System, program and information processing method

Abstract

To provide a system, program and information processing method capable of efficiently delivering promotional items to a delivery destination 50 (a retail store).SOLUTION: A system includes: determination means 18 that when promotional items of a plurality of companies 40 are stored in one box 30, determines types and the number of the promotional items to be stored in the box 30 on the basis of identification information of a delivery destination 50 of the box 30, the size of the box 30 and sizes of the promotional items; and output means 20 that outputs information of the types and the number of the promotional items determined by the determination means 18.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a system, a program, and an information processing method.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, manufacturers and the like generally distribute promotional materials to retail stores for the purpose of promoting products and sales. In particular, in retail stores such as drugstores, a wide variety of products are displayed, and manufacturers are required to deliver attractive promotional materials to each store in order to differentiate their own products from other competing products. Here, as a sales support system that provides information with a high promotional effect in a store, for example, those disclosed in Patent Document 1 are known.

[0003] However, although the delivery of promotional materials plays an important role as part of promotional activities, the delivery process can be complex and not efficient in some cases. For example, when the manufacturer manually delivers promotional materials, if there are a large number of stores to be delivered to, inventory management of promotional materials and adjustment of delivery schedules become complicated, which may lead to an increase in costs and time.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of such points, and an object thereof is to provide a system, a program, and an information processing method capable of efficiently delivering promotional materials to retail stores.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The system of the present disclosure is When storing promotional items of multiple companies in one box, a determining means for determining the type and number of promotional items to be stored in the box based on the identification information of the delivery destination of the box, the size of the box, and the size of the promotional items, an output means for outputting information on the type and number of promotional items determined by the determining means, characterized by comprising.

[0007] The system of the present disclosure may further include a printing unit that prints information on the type and number of promotional items output by the output means.

[0008] The system of the present disclosure may further include a display unit that displays information on the type and number of promotional items output by the output means.

[0009] The system of the present disclosure may further include a box size determining means for determining the size of the box in which the promotional items are to be stored based on the type and number of promotional items to be stored in the box or the size and number of the promotional items.

[0010] The system of the present disclosure further includes a storage unit that associates and stores the correspondence between the identification information of the delivery destination of the box, the size of the box, the identification information of the company that provides the promotional items to be stored in the box, and the type and number of promotional items provided by the company, and associates and stores the correspondence between the type of promotional items and the size of the promotional items, The determining means may acquire information on the identification information of the delivery destination of the box, the size of the box, and the size and number of promotional items based on the information stored in the storage unit.

[0011] The system of the present disclosure further includes a storage unit that associates and stores the correspondence between the identification information of the delivery destination of the box, the size of the box, the identification information of the company that provides the promotional items to be stored in the box, and the size and number of promotional items provided by the company, The determination means may acquire information regarding the identification information of the delivery destination of the box, the size of the box, and the size and number of the promotional items based on the information stored in the storage unit.

[0012] The system of the present disclosure receiving means for receiving, from the terminals of each company providing the promotional items, information on the identification information of the delivery destination of the box in which the promotional items are accommodated and the type and number of the promotional items to be accommodated in the box to be delivered to this delivery destination; a storage unit that stores in association the correspondence relationship between the type of the promotional item and the size of the promotional item; further comprising The determination means may acquire information regarding the identification information of the delivery destination of the box, and the size and number of the promotional items based on the information received by the receiving means and the information stored in the storage unit.

[0013] The system of the present disclosure further comprises receiving means for receiving, from the terminals of each company providing the promotional items, information on the identification information of the delivery destination of the box in which the promotional items are accommodated and the size and number of the promotional items to be accommodated in the box to be delivered to this delivery destination; The determination means may acquire information regarding the identification information of the delivery destination of the box, and the size and number of the promotional items based on the information received by the receiving means.

[0014] In the system of the present disclosure, When accommodating the promotional items of a plurality of companies in one box, primary packaging for packing the promotional items of the same company, the same promotional item category, the same campaign, or the same sales floor in one container and secondary packaging for accommodating the containers in which the promotional items are packed in one box are performed. When the output means outputs the information on the type and number of the promotional items determined by the determination means, the output means may output the information on the type and number of the promotional items for each company providing the promotional items, for each promotional item category, for each campaign, or for each sales floor as the information for primary packaging, and output the information regarding the container in which the promotional items are accommodated as the information for secondary packaging.

[0015] The system of the present disclosure may further include a size measuring device for measuring the size of the promotional item.

[0016] In the system of the present disclosure, the determining means may determine the type and number of promotional items to be contained in the box, as well as the storage position of each promotional item, based on the identification information of the delivery destination of the box, the size of the box, the weight of the promotional item, or the size of the promotional item.

[0017] The system of the present disclosure further includes an imaging unit for imaging the work site where the promotional items are stored in the box, and a determination means for determining whether or not a predetermined promotional item is stored in the box based on the video imaged by the imaging unit and the information on the type and number of promotional items stored in the box determined by the determination means.

[0018] Further, the system of the present disclosure includes a box size determination means for determining the size of the box in which the promotional item is to be stored based on the type and number of promotional items to be stored in the box or the size and number of the promotional items, and an output means for outputting the information on the size of the box determined by the box size determination means. It is characterized by comprising the above.

[0019] The program of the present disclosure is a program that functions as a determination means and an output means when executed by a computer, wherein the determination means determines the type and number of promotional items to be contained in the box based on the identification information of the delivery destination of the box, the size of the box, and the size of the promotional item when storing the promotional items of a plurality of companies in one box, and the output means outputs the information on the type and number of promotional items determined by the determination means.

[0020] The information processing method of the present disclosure is an information processing method executed by a computer, When accommodating the promotional items of multiple companies in one box, a step of determining the types and quantities of the promotional items to be accommodated in the box based on the identification information of the delivery destination of the box, the size of the box, and the size of the promotional items, a step of outputting information on the determined types and quantities of the promotional items, and is characterized by comprising the above.

Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to the system, program, and information processing method of the present disclosure, the delivery of promotional items to retail stores can be efficiently performed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings, but the invention according to the present disclosure is not limited thereto. FIGS. 1 to 8 are diagrams showing a joint delivery system 1 and an information processing method according to the present disclosure.

[0024] [Joint delivery system 1] The joint delivery system 1 according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1(A) includes a management server (computer) 10 and a workplace 28. The management server 10 is a management server (computer) that can be used through a communication network (not shown) such as the Internet line. As will be described later, the management server 10 can manage and provide a joint delivery platform, and each company 40 (40a, 40b, 40c, 40d, 40e in the figure) and each delivery destination 50 (50a, 50b, 50c, 50d, 50e, 50f, 50g, 50h) can be communicably connected to the management server 10 via the communication network by communication devices provided in each company 40 and each delivery destination 50. Note that the website (joint delivery platform) managed by the management server 10 may be used via a so-called app (application software), or may be used via both a browser and an app. In this specification and the drawings, "company 40" may be used as a general term or as an individual business entity. Company 40a, 40b, 40c, etc. are shown to emphasize that they are separate business entities, and do not limit the number of companies 40. The same applies to "delivery destination 50".

[0025] FIG. 1(A) shows a conceptual delivery route from each company 40 to each delivery destination 50 via the joint delivery system 1 according to the present embodiment. For comparison, FIG. 1(B) shows a conventional conceptual delivery route from each company 40 to each delivery destination 50. The joint delivery system 1 of the present disclosure realizes efficient delivery of promotional items from each company 40 to the delivery destination 50 (retail store). As a result, the receiving burden on the store staff at the delivery destination 50 is reduced, and it is also possible to reduce the delivery cost of the company (shipper) 40 and the CO2 emission amount.

[0026] In addition, in this specification, a "promotional item" is, as per its ordinary meaning, for the purpose of promoting the publicity and sales of products, and is distinguished from the products that are the subject of a sales transaction. Examples of promotional items include in-store promotional items, samples, trial products, product empty boxes, novelties, in-store testers, etc., but are not particularly limited. According to the co-delivery system 1 of the present disclosure, a plurality of promotional items of a plurality of companies 40 that are collectively packed and stored in a box 30 are delivered to a predetermined delivery destination 50. Therefore, promotional items of competing companies 40 can also be packed and delivered in the same box 30 (Fig. 1(A)). Accordingly, it is different from the conventional method of individually delivering promotional items to each delivery destination 50 as shown in Fig. 1(B).

[0027] <Management server (computer) 10> The configuration of the management server (computer) 10 of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 schematically shows the configuration of the management server 10 and the workplace 28 of the present disclosure. The management server 10 can be composed of an industrial computer, a personal computer, a tablet terminal, etc., or can be a virtual server in a physical server accessible via the Internet. Also, there may be a plurality of these hardware or virtual servers, and any combination is possible. As shown in Fig. 2, the management server 10 includes a control unit 12, a storage unit 24, and a communication unit 26.

[0028] (Control unit 12) The control unit 12 is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), etc., and controls the operation of the management server 10. Specifically, the control unit 12 functions as a reception means 14, a box size determination means 16, a determination means 18, an output means 20, a determination means 22, etc. by executing a program stored in a storage unit 24 described later. Note that these functions may be exhibited by executing one or a plurality of independent programs or applications. Furthermore, these programs or applications may be provided in a single terminal (management server 10), or may be distributed and provided in a plurality of terminals (including the management server 10). In the latter case, they may be interconnected via a wired cable or a communication network. Each of the above-described means will be described later.

[0029] (Storage unit 24) The storage unit 24 is composed of, for example, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), an SSD (Solid State Drive), etc. Also, the storage unit 24 is not limited to being built into the management server 10, and may be a storage medium (for example, a USB memory) that can be detachably attached to the management server 10. Further, instead of providing the storage unit 24, various information may be stored in other storage means (such as a cloud server).

[0030] As a database, the storage unit 24 can store registration information (identification number, name, person in charge's name, address or location, contact information, etc.) of accounts corresponding to each company 40, information about promotional items (type, size, weight, delivery date, etc.), registration information of accounts corresponding to delivery destinations 50 (stores, buyers) and store information (area, floor plan, handled products, equipment, inventory information, etc.), information about boxes 30 (size, weight, etc.), transaction history, etc.

[0031] Furthermore, the storage unit 24 may store, in association with each other, "the correspondence relationship between the identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30, the size of the box 30, the identification information of the company 40 that provides the promotional items to be stored in the box 30, and the type and quantity of the promotional items provided by the company 40", and may also store, in association with each other, "the correspondence relationship between the type of promotional item and the size of the promotional item". In addition, the storage unit 24 may store, in association with each other, "the correspondence relationship between the identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30, the size of the box 30, the identification information of the company 40 that provides the promotional items to be stored in the box 30, and the size and quantity of the promotional items provided by the company 40". Each piece of information can be obtained, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, via a co-delivery platform or the reception means 14.

[0032] The correspondence relationship associated with the identification information of the delivery destination 50 is calculated for each delivery destination 50. That is, the correspondence relationship is calculated between a certain delivery destination 50 and a plurality of companies 40 that wish to deliver to this delivery destination 50. When the correspondence relationship with the identification information of the company 40 is stored, it becomes easier to handle the case where the delivery of a specific promotional item is canceled (for example, if company information is displayed on the promotional item, it becomes easier to find the promotional item when it is canceled after packaging). Also, for the store staff at the delivery destination 50, if they can know which company 40 the promotional items are delivered from, it is easier to plan the in-store display, and the correspondence relationship between the delivery destination 50 and the company 40 is beneficial. The information regarding the size of each box 30 can be calculated based on the size and quantity of the promotional items provided by each company 40, or the type and quantity of the promotional items (each type of promotional item is associated with the size of the promotional item). The size (or type) and quantity of the promotional items provided by each company 40 may be associated with boxes 30 of various sizes, and there can be various combinations (correspondence relationships). In particular, the higher the ratio (volume ratio) of the box 30 occupied by the promotional items, the less the empty space (air, space) in the box 30, and it can be said that the packaging is efficient, which is preferable. Also, the weight of each promotional item can be stored in the storage unit 24, and it is also possible to calculate the correspondence relationship so that the total weight of the box 30 containing the promotional items is minimized.

[0033] (Communication unit 26) The communication unit 26 is connected to the control unit 12 wirelessly or by wire so as to be communicable with an external device (for example, a size measuring device 32, a printing unit 34, a display unit 36, an imaging unit 38, terminals of a company 40, a delivery destination 50, etc.). The control unit 12 can transmit and receive information to and from the external device via the communication unit 26.

[0034] (Others) In addition, the management server 10 may be provided with an operation unit (input unit) such as a keyboard by which an administrator of the management server 10 can give various commands to the control unit 12, and an output unit such as a monitor that displays various screens by receiving a display command signal from the control unit 12. In a certain embodiment, a display operation unit such as a touch panel in which these operation unit and output unit are integrated may be used.

[0035] (Details of the control unit 12) (Receiving means 14) The receiving means 14 receives identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30 in which the promotional item is stored, and information on the number, type, or size of the promotional item to be stored in the box 30 to be delivered to the delivery destination 50 from the terminal of each company 40 that provides the promotional item. The receiving means 14 may receive the identification information of the delivery destination 50, the number and type of the promotional item (the "promotional tool name" in FIG. 3), the size of the promotional item (width W, height H, depth D), etc. via a management screen (for example, FIG. 3) displayed on the co-delivery platform from the operator of the terminal of each company 40.

[0036] Figure 3 shows an example of a management screen displayed on the co-delivery platform for an operator of a terminal of each company 40 to input predetermined information. In the example shown in Figure 3, items such as presence or absence of packing, in-house management tool ID, promotion tool name, size (W, H, D), total number of deliveries, scheduled delivery date, and image are displayed. The "presence or absence of packing" is an item indicating whether the promotional item is packed during the delivery process from company 40 to the workplace 28. The "in-house management tool ID" is identification information of the promotional item in each company 40. The "promotion tool name" is the name or type of the promotional item. The "total number of deliveries" is the total number of promotional items to be delivered to all delivery destinations 50 desired by a certain company 40. Although the identification information of the delivery destination 50 is input on a management screen different from Figure 3, the number of promotional items delivered to each delivery destination 50 may be changed.

[0037] (Box size determination means 16) The box size determination means 16 determines the size (volume) of the box 30 in which the promotional item is to be accommodated based on the type and number of promotional items to be accommodated in the box 30 or the size and number of the promotional items. As described above, when the type of the promotional item and the size of the promotional item are stored in association with each other, if the type and number of the promotional items to be accommodated in the box 30 are known, the size of the box 30 in which the promotional item is to be accommodated can be determined. Further, it is preferable that the box size determination means 16 calculates (determines) the size of the box 30 so that the volume ratio is the highest as described above.

[0038] The box size determination means 16 can determine the size of the box 30 in which the promotional item is to be accommodated at an arbitrary timing. The size of the box 30 may be determined when a certain number of promotional items are collected from a plurality of companies 40, or the size of the box 30 may be determined in accordance with the delivery schedule. For example, considering the delivery distance and the like, the size of the box 30 can be determined before the scheduled delivery date. In this case, it is possible to prevent unnecessary deliveries when the delivery request for the promotional item is canceled before packing, which is preferable. Thus, the size of the box 30 determined by the box size determination means 16 may be changed thereafter.

[0039] In addition, the box size determination means 16 can determine to use one or more boxes 30 for accommodating the promotional items to be delivered to one delivery destination 50 (the sizes of the plurality of boxes 30 may be the same or different). That is, when all the promotional items to be delivered to one delivery destination 50 cannot be accommodated in one box 30, the box size determination means 16 can also determine the number of boxes 30 to be delivered to one delivery destination 50. In this way, it is possible to cope with cases where the volumetric ratio becomes high when the promotional items are not accommodated in one box 30 but in a plurality of boxes 30.

[0040] (Determination means 18) When accommodating the promotional items of a plurality of companies 40 in one box 30, the determination means 18 determines the types and numbers of the promotional items to be accommodated in the box 30 based on the identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30, the size of the box 30, and the size of the promotional items. Prior to the determination process, the determination means 18 may acquire information regarding the identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30, the size of the box 30, and the size and number of the promotional items based on the information stored in the storage unit 24, or alternatively, based on the information received by the reception means 14 and / or the information stored in the storage unit 24, may acquire information regarding the identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30 and the size and number of the promotional items. Similar to the box size determination means 16, the determination means 18 can determine the types and numbers of the promotional items to be accommodated in the box 30 at an arbitrary timing. The determination means 18 may determine the types and numbers of the promotional items based on the number and size of the boxes 30 determined by the box size determination means 16. As an aspect of "determining the types and numbers of the promotional items", it is preferable that the determination means 18 determines the types and numbers of the promotional items so that the volumetric ratio becomes the highest among various box 30 sizes. In this specification, the "type of promotional item" refers to the item or breakdown of the promotional item.

[0041] In one embodiment, the determining means 18 may determine the types and quantities of promotional items based on rules. For example, the determining means 18 may determine the types and quantities of promotional items to be contained in the box 30 to be delivered to a certain delivery destination 50 based on the "corresponding relationship between the identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30, the size of the box 30, the identification information of the company 40 that provides the promotional items to be contained in the box 30, and the size and quantity of the promotional items provided by the company 40" stored in the storage unit 24 as described above. In this case, since the identification information of the delivery destination 50 is associated with the size of the box 30 and the size and quantity of the promotional items provided by each company 40, the types and quantities of the promotional items can be automatically determined.

[0042] Also, as another example, when determining the types and quantities of promotional items, the determining means 18 can first determine the types and quantities of the larger-sized promotional items preferentially and then determine the types and quantities of the smaller-sized promotional items.

[0043] The determining means 18 may also function as the box size determining means 16, and may determine the box 30 with a size capable of accommodating these promotional items before or after the calculation (determination) of the types and quantities of the promotional items.

[0044] The determining means 18 can also determine the storage positions of each promotional item in addition to the types and quantities of the promotional items to be contained in the box 30 based on the identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30, the size of the box 30, the weight of the promotional item, or the size of the promotional item. If the storage positions of each promotional item are determined in consideration of the center of gravity and balance of the box 30 after packaging, suitable delivery and handling of the packaged box 30 can be realized.

[0045] (Output means 20) The output means 20 outputs the information on the types and quantities of the promotional items determined by the determining means 18 and the information on the size of the box 30 determined by the box size determining means 16. Specifically, the information such as the types of promotional items can be output to a printing unit 34 and a display unit 36 described later.

[0046] (Determination means 22) The determination means 22 determines whether or not a predetermined promotional item has been stored in the box 30 based on the video captured by the imaging unit 38 and the information on the type and number of the promotional items to be stored in the box 30 determined by the determination means 18. In this way, it is possible to more reliably achieve efficient delivery of promotional items from each company 40 to the delivery destination 50 (retail store). Further, the weight of the box 30 after packing may be measured, and the determination means 22 may be made to determine whether all the promotional items to be stored in the box 30 have been stored based on the weight of the box 30 before packing (in the empty box state) and the weight of each promotional item.

[0047] <Workplace 28> In the workplace 28, the promotional items of the type and number determined by the management server 10 are packed in the box 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the workplace 28 is provided with the box 30, the size measuring device 32, the printing unit 34, the display unit 36, and the imaging unit 38. Note that the management server 10 may be provided in the workplace 28 or at a remote location from the workplace 28.

[0048] (Box 30) The box 30 is typically made of cardboard, but is not particularly limited as long as it can store and deliver promotional items, and may be a paper bag or the like. It is preferable to prepare boxes 30 of various sizes and shapes so as to be able to cope with the number, size, etc. of the promotional items to be delivered.

[0049] (Size measuring device 32) The size measuring device 32 measures the size of the promotional items provided by each company 40. The size measuring device 32 is not particularly limited, but preferably it can measure the weight of the promotional item simultaneously with the size measurement. Furthermore, the size measuring device 32 preferably also has a function of taking an image of the promotional item simultaneously with the size measurement. Using this image, it is possible to confirm and verify whether the promotional item was sent from each company 40. In this way, a more reliable delivery of promotional items can be achieved. In addition to the size measuring device 32, a dedicated measuring device for measuring the weight of the promotional item and / or a dedicated device for acquiring an image of the promotional item may be provided separately. Also, based on the size (unit volume) or weight or both of the promotional item, the delivery fee for each promotional item per box 30 can be calculated (allocated). The size and weight measured by the size measuring device 32 are stored in the storage unit 24 and can be used in real time for determining the type and number of promotional items.

[0050] (Printing unit 34) The printing unit 34 prints the information on the type and number of promotional items output by the output means 20. That is, the printing unit 34 prints the information on the type and number of promotional items contained in the box 30. The printing unit 34 may directly display (print) these information on paper, or may print a barcode containing these information on paper, and it is preferable that these can be pasted on the box 30. By reading this printed matter, it is possible to recognize which promotional items should be stored in the box 30. Furthermore, when the box 30 arrives at the delivery destination 50, the store staff can easily know the stored promotional items and can efficiently make a work plan (such as a display plan in the store) after receipt. The printing unit 34 is not particularly limited and may be a commercially available printer.

[0051] (Display unit 36) The display unit 36 displays the information on the type and quantity of the promotional items to be placed in the box 30, which is output by the output means 20. As the display unit 36, a general-purpose display, monitor, etc. may be used, and it can be appropriately selected according to the workplace 28. While checking the display unit 36, the operator can store the promotional items. Further, if an input unit (such as a button) for indicating the end of the storage operation is provided on the display unit 36 when the operator stores each promotional item, the storage operation can be confirmed through the operation of the input unit, and mistakes in the storage operation can be prevented.

[0052] (Imaging unit 38) The imaging unit 38 images the work site where the promotional items are stored in the box 30. It is preferable that the actions of the workers performing the storage operation and the promotional items can be grasped. As described later, the imaging unit 38 is not particularly limited as long as it can image a video (which may be a plurality of still images) for determining whether or not the promotional items have been stored in the box 30.

[0053] In the workplace 28, when storing the promotional items of a plurality of companies 40 in one box 30, primary packaging for packing the promotional items of the same company 40, the same promotional item category, the same campaign (plan), or the same sales floor into one container and secondary packaging for storing each container in which the promotional items are packed into one box 30 may be performed (Fig. 4). In this case, when the output means 20 outputs the information on the type and quantity of the promotional items determined by the determination means 18, it can output the information on the type and quantity of the promotional items for each company 40, each promotional item category, each campaign, or each sales floor as the information for primary packaging, and can also output the information on the container in which the promotional items are stored as the information for secondary packaging. Here, the "container" is the same as the box 30 in terms of storing the promotional items and is not particularly limited, but it is required to be smaller than the box 30, and typically, plastic bags, small boxes, etc. may be mentioned. Also, the information on the correspondence relationship between the promotional items and the promotional item category, campaign, and sales floor can be transmitted from each company 40 to the management server 10 (joint distribution platform) together with the information on the type of promotional items, etc. Also, it is possible to pack the promotional items of the same company 40 into two or more containers, and in this case as well, a request can be made from the company 40 to the management server 10.

[0054] <Joint delivery platform> According to the present disclosure, an online joint delivery platform managed by a management server 10 can be provided. The joint delivery platform of the present disclosure collects information such as the type and size of promotional items from each company 40 that wishes to deliver promotional items to a store (delivery destination 50) (see FIG. 3), and determines the type and number of promotional items to be placed in the box 30 to be delivered to each delivery destination 50. Furthermore, a delivery destination 50 or a person in charge (e.g., a buyer) of the same business entity to which multiple delivery destinations 50 belong can approve, reject (e.g., not confirming the business negotiation), or return (e.g., requesting revisions) the delivery request. Furthermore, a buyer can send and receive information (approve and request delivery) to each company 40 individually or collectively via the joint delivery platform (management server 10). Thus, the joint delivery platform of the present disclosure not only realizes joint delivery of promotional items, but also allows companies 40 and delivery destinations 50 that have registered accounts to negotiate and trade promotional items online. The delivery destination 50 can also order promotional materials from the desired company 40 via the joint delivery platform, and can receive only the promotional materials that the delivery destination 50 needs.

[0055] [Company 40] In this specification, a "company" refers to an entity that wishes to deliver promotional materials to a desired delivery destination 50 for the purpose of advertising or promoting a product, and may be a one-person company or sole proprietorship, typically a manufacturer. To send and receive information with the management server 10, each company 40 is equipped with a communication device (terminal), and examples of such communication devices include, but are not limited to, industrial computers, personal computers, tablet terminals, and mobile terminals. The terminals of each company 40 do not need to be the same terminal; as long as they are identified by the same registration information (such as an identification ID), the same company 40 may send and receive information using different terminals at different times.

[0056] [Shipping address 50] In this specification, a "delivery destination" refers to a destination to which company 40 delivers promotional materials, and typically includes, but is not limited to, retail stores such as convenience stores and drug stores. To communicate with management server 10, each delivery destination 50 is equipped with communication equipment (terminal), and this communication equipment is also as described above. As long as each delivery destination 50 is identified by the same registration information (identification ID, etc.), it is not necessary for the same terminal to be used at all times.

[0057] [Information processing method 1] Next, with reference to FIG. 5, the information processing method 1 in the above-described joint delivery system 1 will be described, taking as an example a case where the type and number of promotional items are determined after the size of the box 30 has been determined. Here, it is assumed that promotional items from multiple companies 40 that provide promotional items are regularly delivered to the workshop 28, that the delivery destination 50 approves the delivery of the promotional items from each company 40, and that no delivery is canceled. In the following description, components with the same reference numerals are the same as the components described above, and redundant description will be omitted as appropriate. Note that the processing described below is performed by executing a program stored in the memory unit 24, but the information processing method according to the present disclosure is not limited to this.

[0058] First, the control unit 12 (reception means 14) receives, from the terminal of each company 40 that provides promotional items, the identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30 that will contain the promotional items, as well as information on the type, size, and number of promotional items to be contained in the box 30 that will be delivered to this delivery destination 50 (step S1, FIG. 3, etc.). Here, as described above, the control unit 12 (reception means 14) receives information on the type and number of promotional items from the terminal of each company 40, and may have the size measuring device 32 measure the size of the promotional items delivered to the work area 28, and store in the memory unit 24 a correspondence between the type of promotional item and the size of the promotional item.

[0059] Next, the control unit 12 (box size determination means 16) determines the size of the box 30 in which the promotional items should be placed, based on the size and number of the promotional items to be placed in the box 30 (step S2). Specifically, the control unit 12 (box size determination means 16) determines the size of the box 30 based on the information stored in the memory unit 24 (the type and number of promotional items to be placed in the box 30 to be delivered to each delivery destination 50).

[0060] Next, the control unit 12 associates the identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30 with the size of the box 30, the identification information of each company 40 that provides the promotional materials to be contained in the box 30, and the size and number of the promotional materials provided by each company 40, and stores these in the memory unit 24 (step S3).

[0061] Next, the control unit 12 (determination means 18) acquires information regarding the identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30, the size of the box 30, and the size and number of promotional items based on the information stored in the memory unit 24, and when storing promotional items for multiple companies 40 in one box 30, determines the type and number of promotional items to be stored in the box 30 based on the identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30, the size of the box 30, and the size of the promotional items (step S4). Here, the type and number of promotional items are determined on a rule basis.

[0062] Next, the control unit 12 (output means 20) causes the printing unit 34 to print information on the type and number of promotional items determined by the determination means 18, and causes the display unit 36 to display the information (step S5). Using this information as described above, the worker at the work site 28 performs the packing work of placing the promotional items into predetermined boxes 30 (FIG. 5).

[0063] Next, while the imaging unit 38 in the work area 28 is imaging the work site where each promotional item is placed in the box 30, the control unit 12 (determination means 22) determines whether the specified promotional item has been placed in the box 30 based on the video captured by the imaging unit 38 and the information on the type and number of promotional items to be placed in the box 30 determined by the determination means 18 (step S6).

[0064] If the result of the determination is that the specified promotional material is contained in the box 30 ("YES"), the process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that the specified promotional material is not contained in the box 30 ("NO"), an output to that effect is displayed and the packing work is redone. It is also possible to check which promotional materials are in short supply or in excess from the captured video.

[0065] [Information processing method 2] Next, information processing method 2 in the joint delivery system 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Information processing method 2 differs from information processing method 1 in that the type and number of promotional items are determined before the size of the box 30 is determined. Therefore, step S11 in Fig. 6 corresponds to step S1 in Fig. 5, and therefore its description will be omitted. Other overlapping descriptions will also be omitted as appropriate.

[0066] After step S11, the control unit 12 associates the identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30 with the size of the box 30, the identification information of each company 40 that provides the promotional items to be placed in the box 30, and the size and number of the promotional items provided by each company 40, and stores these in the memory unit 24 (step S12). The size of the box 30 in this case refers to the various sizes of boxes 30 that can be provided at the workshop 28 (joint delivery platform), and various simulations are possible for the size and number of promotional items to be placed in the box 30 depending on the purpose and method of association. For example, the delivery date, floor area ratio, weight, etc. can be taken into account when calculating the correspondence.

[0067] Next, the control unit 12 (determination means 18) acquires information on the identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30, the size of the box 30, and the size and quantity of the promotional items based on the information stored in the storage unit 24. When accommodating the promotional items of a plurality of companies 40 in one or more boxes 30, based on the identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30, the size of the box 30, and the size of the promotional items, the type and quantity of the promotional items to be accommodated in each box 30 are determined (calculated) (step S13). Here, rather than a rule-based approach, as described above, the type and quantity of the promotional items are determined based on what is emphasized, such as the volume ratio or weight. However, the type and quantity of the promotional items to be accommodated are not determined so as to exceed the capacity of the largest box 30 prepared at the workplace 28.

[0068] Next, the control unit 12 (box size determination means 16) determines the number and size of the boxes 30 in which the promotional items to be delivered to one delivery destination 50 are to be accommodated based on the size and quantity of the promotional items determined in step S13 (step S14). In this example, the promotional items will be accommodated and delivered in a plurality of boxes 30.

[0069] The subsequent processing is the same as that of information processing method 1.

[0070] [Information Processing Method 3] Next, with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, information processing method 3 in the co-delivery system 1 will be described. In information processing method 3, there is no instruction to deliver promotional items from the company 40 (FIG. 7), but the type and quantity of the promotional items to be accommodated in the box 30 are determined (calculated) by the management server 10 (determination means 18) so as to suitably deliver the promotional items from each company 40 at the workplace 28 to the delivery destination 50. For example, when the promotional item is tobacco, it is possible to determine (calculate) and propose the type and quantity of the tobacco promotional items so as to deliver only to the delivery destinations 50 (50a, 50b, 50c, 50d shown by solid lines in FIG. 7) that handle tobacco. In the following description, descriptions overlapping with those of information processing methods 1 and 2 will be omitted as appropriate.

[0071] First, the control unit 12 (reception means 14) receives information on the type, size, and number of promotional items to be contained in the box 30 to be delivered to the delivery destination 50 from the terminal of each company 40 that provides the promotional items (Figure 8, step S21).

[0072] After step S21, the control unit 12 associates the identification information of the delivery destination 50 that handles the predetermined product (cigarettes) with the identification information of each company 40 that provides the promotional material (cigarettes) to be contained in the box 30, as well as the size and number of the promotional material provided by each company 40, and stores these in the storage unit 24 (step S22). Note that information regarding the size of the box 30 can also be stored in information processing method 3, as in information processing methods 1 and 2.

[0073] Next, the control unit 12 (determination means 18) acquires the information stored in the memory unit 24, and when storing promotional materials from multiple companies 40 in one box 30, determines the type and number of promotional materials to be stored in the box 30 based on the identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30 and the size of the promotional materials (step S23). Here, the type and number of promotional materials are determined without being based on the size of the box 30, on the assumption that there will be only a small number of promotional materials stored and delivered in the box 30, but the determination process may also be based on the size of the box 30.

[0074] Next, the control unit 12 (box size determination means 16) determines the size of the box 30 in which the promotional items are to be stored, based on the size and number of the promotional items determined in step S21 (step S24).

[0075] The subsequent processing is the same as in information processing methods 1 and 2.

[0076] The information processing method as described above is an example, and the processing flow is not limited to the one described above. For example, the steps of causing the printing unit 34 to print and the display unit 36 to display the information on the type and number of promotional items determined by the determination means 18 (steps S15, S25) may be performed after the steps of determining the type and number of promotional items to be stored in the box 30 (steps S13, S23). Also, in the information processing method 3, the step of causing the control unit 12 to transmit inquiry information to the corresponding company 40 and the delivery destination 50 as to whether the promotional items of a predetermined product (tobacco) may be delivered by the communication unit 26 may be performed after steps S22, S23, or S24.

[0077] In the system (co-delivery system 1), program, and information processing method according to the present disclosure having the above-described configuration, when accommodating the promotional items of a plurality of companies 40 in one box 30, there are provided a determination means 18 for determining the type and number of promotional items to be stored in the box 30 based on the identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30, the size of the box 30, and the size of the promotional items, and an output means 20 for outputting the information on the type and number of promotional items determined by the determination means 18. Also, in one embodiment according to the present disclosure, there are provided a box size determination means 16 for determining the size of the box 30 in which the promotional items are to be stored based on the type and number of promotional items to be stored in the box 30 or the size and number of the promotional items, and an output means 20 for outputting the information on the size of the box 30 determined by the box size determination means 16.

[0078] In the conventional system where promotional materials are delivered from each company 40 to each delivery destination 50 (FIG. 1(B)), low volume ratio packaging results in inefficient and costly logistics for each company 40. According to a survey conducted by the applicant, the volume ratio can be as low as 10%, with approximately half of the promotional materials delivered to the destination store having a volume ratio of 40%. Furthermore, the low volume ratio tends to increase the burden on stores for receiving the materials and result in a low usage rate of the promotional materials (for example, the average number of boxes received at a store was 22 boxes per week, and the usage rate of the promotional materials was 34%). To address these issues, the system (joint delivery system 1), program, and information processing method disclosed herein enable each company 40 to package promotional materials into the minimum number of boxes for each delivery destination 50 (retail store), for example, weekly, for joint delivery. In other words, efficient delivery of promotional materials from each company 40 to the delivery destination 50 (retail store) can be achieved. As a result, the receiving and management burdens on store staff at delivery destination 50 are reduced, joint delivery reduces delivery costs for company (shipper) 40, and it is also possible to reduce resources such as cardboard and CO2 emissions from company 40 (reducing effects are expected to be 74% and 52%, respectively). For each company 40, this will allow them to cope with driver shortages and rising material costs.

[0079] The system (joint delivery system 1), program, and information processing method according to the present disclosure may further include a printing unit 34 that prints the information on the type and number of promotional items output by the output means 20. The printed matter printed by the printing unit 34 allows workers at the work site 28 to recognize information such as the type and number of promotional items to ensure efficient delivery. Store staff at the delivery destination 50 can also recognize the contents of the box 30 without opening it. If the printing unit 34 includes a notation indicating that the buyer has used the joint delivery platform to place an order, such as "Buyer Approved," store staff can recognize that the contents are approved promotional items and should be displayed in the store, reducing the risk of waste and improving the utilization rate of promotional items.

[0080] In the system (co-delivery system 1), program, and information processing method according to the present disclosure, a display unit 36 for displaying information on the types and quantities of promotional items output by the output means 20 may be further provided. With such a display unit 36, an operator in the workplace 28 can determine the necessity of accommodating each promotional item for each box 30 (delivery destination 50), and efficient delivery of promotional items can be realized.

[0081] In the system (co-delivery system 1), program, and information processing method according to the present disclosure, box size determination means 16 for determining the size of the box 30 in which the promotional items are to be accommodated based on the types and quantities of the promotional items to be accommodated in the box 30 or the sizes and quantities of the promotional items may be further provided. By the box size determination means 16, it becomes possible to select the box 30 with the optimal size having a high volume ratio as described above.

[0082] In the system (co-delivery system 1), program, and information processing method according to the present disclosure, a storage unit 24 may be further provided for associating and storing the correspondence between the identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30, the size of the box 30, the identification information of the company 40 that provides the promotional items to be accommodated in the box 30, and the types and quantities of the promotional items provided by the company 40, and for associating and storing the correspondence between the types of promotional items and the sizes of promotional items. Alternatively, a storage unit 24 may be further provided for associating and storing the correspondence between the identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30, the size of the box 30, the identification information of the company 40 that provides the promotional items to be accommodated in the box 30, and the sizes and quantities of the promotional items provided by the company 40. Then, the determination means 18 may acquire information regarding the identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30, the size of the box 30, and the sizes and quantities of the promotional items based on the information stored in the storage unit 24. Since the sizes and quantities of promotional items that can be accommodated vary depending on the size of each box 30, even if the sizes and quantities of the promotional items to be accommodated are the same, the volume ratios after accommodation also differ for each box 30. Therefore, it is preferable to calculate (simulate) and store the above-described correspondence each time the information on the promotional items provided by each company 40 is updated (new request or cancellation).

[0083] Also, in the system (co-delivery system 1), program, and information processing method according to the present disclosure, receiving means 14 receives, from the terminals of each company 40 that provides promotional items, identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30 in which the promotional items are stored, and information on the types and quantities of the promotional items to be stored in the box 30 to be delivered to this delivery destination 50. A storage unit 24 is further provided for storing in association the correspondence between the types of promotional items and the sizes of the promotional items. The determination means 18 may acquire information on the identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30, as well as information on the sizes and quantities of the promotional items, based on the information received by the receiving means 14 and the information stored in the storage unit 24. Alternatively, receiving means 14 is further provided for receiving, from the terminals of each company 40 that provides promotional items, identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30 in which the promotional items are stored, and information on the sizes and quantities of the promotional items to be stored in the box 30 to be delivered to this delivery destination 50. The determination means 18 may acquire information on the identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30, as well as information on the sizes and quantities of the promotional items, based on the information received by the receiving means 14. In this way, each time information on the promotional items is received from the terminals of each company 40, the types and quantities of the promotional items to be stored in the box 30 can be determined.

[0084] Also, in the system (co-delivery system 1), program, and information processing method according to the present disclosure, when accommodating the promotional items of a plurality of companies 40 in one box 30, primary packaging for packing the promotional items of the same company 40, the same promotional item category, the same campaign, or the same sales floor into one container and secondary packaging for accommodating the container in which the promotional items are packed into one box 30 are performed. When the output means 20 outputs the information on the types and quantities of the promotional items determined by the determination means 18, it may output the information on the types and quantities of the promotional items for each company 40 that provides the promotional items, for each promotional item category, for each campaign, or for each sales floor as information for primary packaging, and output information on the container in which the promotional items are stored as information for secondary packaging.

[0085] Also, in the system (co-delivery system 1), program, and information processing method according to the present disclosure, a size measuring device 32 for measuring the size of the promotional item may be further provided. As described above, the measured size of the promotional item can be used to determine the type and number of promotional items.

[0086] Also, in the system (co-delivery system 1), program, and information processing method according to the present disclosure, the determination means 18 may determine the accommodation position of each promotional item in addition to the type and number of promotional items accommodated in the box 30 based on the identification information of the delivery destination 50 of the box 30, the size of the box 30, the weight of the promotional item, or the size of the promotional item. In this way, by using the weight of the promotional item to determine the type and number of promotional items or to determine the accommodation position of each promotional item, efficient delivery of promotional items can be realized.

[0087] Also, in the system (co-delivery system 1), program, and information processing method according to the present disclosure, a determination means 22 for determining whether or not a predetermined promotional item is accommodated in the box 30 may be further provided based on an imaging unit 38 that images the work site where the promotional item is accommodated in the box 30, the video imaged by the imaging unit 38, and the information on the type and number of promotional items accommodated in the box 30 determined by the determination means 18. In this way, it is also possible to confirm from the imaged video which promotional items are lacking or excessive, and more reliably realize efficient delivery of promotional items.

[0088] Note that the system (co-delivery system 1), program, and information processing method according to the present disclosure are not limited to the above-described modes and combinations, and various modifications can be made.

[0089] For example, when the type and number of promotional items are small, the box size determination means 16 is made to determine the size of the box 30 in which the promotional item is to be accommodated, and the information on the size of the box 30 determined by the box size determination means 16 is output to the output means 20, whereby efficient delivery of the promotional item from each company 40 to the delivery destination 50 (retail store) can be realized.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0090] 1 Joint distribution system (system) 10 Management server (computer) 12 Control unit 14 Reception means 16 Box size determination means 18 Determination means 20 Output means 22 Judgment means 24 Storage unit 26 Communication unit 28 Workplace 30 Box 32 Size measuring instrument 34 Printing unit 36 Display unit 38 Imaging unit 40, 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d, 40e Company 50, 50a, 50b, 50c, 50d, 50e, 50f, 50g, 50h Delivery destination

Claims

1. Determining means for determining the type and number of promotional items to be housed in a box based on the identification information of the delivery destination of the box, the size of the box, and the size of the promotional items when housing the promotional items of multiple companies in one box; Output means for outputting information on the type and number of promotional items determined by the determining means; A system comprising:

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a printing unit that prints information on the type and number of promotional items output by the output means.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit that displays information on the type and number of promotional items output by the output means.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising box size determining means for determining the size of the box in which the promotional items are to be housed based on the type and number of promotional items to be housed in the box or the size and number of the promotional items.

5. A storage unit that associates and stores the correspondence between the identification information of the delivery destination of the box, the size of the box, the identification information of the company that provides the promotional items to be housed in the box, and the type and number of promotional items provided by the company, and also associates and stores the correspondence between the type of promotional item and the size of the promotional item; The determining means according to claim 1, acquires information on the identification information of the delivery destination of the box, the size of the box, and the size and number of the promotional items based on the information stored in the storage unit.

6. A storage unit that associates and stores the correspondence between the identification information of the delivery destination of the box, the size of the box, the identification information of the company that provides the promotional items to be housed in the box, and the size and number of promotional items provided by the company; The determining means according to claim 1, acquires information on the identification information of the delivery destination of the box, the size of the box, and the size and number of the promotional items based on the information stored in the storage unit.

7. Receiving means for receiving, from the terminal of each company that provides the promotional items, the identification information of the delivery destination of the box in which the promotional items are to be housed and information on the type and number of promotional items to be housed in the box to be delivered to this delivery destination; A storage unit that associates and stores the correspondence between the type of promotional item and the size of the promotional item; And further comprising: The determining means according to claim 1, acquires information on the identification information of the delivery destination of the box and the size and number of the promotional items based on the information received by the receiving means and the information stored in the storage unit.

8. The system further includes receiving means for receiving, from terminals of each company providing promotional items, identification information of the delivery destination of the box in which the promotional items are to be stored, as well as information on the size and quantity of the promotional items to be stored in the box to be delivered to this delivery destination. The determination means acquires, based on the information received by the receiving means, identification information of the delivery destination of the box and information on the size and quantity of the promotional items. The system according to claim 1.

9. When storing promotional items of multiple companies in one box, primary packaging is performed to pack promotional items of the same company, the same promotional item category, the same campaign, or the same sales floor in one container, and secondary packaging is performed to store the containers in which the promotional items are packed in one box. When the output means outputs information on the type and quantity of the promotional items determined by the determination means, it outputs information on the type and quantity of the promotional items for each company providing the promotional items, for each promotional item category, for each campaign, or for each sales floor as information for primary packaging, and outputs information on the containers in which the promotional items are stored as information for secondary packaging. The system according to claim 1.

10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a size measuring device for measuring the size of the promotional items.

11. Based on the identification information of the delivery destination of the box, the size of the box, the weight of the promotional items, or the size of the promotional items, the determination means determines the storage position of each promotional item in addition to the type and quantity of the promotional items to be stored in the box. The system according to claim 1.

12. An imaging unit for imaging the work site where the promotional items are stored in the box, Determination means for determining whether or not a predetermined promotional item has been stored in the box based on the video imaged by the imaging unit and the information on the type and quantity of the promotional items to be stored in the box determined by the determination means. The system according to claim 1, further comprising.

13. Box size determination means for determining the size of the box in which the promotional items are to be stored based on the type and quantity of the promotional items to be stored in the box or the size and quantity of the promotional items, Output means for outputting information on the size of the box determined by the box size determination means. A system comprising.

14. A program that functions as determination means and output means when executed by a computer, When storing promotional items of multiple companies in one box, the determination means determines the type and quantity of the promotional items to be stored in the box based on the identification information of the delivery destination of the box, the size of the box, and the size of the promotional items. A program in which the output means outputs information on the types and quantities of promotional items determined by the determination means.

15. An information processing method executed by a computer, when accommodating promotional items of a plurality of companies in one box, a step of determining the types and quantities of promotional items to be accommodated in the box based on the identification information of the delivery destination of the box, the size of the box, and the size of the promotional items; a step of outputting information on the determined types and quantities of promotional items; An information processing method comprising the above.

Images