Automatic price reduction system

Abstract

To reduce cost in a commodity automatic price reduction system.SOLUTION: An automatic price reduction system includes: a POS terminal that reads a barcode attached to a commodity; a processing device that sets a selling price of the commodity based on an expiration date or a best-by date of the commodity included in the barcode read by the POS terminal, a price reduction rule set in advance, and a current time; and a display device that displays a price reduction screen concerning price reduction of the commodity.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic price reduction system that automatically reduces the prices of products in stores and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in stores such as supermarkets, prices of products are reduced based on the time remaining until the expiration date or best-before date in order to reduce lost sales opportunities and product waste. In this case, as described in Patent Document 1, for example, a store clerk affixes a price reduction sticker to the product, and the information on the sticker is scanned at a cash register, allowing payment at the reduced price. Patent Document 2 also proposes a price change system that automatically reduces the price of products using electronic shelf labels. The electronic shelf labels are composed of liquid crystal displays or electronic paper, communicate with a POS system via a network, and the display content is changed by the POS system. The price change system in Patent Document 1 is configured to determine a discount rate for a product based on the product's inventory status and the current time, and automatically change the price on the electronic shelf label based on the determined discount rate. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-002102 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-158786 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when discounting products using price reduction labels as described in Patent Document 1, a store clerk must check the remaining time until the expiration date or best-before date for each product and affix a price reduction label to the product, which requires a lot of work by the store clerk and leads to increased costs such as labor costs.Furthermore, as described in Patent Document 2, when using electronic shelf labels, an electronic shelf label is required for each product, which means that in addition to the cost of the electronic shelf labels, costs such as for a system for communicating with each electronic shelf label are also required, resulting in significant costs.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to reduce costs in an automatic product price reduction system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The automatic price reduction system of the present invention comprises a POS terminal that reads the barcode attached to the product, a processing device that sets the selling price of the product based on the expiration date or best-before date of the product contained in the barcode read by the POS terminal, a preset price reduction rule, and the current time, and a display device that displays a price reduction screen regarding price reductions for the product. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the automatic price reduction system of the present invention, the selling price of a product is set based on the expiration date or best-before date of the product contained in the barcode, a preset price reduction rule, and the current time, and a price reduction screen regarding price reductions for the product is displayed, thereby making it possible to reduce costs. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automatic price reduction system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 4 is an example of a screen displayed on a display device of the automatic price reduction system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is a control block diagram of an automatic price reduction system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] 3 is an example of a label attached to a product in the automatic price reduction system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] 3 is an example of a barcode included in a label attached to a product in the automatic price reduction system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 3 is a diagram showing the flow of automatic price reduction processing in the automatic price reduction system according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 7] 3 is an example of a price reduction rule used in the automatic price reduction system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automatic price reduction system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a control block diagram of an automatic price reduction system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 10] 10 is an example of a screen displayed on a display unit of a selling price checking device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the flow of a selling price check process in the automatic price reduction system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automatic price reduction system according to a third embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a control block diagram of an automatic price reduction system according to a third embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the flow of a rule change process in the automatic price reduction system according to the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] An automatic price reduction system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, identical or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted or simplified as appropriate. Furthermore, the shape, size, and arrangement of the components shown in each drawing may be modified as appropriate within the scope of the present invention.

[0010] Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an automatic price reduction system 100 according to a first embodiment. The automatic price reduction system 100 of this embodiment is used in retail stores such as convenience stores or supermarkets, and is a system that automatically reduces the prices of products 60 in the store that are subject to automatic price reductions. As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic price reduction system 100 comprises a POS terminal 1, a processing device 2, and a display device 3. The POS terminal 1, the processing device 2, and the display device 3 are connected to each other via a network 200, such as a LAN or the Internet, so as to be able to communicate with each other via wired or wireless means.

[0011] The POS terminal 1 is a POS register that registers, checks out, and settles items purchased by a user. The POS terminal 1 may be operated by a store clerk or may be operated by a customer as a self-service register. The POS terminal 1 may be fixed to a checkout area or attached to a shopping cart. Furthermore, the POS terminal 1 may be a communication terminal such as a tablet or smartphone owned by a user that executes an application program with POS register functions.

[0012] The POS terminal 1 reads product information from the product barcode. The product information read by the POS terminal 1 is sent to the processing device 2, and the selling price information of the product is received from the processing device 2, and the accounting process is performed. Note that although only one POS terminal 1 is shown in FIG. 1, the automatic price reduction system 100 may include multiple POS terminals 1.

[0013] The processing device 2 is a POS server equipped with a processor such as a CPU and a memory. The processing device 2 sets the selling price of the product based on the product information received from the POS terminal 1, the expiration date or best-before date included in the barcode displayed on the product label, a preset price reduction rule, and the current time, and transmits the price information to the POS terminal 1.

[0014] The display device 3 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, and is installed on a shelf 50 on which products 60 that are subject to automatic price reductions are displayed. The display device 3 displays information about the price reduction of the products 60 during the price reduction time period for the products 60. The display device 3 also switches the screen it displays based on the control of the processing device 2.

[0015] FIG. 2 shows an example of a screen displayed on the display device 3 of the automatic price reduction system 100 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2(a) shows an example of an initial screen 31 displayed at times other than the price reduction time period for the product 60, and FIG. 2(b) shows an example of a price reduction screen 32 displayed during the price reduction time period for the product 60. The initial screen 31 is an arbitrary screen including an image that does not attract the user's attention, such as a store name. As shown in FIG. 2(b), the price reduction screen 32 includes information indicating the relationship between the expiration date of the product 60 and the price reduction rate. Furthermore, the text included in the price reduction screen 32 is sized and colored to attract the user's attention, and is decorated to emphasize that a price reduction is being made. The initial screen 31 and the price reduction screen 32 are switched depending on the time period.

[0016] 3 is a control block diagram of the automatic price reduction system 100 according to the embodiment 1. As shown in FIG.

[0017] The storage unit 21 is, for example, a volatile or non-volatile memory such as RAM, ROM, or flash memory. The storage unit 21 stores programs executed by the processing device 2, various parameters used in the programs, as well as product master data and price reduction rules related to products in the store. The timing unit 22 measures time and outputs time information to the control unit 23.

[0018] The control unit 23 has a selling price setting unit 231 and a display control unit 232. The selling price setting unit 231 and the display control unit 232 are functional units that are realized by the processor of the processing device 2 executing a program. Alternatively, at least one of the selling price setting unit 231 and the display control unit 232 may be realized by a processing circuit such as an ASIC or FPGA.

[0019] The selling price setting unit 231 sets the selling price of the product based on the product information received from the POS terminal 1, the time information received from the timing unit 22, and the price reduction rules stored in the memory unit 21, and transmits it to the POS terminal 1 as selling price information.

[0020] The display control unit 232 instructs the display device 3 to switch the screen to be displayed based on the time information received from the clock unit 22. Specifically, the display control unit 232 instructs the display device 3 to switch the screen to be displayed depending on whether the current time is within a price reduction time period for the product 60 that is the target of automatic price reduction.

[0021] Next, an automatic price reduction process according to the automatic price reduction system 100 of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 shows an example of a label 70 attached to a product 60 in the automatic price reduction system 100 according to the first embodiment. The product 60 subject to automatic price reduction is, for example, a prepared dish or other product with a short expiration date. The label 70 of the product 60 includes information such as the product name, price, a barcode 71 indicating the price, expiration date, manufacturer, nutritional information, and ingredient names. Furthermore, the label 70 of this embodiment includes an automatic price reduction display 72 indicating that the product 60 is subject to automatic price reduction. The inclusion of the automatic price reduction display 72 in the label 70 allows users to easily know whether the product 60 is subject to automatic price reduction. Note that the label 70 is not limited to being attached to the package of the product 60, but may also be printed on the package of the product 60.

[0022] Fig. 5 shows an example of a barcode 71 included in a label 70 attached to a product 60 in the automatic price reduction system 100 according to the first embodiment. The barcode 71 is a one-dimensional barcode, and as shown in Fig. 5, it contains 26 digits of information: a 13-digit JAN, a 6-digit expiration date and time, a 1-digit date and time flag, a 5-digit spare, and a 1-digit check digit (C / D). The JAN is identification information for the country, manufacturer, and product.

[0023] The expiration date and time consists of two digits for the month, day, and time (MMDDHH). In the example in Figure 5, the expiration date is 8:00 a.m. on October 2nd. The date and time flag indicates how much of the expiration date and time to read. If the date and time flag is "1", only the date (MMDD) is read, and not the time (HH), and if it is "0", it indicates that both the date and time (MMDDHH) are read. Whether the date and time flag is "1" or "0" is set for each store or each product category. For example, for fresh fish and meat, the date and time flag is set to "1" to manage only the date, and for prepared foods, the date and time flag is set to "0" to manage the time as well.

[0024] The five-digit spare code is usually a fixed value of "00000." The five-digit spare code is used when a conventional discount label is used in the event of a malfunction or other problem in the automatic price reduction system 100. Specifically, when a store clerk issues a discount label, the new price after the discount is entered in the five-digit spare code in the barcode of the discount label. If the new price in the scanned barcode 71 is "00000," the POS terminal 1 transmits the product information read from the barcode 71 to the processing device 2 and receives the price information. On the other hand, if the new price is not "00000," the POS terminal 1 reads the new price included in the barcode 71 (i.e., the price after the discount on the discount label) as the product price. The check digit is a calculated value used to check for misreading of the barcode. All information included in the barcode 71 is collectively referred to as "product information."

[0025] In the case of a barcode on a price reduction sticker, the date flag may be a number other than 0 or 1 (for example, 8 or 9). In this case, if the date flag in the read barcode 71 is 0 or 1, the POS terminal 1 may transmit the product information read from the barcode 71 to the processing device 2 to receive selling price information, and if the date flag is other than 0 or 1, it may read the new selling price included in the barcode 71 as the selling price of the product. Furthermore, in the case of a barcode on a price reduction sticker, the date flag may be a number between 4 and 9, and a price reduction rate may be set for each number.

[0026] 6 is a diagram showing the flow of automatic price reduction processing in the automatic price reduction system 100 according to the first embodiment. First, when the barcode 71 on the label 70 of the product 60 is read by the POS terminal 1, the product information contained in the barcode 71 is transmitted to the processing device 2 (S1). The selling price setting unit 231 of the processing device 2 reads the selling price of the product from the product master stored in the memory unit 21 based on the JAN included in the product information (S2). Then, the selling price setting unit 231 calculates the price reduction rate for the product 60 based on the expiration date and time included in the product information, time information indicating the current time, and the price reduction rule stored in the memory unit 21 (S3).

[0027] FIG. 7 shows an example of a price reduction rule used in the automatic price reduction system 100 according to the first embodiment. The price reduction rule is set in advance by a store manager or the like and stored in the storage unit 21. As shown in FIG. 7, the price reduction rule includes a use-by date and time, and a 20% price reduction start time and a 50% price reduction start time corresponding to each use-by date and time. Although only the time is shown in FIG. 7, the price reduction rule specifies that a 20% price reduction will start 11 hours before the use-by date and time, and a 50% price reduction will start 8 hours before the use-by date and time. Note that the percentage price reduction will be applied by how many hours before the use-by date and time is not limited to the example shown in FIG. 7 and can be changed as desired.

[0028] Based on the price reduction rule, the selling price setting unit 231 of the processing device 2 sets the price reduction rate to 0% if the current time is before the 20% price reduction start time corresponding to the expiration date and time. Also, the selling price setting unit 231 sets the price reduction rate to 20% if the current time is after the 20% price reduction start time corresponding to the expiration date and time but before the 50% price reduction time. Also, the selling price setting unit 231 sets the price reduction rate to 50% if the current time is after the 50% price reduction start time corresponding to the expiration date and time. For example, if the expiration date and time is 8:00 a.m. on October 2nd, the discount rate before 9:00 p.m. on October 1st is 0%, the discount rate from 9:00 p.m. to midnight is 20%, and the discount rate after midnight is 50%.

[0029] Returning to FIG. 6, the selling price setting unit 231 reduces the selling price of the product 60 read in step S2 according to the discount rate acquired in step S3, and transmits this as selling price information to the POS terminal 1 (S4). The selling price information includes, for example, the discounted selling price and the discount rate. Furthermore, if the expiration date and time of the product 60 has already passed, the selling price setting unit 231 instructs the POS terminal 1 to discard the product. The POS terminal 1 performs accounting processing based on the selling price information received from the processing device 2 (S5). This allows the accounting for the product 60 to be automatically performed at the discounted selling price.

[0030] Furthermore, the display device 3 displays the initial screen 31 during times other than the price reduction time period for the product 60 (S11). Then, the display control unit 232 of the processing device 2 determines whether the current time is within the price reduction time period for the product 60 (S12). The price reduction time period is the time period from the price reduction start time to the expiration date and time. Based on the product information of the product 60 received from the POS terminal 1 and the price reduction rules stored in the storage unit 21, the display control unit 232 acquires the price reduction start time and the expiration date and time for the product 60 and determines whether it is within the price reduction time period.

[0031] If the current time is not within a price reduction time period for the product 60 (S12: NO), the display device 3 continues to display the initial screen 31. On the other hand, if the current time is within a price reduction time period for the product 60 (S12: YES), the display control unit 232 instructs the display device 3 to switch the screen to the price reduction screen 32 (S13). Upon receiving the screen switching instruction from the display control unit 232, the display device 3 switches the screen and displays the price reduction screen 32 (S14).

[0032] Then, the display control unit 232 of the processing device 2 again determines whether the current time is within the price reduction time period for the product 60 (S15). If the current time is within the price reduction time period for the product 60 (S15: YES), the display device 3 continues to display the price reduction screen 32. On the other hand, if the current time is not within the price reduction time period for the product 60 (S15: NO), the display control unit 232 instructs the display device 3 to switch the screen to the initial screen 31 (S16). Upon receiving the screen switching instruction from the display control unit 232, the display device 3 switches the screen to display the initial screen 31 (S17). This allows the user to know that the price reduction time period for the product 60 is in progress and the price reduction rate for the product 60. Furthermore, by displaying the price reduction screen 32 on the display device 3 only during the price reduction time period for the product 60, it is possible to prevent the user from misunderstanding that a price reduction has occurred when a price reduction has not actually occurred.

[0033] As described above, the automatic price reduction system 100 of this embodiment includes expiration date and time information in the barcode 71 of the product 60 subject to automatic price reduction, and determines the price reduction rate based on the expiration date and time and the price reduction rules, thereby automatically reducing the price of the product 60. Furthermore, by providing a display device 3 that displays information about price reductions near the product 60, users can easily understand whether the product 60 has been automatically reduced in price and the reduction rate. This allows automatic price reductions to be achieved without using electronic shelf labels, and also reduces the amount of work required by store clerks, such as affixing price reduction labels. As a result, the cost of the automatic price reduction system 100 can be reduced.

[0034] Embodiment 2 Fig. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automatic price reduction system 100A according to embodiment 2. As shown in Fig. 8, the automatic price reduction system 100A according to embodiment 2 includes a selling price checking device 4 in addition to a POS terminal 1, a processing device 2A, and a display device 3. The selling price checking device 4 is connected to the processing device 2A via a network 200 such as a LAN or the Internet in a wired or wireless manner so as to be able to communicate with the processing device 2A.

[0035] The selling price checking device 4 is a device that allows a user to check the selling price of a product themselves. As shown in FIG. 8, the selling price checking device 4 includes a display unit 41 and a reading unit 42. The display unit 41 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, and displays the selling price of the product 60. The reading unit 42 irradiates the product with a laser scanning line and reads a barcode 71 included in a label 70 of the product 60. The product information read by the reading unit 42 is sent to the processing device 2A.

[0036] 9 is a control block diagram of an automatic price reduction system 100A according to the second embodiment. The configurations of the POS terminal 1 and the display device 3 according to the second embodiment are the same as those according to the first embodiment. The selling price setting unit 231 of the processing device 2A according to the second embodiment sets the selling price of the product based on the product information received from the selling price checking device 4, the time information received from the timing unit 22, and the price reduction rules stored in the memory unit 21, and transmits the set price information to the display control unit 232. The display control unit 232 of the processing device 2A also generates a screen to be displayed on the display unit 41 of the selling price checking device 4 based on the selling price information received from the selling price setting unit 231, and transmits the set price information to the selling price checking device 4.

[0037] FIG. 10 shows an example of a screen displayed on the display unit 41 of the selling price check device 4 according to the second embodiment. FIG. 10(a) shows an example of a guide screen 411 displayed when the selling price check process is not being performed, and FIGS. 10(b) and 10(c) show examples of a price screen 412 displayed during the selling price check process. As shown in FIG. 10(a), the guide screen 411 includes a message informing the user that a price check is available and an explanation of how to use the selling price check device 4. FIG. 10(b) shows the price screen 412 displayed when the product 60 has not been automatically discounted, and includes the product name and price of the product 60. FIG. 10(c) shows the price screen 412 displayed when the product 60 has been automatically discounted, and includes the product name, price before the discount, and price after the discount.

[0038] The automatic price reduction process in this embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the flow of the selling price check process in the automatic price reduction system 100A according to the second embodiment. First, a guide screen 411 is displayed on the display unit 41 of the selling price checking device 4 (S21). Then, when the user reads the barcode 71 included in the label 70 of the product 60 with the reading unit 42 of the selling price checking device 4, the product information included in the barcode 71 is transmitted to the processing device 2A (S22). The selling price setting unit 231 of the processing device 2A reads the selling price of the product from the product master stored in the memory unit 21 based on the JAN included in the product information (S23). Then, the selling price setting unit 231 calculates the price reduction rate for the product 60 based on the expiration date and time included in the product information, time information indicating the current time, and the price reduction rule stored in the memory unit 21 (S24). The method of calculating the price reduction rate is the same as that in the first embodiment. The selling price setting unit 231 obtains selling price information in which the selling price of the product has been reduced according to the discount rate, and transmits the same to the display control unit 232.

[0039] The display control unit 232 generates a selling price screen 412 based on the selling price information received from the selling price setting unit 231 (S25). Then, the display control unit 232 instructs the display unit 41 of the selling price checking device 4 to display the selling price screen 412 and transmits image data of the generated selling price screen 412 to the selling price checking device 4 (S26). The display unit 41 of the selling price checking device 4 displays the selling price screen 412 based on the image data received from the processing device 2 (S27). Here, if the product 60 has not been discounted, the selling price screen 412 shown in FIG. 10(b) is displayed, and if the product 60 has been discounted, the selling price screen 412 shown in FIG. 10(c) is displayed. This allows the user to know whether the product has currently been discounted. The selling price screen 412 is switched to the information screen 411 after a predetermined time (e.g., 5 seconds) has elapsed since it was displayed.

[0040] As described above, the automatic price reduction system 100A of this embodiment allows the user to check the price of the product 60 using the price check device 4. This allows the user to clearly know whether the product 60 is currently subject to a price reduction, even if there is no price reduction sticker attached to the product 60. As a result, troubles arising from the presence or absence of a price reduction at the time of payment can be avoided, and the amount of work required can be further reduced.

[0041] Embodiment 3 Fig. 12 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automatic price reduction system 100B according to embodiment 3. As shown in Fig. 12, the automatic price reduction system 100B according to embodiment 3 includes a photographing device 5 in addition to a POS terminal 1, a processing device 2B, and a display device 3. The photographing device 5 is connected to the processing device 2B via a network 200 such as a LAN or the Internet so as to be able to communicate with the processing device 2B via a wired or wireless connection.

[0042] The image capturing device 5 is a camera installed on the ceiling or wall of the store and captures images of the products 60 displayed on the shelves 50. The image capturing device 5 may capture two-dimensional images or three-dimensional images. The image capturing device 5 captures images of the products 60 displayed on the shelves 50 at preset time intervals and transmits the images to the processing device 2B.

[0043] FIG. 13 is a control block diagram of an automatic price reduction system 100B according to a third embodiment. The configurations of the POS terminal 1 and the display device 3 of this embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment. The processing device 2B of this embodiment changes the price reduction rules stored in the memory unit 21 based on the inventory status of the product 60 and time information. As shown in FIG. 13, the processing device 2B includes the same selling price setting unit 231 and display control unit 232 as those of the first embodiment, as well as an image acquisition unit 233, an inventory detection unit 234, and a rule change unit 235. The image acquisition unit 233, the inventory detection unit 234, and the rule change unit 235 are functional units realized by a processor executing a program. Alternatively, the image acquisition unit 233, the inventory detection unit 234, and the rule change unit 235 may be realized by a processing circuit such as an ASIC or FPGA.

[0044] The image acquisition unit 233 periodically instructs the photographing device 5 to acquire images, and acquires images of the products 60 photographed by the photographing device 5. The image acquisition unit 233 transmits the acquired images to the stock detection unit 234.

[0045] The inventory detection unit 234 detects the inventory status of the products 60 displayed on the shelves 50 based on the acquired images of the products 60. Specifically, the inventory detection unit 234 analyzes the acquired images and detects the number of products 60 (inventory quantity) on the shelves 50. The image analysis is performed using known methods such as object detection technology and object recognition technology using deep learning. The inventory detection unit 234 calculates, for example, the fulfillment rate as inventory information for the products 60. The fulfillment rate is the ratio of the current inventory quantity to the initial number of products 60 initially displayed on the shelves 50. The initial number may be input in advance by the store manager into the processing device 2 and stored in the memory unit 21, or may be calculated based on images captured by the imaging device 5. The inventory detection unit 234 transmits the calculated fulfillment rate to the rule change unit 235.

[0046] The rule change unit 235 changes the price reduction rules stored in the memory unit 21 based on the fulfillment rate of the product 60 and the time information received from the timer unit 22. As an example, if the fulfillment rate is 70% or higher at the start time of the 20% price reduction, the rule change unit 235 advances the start time of the 50% price reduction by one hour. Alternatively, if the fulfillment rate is less than 20% at the start time of the 20% price reduction, the rule change unit 235 delays the start time of the 50% price reduction by one hour. In other words, the rule change unit 235 dynamically determines the start time of the price reduction rule according to the fulfillment rate of the product 60. The rule change unit 235 advances the start time of the price reduction if the actual fulfillment rate is higher than the reference fulfillment rate, and delays the start time of the price reduction if the actual fulfillment rate is lower than the reference fulfillment rate. The reference fulfillment rate is set in advance for each start time and stored in the memory unit 21.

[0047] 14 is a diagram showing the flow of rule change processing in the automatic price reduction system 100B according to embodiment 3. First, the photographing device 5 photographs the products 60 displayed on the shelves 50 (S31), and the photographed image is transmitted to the processing device 2 (S32). The image from the photographing device 5 is acquired by the image acquisition unit 233 of the processing device 2 and transmitted to the inventory detection unit 234.

[0048] The inventory detection unit 234 analyzes the received image and detects the number of products 60 in stock on the shelf 50 (S33). The inventory detection unit 234 calculates the fulfillment rate of the products 60 from the detected number of products 60 in stock and the initial number of products 60 (S34).

[0049] Next, the rule change unit 235 changes the price reduction rules stored in the storage unit 21 based on the current time and the fill rate detected by the inventory detection unit 234 (S35). In the automatic price reduction system 100B of this embodiment, the processing of steps S31 to S35 is periodically repeated, and the price reduction rules are changed according to the inventory status of the products 60 on the shelves 50. In this embodiment, the automatic price reduction process is carried out using the changed price reduction rules in the same way as in the first embodiment. Then, if the expiration date and time of the products 60 has passed (S36: YES), the rule change unit 235 initializes the price reduction rules (S37). Here, the price reduction rules are restored to the ones before the change.

[0050] As described above, the automatic price reduction system 100B of this embodiment changes the price reduction rules using the inventory status of the product 60, thereby making it possible to appropriately reduce the price according to the inventory status of the product 60. This makes it possible to reduce the loss of sales opportunities and the waste of the product 60.

[0051] In the above embodiment, the processing device 2B is configured to detect the inventory status of the products 60 based on images captured by the image capturing device 5, but this is not limited to this. For example, instead of or in addition to the image capturing device 5, the shelf 50 may be provided with a weight sensor that detects the weight of the products 60, or an optical sensor, pressure sensor, electrostatic sensor, ultrasonic sensor, or distance sensor that detects the presence or absence of the products 60. In this case, the inventory detection unit 234 analyzes the detection results of these sensors to detect the inventory status of the products 60.

[0052] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the price reduction rule is changed according to the fulfillment rate of the product 60. However, the rule change unit 235 may change the price reduction rule based on other information. For example, the rule change unit 235 may change the price reduction rule according to the season, day of the week, weather, sales of the product 60, the number of customers, or the like. For example, the rule change unit 235 may delay the start time of the price reduction for seasonal products and advance the start time of the price reduction on days with bad weather or few customers. Alternatively, the rule change unit 235 may change the price reduction rule using a machine learning model. In this case, the rule change unit 235 may input product names, inventory quantities or fulfillment rates, sales numbers per time period, days of the week, seasons, or weather as input information to a trained model trained to minimize product waste, and obtain the start time of the price reduction as an output.

[0053] The above is a description of the embodiment, but the above embodiments can be modified and combined. For example, in the above embodiment, the automatic price reduction system 100 is configured to include one display device 3, but it may also include multiple display devices 3. The display devices 3 are preferably provided for each group of multiple products 60 that are subject to automatic price reduction and whose expiration dates are approaching. In this case, the processing device 2 stores in advance the relationship between the display devices 3 and the corresponding products 60, and switches the display on the display device 3 depending on the price reduction time period for the corresponding products.

[0054] Furthermore, the barcode 71 attached to the label 70 of the product 60 is not limited to a one-dimensional barcode, but may be a two-dimensional barcode such as a QR code (registered trademark) or a three-dimensional barcode. In this case, the barcode 71 may include information such as the content volume, place of origin, advertisements, and calories in addition to the expiration date and time. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the barcode 71 includes the expiration date of the product, but the barcode 71 may include the best-before date of the product instead of the expiration date. In this case, the selling price of the product is set based on the best-before date of the product included in the barcode 71, a preset price reduction rule, and the current time. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 1 POS terminal, 2, 2A, 2B processing device, 3 display device, 4 selling price check device, 5 photographing device, 21 memory unit, 22 timing unit, 23 control unit, 31 initial screen, 32 price reduction screen, 41 display unit, 42 reading unit, 50 shelf, 60 product, 70 label, 71 barcode, 72 automatic price reduction display, 100, 100A, 100B automatic price reduction system, 200 network, 231 selling price setting unit, 232 display control unit, 233 image acquisition unit, 234 inventory detection unit, 235 rule change unit, 411 guidance screen, 412 selling price screen.

Claims

1. a POS terminal that reads the barcode attached to the product; a processing device that sets the selling price of the product based on the expiration date or best-before date of the product included in the barcode read by the POS terminal, a preset price reduction rule, and the current time; and a display device that displays a price reduction screen regarding the price reduction of the product.

2. The display device includes: It is installed on a shelf where the product is displayed, 2. The automatic price reduction system according to claim 1, wherein the price reduction screen is displayed only during a price reduction time period for the product.

3. 3. The automatic price reduction system according to claim 1, further comprising a price check device for allowing a user to check the selling price of the product.

4. The selling price checking device a reading unit that reads the barcode of the product; 4. The automatic price reduction system according to claim 3, further comprising a display unit that displays the selling price of the product.

5. The display unit a message informing the user that the selling price can be checked and a guide screen including a method for checking the selling price; and a selling price screen including the product name and the selling price of the product read by the reading unit.

6. 3. The automatic price reduction system according to claim 1, wherein the processing device changes the price reduction rule depending on the inventory status of the product, the season, the day of the week, the weather, sales of the product, or the number of customers visiting the store.

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