Information processor

Abstract

To provide a device capable of appropriately determining the arrangement of products.SOLUTION: An information processor determines the display quantity of products on the basis of information on sales volume of the products in a first store, and generates shelf allocation information of the first store in which the products in the determined display quantity are arranged.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing device. [Background technology]

[0002] In a store that sells products, products are displayed on shelves installed in the store based on shelf allocation information that indicates the arrangement of products on the shelves. Information processing devices are used to efficiently create shelf allocation information. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for creating shelf allocation map data corresponding to product information and / or shelf information based on the tendency of the arrangement relationship of multiple types of products shown in multiple shelf allocation map data. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-121904 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a device that can appropriately determine the placement of products. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] An information processing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes at least one memory and at least one processor, and the at least one processor determines the display quantity of a product based at least on information regarding the sales volume of the product in a first store, and generates shelf allocation information for the first store in which the display quantity of the product is arranged. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the shelf allocation determination device. [Figure 2]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of sales information. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a product shelf. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of constraint information. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of product information. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of shelf allocation information. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a shelf allocation determination method. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a computer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functional configurations are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0008] [Embodiment] One embodiment of the present disclosure is a shelf allocation determination device that determines shelf allocation for a store such as a retail store. A shelf allocation is a layout plan for products to be displayed on product shelves. The shelf allocation determination device in this embodiment has a function of generating shelf allocation information that indicates the layout of products on product shelves.

[0009] A wide variety of products are sold in retail stores. Because the number of products available for sale in retail stores is enormous, products displayed on shelves are continually replaced depending on sales. The selection of products to display on shelves is carried out as part of merchandising (MD). Merchandising is a series of activities or strategies aimed at promoting product sales. Merchandising includes, for example, product selection, pricing, display design, and promotion planning.

[0010] The shelf allocation information is often determined by a person in charge of merchandising (hereinafter referred to as "merchandising staff"). For example, in a retail chain that operates multiple retail stores, a merchandising staff member at headquarters may create the shelf allocation information and instruct the sales floor staff at each store to rearrange the shelves. In this case, the shelf allocation information determined by the merchandising staff may differ from the actual product layout in the store. For example, because the specifications, number, and layout of product shelves vary from store to store, the shelf allocation information created by the merchandising staff may not be reproduced in the store. Furthermore, because the sales trends of each product vary from store to store, the shelf allocation information created by the merchandising staff may not take into account the best-selling products in each store. In such cases, the sales floor staff may decide to display products in a layout that differs from the shelf allocation information created by the merchandising staff.

[0011] In this embodiment, shelf allocation information indicating the arrangement of products on the shelves of a store is generated based on information unique to the store and criteria (predetermined criteria) set by a merchandising manager to select one or more products from multiple products to be placed (displayed) on the shelves of the store. In this embodiment, as an example, shelf allocation information indicating the arrangement of products on the shelves is generated based on sales information and priority of each product for each product. In one aspect, this embodiment can provide a device that can appropriately determine the arrangement of products. In another aspect, this embodiment can realize the arrangement of products in accordance with sales policies while ensuring sufficient display space for products that sell well.

[0012] <Functional configuration of shelf allocation determination device> A functional configuration of a shelf allocation determination device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the shelf allocation determination device.

[0013] The shelf allocation determination device 10 is an example of an information processing device that creates shelf allocation information, such as a personal computer, a workstation, a server, etc. The shelf allocation determination device 10 receives product information about products as input and outputs shelf allocation information that indicates the arrangement of the products on the product shelves.

[0014] The shelf allocation determination device 10 may be realized as a system including a plurality of computers, or may be realized as a cloud computing service. The shelf allocation determination device 10 may be connected to a terminal device so as to be able to communicate data with the terminal device via a communication network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet. The shelf allocation determination device 10 may receive input data from the terminal device and transmit output data to the terminal device.

[0015] The terminal devices may include a store terminal operated by a salesperson in the store and a headquarters terminal operated by a merchandise manager. The store terminal may be, for example, an information processing device such as a personal computer installed in the store, or a mobile information terminal such as a smartphone or tablet terminal carried by the salesperson. The headquarters terminal may be, for example, an information processing device such as a personal computer installed in the headquarters office, or a mobile information terminal such as a smartphone or tablet terminal carried by the merchandise manager.

[0016] 1, the shelf allocation determination device 10 includes a sales information storage unit 101, a shelf information storage unit 102, a constraint information storage unit 103, a product information acquisition unit 104, a display quantity determination unit 105, an arrangement determination unit 106, and a shelf allocation information output unit 107. The shelf allocation determination device 10 functions as the sales information storage unit 101, the shelf information storage unit 102, the constraint information storage unit 103, the product information acquisition unit 104, the display quantity determination unit 105, the arrangement determination unit 106, and the shelf allocation information output unit 107 by executing a shelf allocation determination program that is pre-installed.

[0017] Sales information is pre-stored in the sales information storage unit 101. The sales information includes information regarding the sales volume of products at a store. The sales information is an example of store-specific information that may differ depending on the store where the product is displayed. The sales information for a first store may differ from the sales information for a second store. The information regarding sales volume may include, for example, the number of products sold or the sales amount for each product. The number of products sold or the sales amount may be a value for a predetermined time unit. For example, the number of products sold or the sales amount may be the number of products sold or the sales amount per business day. The number of products sold or the sales amount may be a statistic of the number of products sold or the sales amount for a time interval including multiple time units. For example, the time interval may be one week, one month, one year, etc. The statistic may be, for example, an average, a median, a maximum value, etc. In other words, the information regarding sales volume at the first store is information regarding the sales volume per hour at the first store.

[0018] For example, the sales information may be acquired by the shelf allocation determination device 10 from an external information processing device or information processing system, such as a POS (Point of Sales) system installed in the store, and stored in the sales information storage unit 101. Note that "external" means a device or system different from the shelf allocation determination device 10.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of sales information. As shown in FIG. 2, the sales information may have, as data items, a category, a product name, and a sales quantity. The category is an example of information indicating a product classification. The product name is an example of information indicating a product name. The product name may include identification information that identifies the product. The identification information may be, for example, a JAN (Japanese Article Number) code. The sales quantity is an example of information indicating the sales volume of a product. The sales quantity may be, for example, the average number of products sold per business day.

[0020] Shelf information is stored in advance in the shelf information storage unit 102. The shelf information is information about product shelves installed in a store. The shelf information is an example of store-specific information that may differ depending on the store where the products are displayed. As an example, the shelf information may include the width, height, depth, number of shelves, height of each shelf, etc. of the product shelf.

[0021] The shelf information may further include information indicating the category of products displayed on the shelf. The category information may be information indicating the category of products displayed on the entire shelf, or may be information indicating the category of products displayed on one or more shelves.

[0022] As one example, the shelf information may be input to the shelf allocation determination device 10 via a screen for inputting shelf information, and stored in the shelf information storage unit 102. As one example, the screen for inputting shelf information may be displayed on a store terminal and operated by a salesperson at the store.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a product shelf. FIG. 3(A) is a front view illustrating an example of a product shelf, and FIG. 3(B) is a bottom view illustrating an example of a product shelf. As shown in FIG. 3, a store may have multiple product shelves G1 and G2. Each product shelf may have multiple shelf levels Z1 to Z5. FIG. 3 shows five product shelves G1 and G2 as an example, but the number of shelf levels may be arbitrary and may vary from one product shelf to another. The shelf information may include the widths W1 and W2 and depths D1 and D2 of each product shelf G1 and G2, and the heights H1 to H5 of each shelf level Z1 to Z5. FIG. 3 shows an example in which the widths W1 and W2 of the product shelves G1 and G2 are different, but the widths of each product shelf may be the same. FIG. 3 shows an example in which the heights H1 to H5 of the shelf levels Z1 to Z5 are the same, but the heights of each shelf level may be different. 3 shows an example in which the depths D1 and D2 of the product shelves G1 and G2 are different, but the width of each product shelf may be the same. In FIG. 3, an example in which the depths D1 and D2 are common to each shelf level Z1 to Z5 is shown, but the depths may differ depending on the shelf level.

[0024] The shelf information may include information indicating the category of products displayed on each of the product shelves G1 and G2. The shelf information may include information indicating the category of products displayed on shelf levels Z1 to Z5 for each of the product shelves G1 and G2. The information indicating the category may indicate the category for each product shelf, may indicate the category for each shelf level, or may indicate categories collectively for multiple product shelves or multiple shelf levels. As an example, products belonging to a first category may be displayed on the product shelf G1, products belonging to a second category may be displayed on shelf levels Z1-2 to Z2-2 of the product shelf G2, and products belonging to a third category may be displayed on shelf levels Z3-2 to Z5-2 of the product shelf G2.

[0025] Constraint information is pre-stored in the constraint information storage unit 103. The constraint information is information indicating constraints on product placement. The constraint information may include constraints on groups (hereinafter also referred to as "group constraints") and constraints on heights (hereinafter also referred to as "height constraints").

[0026] A group constraint is a constraint that requires multiple products belonging to the same group to be arranged in proximity. Arranging products in proximity may, for example, include displaying a first product and a second product on the same shelf when the first product and the second product belong to the same group. Arranging products in proximity may, for example, include displaying a first product on a shelf level adjacent to a second product on a shelf level adjacent to a first product in the vertical direction.

[0027] A group constraint may include multiple constraints with different priorities. Each of the multiple constraints may be distinguished by an ordinal number, such as a first constraint, a second constraint, etc. A group constraint may include, for example, a hard constraint and a soft constraint. A hard constraint is a constraint that must be observed. A soft constraint is a constraint that does not necessarily have to be observed, but should be observed as much as possible. In other words, multiple products belonging to a group indicated by a hard constraint must be placed in close proximity. Also, multiple products belonging to a group indicated by a soft constraint do not necessarily have to be placed in close proximity, as long as they are placed as close as possible. A group constraint may include three or more constraints with different priorities.

[0028] For example, groups may be set based on the type of product, size of the product (including height, width, depth, or weight), shape of the product (including shape of the container or packaging), manufacturer, seller, brand (including whether it is a private brand (PB) or national brand (NB)), etc. Displaying products in groups makes it easier for customers to find the products they want. It also gives customers a sense of unity on the shelves, which helps improve the atmosphere of the store.

[0029] A height constraint is a constraint that, when a first product and a second product are displayed on the same product shelf, the first product and the second product are placed at different heights. This constraint may constrain the first product to be located lower or higher than the second product. The method of describing the constraint is not limited, and the first product may be a specific product or multiple specific products, and the second product may be a specific product or multiple specific products, an unspecified multiple products, or all other products belonging to the same group as the first product. Placing products at different heights may, for example, include a first shelf where the first product is displayed being located lower or higher than a second shelf where the second product is displayed. The first product or the second product may be specified as a group.

[0030] The height at which a product is displayed can affect its sales. For example, when a product is displayed on a low shelf, it is easier for customers in the store to see the product. Because customers are more likely to pick up products that are easier to see, products displayed on low shelves tend to sell more. Therefore, it may be desirable to display products for which sales promotion is desired at a lower position than other products. Also, for example, when large and heavy products are displayed on high shelves, it becomes more difficult for store customers to pick up the products. Therefore, in order to avoid impairing the customer's purchasing experience, it may be desirable to display large and heavy products at a lower position than other products. By setting a height constraint, it is possible to realize an arrangement in which products for which sales promotion is desired are more easily noticed by customers.

[0031] As one example, the constraint information may be input to the shelf allocation determination device 10 via a screen for inputting constraint information, and may be stored in the constraint information storage unit 103. As one example, the screen for inputting constraint information may be displayed on a headquarters terminal and operated by a merchandising manager.

[0032] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of constraint information. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the constraint information may include, for example, a hard constraint, a soft constraint, and a height constraint. The hard constraint and the soft constraint are examples of group constraints. For example, the group constraint may represent a hierarchical group. FIG. 4 illustrates a hierarchical group that is divided into a small group including multiple products and a large group including multiple small groups.

[0033] Groups indicated by hard constraints must be placed near each other when multiple products belonging to the same group are displayed. On the other hand, groups indicated by soft constraints must be placed as near each other as possible when multiple products belonging to the same group are displayed, but they do not necessarily have to be placed near each other. As an example, the hard constraint group "1L Drinking Water" includes "Mineral Water A" and "Mineral Water B." In this case, "Mineral Water A" must be placed near "Mineral Water B" as long as "Mineral Water B" is displayed. On the other hand, the soft constraint group "Private Brand Products" includes "Mineral Water A," "Mineral Water C," and "Carbonated Water A." In this case, "Mineral Water A" will be placed near "Mineral Water C" or "Carbonated Water A" if there is available space nearby, but it does not have to be placed near them if there is no available space nearby.

[0034] A height constraint indicates the relative height relationship between a product or group and other products or groups. For example, "1L drinking water < all drinking water" is a constraint that requires products in the "1L drinking water" category to be placed on a lower shelf than other products. Note that a height constraint may indicate the relative height relationship on the same product shelf, or may indicate the relative height relationship across an entire sales floor that includes multiple product shelves.

[0035] The product information acquisition unit 104 acquires product information. For example, the product information acquisition unit 104 may acquire product information input to the shelf allocation determination device 10 via a screen for inputting product information. For example, the screen for inputting product information may be displayed on a headquarters terminal and operated by a merchandising manager.

[0036] Product information is information about products to be displayed on the shelves indicated in the shelf information. The product information may include multiple products and the size and priority of each product. The product information may further include information indicating the category of each product. Priority is an index indicating the degree to which the product is to be preferentially displayed on the shelves. Priority may be the priority of each product within multiple categories, or the priority of each product within a single category. As an example, priority may be a priority order assigned based on the index level, or may be a class that classifies the index level in stages. In this embodiment, an example is described in which priority is the priority. As an example, priority may be assigned by a merchandise manager. The merchandise manager may directly assign a priority to each product, or may indirectly assign a priority previously assigned to each product by reusing a previously assigned priority. The method of assigning priority is not limited to a specific method. Priority is an example of a criterion (predetermined criterion) for selecting one or more products to be displayed on the shelves from multiple products, and is an example of information indicating a sales policy decided by the merchandise manager.

[0037] Since there is a physical limit to the number of products that can be displayed on a shelf, it may not be possible to display all of the products shown in the product information. In this case, by allocating display space to each product in descending order of priority, product placement can be determined so that high-priority products are added to the lineup and low-priority products are removed from the lineup.

[0038] The product information may include a display inventory standard. The display inventory standard is a standard for determining how much display space should be allocated for a product, i.e., a standard for the size of the display space for one product or a standard for the display quantity of one product. For example, the display inventory standard is a standard for the length of time until all displayed products are sold out or until the number of displayed products reaches a minimum display quantity. In other words, the display inventory standard is information indicating the length of time it should take for the maximum number of products that can be displayed in the allocated display space to be sold without replenishment or until the minimum display quantity is reached. The display inventory standard is an example of store-specific information that may differ for each store where the product is displayed. For example, the display inventory standard may be set for the entire store, for each product, or for each product category. Note that the display inventory standard for a product is also information regarding the sales of the product and may be included in the sales information for the product.

[0039] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of product information. As shown in FIG. 5, the product information may include data items such as category, product name, priority, and shelf life criterion. The category and product name are similar to the categories and products included in the sales information. The priority is an example of priority. A lower priority value may indicate a higher priority. The shelf life criterion is an example of a shelf life criterion. The shelf life criterion indicates the number of days until a displayed product is sold out, i.e., the number of days it should take for the product to be sold out. Conversely, the shelf life criterion is a criterion for determining the amount of product to be displayed so that it will not run out of stock without needing to be replenished for that number of days. The shelf life criterion may be defined for each product, each category, or the entire store. If defined for each category or the entire store, the shelf life criterion need not be included in the product information.

[0040] The display quantity determination unit 105 determines the display quantity of each product included in the product information acquired by the product information acquisition unit 104. The display quantity may be measured, for example, in terms of the number of faces on a product shelf or the number of products. The display quantity may be measured, for example, in terms of the amount of products displayed, such as the area or volume occupied by the products on a product shelf. The number of faces is a unit indicating the size of the product display space, and is the number of products lined up in the front row when the product shelf is viewed from the front.

[0041] The display quantity determination unit 105 may determine the display quantity of each product based at least on the sales information read from the sales information storage unit 101. The display quantity determination unit 105 may determine the display quantity of each product based at least on the sales information and a display inventory standard. The display quantity determination unit 105 may determine the display quantity of each product based on the display inventory standard included in the product information so that the period until each product is sold out is equal to or longer than a predetermined period of time. As an example, the display quantity determination unit 105 may determine the display quantity of each product so that, when the products are sold at the sales volume indicated in the sales information, the period during which all the products are sold without replenishment is equal to or longer than the period indicated in the display inventory standard.

[0042] Specifically, the display quantity determination unit 105 determines a display quantity equal to or greater than the sales volume per time unit indicated in the sales information multiplied by the time length indicated in the display inventory standard. As an example, if an item with an inventory days standard of 3 days sells an average of 10 units per day, the display quantity should be set to 30 units or more. When determining the display quantity in units of faces, the calculated number can be converted to the number of faces by dividing the calculated number by the number of items that can be displayed in one face and rounding up the decimal point. The number that can be displayed in one face can be calculated based on the size (depth) of the items to be displayed and the depth of the shelf on which the items are displayed.

[0043] The placement determination unit 106 determines the placement of products on the product shelf indicated in the shelf information. The placement determination unit 106 may determine the placement of each product based on the size of each product included in the product information acquired by the product information acquisition unit 104, the priority of each product included in the product information acquired by the product information acquisition unit 104, the display quantity of each product determined by the display quantity determination unit 105, and the shelf information stored in the shelf information storage unit 102. The placement determination unit 106 may place products on the product shelf in the determined display quantity in descending order of the acquired priority, and may terminate the product placement when the product cannot be placed on the product shelf. For example, the inability to place products on the product shelf refers to a case where, when the product with the next highest priority is to be displayed on the product shelf in the determined display quantity, the capacity of the product shelf indicated by the shelf information is exceeded.

[0044] The placement determination unit 106 may determine the placement of products based on the size of each product, the priority of each product, the display quantity of each product, and shelf information, as well as the constraint information read from the constraint information storage unit 103. In other words, the placement determination unit 106 may determine the placement of products so as to satisfy the constraints indicated in the constraint information. The placement determination unit 106 may determine the placement of products so as to satisfy either the group constraint or the height constraint. The placement determination unit 106 may determine the placement of products so as to satisfy both the group constraint and the height constraint.

[0045] The shelf allocation information output unit 107 outputs shelf allocation information indicating the product arrangement determined by the arrangement determination unit 106. The shelf allocation information may include, for example, identification information for identifying the product, the number of product faces, and display position. For example, the identification information may be the product name, product number, or a combination of the manufacturer name and product name. For example, the display position may include a shelf number and a row number. The shelf number may be a number that identifies each shelf on a product shelf. The row number may be a number assigned to each type of product displayed on each shelf.

[0046] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of shelf allocation information. As shown in FIG. 6, the shelf allocation information indicates the arrangement of products on a product shelf. The shelf allocation information indicates the products to be displayed on each shelf level and the row of those products. The row is information indicating the position within the shelf level. As an example, the rows may be in left-right order. As an example, for shelf level Z2 shown in FIG. 6, the row number for "mineral water A" may be 1 and the row number for "mineral water C" may be 2.

[0047] In the shelf allocation information shown in Figure 6, products with priorities 1 to 10 are arranged (see Figure 5). Therefore, products with priorities 11 or lower are not arranged. As a result, products with higher priorities as indicated in the sales policy are more likely to be displayed on the shelves, and products with lower priorities will not be displayed on the shelves if there is no available space.

[0048] The shelf plan information shown in Figure 6 shows that products belonging to the group indicated by the hard constraints are placed close to each other. As an example, "Mineral Water A" and "Mineral Water B" belonging to "1L Drinking Water" are placed in positions adjacent to each other vertically. The shelf plan information shown in Figure 6 also shows that products belonging to the group indicated by the soft constraints are placed close to each other. As an example, "Mineral Water A" and "Carbonated Water A" belonging to "Private Brand Products" are placed in positions adjacent to each other vertically.

[0049] The shelf allocation information shown in Figure 6 shows that products are arranged to satisfy the height constraints. As an example, "Mineral Water A" and "Mineral Water B" belonging to the "1L Drinking Water" category are arranged on shelves lower than the other drinking waters.

[0050] <Flow of shelf allocation determination method> A shelf allocation determination method executed by the shelf allocation determination device 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the shelf allocation determination method.

[0051] In step S1, the product information acquisition unit 104 of the shelf allocation determination device 10 accepts product information input by the merchandiser. Next, the product information acquisition unit 104 acquires the accepted product information. The product information acquisition unit 104 sends the product information to the display quantity determination unit 105 and the placement determination unit 106.

[0052] In step S2, the placement determination unit 106 of the shelf allocation determination device 10 receives product information from the product information acquisition unit 104. Next, the placement determination unit 106 reads shelf information related to the product shelves on which the products indicated in the product information are displayed from the shelf information storage unit 102. Subsequently, the placement determination unit 106 reads constraint information related to the products indicated in the product information from the constraint information storage unit 103.

[0053] In step S3, the product information acquisition unit 104 of the shelf allocation determination device 10 determines the number of displayed products. The number of displayed products is the number of types of products displayed on the product shelf. When executing step S3 for the first time, the product information acquisition unit 104 may determine the number of types of products included in the product information acquired in step S1 as the number of displayed products. The product information acquisition unit 104 may read a predetermined initial value for the number of displayed products from a storage unit such as a memory.

[0054] Next, the product information acquisition unit 104 sorts the product information acquired in step S1 in descending order of priority. Subsequently, the product information acquisition unit 104 extracts (selects) products in order of priority from the sorted product information in order of the number of displayed products. That is, the product information acquisition unit 104 extracts one or more products from the plurality of products according to the priority, which is an example of a predetermined criterion for selecting products to be displayed on a product shelf. At this time, the product information acquisition unit 104 may notify the terminal device of any products that were not extracted from the plurality of products. The product information acquisition unit 104 sends the extracted product information to the display quantity determination unit 105. The display quantity determination unit 105 receives the product information from the product information acquisition unit 104.

[0055] Steps S4 to S6 are executed for each product included in the product information extracted in step S3. Steps S4 to S6 are executed in order of priority, starting with the product with the highest priority.

[0056] In step S4, the display quantity determination unit 105 of the shelf allocation determination device 10 acquires product information about unplaced products from the product information received in step S3. Hereinafter, the product for which product information has been acquired will be referred to as the "target product." Next, the display quantity determination unit 105 reads sales information about the target product from the sales information storage unit 101. Subsequently, the display quantity determination unit 105 determines the display quantity of the target product based on the read sales information. The display quantity determination unit 105 sends the determined display quantity of the target product to the layout determination unit 106.

[0057] Note that sales information regarding the target product may not be stored in the sales information storage unit 101. For example, if the target product is a newly released product or if the store has only recently started selling the target product, there may be no sales information regarding the product. In this case, the display quantity determination unit 105 may determine the display quantity of the target product to a predetermined initial value (e.g., 1), or may determine the display quantity of the target product based on sales information for which a predetermined initial value is set. Furthermore, the display quantity determination unit 105 may determine the display quantity of the target product based not only on the sales information of the target product in the store but also on instruction information for featuring the target product from the store manager or operation advisor. In this case, the display quantity determination unit 105 may first determine the display quantity of the target product based on the sales information of the target product in the store, and then determine a final display quantity by further increasing the display quantity by a predetermined amount based on the instruction for featuring the target product.

[0058] In step S5, the placement determination unit 106 of the shelf allocation determination device 10 receives the display quantity of the target product from the display quantity determination unit 105. Next, the placement determination unit 106 searches for a shelf level on the product shelf indicated in the shelf information read out in step S2 where the target product with the number of faces of the received display quantity can be placed. At this time, the placement determination unit 106 may search for a shelf level on which to place the target product so as to satisfy the constraints indicated in the constraint information read out in step S2.

[0059] If a shelf where the target product can be placed is found, the placement determination unit 106 determines that the placement of the target product has been successful. On the other hand, if a shelf where the target product can be placed is not found, the placement determination unit 106 determines that the placement of the target product has failed. Examples of situations in which the placement of the target product fails include when there is no free space on the product shelf where the target product can be placed (free space with a width greater than or equal to the width of the target product multiplied by the number of faces and a height greater than or equal to the height of the target product), or when the required constraints (for example, hard constraints) are not satisfied at the positions where the target product can be placed.

[0060] In step S6, the placement determination unit 106 of the shelf allocation determination device 10 determines whether placement of the target product in step S5 was successful or unsuccessful. If placement of the target product was unsuccessful (NO), the placement determination unit 106 returns the process to step S3. On the other hand, if placement of the target product was successful (YES), the placement determination unit 106 determines whether placement of the product extracted in step S3 is complete. If product placement is complete, the placement determination unit 106 proceeds to step S7. On the other hand, if product placement is not complete, the placement determination unit 106 returns the process to step S4.

[0061] When the process returns to step S3, the product information acquisition unit 104 decreases the number of displayed products. For example, the product information acquisition unit 104 subtracts 1 from the number of displayed products. Next, the product information acquisition unit 104 extracts products with the new number of displayed products from the product information. The shelf allocation determination device 10 then executes steps S4 to S6 again for each of the extracted products.

[0062] When the process returns to step S4, the display quantity determination unit 105 acquires product information on a new target product from the product information. Then, the shelf allocation determination device 10 executes steps S4 to S6 again for the acquired target product.

[0063] In step S7, the layout determination unit 106 of the shelf allocation determination device 10 determines, for each shelf level of the product shelf, a row in which to display the products arranged on that shelf level. The layout determination unit 106 determines the row in which to display the products so as to satisfy the constraints indicated in the constraint information read out in step S2.

[0064] As an example, when products belonging to the same group are placed on two shelves adjacent to each other, the placement determination unit 106 moves those products to a row aligned in the vertical direction. That is, in this case, the placement determination unit 106 places the products belonging to the same group so that they are aligned vertically. This allows the products to be placed close to each other even when products belonging to the same group are placed across two shelves adjacent to each other.

[0065] As an example, when products belonging to the same group are placed on shelves at the same height on two horizontally adjacent product shelves, the placement determination unit 106 moves those products to a row closer to the boundary between the product shelves. That is, in this case, the placement determination unit 106 places the products belonging to the same group so that they are lined up horizontally across the product shelves. This allows the products to be placed close to each other even when products belonging to the same group are placed across two horizontally adjacent product shelves.

[0066] If there is still free space remaining on the shelf after the number of displayed products has been arranged on the shelf, the placement determination unit 106 may increase the display quantity (or number of faces) of each target product until the free space is filled. As an example, the placement determination unit 106 may repeatedly increase the number of faces by one for target products in order of priority, starting with the highest, until there is no free space left on the shelf. As a result, the display quantity of each product ultimately placed on the shelf may greatly exceed the display inventory days standard.

[0067] In step S8, the shelf allocation information output unit 107 of the shelf allocation determination device 10 generates shelf allocation information indicating the arrangement of the products determined in step S7. The shelf allocation information includes the products to be displayed on the product shelves and the display position of each product (for example, shelf number, row number, and face number). The shelf allocation information output unit 107 outputs the generated shelf allocation information. The shelf allocation information may be output to a storage device, a display device, or a printing device inside or outside the shelf allocation determination device 10, or to another output destination. The shelf allocation information may be in the form of the generated information as is, or may be processed. The shelf allocation information output unit 107 may generate a shelf reordering instruction based on the shelf allocation information. For example, the shelf allocation determination device 10 may display the shelf reordering instruction on a display device, or may print the shelf reordering instruction using a printing device. For example, the shelf allocation determination device 10 may calculate data indicating the extent to which the shelf allocation based on the generated shelf allocation information is being implemented in the store by comparing the generated shelf allocation information with actual shelf allocation information in the store to which the shelf allocation information should be applied. The shelf allocation determination device 10 may output the calculated data to a terminal device. This data may be, for example, the number of products actually placed in the correct display positions for each product included in the generated shelf allocation information divided by the number of products included in the generated shelf allocation information. This data may be, for example, the number of products included in the generated shelf allocation information that are actually placed in the correct display positions, the number of products included in the actual shelf allocation information that are not included in the generated display information, or the number of products included in both the generated shelf allocation information and the actual shelf allocation information that are not placed in the correct display positions included in the generated shelf allocation information.

[0068] The processing procedure of the shelf allocation determination method shown in Figure 7 is an example, and the order of processing may be changed as appropriate within the scope of executable processing of each step. For example, step S4 and step S5 may not be executed as distinct steps, but may be executed as one step for each target product.

[0069] 7, one piece of shelf allocation information is generated and output, but it is also possible to generate and output a plurality of different pieces of shelf allocation information and have the sales floor staff select one piece of shelf allocation information to adopt. In this case, the shelf allocation determination method may acquire product information and / or different constraint information that have been assigned different priorities, and generate and output a plurality of pieces of shelf allocation information that respectively correspond to them.

[0070] The shelf allocation determination method shown in FIG. 7 may be executed for each store. In a retail chain with multiple stores, the shelf allocation determination method shown in FIG. 7 may be executed repeatedly for each store. The predetermined criteria for selecting one or more products from multiple products (for example, the priority of each product) may be common among the stores, thereby allowing the sales policy decided by the merchandising manager to be reflected throughout the entire retail chain. When the shelf allocation determination method is executed for a single store, the product information input in step S1, the shelf information and constraint information read in step S2, and the sales information obtained in step S4 need only include information about the store.

[0071] In the shelf allocation determination method illustrated in FIG. 7 , priority is described as a predetermined criterion for selecting one or more products to be displayed from a plurality of products. However, the predetermined criterion may be something other than priority. For example, the predetermined criterion may be sales information for products at a plurality of stores in a retail chain, and the product information acquisition unit 104 may extract (select) from the plurality of products the number of displayed products in descending order of product sales volume per unit time at the plurality of stores in the retail chain. For example, the predetermined criterion may be one or more selection conditions, and the product information acquisition unit 104 may extract (select) from the plurality of products the number of displayed products in descending order of the degree to which the selection conditions are met. Furthermore, the predetermined criterion may be a sales start date and sales volume. For example, the product information acquisition unit 104 may select products to be displayed that have been on sale for a predetermined period from the current time (new products) or, for products that have been on sale for a predetermined period from the current time, select products to be displayed in descending order of product sales volume. The predetermined criteria may also be given by a natural language sentence, and the product information acquisition unit 104 may input a prompt to the large-scale language model instructing it to extract (select) the number of displayed products from the plurality of products according to the predetermined criteria given in the natural language sentence, and the large-scale language model may extract (select) the number of displayed products from the plurality of products. The predetermined criteria may also be a combination of one or more of the criteria described above, and other criteria may also be applied as long as they are criteria for selecting one or more displayed products from the plurality of products.

[0072] <Summary> As is clear from the above explanation, the shelf allocation determination device 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure determines the display quantity of a product based at least on information regarding the sales volume of the product in a first store, and generates shelf allocation information for the first store in which the product in that display quantity is arranged.

[0073] The information related to the sales volume in the first store may be information related to the sales volume per unit time in the first store. The shelf allocation determination device 10 may determine the display volume based at least on the information related to the sales volume of the product in the first store and a standard size of the display space for the product. The shelf allocation determination device 10 may determine the display volume in accordance with the standard size of the display space so that the period until the product is sold out is equal to or longer than a predetermined length of time.

[0074] The shelf allocation determination device 10 may generate shelf allocation information based on predetermined criteria for selecting products to be displayed in the first store from a plurality of products and the display quantities of one or more products selected from the plurality of products. The predetermined criteria may be the priority order for displaying the products. The shelf allocation determination device 10 may generate shelf allocation information by arranging the display quantities of products on a predetermined product shelf in descending order of priority. The shelf allocation determination device 10 may generate shelf allocation information when it becomes impossible to arrange the display quantities of products on a product shelf.

[0075] The shelf allocation determination device 10 may generate shelf allocation information to satisfy constraints regarding the arrangement of products. The constraints may indicate that a first product and a second product are to be displayed in proximity to each other. Displaying the first product and the second product in proximity to each other may include displaying the first product and the second product on the same shelf, or displaying the first product on a first shelf and the second product on a second shelf adjacent to each other in the vertical direction. The constraints may indicate a group including the first product and the second product. The group may include multiple groups with different priorities. The constraints may indicate that the first product and the second product are to be displayed at different heights. Displaying the first product at different heights may include displaying the first product on a first shelf lower than a second shelf on which the second product is displayed.

[0076] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to appropriately determine the placement of products. In one aspect, according to one embodiment, it is possible to realize the placement of products in accordance with sales policies while ensuring sufficient display space for products that sell well.

[0077] [Hardware configuration of information processing device] Some or all of the devices (shelf allocation determination device 10) in the above-described embodiments may be configured as hardware, or may be configured as software (program) information processing executed by a CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or the like. When configured as software information processing, software that realizes at least some of the functions of each device in the above-described embodiments may be stored on a non-transitory storage medium (non-transitory computer-readable medium) such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read Only Memory) or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, and the software information processing may be executed by loading the software into a computer. The software may also be downloaded via a communication network. Furthermore, all or part of the software processing may be implemented in a circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), thereby allowing the software information processing to be executed by hardware.

[0078] The storage medium that stores the software may be a removable medium such as an optical disk, or a fixed medium such as a hard disk, memory, etc. The storage medium may be provided inside the computer (main storage device, auxiliary storage device, etc.) or outside the computer.

[0079] 8 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of each device (shelf allocation determination device 10) in the above-described embodiment. Each device may be realized as a computer 7 including, for example, a processor 71, a main storage device 72 (memory), an auxiliary storage device 73 (memory), a network interface 74, and a device interface 75, which are connected via a bus 76.

[0080] Although the computer 7 in FIG. 8 includes one of each component, it may also include multiple of the same component. Also, while FIG. 8 shows one computer 7, the software may be installed on multiple computers, and each of the multiple computers may execute the same or different parts of the software. In this case, a distributed computing configuration may be used in which each computer communicates via a network interface 74 or the like to execute processing. In other words, each device (shelf allocation determination device 10) in the above-described embodiment may be configured as a system in which one or more computers execute commands stored in one or more storage devices to achieve its functions. Furthermore, the system may be configured such that information sent from a terminal is processed by one or more computers provided on a cloud, and the processing results are sent to the terminal.

[0081] The various calculations of each device (shelf allocation determination device 10) in the above-described embodiment may be executed in parallel using one or more processors, or using multiple computers via a network. Furthermore, the various calculations may be distributed to multiple processing cores within a processor and executed in parallel. Furthermore, some or all of the processes, means, etc. disclosed herein may be realized by at least one of a processor and a storage device provided on a cloud that can communicate with computer 7 via a network. Thus, each device in the above-described embodiment may be implemented in the form of parallel computing using one or more computers.

[0082] The processor 71 may be an electronic circuit (processing circuit, processing circuitry, CPU, GPU, FPGA, ASIC, etc.) that at least controls a computer or performs calculations. The processor 71 may be a general-purpose processor, a dedicated processing circuit designed to perform a specific calculation, or a semiconductor device that includes both a general-purpose processor and a dedicated processing circuit. The processor 71 may also include an optical circuit or a calculation function based on quantum computing.

[0083] The processor 71 may perform arithmetic processing based on data or software input from each device or the like configured inside the computer 7, and may output the calculation results or control signals to each device or the like. The processor 71 may control each component constituting the computer 7 by executing the OS (Operating System) of the computer 7, applications, etc.

[0084] Each device (shelf allocation determination device 10) in the above-described embodiment may be realized by one or more processors 71. Here, the processor 71 may refer to one or more electronic circuits arranged on one chip, or may refer to one or more electronic circuits arranged on two or more chips or two or more devices. When multiple electronic circuits are used, the electronic circuits may communicate with each other via wire or wirelessly.

[0085] The main memory device 72 may store instructions to be executed by the processor 71, various data, etc., and information stored in the main memory device 72 may be read by the processor 71. The auxiliary memory device 73 is a memory device other than the main memory device 72. Note that these memory devices refer to any electronic component capable of storing electronic information, and may be semiconductor memory. The semiconductor memory may be either volatile memory or non-volatile memory. The memory device for saving various data, etc. in each device (shelf allocation determination device 10) in the above-described embodiment may be realized by the main memory device 72 or the auxiliary memory device 73, or may be realized by an internal memory built into the processor 71. For example, each memory unit in the above-described embodiment may be realized by the main memory device 72 or the auxiliary memory device 73.

[0086] When each device (shelf allocation determination device 10) in the above-described embodiment is configured with at least one storage device (memory) and at least one processor connected (coupled) to this at least one storage device, at least one processor may be connected to one storage device. Also, at least one storage device may be connected to one processor. Also, a configuration in which at least one processor out of multiple processors is connected to at least one storage device out of multiple storage devices may be included. Also, this configuration may be realized by storage devices and processors included in multiple computers. Furthermore, a configuration in which a storage device is integrated with a processor (for example, a cache memory including an L1 cache and an L2 cache) may be included.

[0087] The network interface 74 is an interface for connecting to the communication network 8 wirelessly or via a wire. The network interface 74 may be an appropriate interface, such as one that conforms to an existing communication standard. Information may be exchanged with an external device 9A connected via the communication network 8 via the network interface 74. The communication network 8 may be any one of a WAN (Wide Area Network), a LAN (Local Area Network), a PAN (Personal Area Network), etc., or a combination thereof, as long as information is exchanged between the computer 7 and the external device 9A. An example of a WAN is the Internet, an example of a LAN is IEEE802.11 or Ethernet (registered trademark), and an example of a PAN is Bluetooth (registered trademark) or NFC (Near Field Communication), etc.

[0088] The device interface 75 is an interface such as a USB that directly connects to the external device 9B.

[0089] The external device 9A is a device connected to the computer 7 via a network. The external device 9B is a device connected directly to the computer 7.

[0090] For example, the external device 9A or the external device 9B may be an input device. The input device may be a device such as a camera, a microphone, a motion capture device, various sensors, a keyboard, a mouse, or a touch panel, and provides acquired information to the computer 7. Alternatively, the external device 9A or the external device 9B may be a device equipped with an input unit, a memory, and a processor, such as a personal computer, a tablet terminal, or a smartphone.

[0091] Furthermore, the external device 9A or the external device 9B may be, for example, an output device. The output device may be, for example, a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) panel, or a speaker that outputs sound or the like. Alternatively, the output device may be a device including an output unit, a memory, and a processor, such as a personal computer, a tablet terminal, or a smartphone.

[0092] Furthermore, the external device 9A or the external device 9B may be a storage device (memory). For example, the external device 9A may be a network storage or the like, and the external device 9B may be a storage such as an HDD.

[0093] Furthermore, the external device 9A or the external device 9B may be a device having some of the functions of the components of each device (each device in the embodiment) in the above-described embodiments. That is, the computer 7 may transmit some or all of the processing results to the external device 9A or the external device 9B, or may receive some or all of the processing results from the external device 9A or the external device 9B.

[0094] In this specification (including the claims), when the expression "at least one of a, b, and c" or "at least one of a, b, or c" (including similar expressions) is used, it includes any of a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc. It may also include multiple instances of any element, such as aa, abb, aabbcc, etc. Furthermore, it also includes the addition of elements other than the enumerated elements (a, b, and c), such as having d, as in abcd.

[0095] In this specification (including claims), when expressions such as "using data as input / based on / according to / in response to data" (including similar expressions) are used, unless otherwise specified, this includes cases where the data itself is used, or where data that has been processed in some way (e.g., data with noise added, normalized data, features extracted from data, intermediate representations of data, etc.) is used. Furthermore, when a statement is made that a result is obtained "using data as input / based on / according to / in response to data" (including similar expressions), this includes cases where the result is obtained based solely on the data, or where the result is influenced by other data, factors, conditions, and / or states other than the data itself, unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, when a statement is made that "data is output" (including similar expressions), this includes cases where the data itself is used as output, or where data that has been processed in some way (e.g., data with noise added, normalized data, features extracted from data, intermediate representations of various data, etc.) is used as output, unless otherwise specified.

[0096] When the terms "connected" and "coupled" are used in this specification (including the claims), they are intended as open-ended terms that encompass any of direct connection / coupling, indirect connection / coupling, electrically connection / coupling, communicatively connection / coupling, functionally connection / coupling, and physically connection / coupling. These terms should be interpreted appropriately according to the context in which they are used, but any form of connection / coupling that is not intentionally or naturally excluded should be interpreted as being included in these terms without limitation.

[0097] In this specification (including the claims), the expression "A configured to B" may include the physical structure of element A having a configuration capable of performing operation B, and the permanent or temporary setting / configuration of element A being configured / set to actually perform operation B. For example, if element A is a general-purpose processor, it is sufficient that the processor has a hardware configuration capable of performing operation B, and is configured to actually perform operation B by setting a permanent or temporary program (instruction). Also, if element A is a dedicated processor, dedicated arithmetic circuit, etc., it is sufficient that the circuit structure, etc. of the processor is implemented to actually perform operation B, regardless of whether control instructions and data are actually attached.

[0098] Whenever words implying containing or possessing (e.g., "comprising / including," "having," etc.) are used in this specification (including the claims), they are intended to be open-ended terms that include the inclusion or possession of things other than the object designated by the object of the term. When the object of such words implying containing or possessing does not specify a quantity or suggests a singular number (e.g., expressions using the articles "a" or "an"), the expression should be construed as not being limited to a specific number.

[0099] In this specification (including the claims), even if expressions such as "one or more" and "at least one" are used in some places and expressions that do not specify a quantity or that imply a singular number (expressions using the articles "a" or "an") are used in other places, the latter expressions are not intended to mean "one." In general, expressions that do not specify a quantity or that imply a singular number (expressions using the articles "a" or "an") should be interpreted as not necessarily being limited to a specific number.

[0100] In this specification, when a particular advantage / result is described as being obtained with respect to a particular configuration of an embodiment, it should be understood that the same advantage / result can also be obtained with one or more other embodiments having the same configuration, unless otherwise stated. However, it should be understood that the presence or absence of the effect generally depends on various factors, conditions, and / or circumstances, and that the effect is not necessarily obtained with the configuration. The effect is merely obtained by the configuration described in the embodiment when various factors, conditions, and / or circumstances are satisfied, and the effect does not necessarily occur in a claimed invention that defines the same or a similar configuration.

[0101] In this specification (including claims), when multiple pieces of hardware perform a predetermined process, the pieces of hardware may cooperate to perform the predetermined process, or some of the hardware may perform all of the predetermined process. Furthermore, some of the hardware may perform part of the predetermined process, and other hardware may perform the rest of the predetermined process. In this specification (including claims), when an expression such as "one or more pieces of hardware perform a first process, and the one or more pieces of hardware perform a second process" (including similar expressions) is used, the hardware performing the first process and the hardware performing the second process may be the same or different. In other words, it is sufficient that the hardware performing the first process and the hardware performing the second process are included in the one or more pieces of hardware. Note that hardware may include electronic circuits, devices including electronic circuits, etc.

[0102] In this specification (including the claims), when multiple storage devices (memories) store data, each of the multiple storage devices may store only a portion of the data, or may store the entire data. Also, a configuration in which only some of the multiple storage devices store data may be included.

[0103] In this specification (including the claims), terms such as "first," "second," etc. are used merely as a way of distinguishing between two or more elements, and are not necessarily intended to impose technical meanings such as temporal aspect, spatial aspect, sequence, quantity, etc. Thus, for example, a reference to a first element and a second element does not necessarily mean that only two elements can be employed therein, that the first element must precede the second element, that the first element must be present in order for the second element to be present, etc.

[0104] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above, the present disclosure is not limited to the individual embodiments described above. Various additions, modifications, substitutions, partial deletions, etc. are possible within the scope of the conceptual idea and spirit of the present invention, which is derived from the content defined in the claims and their equivalents. For example, when numerical values ​​or formulas are used in the above-described embodiments, they are shown for illustrative purposes and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the order of each operation shown in the embodiments is also illustrative and does not limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0105] The disclosed technology may take the following forms as described below.

[0106] (Appendix 1) At least one memory; at least one processor; the at least one processor determines a display quantity of the product based at least on information regarding a sales volume of the product in a first store, and generates shelf allocation information for the first store in which the product in the display quantity is arranged; Information processing device.

[0107] (Appendix 2) The information regarding the sales volume at the first store is information regarding the sales volume per unit time at the first store. 10. The information processing device according to claim 1.

[0108] (Appendix 3) The at least one processor: determining the display quantity based at least on the information regarding the sales volume of the product in the first store and a criterion for the size of the display space for the product; 3. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2.

[0109] (Appendix 4) The at least one processor: determining the display quantity in accordance with the standard of the size of the display space so that the period until the products are sold out is equal to or longer than a predetermined period of time; 4. The information processing device according to claim 3.

[0110] (Appendix 5) The at least one processor: generating the shelf allocation information based on predetermined criteria for selecting from a plurality of products to be displayed in the first store and the display quantities of one or more products selected from the plurality of products; 5. An information processing device according to any one of appendices 1 to 4.

[0111] (Appendix 6) The predetermined criteria is the priority of displaying the products. 6. The information processing device according to claim 5.

[0112] (Appendix 7) The at least one processor: The shelf allocation information is generated by arranging the products in the display quantities on a predetermined shelf in order of the priority. 7. The information processing device according to claim 6.

[0113] (Appendix 8) The at least one processor: When it becomes impossible to arrange the display quantity of the products on the product shelf, the shelf allocation information is generated. 8. The information processing device according to claim 7.

[0114] (Appendix 9) The at least one processor: generating the shelf allocation information so as to satisfy the constraints regarding the product placement; 9. An information processing device according to any one of appendices 1 to 8.

[0115] (Appendix 10) The constraint indicates that the first product and the second product are to be displayed in close proximity to each other. 10. The information processing device according to claim 9.

[0116] (Appendix 11) Displaying the first product and the second product in the vicinity includes displaying the first product and the second product on the same shelf, or displaying the first product on a first shelf and the second shelf on which the second product is displayed adjacent to each other in the height direction. 11. The information processing device according to claim 10.

[0117] (Appendix 12) the constraint indicates a group including the first product and the second product; 12. The information processing device according to claim 10 or 11.

[0118] (Appendix 13) The group includes a plurality of groups with different priorities. 13. The information processing device according to claim 12.

[0119] (Appendix 14) The constraint indicates that the first product and the second product are to be displayed at different heights. 14. An information processing device according to any one of appendices 9 to 13.

[0120] (Appendix 15) Displaying the products at different heights includes a first shelf displaying the first product at a lower position than a second shelf displaying the second product. 15. The information processing device according to claim 14. [Explanation of symbols]

[0121] 10: Planogram determination device 101: Sales information storage unit 102:Shelf information storage section 103: Constraint information storage unit 104:Product information acquisition department 105:Display amount determination section 106: Placement determination section 107: Shelf allocation information output unit

Claims

1. at least one memory; at least one processor; the at least one processor determines a display quantity of the product based at least on information regarding a sales volume of the product in the first store, and generates shelf allocation information for the first store in which the product in the display quantity is arranged; Information processing device.

2. the information on the sales volume at the first store is information on the sales volume per unit time at the first store; The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. The at least one processor determining the display quantity based at least on the information regarding the sales volume of the product in the first store and a criterion for the size of the display space for the product; The information processing device according to claim 1 .

4. The at least one processor determining the display quantity in accordance with the standard of the size of the display space so that the period until the products are sold out is equal to or longer than a predetermined period of time; The information processing device according to claim 3 .

5. The at least one processor generating the shelf allocation information based on predetermined criteria for selecting from a plurality of commodities to be displayed in the first store and the display quantities of one or more commodities selected from the plurality of commodities; The information processing device according to claim 1 .

6. The predetermined criteria is the priority of displaying the products. The information processing device according to claim 5 .

7. The at least one processor The shelf allocation information is generated by arranging the products in the display quantities on a predetermined shelf in order of the priority. The information processing device according to claim 6 .

8. The at least one processor When it becomes impossible to arrange the display quantity of the products on the product shelf, the shelf allocation information is generated. The information processing device according to claim 7 .

9. The at least one processor generating the shelf allocation information so as to satisfy the constraints regarding the product placement; The information processing device according to claim 1 .

10. The constraint indicates that the first product and the second product are to be displayed in close proximity to each other. The information processing device according to claim 9 .

11. Displaying the first product and the second product in the vicinity includes displaying the first product and the second product on the same shelf, or displaying the first product on a first shelf and the second shelf on which the second product is displayed adjacent to each other in a height direction. The information processing device according to claim 10.

12. the constraint indicates a group including the first product and the second product; The information processing device according to claim 10 or 11.

13. The group includes a plurality of groups with different priorities. The information processing device according to claim 12.

14. The constraint indicates that the first product and the second product are to be displayed at different heights. The information processing device according to claim 9 .

15. Displaying the products at different heights includes a first shelf displaying the first product at a lower position than a second shelf displaying the second product. The information processing device according to claim 14.

Images