock inventory level is 20, then the first replenishment quantity is 80 units. The target amount is calculated by multiplying the first replenishment quantity by the unit price of the first commodity; for example, 80 × 1 yuan = 80 yuan.

[0048] Step 104: Determine the minimum order amount of the supplier to which the first item belongs, and at least one alternative item provided by the same supplier.

[0049] The Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) is the minimum order amount set by a supplier to fulfill a delivery, reflecting constraints such as transportation costs. In practice, the MOQ is set by the supplier based on its operating cost structure. Suppliers face fixed costs (such as vehicle dispatching fees, driver labor costs, and production line start-up costs) and variable costs (such as fuel consumption and packaging materials) during production and delivery. When the order amount falls below a certain threshold, the supplier's unit delivery cost will increase significantly, potentially leading to losses. For example, if the fixed operating cost of a delivery truck is 80 yuan, the supplier will face cost inversion if a single delivery order is less than 100 yuan. Therefore, suppliers calculate the minimum order amount that ensures a reasonable profit margin based on historical operating data and cost analysis, using this as the MOQ standard. Generally, the MOQ is proportional to the distance between the supplier's shipping location and the merchant's receiving location.

[0050] Alternative products refer to other products provided by the same supplier. For example, in addition to the first product, supplier A also provides products B, C, etc. Each alternative product has its own corresponding minimum inventory level, maximum inventory level, in-transit inventory level, in-stock inventory level, and unit price, which are used for subsequent optimization calculations.

[0051] Step 105: When the target amount is less than the minimum order amount, determine the second replenishment quantity of the second product based on the minimum order amount and the minimum and maximum inventory quantities of the candidate products.

[0052] If the target amount is less than the minimum order amount, it means the supplier will not ship the first item for the first replenishment quantity alone (unless the merchant pays the shipping fee themselves). Therefore, a second item needs to be selected from the supplier's alternative items. It should be noted that the alternative products mentioned here refer to those belonging to the supplier, and for which the merchant has a need for purchase or plans to increase purchases. If a supplier has a product in stock, but the merchant has no need or plan to purchase it, then it is not considered an alternative product. Alternatively, if the merchant has a need or plan to purchase, but the supplier does not supply the product, then it also cannot be considered an alternative product.

[0053] After determining the initial replenishment quantity for the first item, the minimum and maximum inventory levels of the alternative items can be used to calculate the second replenishment quantity for the second item among the alternative items. It should be noted that if the supplier only provides one type of the first item, no alternative items can be found. If alternative items exist, the quantity of each alternative item can be one or more.

[0054] Step 106: When the sum of the first amount corresponding to the second replenishment quantity and the target amount is not less than the minimum order amount, a replenishment order for the supplier is generated based on the first replenishment quantity of the first product and the second replenishment quantity of the second product.

[0055] After calculating the second replenishment quantity using the previous method, it is necessary to further determine whether the total replenishment amount for the first and second items is not less than the minimum order amount. The specific determination process is as follows: After determining the second replenishment quantity of the second item, the unit price of the second item also needs to be obtained. The product of the second item's unit price and the second replenishment quantity determines the replenishment cost. The total replenishment cost, obtained by summing the first amount and the target amount for the second replenishment quantity, is compared with the minimum order amount. If the sum of the first amount and the target amount is not less than the minimum order amount, the replenishment item selection is complete, and a replenishment order can be generated. Conversely, if the sum of the first amount and the target amount is less than the minimum order amount, it is necessary to continue searching for alternative items.

[0056] Based on the publicly available information above, when inventory is insufficient, replenishment orders are generated from the supplier's perspective by considering multiple alternative products. A minimum order amount constraint is introduced for suppliers, and by optimizing calculations to coordinate replenishment quantities for multiple products, the demand for goods and the supplier's delivery requirements are balanced, reducing or avoiding overselling or additional replenishment costs caused by unreasonable replenishment. This solution comprehensively optimizes from the supplier's perspective, ensuring coordinated inventory status for all products and reducing long-term operating costs.

[0057] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 2 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating a method for calculating a target amount provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 2As shown, step 103, which involves determining the first replenishment quantity and target amount of the first commodity based on the first maximum inventory level and the first commodity unit price, includes: Step 1031: Determining the first commodity unit price, the first in-transit inventory level, and the first in-stock inventory level. Step 1032: Calculating the first replenishment quantity of the first commodity based on the first maximum inventory level, the first in-transit inventory level, and the first in-stock inventory level. Step 1033: Calculating the target amount using the first commodity unit price and the first replenishment quantity.

[0058] In practical applications, to determine the initial replenishment quantity and target amount for the first commodity, the unit price, in-transit inventory, and current inventory of the first commodity are first obtained. The unit price of the first commodity is the unit purchase price of the commodity, for example, 1 yuan per unit, used to calculate replenishment costs. The initial in-transit inventory (ST) refers to the quantity of goods ordered but not yet arrived at the warehouse, reflecting the supplier's supply status. The initial current inventory (SW) refers to the quantity of goods currently available in the warehouse, reflecting the availability of existing inventory. These two inventory levels together constitute the current inventory status of the first commodity and are an important basis for replenishment decisions.

[0059] The first maximum inventory level (Smax) mentioned here is the upper limit of inventory for the first product. It is calculated based on the average daily outbound volume, supplier production and transportation time, order cycle, and safety stock level, aiming to limit excessive replenishment to avoid increased warehousing costs or inventory backlog. Average daily outbound volume is the average daily outbound quantity obtained by dividing the total outbound volume of goods within the statistical period by the number of days, reflecting the consumption rate (outbound speed) of each product. In-transit time, also known as supplier production and transportation time (LT), refers to the time required for the supplier to produce and transport the goods to the warehouse from receiving an order. Order cycle refers to the fixed cycle in which the company performs replenishment, such as once every 5 days. Safety stock is an extra reserve of inventory to cope with fluctuations in outbound volume. Its calculation considers the product's sales ratio (CR, i.e., the proportion of the product's outbound value to the total outbound value within the statistical period) and the outbound volume variance (the sum of the squares of the differences between the daily outbound volume and the average daily outbound volume divided by the number of days in the statistical period). The first replenishment quantity (Q1) is calculated using the formula Q1=Smax1-(ST1+SW1) to ensure that the inventory level after replenishment is close to the maximum inventory level. For example, if the maximum inventory of the first product A is 100 units, the in-transit inventory is 10 units, and the on-stock inventory is 10 units, then the first replenishment quantity is 100 - (10 + 10) = 80 units. This replenishment quantity calculation method comprehensively considers all available resources in the current inventory (including inventory that has been ordered but not yet arrived), avoiding duplicate orders or insufficient replenishment, ensuring that the replenishment quantity accurately matches the actual demand gap, thereby effectively preventing the risk of stockouts or excess inventory.

[0060] The target amount mentioned here is obtained by multiplying the first replenishment quantity by the unit price of the first item. For example, the replenishment cost for the first item in this instance is 80 × 1 yuan = 80 yuan. This amount reflects the procurement cost required to replenish the first item and provides a basis for subsequent judgment on whether the supplier's minimum order quantity (MOQ) is met. Since the first replenishment quantity is calculated based on the highest inventory level, it represents the maximum replenishment demand for the first item. If the target amount is insufficient to meet the supplier's MOQ, it is necessary to introduce other items (alternative items) from the same supplier for joint replenishment to achieve supplier-level optimization.

[0061] Based on the publicly available solutions, a complete inventory status view is constructed by integrating in-transit inventory and in-stock inventory for replenishment quantity calculation, ensuring that replenishment decisions are based on actual inventory demand rather than partial data. The replenishment quantity calculation mechanism with the maximum inventory level as the upper limit ensures that the inventory is always within a healthy range, meeting sales demand while avoiding resource waste. The accurately calculated target amount provides a reliable benchmark for subsequent collaborative replenishment at the supplier level. Only when this amount is lower than the supplier's minimum order amount is it necessary to introduce other products for collaborative optimization, avoiding inventory imbalance caused by blindly combining orders.

[0062] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 3 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating a method for calculating the second replenishment quantity provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 3 As shown, step 105, when the target amount is less than the minimum order amount, determines the second replenishment quantity of at least one second product based on the minimum order amount and the minimum and maximum inventory levels corresponding to the candidate products, including: Step 1051: Compare the target amount with the minimum order amount. Step 1052: When the target amount is less than the minimum order amount, calculate the inventory health of the first and second products respectively. The inventory health is the inventory level after replenishment divided by the maximum inventory level minus 1. Step 1053: Calculate the product dimension optimization term using the sum of the squares of the inventory health of the first and second products. Step 1054: Divide the sum of the squares of the deviations between the inventory health of the first and second products and the average inventory health by the square of the sum of the first and second replenishment quantities. Step 1055: Calculate the average of the ratio deviations of the first and second products respectively, and sum the squares of the differences between the ratio deviations of the first and second products and the average value, then divide by the square of the total number of products to obtain the supplier dimension balance optimization term. Step 1056: Add the product-dimensional optimization term and the supplier-dimensional balance optimization term to construct a threshold function. Step 1057: When the threshold function value is minimized, the second replenishment quantity of the second product that meets the constraints is obtained.

[0063] As mentioned earlier, the target amount is the procurement cost calculated based on the first replenishment quantity and unit price of the first product, representing the replenishment requirement amount only for the first product. If the target amount is greater than or equal to the minimum order amount, the replenishment of the first product is executed directly; if the target amount is less than the minimum order amount, it indicates that the replenishment of a single product cannot meet the supplier's requirements, and alternative products need to be introduced for joint optimization to avoid the risk of stockouts caused by the supplier refusing to deliver.

[0064] When the target amount is less than the minimum order amount, the inventory health of the first and second products is calculated separately. The second product is selected from the candidate products for replenishment. Inventory health is an indicator that quantifies the inventory status after replenishment, and the calculation formula is (replenishment quantity + in-transit inventory + on-hand inventory) / maximum inventory - 1. Here, the replenishment quantity is the known first replenishment quantity for the first product and the second replenishment quantity to be optimized for the second product.

[0065] Maximum inventory level (Smax) is the upper limit of inventory, calculated based on average daily outbound volume, supplier production and transportation time, order cycle, and safety stock. Average daily outbound volume is the average daily outbound quantity obtained by dividing the total outbound volume within the statistical period by the number of days. Supplier production and transportation time (LT) refers to the time required for the supplier to produce and transport the goods to the warehouse from receiving an order. Order cycle refers to the fixed cycle in which the company performs replenishment, such as once every 5 days. Safety stock is an additional reserve of inventory to cope with fluctuations in outbound volume. Its calculation takes into account the sales-to-revenue ratio (CR, i.e., the proportion of outbound value to total outbound value within the statistical period) and the outbound volume variance (the sum of the squares of the differences between daily outbound volume and average daily outbound volume divided by the number of days in the statistical period).

[0066] The closer the inventory health value is to 0, the closer the inventory is to its healthy upper limit after replenishment; a positive value indicates it is too high, which may lead to overstocking; a negative value indicates it is too low, which may increase the risk of stockouts. For example, for the first product A, the first replenishment quantity is 80, the total in-transit inventory and in-stock inventory is 20, and the maximum inventory is 100, then its inventory health is (80+20) / 100-1=0, indicating that it has precisely reached the upper limit. For the second product B, assuming its total in-transit inventory and in-stock inventory is 100, the maximum inventory is 200, and the second replenishment quantity is undetermined, then the inventory health is (second replenishment quantity + 100) / 200-1.

[0067] Next, calculate the average inventory health of the first and second products respectively. Then, sum the squares of the differences between the inventory health of the first and second products and the average, and divide this sum by the square of the total number of products to obtain the supplier-level balance optimization term. The total number of products (n) refers to the number of products currently participating in the optimization; for example, n=2 when the first and second products are involved. The average is the arithmetic mean of the inventory health of all participating products, used as a benchmark to measure the overall inventory status of the supplier. For example, if the health of the first product is x and the health of the second product is y, then the average is (x+y) / 2. The deviation of the first product is x - the average, and the deviation of the second product is y - the average. The sum of the squared deviations is [x - average]. 2 +[y-mean value] 2 Then multiply by 1 / n 2 As a balance optimization term, this term aims to penalize differences in inventory status among products, avoiding extreme situations where some products are excessively high while others are excessively low, and ensuring overall supplier inventory coordination.

[0068] The threshold function value is the sum of squares of inventory health deviations (i.e., the sum of squares of the health values ​​of the first and second products) plus the sum of supplier-level balance optimization terms. By iteratively solving for possible values ​​for the second replenishment quantity (e.g., from 0 to the maximum inventory level minus the current inventory level), the second replenishment quantity that minimizes the threshold function value is found, while ensuring that it satisfies subsequent constraints. This process minimizes the function value, allowing each product's inventory to approach its health upper limit while maintaining supplier-level balance.

[0069] Based on the publicly available solutions described above, by calculating inventory health and minimizing the threshold function, it is ensured that the replenishment quantity not only meets the demand for a single product but also balances the inventory status of multiple products from the supplier's perspective. This avoids the risk of additional procurement or stockouts caused by insufficient replenishment of a single product to meet the minimum order amount. The second replenishment quantity calculated in this way is more accurate and reasonable, meaning it satisfies the replenishment demand for the first product while avoiding the problem of suppliers refusing to ship.

[0070] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 4 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating the constraint-based evaluation method provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 4As shown, step 1054 involves adding the product-dimensional optimization term and the supplier-dimensional balance optimization term to construct a threshold function. Minimizing the threshold function value yields the second replenishment quantity of the second product that meets the constraints. This includes: Step 10541: After obtaining the second replenishment quantity by minimizing the threshold function value using the inventory health and supplier-dimensional balance optimization terms, determine if the second replenishment quantity is a positive integer. Step 10542: Determine if the total replenishment amount obtained by multiplying the first replenishment quantity by the unit price of the first product and the second replenishment quantity by the corresponding unit price of the second product is not less than the minimum order amount. Step 10543: Determine if the inventory quantity after replenishment of the second product obtained by summing the second replenishment quantity, the second in-transit inventory quantity, and the second in-stock inventory quantity is not less than the minimum inventory quantity of the second product and not greater than the maximum inventory quantity. Step 10544: If the determination results are both yes, then the second replenishment quantity of the second product meets the constraints.

[0071] First, when minimizing the threshold function value using the optimization term that balances inventory health and supplier dimensions, the second replenishment quantity is obtained. Then, it is determined whether the second replenishment quantity is a positive integer. The second replenishment quantity is a value calculated by minimizing the threshold function, representing the quantity of the second item that needs additional replenishment. This is because product replenishment must be performed in integer units (e.g., units, pieces), and cannot be decimals or negative values; positive integers ensure that the replenishment quantity is actually operable, avoiding invalid orders caused by calculation errors. If it is not a positive integer, it is adjusted to the nearest feasible integer value and re-optimized.

[0072] Next, it is determined whether the total replenishment amount, obtained by multiplying the first replenishment quantity by the unit price of the first item and the second replenishment quantity by the corresponding unit price of the second item, is not less than the minimum order quantity (MOQ). The total replenishment amount is the overall procurement cost of the joint replenishment of the first and second items. The first replenishment quantity is the maximum replenishment requirement for the first item, and the unit price of the second item is its unit purchase price. The minimum order quantity (MOQ) is the minimum order amount threshold set by the supplier. Ensuring that the total amount of the joint replenishment meets the supplier's requirements avoids rejection of delivery due to insufficient amount, thereby reducing the risk of overselling or production interruption. For example, if the replenishment amount for the first item is 80 yuan, and the second replenishment quantity for the second item is 11 units with a unit price of 2 yuan, then the total amount is 80 + 22 = 102 yuan, which is greater than the MOQ of 100 yuan.

[0073] Simultaneously, it is determined whether the post-replenishment inventory, obtained by summing the second replenishment quantity, the second in-transit inventory, and the second in-stock inventory of the second product, is not less than the minimum inventory level of the second product and not greater than the maximum inventory level. The second in-transit inventory (ST) refers to the inventory of the second product that has been ordered but has not yet arrived, and the second in-stock inventory (SW) refers to its currently available inventory in the warehouse. The post-replenishment inventory level is the second replenishment quantity + ST + SW. The minimum inventory level (Smin) is the minimum level required to prevent stockouts, calculated based on average daily outbound volume, supplier production and transportation time, order cycle, and safety stock. The maximum inventory level (Smax) is the upper limit of inventory, used to control warehousing costs. This is because ensuring that the inventory of the second product after replenishment is within a healthy range: not less than the minimum inventory level prevents stockout risk, and not greater than the maximum inventory level avoids inventory backlog and wasted warehousing costs, thereby maintaining inventory balance.

[0074] If all the above judgment results are yes, then the second replenishment quantity of the second product meets the constraints and can be used to generate a replenishment order; otherwise, adjust the second replenishment quantity or introduce more alternative products and repeat the optimization process.

[0075] Based on the above scheme, it is evident that by strictly defining constraints, the optimized second replenishment quantity is not only mathematically optimal but also meets actual business requirements, such as integer replenishment and monetary thresholds. This improves the feasibility of replenishment orders and the efficiency of supplier cooperation. Inventory range constraints prevent stockouts or overstocking, increasing inventory turnover and capital utilization. The introduction of this overall constraint mechanism makes the replenishment strategy more robust, reduces human intervention, significantly lowers operational risks and costs, and provides reliable decision support for supply chain management.

[0076] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the pre-replenishment estimation method provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 5 As shown, after determining the minimum order amount of the supplier for the first product and at least one alternative product provided by the same supplier, the process further includes: Step 501: Determining the unit price, maximum inventory level, in-transit inventory level, and in-stock inventory level for each alternative product. Step 502: Calculating the replenishment quantity for each alternative product based on the maximum inventory level, in-transit inventory level, and in-stock inventory level. Step 503: Summing the replenishment quantity and unit price of each alternative product to obtain the estimated total replenishment amount. Step 504: Determining whether the estimated total replenishment amount is not less than the minimum order amount. Step 505: If the determination result is that the estimated total replenishment amount is not less than the minimum order amount, then calculating the second replenishment quantity for the second product.

[0077] After the first product triggers a replenishment request, the unit price, maximum inventory level, in-transit inventory level, and in-stock inventory level for each of the candidate products are determined. The replenishment quantity for each candidate product is then calculated based on these three levels.

[0078] Specifically, for each candidate product, the replenishment quantity is calculated using the formula: Replenishment Quantity = Maximum Inventory - (In-Transit Inventory + On-Stock Inventory). This ensures that the calculation represents saturation replenishment, i.e., the maximum possible replenishment quantity to the maximum inventory level. For example, if candidate product B has a maximum inventory of 200, an in-transit inventory of 50, and an on-stock inventory of 50, then its replenishment quantity is 200 - (50 + 50) = 100. This step assumes that all products from the supplier are replenished to the maximum inventory level, simulating the most extreme replenishment scenario.

[0079] Then, the estimated total replenishment amount is obtained by summing the replenishment quantity and unit price of each of the alternative products. Specifically, the estimated total replenishment amount is calculated as: Estimated Total Replenishment Amount = Σ(Replenishment Quantity of Alternative Products × Unit Price of Product), where the sum covers all alternative products from the supplier. For example, suppose there are two alternative products: if the replenishment quantity of alternative product B is 100 and the unit price is 2 yuan, and the replenishment quantity of alternative product C is 50 and the unit price is 3 yuan, then the estimated total replenishment amount is (100 × 2) + (50 × 3) = 350 yuan. This amount represents the maximum order amount under saturated replenishment conditions for all products from the supplier.

[0080] Furthermore, determine whether the estimated total replenishment amount is not less than the minimum order amount. If the estimated total replenishment amount is less than the minimum order amount, it indicates that even if all items are replenished to the maximum inventory level, the supplier's delivery threshold cannot be met, and therefore effective replenishment cannot be carried out. In this case, the replenishment process should be terminated to avoid ineffective calculations and waste of resources. Next, the merchant can choose to continue waiting for other alternative items to be partially consumed before replenishing, or the merchant can directly replenish the first item by bearing the shipping costs.

[0081] If the estimated total replenishment amount is not less than the minimum order amount, it indicates that there is a potential replenishment plan that meets the supplier's constraints. Continue to calculate the second replenishment quantity of the second item to optimize the actual order.

[0082] Based on the publicly available solutions described above, using the estimated total replenishment amount as a prerequisite for replenishment avoids unnecessary optimization calculations when the overall replenishment potential of suppliers is insufficient, saving computational resources and improving the efficiency of replenishment decisions. This judgment ensures that replenishment is only carried out under feasible conditions, reducing supplier rejection or additional coordination costs due to insufficient order amounts.

[0083] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the determination of the minimum and maximum inventory levels includes: determining the average daily outbound volume, transit time, and replenishment time of the first commodity, as well as the safety stock level; calculating the minimum inventory level using the average daily outbound volume, transit time, and safety stock level; and calculating the maximum inventory level using the average daily outbound volume, transit time, replenishment time, and safety stock level.

[0084] First, determine the average daily outbound volume of the primary product, the supplier's production and transportation time, the order cycle, and the safety stock level. The primary product refers to the specific item requiring inventory management, such as a product on an e-commerce platform. The average daily outbound volume is the average daily outbound quantity calculated by dividing the total outbound volume within the statistical period by the number of days, reflecting the product's consumption rate. Supplier production and transportation time (LT) refers to the time required for the supplier to produce and transport the goods to the warehouse from receiving an order. The order cycle refers to the fixed cycle in which the company performs replenishment, such as once every 5 days. The safety stock level is an additional reserve of inventory to cope with fluctuations in outbound volume and ensure sales continuity.

[0085] Subsequently, the minimum inventory level is calculated using the average daily outbound volume, transit time, and safety stock. The specific formula is: Minimum Inventory Level (Smin) = Average Daily Outbound Volume × Transit Time + Safety Stock. This formula considers the potential outbound demand during the period from order placement to product arrival (transit time) and adds a safety stock as a buffer. For example, if the average daily outbound volume is 20, the supplier's production and transportation time is 5 days, and the safety stock is 10, then the minimum inventory level = 20 × 5 + 10 = 110. This calculation ensures that the minimum inventory level covers demand within the basic supply cycle, avoiding the risk of short-term stockouts.

[0086] Similarly, the maximum inventory level is calculated using the average daily outbound volume, transit time, order cycle, and safety stock. The specific formula is: Maximum Inventory Level (Smax) = Average Daily Outbound Volume × (Transit Time + Order Cycle) + Sales Ratio × √(Transit Time + Order Cycle) × Outbound Volume Variance. Here, the sales ratio (CR) is the proportion of the target product's outbound value to the total outbound value within the statistical period, used for weighted inventory protection of high-value goods; the outbound volume variance is the sum of the squares of the differences between daily outbound volume and the average daily outbound volume, divided by the number of days in the statistical period, quantifying demand fluctuations. This formula expands the basis of the minimum inventory level by additionally incorporating the order cycle to cover the complete replenishment cycle, and dynamically adjusts the safety buffer portion through the square root of the sales ratio and the outbound volume variance. For example, if the average daily outbound volume is 20, the transit time is 5 days, the order cycle is 5 days, the sales ratio is 0.5, and the outbound volume variance is 4, then the maximum inventory level = 20 × (5 + 5) + 0.5 × √((5 + 5) × 4) = 200 + 0.5 × √40 ≈ 200 + 0.5 × 6.32 = 203.16. This calculation ensures that the maximum inventory level not only covers the needs of the supply and replenishment cycle but also provides an appropriate buffer based on the value and volatility of the goods, preventing excessive inventory.

[0087] Based on the publicly available solutions, the minimum and maximum inventory levels are calculated by integrating multiple parameters such as average daily outbound volume, supplier production and transportation time, order cycle, and safety stock. This ensures that inventory levels accurately match product demand and supply chain timeliness, preventing stockouts due to excessively low inventory or overstocking due to excessively high inventory. By comprehensively considering historical outbound data (average daily outbound volume) and time factors (supplier production and transportation transit time, order cycle), inventory settings become more forward-looking; simultaneously, the inclusion of safety stock provides a buffer mechanism, enhancing resilience against fluctuations in product outbound volume.

[0088] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the safety stock calculation method provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 6 As shown, the method for determining safety stock includes: Step 601: Determine the sales ratio, transit time, replenishment time, and variance of outbound quantity for the first commodity. Step 602: Calculate the sum of the transit time and replenishment time. Step 603: Take the square root of the product of the sum of the time periods and the variance of outbound quantity, and then multiply it by the sales ratio to obtain the safety stock.

[0089] It should be noted that the sales ratio (CR) mentioned here is the proportion of the sales value of the first commodity to the total sales value during the statistical period, reflecting the value contribution of the commodity. The sales volume variance is the result of dividing the sum of the squares of the differences between the daily sales volume and the average daily sales volume by the number of days in the statistical period, quantifying the volatility of sales volume.

[0090] Furthermore, the total timeframe is calculated by summing the supplier's production and transportation time with the order placement cycle. The specific formula is: Total Timeframe = Supplier's Production and Transportation Time + Order Placement Cycle, for example, 5 days + 5 days = 10 days. This total represents the complete cycle from order placement to goods delivery, and is used to assess potential outbound risk periods.

[0091] Then, the square root of the product of the total cycle time and the variance of the outbound quantity is multiplied by the sales ratio to obtain the safety stock. The specific formula is: Safety Stock = Sales Ratio × √(Total Cycle Time × Variance of Outbound Quantity). For example, if the sales ratio is 0.5, the total cycle time (the sum of the transit time and the order time) is 10 days, and the variance of the outbound quantity is 4, then the safety stock = 0.5 × √(10 × 4) = 3.16. The safety stock is used as an additional buffer inventory to absorb the uncertainty caused by sales fluctuations and supply chain delays, ensuring that there will be no stockouts within the total cycle time; its benefit is a significant reduction in the risk of sell-out, especially for high-value goods, providing a higher level of protection.

[0092] Based on the publicly available solutions described above, calculating safety stock levels by integrating sales ratio, transit time, order cycle, and outbound volume variance ensures that buffer inventory accurately adapts to the value and volatility of goods, avoiding over- or under-reservation. Allocating more safety stock to high-sales-ratio goods enhances resilience; simultaneously considering time cycles and variance makes safety stock more dynamic, reducing inventory cost waste and improving supply chain resilience, significantly optimizing enterprise operational efficiency.

[0093] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the method for determining the sales ratio includes: determining the ratio of the amount of the first commodity shipped out to the total amount shipped out within a certain period; the method for determining the variance of the shipping volume includes: calculating it by dividing the sum of squares of the differences between the daily shipping volume and the average daily shipping volume of the commodity by the number of days in the period.

[0094] As mentioned earlier, the sales-to-order ratio (CR) = (Amount of the first item shipped out) / (Total amount shipped out), where the amount shipped out is the cumulative value of the quantity of goods shipped out multiplied by the selling price per unit, and the total amount shipped out is the sum of the amounts shipped out of all goods. For example, if the amount shipped out of the first item in the statistical period is 500 yuan, and the total amount shipped out is 1000 yuan, then the sales-to-order ratio is 500 / 1000 = 0.5. The sales-to-order ratio can be used to quantify the economic contribution of goods, allocating higher weight to high-value goods; its advantage is that it makes inventory management more value-oriented, improves resource allocation efficiency, and reduces excessive inventory of low-value goods.

[0095] The variance of outbound volume is calculated as follows: Σ(Daily outbound volume - Average daily outbound volume)² / n, where n is the number of days in the statistical period, daily outbound volume is the quantity of goods shipped from the warehouse each day, and average daily outbound volume is the average of the total outbound volume divided by n within the statistical period. For example, if the statistical period is 5 days, and the daily outbound volumes are 18, 20, 22, 19, and 21 respectively, with an average daily outbound volume of 20, then the variance of outbound volume is: [(18-20)² + (20-20)² + (22-20)² + (19-20)² + (21-20)²] / 5 = (4 + 0 + 4 + 1 + 1) / 5 = 10 / 5 = 2. The variance of outbound volume can be used to measure the degree of fluctuation in outbound volume, reflecting sales uncertainty; it helps adjust safety stock to cope with fluctuations, avoids stockouts or surpluses due to unstable demand, and improves the accuracy of inventory forecasting. The average daily outbound volume is the same as the average daily outbound volume used to calculate the minimum and maximum inventory levels. Both are based on the average consumption rate of historical outbound data to ensure parameter consistency.

[0096] Based on the publicly available solutions mentioned above, by accurately calculating the sales ratio and outbound volume variance, a quantitative assessment of commodity value and volatility can be achieved, ensuring that safety stock is more targeted. Sales ratio weighting provides higher-contribution commodities with greater buffering, improving overall sales stability; the introduction of outbound volume variance enhances responsiveness to uncertainty, reduces inventory risk and cost waste, and significantly improves the sophistication and adaptability of supply chain management.

[0097] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, if the sum of the first replenishment quantity multiplied by the unit price of the first product and the second replenishment quantity multiplied by the unit price of the corresponding second product is less than the minimum order amount, then the second product is selected from at least one alternative product of the supplier until the total replenishment amount is not less than the minimum order amount.

[0098] When the total replenishment amount is less than the minimum order amount, a second product is selected from at least one alternative product provided by the supplier and included in the replenishment optimization calculation. Alternative products refer to other products provided by the supplier besides the first and second products, such as product C provided by supplier A. When selecting the second product, its unit price, maximum inventory level, in-transit inventory level, and in-stock inventory level are obtained, and its replenishment quantity (Q3) is calculated. The initial replenishment quantity can be set as the maximum inventory level minus the sum of the in-transit and in-stock inventory levels to assess its maximum replenishment potential. For example, if product C's maximum inventory level is 150, its in-transit inventory level is 20, and its in-stock inventory level is 30, then the initial replenishment quantity is 150 - (20 + 30) = 100. Subsequently, the optimization calculation is re-performed, adjusting the replenishment quantities of the first, second, and third products. The replenishment quantity for each product is determined by minimizing the threshold function (i.e., the sum of the squared inventory health deviations and the supplier dimension balance optimization term). Inventory health is defined as the inventory level after replenishment (replenishment quantity + in-transit inventory + in-stock inventory) divided by the maximum inventory level minus 1. The balance optimization term is the weight of the sum of squared deviations of each product's health level from the average health level divided by the square of the total number of products, ensuring that the inventory status of all products is coordinated.

[0099] After each introduction of the second product, the total replenishment amount is recalculated. This is the sum of the first replenishment quantity multiplied by the first product's unit price, the second replenishment quantity multiplied by the second product's unit price, and the second product's replenishment quantity multiplied by its unit price. For example, if the optimized replenishment quantity of the second product C is 20 units and the unit price is 3 yuan, then the total amount is 80×1 + 11×2 + 20×3 = 80 + 22 + 60 = 162 yuan. If 162 yuan is still less than the minimum order amount, other products (such as product D) are selected from the candidate products, and the above optimization calculation steps are repeated until the total replenishment amount is not less than the minimum order amount. If the total amount meets the requirement, for example, 162 yuan ≥ 150 yuan, the iteration terminates, and a replenishment order containing the first product, the second product, and the second product is generated.

[0100] Based on the publicly available solutions, by dynamically introducing alternative products and iteratively calculating, the total replenishment amount is ensured to reach the supplier's minimum order amount, avoiding supplier refusal to deliver due to insufficient order amounts, thus significantly reducing the risk of stockouts for the primary product. The iterative process, combined with threshold function optimization, not only meets the monetary requirements but also maintains all product inventory within a healthy range (from minimum to maximum inventory level), avoiding inventory backlogs or increased warehousing costs caused by blind replenishment.

[0101] To facilitate understanding, the implementation process of the present disclosure will be illustrated below through specific embodiments.

[0102] Product A has 10 units in transit and 10 units in stock. The minimum inventory level is Smin 30 units, the maximum inventory level is Smax 100 units, and the unit price is 1 yuan.

[0103] Product B has an in-transit inventory of 50 and an on-stock inventory of 50. The minimum inventory level is Smin 80 and the maximum inventory level is Smax 200. The unit price of the product is 2 yuan.

[0104] Step 1. At this moment, the inventory of product A:ST+SW is 10+10, which is less than Smin 30, so replenishment is triggered.

[0105] Step 2. Let the replenishment quantity of product A be Q1, then Q1 equals Smax-(ST+SW)=100-(10+10)=80.

[0106] Step 3. Calculate the replenishment amount at this moment as Q1. The unit price of the product is: 80 1 = 80 yuan, which does not meet the supplier's MOQ requirements.

[0107] Further, assess whether Q1 meets the requirements for shipping product A in full packages or cartons. If not, it needs to be adjusted to shipping in full cartons or full packages.

[0108] In addition, it is necessary to determine whether the total value of all goods purchased by the merchant from this supplier (including the first item, the second item, and other alternative items) under the replenishment value Smax exceeds the minimum order amount. If so, proceed to the next steps. If not, stop the next steps and consider whether the merchant should bear the shipping costs for the replenishment.

[0109] Step 4. Now, introduce product B into the threshold function. To simplify the calculation process, we set: x = (Q1 + 10 + 10) / 100 - 1, y = (Q2 + 50 + 50) / 200 - 1, and substitute... The threshold function is derived from the formula: Where i represents product A, j represents product B, Qi is the quantity of product A, Qj is the quantity of product B, and Smax is the maximum inventory level.

[0110] If and only if the following conditions are met: aQ (replenishment quantity) must be a positive integer and less than or equal to Smax.

[0111] b. Total replenishment price (Q) The supplier's selling price (unit price) must be greater than the MOQ.

[0112] c.ST+SW+Q must be greater than Smin.

[0113] When Q1:80 and Q2:11, the threshold function can achieve its minimum value.

[0114] 5. Calculate the replenishment amount at this moment as Q1. Q1 unit price of goods + Q2 The unit price of product Q2 is: 80 1+11 2 = 102 yuan, reaching the supplier's MOQ, then replenish 80 units of product A and 11 units of product B, and the replenishment process is complete.

[0115] 6. Regarding step 4, if the conditions are not met, the supplier's product C will be introduced again, and step 4 will be repeated with the threshold set. If the conditions are met, the replenishment process ends. If not, product n will be introduced again, and step 4 will be repeated. This achieves the replenishment result from the supplier's perspective.

[0116] Based on any of the above embodiments, this disclosure also provides a supplier-based product replenishment device. This device can be applied to client-side applications. Figure 7 This is a schematic block diagram illustrating the structure of a supplier-based merchandise replenishment device according to one embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 7 As shown, the supplier-based product replenishment device includes: an acquisition module 71, used to acquire the first minimum inventory level and the first maximum inventory level of the first product.

[0117] Trigger module 72 is used to trigger a replenishment request for the first product when the first total inventory of the first product in transit and the first inventory in stock is lower than the minimum inventory level.

[0118] The determination module 73 is used to determine the first replenishment quantity and target amount of the first commodity based on the first maximum inventory level and the first commodity unit price of the first commodity.

[0119] The determination module 73 is also used to determine the minimum order amount of the supplier to which the first commodity belongs, and at least one alternative commodity provided by the same supplier.

[0120] The determination module 73 is also used to determine the second replenishment quantity of at least one second product based on the minimum inventory quantity and the maximum inventory quantity corresponding to the candidate products when the target amount is less than the minimum order amount.

[0121] The order generation module 74 is used to generate a replenishment order for the supplier using the first item of the first replenishment quantity and the second item of the second replenishment quantity when the sum of the first amount corresponding to the second replenishment quantity and the target amount is not less than the minimum order amount.

[0122] The determination module 73 is also used to determine the first unit price, the first in-transit inventory, and the first in-stock inventory of the first commodity; calculate the first replenishment quantity of the first commodity based on the first maximum inventory, the first in-transit inventory, and the first in-stock inventory of the first commodity; and calculate the target amount using the first unit price and the first replenishment quantity of the first commodity.

[0123] The determination module 73 is also used to compare the target amount with the minimum order amount; when the target amount is less than the minimum order amount, the inventory health of the first and second products is calculated respectively, and the inventory health is the inventory after replenishment divided by the maximum inventory minus 1; the product dimension optimization term is calculated by the sum of the squares of the inventory health of the first and second products; the sum of the squares of the deviations of the inventory health of the first and second products from the average inventory health is divided by the square of the sum of the first and second replenishment quantities; the average value of the ratio deviation of the first and second products is calculated respectively, and the sum of the squares of the differences between the ratio deviation of the first and second products and the average value is divided by the square of the total number of products as the supplier dimension balance optimization term; the product dimension optimization term and the supplier dimension balance optimization term are added together to construct a threshold function; when the threshold function value is minimized, the second replenishment quantity of the second product that meets the constraints is obtained.

[0124] The determination module 73 is also used to determine whether the second replenishment quantity is a positive integer after obtaining the second replenishment quantity by solving the minimum threshold function value using the optimization term of inventory health and supplier dimension balance; to determine whether the total replenishment amount obtained by multiplying the first replenishment quantity by the unit price of the first product and the second replenishment quantity by the corresponding unit price of the second product is not less than the minimum order amount; to determine whether the inventory amount of the second product after replenishment obtained by summing the second replenishment quantity, the second in-transit inventory quantity and the second in-stock inventory quantity of the second product is not less than the minimum inventory quantity of the second product and not greater than the maximum inventory quantity; if the determination results are all yes, then the second replenishment quantity of the second product meets the constraint conditions.

[0125] The determination module 73 is also used to determine the unit price, maximum inventory, in-transit inventory, and in-stock inventory corresponding to each of the candidate products; calculate the replenishment quantity of each candidate product based on the maximum inventory, in-transit inventory, and in-stock inventory; sum the replenishment quantity and unit price of each candidate product to obtain the estimated total replenishment amount; determine whether the estimated total replenishment amount is not less than the minimum order amount; if the determination result is that the estimated total replenishment amount is not less than the minimum order amount, then calculate the second replenishment quantity of the second product.

[0126] The determination module 73 is also used to determine the average daily outbound quantity, transit time, and replenishment time of the first commodity, as well as the safety stock quantity; calculate the minimum inventory quantity using the average daily outbound quantity, transit time, and safety stock quantity; and calculate the maximum inventory quantity using the average daily outbound quantity, transit time, replenishment time, and safety stock quantity.

[0127] The determination module 73 is also used to determine the sales ratio, transit period, replenishment period, and outbound quantity variance of the first commodity; calculate the sum of the transit period and replenishment period; and take the square root of the product of the sum of the periods and the outbound quantity variance, and then multiply it by the sales ratio to obtain the safety stock.

[0128] The determination module 73 is also used to determine the ratio of the outbound amount of the first commodity to the total outbound amount within a certain period of time; the method for determining the variance of outbound quantity includes: calculating it by dividing the sum of squares of the differences between the daily outbound quantity and the average daily outbound quantity by the number of days in the period.

[0129] The determining module 73 is further configured to select a second product from at least one alternative product of the supplier if the sum of the first replenishment quantity multiplied by the unit price of the first product and the second replenishment quantity multiplied by the unit price of the corresponding second product is less than the minimum order amount, until the total replenishment amount is not less than the minimum order amount.

[0130] The specific implementation process of the functions and roles of each module in the above device can be found in the implementation process of the corresponding steps in the above method, and will not be repeated here.

[0131] The executing entity of the supplier-based product replenishment method in the specific embodiments of this disclosure can be an electronic device such as a server (including a local server or a cloud server).

[0132] Therefore, based on any of the above embodiments, this disclosure also provides an electronic device that can execute the supplier-based product replenishment method of any of the embodiments described above.

[0133] Figure 8 This is a schematic block diagram of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0134] The hardware architecture of the electronic device 1000 can be implemented using a bus architecture. The bus architecture can include any number of interconnect buses and bridges, depending on the specific application of the hardware and overall design constraints. Bus 1100 connects various circuits, including one or more processors 1200, memory 1300, and / or hardware modules. Bus 1100 can also connect various other circuits 1400, such as peripheral devices, voltage regulators, power management circuits, external antennas, etc.

[0135] Bus 1100 can be an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, or an Extended Industry Standard Component (EISA) bus, etc. Buses can be categorized as address buses, data buses, control buses, etc. For ease of representation, only one connection line is used in this diagram, but this does not imply that there is only one bus or only one type of bus.

[0136] This disclosure also provides a readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, is used to implement the methods described above. A "readable storage medium" can be any means capable of containing, storing, communicating, propagating, or transmitting a program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. More specific examples of a readable storage medium include: an electrical connection with one or more wires (electronic device), a portable computer disk drive (magnetic device), random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable and programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), fiber optic devices, and portable read-only memory (CDROM), etc.

[0137] This disclosure also provides a computer program product, the methods of which can be implemented wholly or partially through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, it can be implemented wholly or partially as a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer programs or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are loaded and executed, all or part of the processes or functions of this disclosure are performed.

[0138] Computer programs or instructions can be stored in a readable storage medium or transferred from one readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer program or instructions can be transferred from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired or wireless means. The readable storage medium can be any available medium capable of access, or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium, such as a floppy disk, hard disk, or magnetic tape; an optical medium, such as a digital video optical disc; or a semiconductor medium, such as a solid-state drive. The computer-readable storage medium can be a volatile or non-volatile storage medium, or it can include both volatile and non-volatile types of storage media.

[0139] Those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of this disclosure can be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Therefore, this disclosure can take the form of a completely hardware embodiment, a completely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, this disclosure can take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable storage media (including, but not limited to, disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0140] This disclosure is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to this disclosure. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, generate instructions for implementing the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A device that provides the functions specified in one or more boxes.

[0141] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means, which are implemented in a process Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The function specified in one or more boxes.

[0142] These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby providing instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus for implementing the process. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The steps of the function specified in one or more boxes.

[0143] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment / mode," "some embodiments / modes," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment / mode or example, which are included in at least one embodiment / mode or example of this disclosure. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment / mode or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments / modes or examples. Furthermore, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments / modes or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments / modes or examples.

[0144] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this disclosure, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0145] Those skilled in the art should understand that the above embodiments are merely for illustrating the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art can make other changes or modifications based on the above disclosure, and these changes or modifications still fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A supplier-based product replenishment method, characterized in that, The method includes: Obtain the first minimum inventory level, the first maximum inventory level, and the unit price of the first product; When the sum of the first in-transit inventory and the first in-stock inventory of the first product is lower than the first minimum inventory, a replenishment request for the first product is triggered. The first replenishment quantity and target amount of the first commodity are determined based on the first maximum inventory level and the first commodity unit price. Determine the minimum order amount for the supplier to which the first product belongs, and at least one alternative product provided by the same supplier; When the target amount is less than the minimum order amount, the second replenishment quantity of the second product is determined based on the minimum order amount and the minimum and maximum inventory quantities of the candidate products, respectively. When the sum of the first amount corresponding to the second replenishment quantity and the target amount is not less than the minimum order amount, a replenishment order for the supplier is generated based on the first replenishment quantity of the first product and the second replenishment quantity of the second product.

2. The supplier-based product replenishment method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining the first replenishment quantity and target amount of the first commodity based on the first maximum inventory level and the first commodity unit price includes: Determine the unit price, the first in-transit inventory, and the first in-stock inventory of the first commodity; Based on the first maximum inventory level, the first in-transit inventory level, and the first in-stock inventory level of the first product, the first replenishment quantity of the first product is calculated. The target amount is calculated using the first unit price of the first commodity and the first replenishment quantity.

3. The supplier-based product replenishment method according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the target amount is less than the minimum order amount, based on the minimum order amount and the minimum and maximum inventory levels corresponding to the candidate items, the second replenishment quantity of the second item is determined, including: Compare the target amount with the minimum order amount; When the target amount is less than the minimum order amount, the inventory health of the first product and the second product is calculated respectively. The inventory health is the inventory after replenishment divided by the maximum inventory minus 1. The product dimension optimization items are calculated using the sum of squares of the inventory health of the first product and the second product. The sum of the squared deviations of the inventory health of the first and second products from the average inventory health is divided by the square of the sum of the first and second replenishment quantities. Calculate the average of the ratio deviations of the first product and the second product respectively, and sum the squares of the differences between the ratio deviations of the first product and the second product and the average value, and divide by the square of the total number of products as the supplier dimension balance optimization term. Add the product-dimensional optimization term to the supplier-dimensional balance optimization term to construct a threshold function; When the threshold function value is minimized, the second replenishment quantity of the second commodity that meets the constraints is obtained.

4. The supplier-based product replenishment method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The product dimension optimization term and the supplier dimension balance optimization term are added together to construct a threshold function; When the threshold function value is minimized, the second replenishment quantity of the second commodity that meets the constraints is obtained, including: When minimizing the threshold function value by solving the balance optimization term between the inventory health and the supplier dimension, the second replenishment quantity is obtained, and it is determined whether the second replenishment quantity is a positive integer; Determine whether the total replenishment amount obtained by multiplying the first replenishment quantity by the unit price of the first product and the second replenishment quantity by the unit price of the corresponding second product is not less than the minimum order amount; Determine whether the sum of the second replenishment quantity, the second in-transit inventory quantity, and the second in-stock inventory quantity of the second commodity, after replenishment, is not less than the minimum inventory quantity of the second commodity and not greater than the maximum inventory quantity. If all the judgment results are yes, then the second replenishment quantity of the second product is determined to meet the constraints.

5. The supplier-based product replenishment method according to claim 1, characterized in that, After determining the minimum order amount for the supplier of the first product, and at least one alternative product provided by the same supplier, the method further includes: Determine the unit price, maximum inventory level, in-transit inventory level, and in-stock inventory level for each of the candidate products; The replenishment quantity for each of the candidate products is calculated based on the maximum inventory level, the in-transit inventory level, and the in-stock inventory level. The estimated total replenishment amount is obtained by summing the replenishment quantity and unit price of each of the candidate products. Determine whether the estimated total replenishment amount is not less than the minimum order amount; If the determination result is that the estimated total replenishment amount is not less than the minimum order amount, then the second replenishment quantity of the second product is calculated.

6. The supplier-based product replenishment method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The methods for determining the minimum and maximum inventory levels include: Determine the average daily outbound volume, transit time, and replenishment time of the first commodity, as well as the safety stock level; The minimum inventory level is calculated using the average daily outbound volume, the transit period, and the safety stock level. The maximum inventory level is calculated using the average daily outbound volume, the transit period, the replenishment period, and the safety stock level. Optionally, the method for determining the safety stock includes: Determine the sales ratio, transit time, replenishment time, and outbound quantity variance of the first commodity; Calculate the sum of the transit period and the replenishment period; The safety stock is obtained by taking the square root of the product of the sum of the periods and the variance of the outbound quantity, and then multiplying it by the sales ratio. Optionally, the method for determining the sales ratio includes: determining the ratio of the amount of the first commodity shipped out over a period of time to the total amount shipped out; The variance of the outbound volume is determined by dividing the sum of the squares of the differences between the daily outbound volume and the average daily outbound volume by the number of days in the period.

7. The supplier-based product replenishment method according to claim 3, characterized in that, Also includes: If the sum of the first replenishment quantity multiplied by the unit price of the first product and the second replenishment quantity multiplied by the unit price of the corresponding second product is less than the minimum order amount, then a second product is selected from at least one alternative product of the supplier until the total replenishment amount is not less than the minimum order amount.

8. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: The memory stores execution instructions; as well as A processor that executes execution instructions stored in the memory, causing the processor to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A readable storage medium, characterized in that, The readable storage medium stores execution instructions, which are executed by a processor according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A computer program product, comprising a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the method of any one of claims 1 to 7.

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