Commodity inventory information providing system

Abstract

To provide a commodity inventory information providing system configured to provide a user with overall attractive selection of goods of a retail store while improving the convenience for the user, and reduce food losses in convenience stores, or the like.SOLUTION: A commodity inventory information providing system includes: a store commodity inventory database on which store information for each store, commodity information and commodity inventory level are registered; storage means which stores the store commodity inventory database; and a server for providing inventory information of commodities to a user over a network. The server is configured to provide inventory information of a commodity that satisfies a condition designated by the user and store information on a store having the commodity, from the store commodity inventory database to a mobile terminal of the user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a product inventory information providing system. [Background technology]

[0002] There are approximately 55,000 convenience stores (hereafter referred to as "convenience stores") nationwide, with a total of approximately 1.5 billion customers visiting each store each month. The average person in Japan visits a convenience store 10 times a month (Non-Patent Document 1). Most users purchase food items such as bento boxes and prepared meals from convenience stores. Convenience store chains compete over the quality and variety of food, and have rapidly expanded their offerings in recent years. Convenience stores can now be found all over town, making it easy to purchase convenience store products and have gained the support of many users. [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0003] [Non-Patent Document 1] Japan Franchise Association, "Convenience Store Statistical Survey Monthly Report August 2019," [online], [searched September 21, 2019], Internet<URL:https: / / www.jfa-fc.or.jp / particle / 320.html> . Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Convenience store chains such as Seven-Eleven (hereafter referred to as the S chain), FamilyMart (hereafter referred to as the F chain), Lawson (hereafter referred to as the L chain), Ministop, and Daily Yamazaki not only sell products from established manufacturers, but also sell products under their own original brands. In particular, products such as boxed lunches are primarily made up of original brands. As a result, the product lineup varies depending on the chain. Furthermore, convenience stores have limited shelf space compared to supermarkets, so the product lineup can vary even within the same chain. Furthermore, depending on the time of day, the product you want to purchase may be out of stock.

[0005] For example, as shown in Figure 1, when there are multiple convenience stores to choose from, such as a user who buys food at a convenience store on the way home from the nearest station, it is difficult to know which convenience store to stop at to make the best food purchases without actually visiting the store.

[0006] For example, consider the case of a user who is considering purchasing soup, as shown in Figure 2, and who has decided on the order of purchase priorities for that day: pork shabu-shabu soup (assumed to be available at convenience stores in the L chain), gyoza soup (assumed to be available at convenience stores in the F chain), and vegetable soup (assumed to be available at convenience stores in the S chain). Heading home from the nearest station, the user first goes to a convenience store (in the L chain) that is supposed to carry their first choice of product (e.g., pork shabu-shabu soup). However, upon finding that their first choice of product is out of stock, they move on to a convenience store (in the S chain) that is supposed to carry their second choice of product (e.g., gyoza soup). If the product is also out of stock there, they move on to a convenience store (in the F chain) that is supposed to carry their third choice of product (e.g., vegetable soup). If the user's route home and the locations of convenience stores in each chain are as shown in Figure 2, the user will have to go back and forth along their route home to purchase their third choice of product.

[0007] For example, even if a user usually uses a certain convenience store chain in their neighborhood, they may wonder if a different chain has a better product. However, if the desired product is not available at the other chain, it will be a hassle to travel from there to their usual convenience store. Users who want to avoid this hassle often settle for the convenience store closest to them.

[0008] Furthermore, even within the same convenience store chain, the products they carry may differ. For example, suppose there is a convenience store chain that sells a four-pack of aloe yogurt and a two-pack of aloe yogurt. If there are two convenience stores from the same chain that are close to a user, a user who wants to buy a four-pack of aloe yogurt cannot know in advance which of their nearest convenience stores has it in stock, so it can be a matter of luck as to which convenience store to visit first.

[0009] Users who want to avoid going back and forth between multiple convenience stores often settle for the food they find at the first one they visit. In this case, even though they have the opportunity to choose from multiple convenience stores, they are unable to purchase the food that is best for them. This is probably the case for the majority of users. As a result, even though multiple convenience stores in their area offer users a wide selection of attractive products, users are unable to fully enjoy them, and many users still consider convenience store bento boxes and other foods to be a last resort when they are busy or have no other choice.

[0010] This same issue applies to any type of store, as long as the products and inventory at that store cannot be determined without visiting the store. For example, this issue is particularly pronounced in stores that sell food and daily necessities, such as supermarkets, department store food sections (such as the so-called basement food aisles), drugstores, and cake shops, but it also applies to stores (including convenience stores) that sell stationery, magazines, miscellaneous goods, tobacco, flowers, etc.

[0011] Furthermore, food waste has become a problem in recent years at convenience stores and supermarkets. The convenience store industry as a whole wastes nearly 700 billion yen a year. The SDGs aim to halve per capita food waste at the retail and consumer levels worldwide by 2030.

[0012] Regarding the issue of wastage, supermarkets and other retailers have traditionally tried to reduce wastage by selling products at lower prices than the original price just before closing. In recent years, there have also been efforts to offer reward points to prevent a decline in the internal reference price. On the other hand, customers who understand the problem of waste may visit the store just before closing time and actively purchase food and other products that will be discarded after closing time. When products with different expiration dates are on display, they may actively purchase products with an earlier expiration date.

[0013] However, in either case, users had to visit the store to find out what products were available. This was true even for products with short expiration dates or products that would soon be discarded. Even if users went to buy a product with a short expiration date, it might not be on sale that day. Users were sometimes disappointed when the product they wanted was not available. Furthermore, it was difficult to compare the product lineups of multiple stores and make the optimal purchase. When users are in an unfamiliar place, it can be difficult to know where convenience stores are located. As a result, they may choose to go into the first convenience store they see and compromise on the products they buy.

[0014] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide users with the appeal of the product lineup of the entire retail store such as a local convenience store or grocery store while increasing user convenience. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] The product inventory information providing system of the present invention, which provides users with inventory information of products sold at a plurality of stores, comprises: a store product inventory database that stores store information (excluding station access information and route maps from stations), product information, and product inventory; a storage means for storing the store product inventory database; a server for providing inventory information of the product to a user via a network; The server provides the user's mobile terminal with inventory information of products that meet the conditions specified by the user from the store product inventory database and store information of stores that have the products; The server retrieves store information from the store product inventory database about stores that have products that meet the conditions specified by the user, and displays the store information on a map (excluding route maps) displayed on the user's mobile device near the actual location of the store based on the store's address or latitude and longitude information. In the store product inventory database, each product is assigned a product category, The product that satisfies the conditions specified by the user is a product that includes a product name that belongs to the product genre specified by the user, The store information includes at least one of information related to the store name or store location information, The product inventory information providing system is a system in which the plurality of stores are determined based on location information of the user's mobile terminal (excluding location information of commuter routes, school routes, and other regular travel routes). [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, the user can make the most suitable purchase by determining what to purchase at which store based on the inventory information of each store, without having to look around at a plurality of stores, with minimal effort. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] Map of convenience stores around Gotanda Station [Figure 2] The footsteps of users considering purchasing soup at a convenience store [Figure 3]Product inventory information system (each store / server) [Figure 4] Product inventory information system (server / each user) [Figure 5] Sample 1 of the screen displayed on the user's device [Figure 6] Sample 2 of the screen displayed on the user's device [Figure 7] Stock information when searching by product name [Figure 8] Stock information when searching by genre name (pasta) [Figure 9] Stock information when searching by genre name (low-carb) [Figure 10] Examples of product names in the "soup" category (soup product names at each convenience store) [Figure 11] Hierarchically structured genres (major genres / minor genres / product names) [Figure 12] Screen when searching for multiple products [Figure 13] Example of inventory information display screen when searching for multiple products [Figure 14] Inventory information for products with two hours or less until disposal (products close to their expiration date) at multiple stores [Figure 15] A diagram showing the trade area of ​​a store [Figure 16] Graphs that identify customer loss based on inventory and search information [Figure 17] Customer management status before the introduction of this invention [Figure 18] Customer management status after the introduction of this invention [Figure 19] Business model canvas for service providers of this system (for convenience store users) [Figure 20] Business model canvas for service providers of this system (for convenience store headquarters / affiliated stores) [Figure 21] Examples of genres and product names that belong to them [Figure 22] Examples of genres and product names that belong to them [Figure 23]Examples of genres and product names that belong to them [Figure 24] Examples of genres and product names that belong to them [Figure 25] Examples of genres and product names that belong to them DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] A product inventory information providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[0019] Example 1 <Configuration of product inventory information provision system> The configuration of the product inventory information providing system will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0020] The product inventory information providing system includes a store product inventory database, a storage means, and a server 100.

[0021] The store product inventory database registers product information and product inventory amounts for each store (multiple stores) via a wide area network such as the Internet. The storage means stores the information in the store product inventory database.

[0022] It is desirable to construct a product inventory database for multiple stores using electronic tags attached to products and electronic tag readers installed within the stores. By reading the information on the electronic tags attached to products with electronic tag readers installed within the stores, it is possible to grasp the inventory information for each product in the store almost in real time. The inventory information read by the electronic tag readers is stored in the product inventory database. This product inventory database is managed so that the inventory status of each product can be determined for each store.

[0023] The server 100 provides inventory information of products that meet the conditions specified by the user together with store information from a store product inventory database via a wide area network such as the Internet to the user's mobile terminal. The store product inventory database and storage means may be provided in the server 100 or separately.

[0024] Users can check the information provided by the product inventory information provision system of the present invention through a smartphone app. Figures 5 and 6 are sample screens displayed on the user's device.

[0025] <Search by product name> If the user has a specific product they want to purchase or are looking for, they input the specific product name in the "Search by Product Name" field. In this case, the user may select from a pre-prepared product list (e.g., a combo box). The same applies to the other embodiments below when searching for something.

[0026] For example, if a user wants to check in advance where the popular "RIZAP Salad" is available at the nearest convenience store (store), the user enters "RIZAP Salad" as the product name in the product name entry tab on the user's terminal, and sends that information to the product inventory information providing system of the present invention (see Figure 7). The product inventory information providing system associates stock information of products (with the product name "RIZAP Salad") that meet the conditions specified by the user from a product inventory database for multiple stores with store information and provides it to the user's terminal. Figure 7 is a diagram showing the locations of F-affiliated stores around Gotanda Station with icons, and the number of RIZAP Salads in stock is shown to the right of the icons.

[0027] By displaying store information and product inventory information for multiple stores on a map displayed on the user's device, as shown in Figure 7, users can instantly determine which store to go shopping at based on their current location and which route to take to visit convenience stores in the shortest distance to make the most optimal purchase. For example, store information can be displayed at the corresponding location on the map based on information such as the store's address and latitude and longitude. In Figure 7, convenience store icons and names are displayed at the corresponding locations on the map based on the latitude and longitude information of each store, with inventory information displayed nearby. In other words, it is desirable to display inventory information for products that meet the conditions specified by the user, as well as information on stores that carry those products, near the actual locations of the stores on the map displayed on the user's mobile device, and to display the inventory information near the display of the store information.

[0028] The method of providing information to the user is not limited to this method; it is also possible to display a combination of store name (convenience store branch name) and stock quantity on the user's terminal, as shown on the right side of Figure 7 (this also applies to all of the following embodiments). For example, for a user who only has a few fixed convenience stores around their location as their only options, the locations of the convenience stores are known, so information about the convenience store locations is unnecessary. It is sufficient to know only the product stock information for each store. Furthermore, the inventory quantity does not need to be displayed as a specific number. For example, it can be (1) out of stock / in stock, (2) out of stock / limited stock / remaining stock, or (3) out of stock / less than 5 units in stock / less than 10 units in stock. Generally, product inventory (especially the maximum inventory quantity) is important information for store management, so store managers often want to keep it as confidential as possible. Users are interested in whether or not a product is in stock, and do not necessarily want to know the exact inventory quantity. Therefore, it is acceptable to display the inventory quantity in an unspecified manner (the same applies to all of the following embodiments). It is desirable to display the inventory quantity as much as possible when the inventory quantity is low, such as less than 10 or 5 units. There is a time lag between when a user checks the inventory quantity on their device and when they arrive at the store, and the product sells out. When inventory is low, accurately displaying the inventory quantity allows users to predict in advance the risk that the desired product will be sold out by the time they arrive at the store. In other words, if the inventory quantity is 1, there is a high risk of it being sold out, and if the inventory quantity is around 3, it is possible to predict that there will be at least one item left by the time the user arrives.

[0029] <Search by genre name> If users have not yet decided on a specific product they want to purchase, they can search by genre name (product genre) to find out the stock status of products in the specified genre at the nearest convenience store. For example, Figure 8 shows the results of a search for the genre name "pasta." The number of pasta items in stock at each store is displayed on the screen of the user's device. The left side of Figure 8 shows the number of items in stock along with the location of the convenience store on a map. It is also desirable to display information on the user's device that shows a breakdown of pasta stock. The right side of Figure 8 displays the pasta stock information at each store along with the store name and product name. Clicking on the area around the convenience store icon on the left side of Figure 8 may display the pasta stock information at that convenience store along with the store name and product name. When users want to know the inventory of stores belonging to multiple convenience store chains at once, as in the present invention, searching by category name is particularly effective. For example, the same pasta product may have different product names depending on the convenience store chain. Users can first narrow their search by category name, and then perform a more detailed search as needed, making it easy to check the inventory information they need.

[0030] This embodiment can be applied to a variety of product categories. Examples include Japanese, Western, Chinese, pasta, soba, udon, ramen, rice bowls, curry, meat, vegetable, soup, salad, prepared food, chilled, frozen, low-calorie, high-calorie, low-sugar, for children, for seniors, for men, for women, stamina-boosting, additive-free, organic, seasonal, limited-time, new products, trendy items in short supply, drinking water, alcohol, ice cream, cake, dessert, sweets, seasonings, magazines, collaboration products, low-price, mid-price, and high-price categories. The system implementer must predetermine the types of products that belong to each category. Alternatively, the system may be configured so that users can freely customize the category names and the products that belong to them. For example, Figure 10 shows a sample list of product names belonging to the category "soup." Furthermore, Figures 21 to 25 show examples of category names and products that belong to each category. For example, the product category "Japanese cuisine" includes products such as "Okonomiyaki Makunouchi," "Ebi Tendon," "Karaage Bento," "Coho Salmon Bento," and "Katsudon." Of course, there are other Japanese cuisine products that can be set. Also, the same product can belong to multiple categories. For example, Katsudon belongs to the "Japanese cuisine" and "Rice bowl" categories.

[0031] Genre names may be set hierarchically as shown in Figure 11. For example, the left column in Figure 11 is the major genre, and the middle column is the minor genre. For example, pasta, udon, soba, and ramen belong to the minor genres under the major genre of noodles, and actual product names such as meat sauce and napolitan belong under the minor genre of pasta. By setting genre names hierarchically, even users who cannot immediately find the genre name when searching can easily find the desired genre or product name.

[0032] <Bulk search> It is also possible to make it possible to search for multiple products or multiple genres at once. For example, if a user wants to purchase both "salmon rice balls" and "seaweed salad" at one store, the user can search by specifying "salmon rice balls" and "seaweed salad" as the product names, as shown in Figure 12. The product inventory information providing system will then provide the user's terminal with inventory information for products (salmon rice balls and seaweed salad) that meet the user's specified conditions from the product inventory databases of multiple stores, in association with the store information. For example, inventory information can be displayed as shown in Figure 13. In Figure 13, inventory information for stores A, B, C, and D is displayed in order of proximity to the user's current location. The user can confirm before visiting store C that both salmon rice balls and seaweed salad are available for purchase. The search is not limited to two products; it can, of course, be three or more.

[0033] <Products nearing their expiration date> The product inventory database used in the product inventory information providing system of the present invention may store the expiration date of each product as data. Typically, food retailers do not display products until the expiration date, but remove them from the shelves with a certain amount of time to spare. If the planned time for removing unsold products from the shelves is defined as the product removal time, the product inventory database can store the time until the product removal time as data. In the present invention, for example, this time until the product removal time is referred to as the "time until disposal."

[0034] For example, Figures 8 and 9 show the results of a user's search for stock information for the genre names "pasta" and "low-carb (product)." When product stock information is displayed, the user can be informed of the "time until disposal," as shown in the table on the right of Figure 8 and the table on the right of Figure 9. Users who are aware of the issue of food waste tend to actively purchase products with a shorter time until disposal. Users can select a store to purchase a product from, taking into consideration the time until disposal.

[0035] In the present invention, a product that is close to its expiration date refers to a product that is scheduled to be removed from the store's sales floor because it will soon reach its expiration date, or a product that will soon be discarded. Specifically, this refers to a product that has a certain amount of time until it is discarded. The amount of time until it is discarded that determines whether a product is close to its expiration date can be set arbitrarily by a user of the product inventory information providing system of the present invention. For example, a product can be considered close to its expiration date if it has less than two hours until it is discarded. These products that are close to their expiration date are also called "rescue products" because store managers see them as products that customers purchase first and help prevent food from becoming waste.

[0036] Figure 14 is an example of a display screen for inventory information at each store when searching by specifying "time until discard." In Figure 14, inventory information (quantity in stock) for products with two hours until discard (products approaching their expiration date) at the convenience store nearest the user is displayed on a map. The table on the right of Figure 14 displays the specific product names in stock at each store. Until now, users had to go to the store to find out which products were approaching their expiration date, but now users can check inventory information without going to the store. In particular, this invention provides users with inventory information from multiple stores, allowing them to make optimal purchases based on information from multiple stores.

[0037] In addition to the "time until discard," users may also add product name or genre name as search criteria. Users who are interested in only specific products or genres may prefer to specify such criteria.

[0038] Furthermore, the present invention can provide users with inventory information for products that are close to their expiration date in a simpler way. For example, by setting buttons or icons such as "Products close to their expiration date" or "Rescue products" on the user's search screen, the user can simply press these buttons to have inventory information for products that are close to their expiration date at the nearest convenience store or a pre-designated convenience store provided to the user's terminal. The category "items close to expiry date" and its conditions (e.g., time until discard) can be set in advance, and the user can select the category "items close to expiry date" to have inventory information of items close to expiry date at the nearest convenience store or a pre-specified convenience store provided to the user's terminal.

[0039] <Rescue Point> When a user purchases a product that is close to its expiration date and rescues it from being discarded, they may be given rescue points worth, for example, several percent to several tens of percent of the retail price. It is desirable that the rescue points can be exchanged for points that can be used at convenience stores.

[0040] <Stores with different owners> The plurality of stores of the present invention may include stores operated by different managers. Also, the plurality of stores of the present invention may include stores belonging to different franchisees. In particular, users in urban areas or users traveling by car can select multiple stores, and do not use only one store. For such users, if inventory information for stores operated by different managers or belonging to different franchisees is provided in a single system, optimal purchasing can be easily achieved.

[0041] <Specify multiple stores> The multiple stores of the present invention can be stores designated by the user. The stores that a user regularly uses may be predetermined to some extent, such as the convenience store closest to their home, the convenience store closest to their workplace, or the convenience store on their commute route between their home and workplace. A user using the product inventory information providing system of the present invention can pre-set multiple stores for which inventory information will be provided by the system.

[0042] The multiple stores of the present invention may be stores determined based on the user's location information. When a user is in an unfamiliar place, it may be difficult to know where convenience stores (stores) are located. As a result, the user may enter the first convenience store in sight and compromise on the products sold there before purchasing. In the present invention, convenience stores within a predetermined range from the user's location can be determined as the multiple stores of the present invention based on the location information of the user's device (smartphone, etc.). The predetermined range can be set arbitrarily. For example, a user who is willing to walk about 200 meters to purchase better quality products can set the product inventory information providing system of the present invention to provide inventory information of convenience stores within a 200-meter radius of the user's device's location information (e.g., latitude and longitude information).

[0043] The plurality of stores in the present invention may be stores in a predetermined area. The predetermined area may be specified by an address, such as Nishigotanda in Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo (Nishigotanda 1-chome to Nishigotanda 8-chome), or by the user setting a range on a map.

[0044] <Store Information> The store information of the present invention can include at least one piece of information related to the store name or information related to the store's location information. Information related to the store name is, for example, information related to the store name, such as "Seven-Eleven XXX Store." Information related to the store's location information is, for example, information related to the store's address, such as "Nishi-Gotanda 1-chome." The product inventory information providing system of the present invention is intended to be used by users via their mobile devices when actually shopping. Therefore, it is desirable to provide product inventory information along with information that allows the user to immediately identify the store's location, such as information related to the store name or information related to the store's location information.

[0045] <Store information on the map> In the present invention, store information and inventory information for each store can be displayed on a map displayed on the user's device. For example, the convenience store icons shown on the maps in Figures 7, 8, and 9 represent "store information on a map displayed on the user's device," and in Figures 7, 8, and 9, inventory information is displayed along with the icons. The product inventory information providing system of the present invention is intended to be used by users via their mobile devices when actually shopping. Therefore, by displaying the locations and inventory information of multiple stores on a map in this way, users can instantly determine which store to go to based on their current location and what route to take to visit convenience stores to make the most optimal purchase in the shortest distance. (The same applies to Example 2 below).

[0046] The product inventory database used in this invention is preferably constructed using electronic tags attached to products and electronic tag readers installed in the store. By reading the information on the electronic tags attached to products with the electronic tag readers installed in the store, it is possible to grasp the inventory information for each product in the store almost in real time. The inventory information read by the electronic tag reader is stored in the product inventory database. This product inventory database is managed so that the inventory status of each product can be determined for each store. Compared to conventional POS systems, it is easier to obtain inventory information. Inventory information such as product placement, purchase, and disposal can be automatically stored in a database in real time. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has agreed with Seven-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson, Ministop and Newdays under certain conditions to use electronic tags on all products they handle (an estimated 100 billion items per year) by 2025, and has drawn up the "100 Billion Electronic Tags at Convenience Stores Declaration." This means that individual item management using electronic tags will soon be a reality not only in convenience stores but also in food supermarkets and other food service establishments.

[0047] <Example 2> In the product inventory information providing system of the present invention, when a user uses the system, the user's usage history, such as search words, and location information are stored in a database. By using this database, the convenience store manager and the convenience store headquarters can obtain useful information.

[0048] <Trade area analysis> A certain convenience store (hereafter referred to as Store A) is located at the center of the concentric circles in Figure 15, and the pin marked on the map is the location when a user used an app on a mobile device to check Store A's inventory information. It can be seen that the user was thinking that if there was something they wanted to buy at Store A, they would be willing to visit the store at the location where this pin was located. Therefore, the area indicated by these pins can be said to be Store A's commercial area. The product inventory information providing system of the present invention can create store commercial area information in this way. For convenience store managers, being able to grasp the commercial area has the advantage of being able to link it to information on various events (exhibitions, academic conferences, concerts, sports days, etc.) within the commercial area, making it easier to forecast inventory.

[0049] <Search information x Stock information> By combining and analyzing search information and inventory data, it is possible to identify customer losses. Figure 16 shows search information and inventory data for a certain convenience store (hereafter referred to as Store B). The bar graph in the figure shows the number of makunouchi bento boxes in stock at Store B. For example, the inventory number increases from 2 to 8 at 7:00 because Store B received new stock. From there, inventory gradually decreases as users make purchases, reaching zero at 1:00 pm. This zero inventory state continues until new stock arrives at 3:00 pm. The line graph in Figure 16 shows the trend in the number of searches for makunouchi bento by users of this store. For example, the number of searches was 17 and 10 at 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM, respectively, but it can be seen that users were missed because the store was out of stock. The present invention can visualize to some extent the process leading up to a user's purchase. The effect of the present invention is significant, as customer management using conventional POS systems is limited to information on users who have made a purchase.

[0050] For reference, the situation before and after the introduction of the present invention is summarized in Figures 17 and 18. In addition, the business model of a system operator using the present invention is summarized using a business model canvas in Figures 19 and 20.

[0051] Although the explanations of the embodiments so far have been given using convenience stores as examples, the present invention can be applied to any type of store as long as the products and inventory of the store cannot be known without visiting the store. For example, the problem is particularly pronounced in stores that handle food and daily necessities, such as supermarkets, food sections in department stores (such as the so-called basement food sections of department stores), drug stores, and cake shops, but the same applies to stores (including convenience stores) that handle stationery, magazines, miscellaneous goods, tobacco, flowers, etc.

[0052] In this example, food such as boxed lunches is used as an example. This is particularly effective for food that has a short expiration date and is prone to running out of stock, but it can also be applied to other non-food products such as drinking water, alcohol, ice cream, cakes, desserts, sweets, seasonings, magazines, and collaboration products.

[0053] The dashboards of the present application (Figures 1, 7, 8, 9, 11, 14, 15, 16, etc.) were created using Motion Board by Wingarc1st.

Claims

1. In a product inventory information providing system that provides users with inventory information of products sold at multiple stores, a store product inventory database that stores store information for each store (excluding station access information and route maps from stations), product information, and product inventory; The above store products a storage means for storing an inventory database; a server for providing inventory information of the products to users via a network; The server provides the user's mobile terminal with inventory information of products that meet the conditions specified by the user from the store product inventory database and store information of stores that have the products; The server retrieves store information from the store product inventory database about stores that have products that meet the conditions specified by the user, and displays the store information on a map (excluding route maps) displayed on the user's mobile device near the actual location of the store based on the store's address or latitude and longitude information; In the store product inventory database, each product is assigned a product category, The product that satisfies the conditions specified by the user is a product that includes a product name that belongs to the product genre specified by the user, The store information includes at least one of information related to the store name or store location information, The product inventory information providing system is a system in which the plurality of stores are determined based on location information of the user's mobile terminal (excluding location information of commuter routes, school routes, and other regular travel routes).

2. In a product inventory information providing system that provides users with inventory information of products sold at multiple stores, a store product inventory database that stores store information for each store (excluding station access information and route maps from stations), product information, and product inventory; a storage means for storing the store product inventory database; a server for providing inventory information of the products to users via a network; The server provides the user's mobile terminal with inventory information of products that meet the conditions specified by the user from the store product inventory database and store information of stores that have the products; The server retrieves store information from the store product inventory database about stores that have products that meet the conditions specified by the user, and displays the store information on a map (excluding route maps) displayed on the user's mobile device near the actual location of the store based on the store's address or latitude and longitude information; The product that satisfies the conditions specified by the user is a product that includes the product name specified by the user, The store information includes at least one of information related to the store name or store location information, The product inventory information providing system in which the plurality of stores are determined based on location information of the user's mobile terminal (excluding location information of commuter routes, school routes, and other regular travel routes).

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