Product handover system

Abstract

To ensure that efficiency in dealing with orders is improved.SOLUTION: A product handover system with which a reserved product is handed over to a customer through storing the reserved product which has been reserved to be collected in a storage compartment of a locker for product handover includes display means which displays reservation information regarding the reserved product and storage compartment information regarding the storage compartment of the locker.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[[Technical Field]]

[0001] The present invention relates to a product delivery system. [[Background Art]]

[0002] A product delivery system is known, which delivers products cooked in response to an order placed by a customer using a smartphone to the customer via a delivery box (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [[Prior Art Documents]] [[Patent Documents]]

[0003] [[Patent Document 1]] Japanese Patent No. 6243076 [[Summary of the Invention]] [[Problem to be Solved by the Invention]]

[0004] In a product delivery system such as that described above, it is required to improve the efficiency of order handling.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to enable improvement of the efficiency of order handling. [[Means for Solving the Problem]]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention for solving the above-described problem provides a product delivery system configured to deliver a reserved product reserved for pickup to a customer by storing the reserved product in a storage compartment of a locker for product delivery, the product delivery system comprising display means for displaying reservation information related to the reserved product and storage compartment information related to the storage compartment of the locker. [[Brief Description of the Drawings]]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration example of the product delivery system in the present embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows examples of the product selection screen, option order screen, and product confirmation screen displayed on the customer terminal device in this embodiment. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of an online payment screen and an order confirmation screen displayed on the customer terminal device in this embodiment. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of the customer service area inside a store in this embodiment. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of the appearance of the product locker in this embodiment. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of the waiting screen and guidance screen displayed in the product locker according to this embodiment. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of an online order handling screen displayed in the employee order management device according to this embodiment. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of an online order handling screen displayed in the employee order management device according to this embodiment. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of an online order handling screen displayed in the employee order management device according to this embodiment. [Figure 10] This figure shows an example of the configuration of the store order management server in this embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the product locker in this embodiment. [Figure 12] This figure shows an example of the configuration of the employee order management device in this embodiment. [Figure 13] This figure shows an example of the configuration of the customer terminal device in this embodiment. [Figure 14] This flowchart shows an example of the processing procedure performed by the store order management server, employee order management device, and product locker in this embodiment in relation to the receipt of online orders. [Figure 15] This figure shows an example of online order information in this embodiment. [Figure 16] This figure shows an example of online order receipt information in this embodiment. [Figure 17] It is a diagram showing an example of product storage management information in the present embodiment. [Figure 18] It is a diagram showing an example of an online order handling screen in a second modification of the present embodiment. [Figure 19] It is a diagram showing an example of a product characteristic table in an eighth modification. [Figure 20] It is a diagram showing an example of a cooking characteristic definition table in an eighth modification. [Figure 21] It is a diagram showing an example of a temperature characteristic definition table in an eighth modification. [Figure 22] It is a diagram showing an example of a storage opening size management table in a tenth modification. [Figure 23] It is a diagram showing an overall configuration example of a product delivery system in a twelfth modification. [Figure 24] It is a diagram showing an example of an online order handling screen in a twelfth modification. MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0008] Embodiment Configuration Example of Product Delivery System FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration example of the product delivery system according to the present embodiment. The product delivery system shown in this figure includes, in a store ST, a store order management server 10, a POS terminal device 20, a product locker 30, and a clerk order management device 40. The product delivery system also includes a customer terminal device 50 used by a customer CS. The product delivery system further includes an order management server 60.

[0009] The business type of the store ST in the present embodiment is not particularly limited, but in the following description, a case where the store ST is, for example, a cafeteria and adopts a business type of selling food and drink as products will be taken as an example.

[0010] The customer terminal device 50 is a terminal device used by customers (CS) to order food and beverage products offered at the store (ST). The customer terminal device 50 may be a portable terminal device such as a smartphone or tablet. An ordering application is installed on the customer terminal device 50. The customer terminal device 50, on which the ordering application is running, communicates with the order management server 60 via the network.

[0011] Customer CS can operate their own customer terminal device 50 to place orders and settle payments for ordered items, even from a remote location away from the store ST. Orders placed by operating the customer terminal device 50 are performed as operations on the order application running on the customer terminal device 50.

[0012] The order management server 60 is connected to the customer terminal device 50 so as to be able to communicate with it. The order management server 60 accepts product orders from the customer CS in response to communication with the customer terminal device 50 on which the customer CS operates the order. The order management server 60 sends online order information indicating the details of the received order to the store order management server 10 at the store ST. Upon receipt of the online order information thus sent by the store order management server 10, the product order placed by the customer CS using the customer terminal device 50 is transmitted to the store ST.

[0013] The store order management server 10 is a server that manages orders received from customers (CS) at the store ST. Based on the product transaction reservation information received from the order management server 60, the store order management server 10 manages orders placed by customers (CS) using the customer terminal device 50.

[0014] Furthermore, the store order management server 10 may also be capable of managing orders received by store employees from customers (CS) by operating the POS terminal device 20 at the store ST.

[0015] In the following explanation, orders placed by a customer using the customer terminal device 50 will be referred to as online orders, while orders received by a store employee using the POS terminal device 20 at the store will be referred to as offline orders.

[0016] Furthermore, the store order management server 10 may manage online order transaction records by storing transaction records corresponding to online orders. In addition, the store order management server 10 may manage transaction records for all orders received at the store ST by storing transaction records corresponding to offline orders in addition to transaction records corresponding to online orders. Alternatively, the management of such transaction records may be handled by a transaction management device other than the store order management server 10.

[0017] The POS terminal device 20, in response to an order received from a customer CS at the store ST, performs product registration processing in accordance with the product registration operation, and settlement (payment) processing for the products registered through the product registration process.

[0018] The product locker 30 is equipment (device) used to hand over ordered products to the customer (CS). The product locker 30 is connected to the store order management server 10 so as to be able to communicate with it.

[0019] The employee order management device 40 is a terminal device used by employees to manage online orders when providing products in response to online orders. In this embodiment, the employee order management device 40 is a portable terminal device such as a tablet terminal. However, the employee order management device 40 may also be a stationary terminal device.

[0020] The employee order management device 40 displays online orders received by the store ST based on online order information transmitted from the store order management server 10. The employee checks the online orders displayed on the employee order management device 40 and prepares the corresponding products for each online order. The store clerk places the prepared products into one of the available storage slots in the product locker 30. In the product handover system of this embodiment, products stored in the storage slots of the product locker 30 are managed in association with the storage slot in which they were stored.

[0021] Customer service staff (CS) who visit the store display a pickup certificate code on their customer terminal device 50. The pickup certificate code indicates the order number (order identification number) corresponding to the online order they placed. The pickup certificate code is, for example, a two-dimensional code, but it may also be a one-dimensional code (barcode). The customer CS (Customer Service) operates the system by having the code reader on the product locker 30 read the pickup certificate code displayed on the customer terminal device. The product locker 30 unlocks the customer-side door of the storage compartment containing the product corresponding to the order number indicated by the pickup certificate code read by the code reader. During unlocking, a mechanism provided in the door hinge etc. causes the door to automatically rotate and fully open. Therefore, the customer CS can retrieve the product stored in the storage compartment without touching the door. In this way, the product handover system of this embodiment can hand over products ordered via online ordering to the customer CS. Because the door opens automatically in this way, the customer can retrieve the product without touching the door, thus eliminating the psychological anxiety of "not wanting to touch a door that has been touched by many people." Furthermore, once the door is open, it may be controlled to close automatically by a drive mechanism or the like, or it may be closed by a customer or employee, as described later.

[0022] [Instructions for ordering online] Referring to Figures 2 and 3, an example of the procedure for an online order placed by a customer using the customer terminal device 50 will be explained. When placing an online order, the customer launches the ordering application on the customer terminal device 50. The customer operates the customer terminal device 50 with the ordering application launched to display the product selection screen on the display unit of the customer terminal device 50. The product selection screen is where the customer selects the product to be ordered (reserved product). In the following explanation, the display unit of the customer terminal device 50 will be described as a touch panel display unit that can be operated with a finger or other operating body on the display surface.

[0023] Figure 2(A) shows an example of a product selection screen displayed on the customer terminal device 50. In this product selection screen, a classification selection area AR1 and a product list area AR2 are arranged. The classification selection area AR1 is the area where the user selects the classification of a product. The product list area AR2 is the area where a list of products (menus) included in the classification selected by the operation on the classification selection area AR1 is displayed. The customer selects a category by operating the category selection area AR1. The product list area AR2 displays a list of products included in the category selected in the category selection area AR1. The customer then performs a product selection operation by selecting one product item from the list of products displayed in the product list area AR2 that they wish to order. In response to a product selection operation, the display on the touch panel of the customer terminal device 50 transitions from the product selection screen to the option order screen.

[0024] Figure 2(B) shows an example of an options order screen. In the selected product confirmation area AR11 of the options order screen, the selected product is displayed. The options order screen also has an options area AR12. The options area AR12 is the area where the settings for options orders corresponding to the selected product are made. Options orders are supplementary orders related to the selected product. In the options area AR12 of the figure, depending on the selected product being a hamburger set, it is possible to set whether or not to include pickles, ketchup, and onions as options, and to select the drink and fries size to include in the set. The product price area AR13 on the options order screen displays the price for the selected product, reflecting the options order settings.

[0025] When a customer sets up an optional order, they operate the cart button BT11 located in the lower right corner of the optional order screen. In response to the operation of the cart button BT11, the selected items are added to the cart (provisionally registered) with the contents of the set optional order reflected, and the display on the customer terminal device 50's touch panel returns to the product selection screen (Figure 2(A)). The shopping cart information area AR3 is located in the lower left corner of the product selection screen. The shopping cart information area AR3 displays the number of items currently in the cart and the total price of the items in the cart. After this, the customer can select the next product using the same procedure as above, add optional items as needed, and then add the products to their cart.

[0026] Once the customer has added all the items they wish to order to their cart, the customer operates the order confirmation button BT1 located in the lower right corner of the product selection screen (Figure 2(A)) while the product selection screen is displayed. In response to the operation of the order confirmation button BT1, the display on the touch panel of the customer terminal device 50 transitions from the product selection screen to the product confirmation screen.

[0027] Figure 2(C) shows an example of a product confirmation screen. In this product confirmation screen, the following areas are arranged: cart product confirmation area AR21, payment method selection area AR22, eat-in / takeout selection area AR23, arrival time setting area AR24, store confirmation area AR25, price confirmation area AR26, and order button BT22.

[0028] The cart item confirmation area AR21 is an area that shows what items are in the shopping cart. In the cart item confirmation area AR21, a delete button BT21 is located. Customers are instructed to use the delete button BT21 to remove items from their cart.

[0029] The payment method selection area AR22 is where customers can choose whether to pay for the items in their shopping cart using the customer terminal device 50 for online payment, or to pay at the store ST using the POS terminal device 20 when they visit the store. In the example shown in the diagram, the payment method is selected by operating either a button for online payment or a button for in-store payment. However, the manner in which the payment method is selected is not particularly limited, and could include, for example, selection from a pull-down menu. The same applies to the eat-in / takeout selection area AR23.

[0030] The eat-in / takeout selection area AR23 is where customers select whether to eat in or take out their purchased items after receiving them at the store ST. Furthermore, if the consumption tax rate differs depending on whether the customer chooses to eat in or take out, the consumption tax amount displayed in the amount confirmation area AR26 and the total amount including the consumption tax may be changed depending on whether the customer chooses to eat in or take out through an operation on the eat-in / takeout selection area AR23.

[0031] The AR24 arrival time setting area is the area where the operation to set the arrival time takes place.

[0032] The store confirmation area AR25 is the area where the store ST to which the order will be placed is displayed. In the store confirmation area AR25, for example, the name of the store registered by the customer in advance will be displayed. It may also be possible to specify the store to which the order will be placed in the store confirmation area AR25.

[0033] The price confirmation area AR26 is the area that displays price information for the items in the shopping cart. In the price confirmation area AR26 shown in the diagram, for example, the subtotal amount, consumption tax amount, rounding adjustment amount, and total amount for the items in the cart are displayed.

[0034] Customers can view the items displayed in the cart item confirmation area AR21 on the product confirmation screen to confirm whether the items they selected are correct. Then, they select either online payment or in-store payment as their payment method by interacting with the payment method selection area AR22. They also select either eat-in or takeout by interacting with the eat-in / takeout selection area AR23. Furthermore, they specify their arrival time by interacting with the arrival time setting area AR24. Finally, customers can view the store confirmation area AR25 and the price confirmation area AR26 to confirm the store to which they ordered and the total price of their items. Then, the customer operates the order button BT22 to order the items that were in their cart.

[0035] When the order button BT22 is operated, if online payment has been selected as the payment method through an operation on the payment method selection area AR22, the online payment screen will be displayed on the touch panel display of the customer terminal device 50. Figure 3(A) shows an example of an online payment screen. This online payment screen is designed to allow users to make payments using a pre-registered credit card. In this example, a payment button BT25 is displayed. When the payment button BT25 is pressed, an online payment is made using the credit card.

[0036] Upon completion of online payment by operating the payment button BT25 on the online payment screen, the touch panel display of the customer terminal device 50 transitions to the order confirmation screen. Furthermore, if in-store payment is selected as the payment method by operating the payment method selection area AR22, and then the order button BT22 is operated on the product confirmation screen, the display will also transition to the order confirmation screen.

[0037] Figure 3(B) shows an example of an order confirmation screen. In this order confirmation screen, an order details confirmation area AR41 is located. In the order details confirmation area AR41, the order number that uniquely identifies the order, the name of the ordered product, the store to which the order was placed, the time of arrival, etc. are displayed.

[0038] Additionally, the order confirmation screen includes an "Add Order" button (BT41) and an "Order Cancellation" button (BT42). If a customer wishes to order additional items after their order has been confirmed, they press the additional order button BT41. Upon pressing the additional order button BT41, the display on the customer terminal device 50's touch panel returns to, for example, the product selection screen, allowing the customer to select additional items. Alternatively, if a customer has confirmed an order but changes their mind and wants to cancel it, they can cancel the confirmed order by using the order cancellation button BT42.

[0039] Furthermore, the order confirmation screen includes a pickup guidance area AR42. In the pickup guidance area AR42, a message instructing the customer to have the pickup certificate code read by the code reader on the product locker 30 at the store ST where the order was placed, and the pickup certificate code itself are displayed.

[0040] Customers who place an online order in this way are instructed to go to the store (ST) around the time they specified.

[0041] [Example of a customer service area in a store] Figure 4 shows an example of the customer service area at the store ST where the order was placed. In the customer service area shown in the diagram, an example is presented in which a POS terminal device 20 and a product locker 30 are installed on the same counter CT. In the customer service area shown in the diagram, the location corresponding to the counter CT where the POS terminal 20 is installed is the face-to-face customer service area FL1. In the face-to-face customer service area FL1, store staff take orders directly from customers, operate the POS terminal 20 to register the ordered items, process the payment for the registered items, and hand over the ordered items to the customers.

[0042] Furthermore, the location where the product locker 30 is installed at counter CT is the product pickup area FL2. The product pickup area FL2 is where customers who have placed online orders can pick up their products by retrieving them themselves from the storage opening of the product locker 30.

[0043] If a customer has placed an online order and completed payment via online payment, they may proceed to the product locker 30 without having to make a payment using the POS terminal 20 in the face-to-face service area FL1.

[0044] On the other hand, if the customer selected in-store payment as the payment method when placing an online order, the store clerk will process the payment in the face-to-face service area FL1. In this case, the customer will display a pickup certificate code indicating the order number on, for example, the customer terminal device 50 running the ordering application, and present it to the store clerk. The store clerk will then use a code reader connected to the POS terminal device 20 to read the pickup certificate code. The POS terminal device 20 will obtain order information corresponding to the order number indicated by the read pickup certificate code from the store order management server 10. The store order management server 10 has obtained order information corresponding to the online order placed by the customer using the customer terminal device 50 from the order management server 60.

[0045] The POS terminal 20 uses the acquired order information to perform the payment process according to the store clerk's instructions. After completing payment in the face-to-face service area FL1, the customer moves to the product locker 30 in the product pickup area FL2.

[0046] [Examples of product locker appearances and customer usage patterns] Figures 5(A) and 5(B) show examples of the external appearance of the product locker 30. Figure 5(A) is a perspective view of the product locker 30 from the rear. Figure 5(B) is a perspective view of the product locker 30 from the front. The back of the product locker 30 faces the employee who will be storing the ordered items in the locker 30. The front of the product locker 30 faces the customer who will be receiving the ordered items.

[0047] The product locker 30 in the figure has six storage compartments 361 (361-1 to 361-6), as shown in Figures 5(A) and 5(B). In this figure, the storage compartments 361 are arranged such that there are three storage compartments 361 in both the upper and lower sections. Storage compartments 361-1 to 361-6 are assigned storage compartment numbers from 1 to 6, respectively. Corresponding to this assignment of storage compartment numbers, when the product locker 30 is viewed from the rear, as shown in Figure 5(A), the upper storage compartments 361 are assigned the numbers "1" to "3" from right to left, and the lower storage compartments 361 are assigned the numbers "4" to "6" from right to left.

[0048] The number of storage compartments 361 in the product locker 30 and the arrangement of the storage compartments 361 are not particularly limited.

[0049] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5(A), there is no door or anything on the back side of the storage opening 361, and it is open. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 5(B), each of the storage openings 361 (361-1 to 361-6) has a door 362 (362-1 to 362-6) on its front side. Each door 362 is provided with, for example, a handle 364 (364-1 to 364-6 (handle 364-1 is not shown because door 362-1 is in the open state)). For example, when door 362 is open, a customer or employee can close door 362 from the front by pushing the handle 364 with their hand. In this embodiment, since door 362 operates to open when unlocked, the handle 364 does not need to have a part for gripping to open door 362. Each door 362 is also provided with a lock. Therefore, the door 362 cannot be opened when locked, but can be opened when unlocked. As mentioned above, the door 362 may operate to open when unlocked. When the door 362 is closed, it is set back by a predetermined distance from the plane to which the front panel of the product locker 30 corresponds. As a result, even if the handle portion 364 is provided to protrude from the door 362, it can be prevented from protruding in front of the plane to which the front panel corresponds, or from protruding only slightly.

[0050] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5(B), on the front side of the product locker 30, indicators 363 (363-1 to 363-6) are arranged for each storage opening 361 (361-1 to 361-6). The indicators 363 provide notification, for example, by lighting up in a predetermined pattern regarding the status of the door 362 of the corresponding storage opening 361. Furthermore, indicators may also be installed on the rear side. Additionally, interior lights may be installed on the top surface of each storage compartment 361 and used as indicators. The interior lights illuminate the inside of the storage compartments 361. Whether or not the interior lights are on allows for visual confirmation of whether items are stored in the storage compartment 361 or if it is empty. The illumination status of the interior lights in the storage compartments 361 can be seen from either the front (customer side) or the back (employee side). By looking at the illumination status of the interior lights, customers can quickly and accurately identify the storage compartment 361 in which their items are stored. Similarly, by looking at the illumination status of the interior lights, employees can quickly and accurately identify the storage location of the items they need to store. Furthermore, the indicator and the interior light may be used in combination, or the indicator may be omitted, and all notifications that could be provided by the indicator may be achieved by illuminating the interior light.

[0051] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5(B), a touch panel display unit 305 is provided on the right front panel of the product locker 30. The touch panel display unit 305 displays information to the customer regarding product pickup and accepts operations from the customer in response to product pickup. Furthermore, a code reader 306 is provided on the lower side of the right front panel of the product locker 30. The code reader 306 reads the pickup certificate code displayed on the customer terminal device 50. The information indicated by the pickup certificate code displayed on the customer terminal device 50 includes an order number that identifies the online order placed by the customer.

[0052] In the example shown in the figure, the code reader 306 is positioned behind the plane corresponding to the front panel of the product locker 30. In other words, in the example shown in the figure, the lower right portion of the front of the housing of the product locker 30 is formed to be behind the plane of the front panel, and the code reader 306 is positioned in this formed portion. This makes it possible to prevent the code reader 306 from protruding from the front panel of the product locker 30.

[0053] In this way, the product locker 30, including the handle portion 364 mentioned above, is designed so that when the door 362 is closed, there are no large protruding parts on the entire front surface. This prevents, for example, clothing or belongings from getting caught on any protruding parts on the front surface of the product locker 30 when a customer passes in front of it.

[0054] When the items ordered via online order are ready, the store clerk places the prepared items into the storage opening 361 from the back side. The diagram shows the items FD ordered online by the customer, for example, in a paper bag, stored in the storage opening 361-1.

[0055] When a customer approaches the product locker 30, the product locker 30 is in a standby state, waiting for the customer to unlock the door. In the standby state, the touch panel display unit 305 of the product locker 30 displays a standby screen.

[0056] Figure 6(A) shows an example of a standby screen displayed on the touch panel display unit 305 of the product locker 30. The standby screen in this figure displays a message and image instructing the customer to first touch the touch panel display unit 305 before starting to retrieve their product. The customer then touches the touch panel display unit 305 to retrieve their product.

[0057] In response to a touch operation on the touch panel display unit 305, the display on the touch panel display unit 305 transitions to a guidance screen, for example, as shown in Figure 6(B). The guidance screen in this figure displays a message and image instructing the customer to have the code reader 306 read the pickup certificate code. The customer then operates their customer terminal device 50 to display a pickup certificate code indicating the order number corresponding to the online order. The customer terminal device 50 may, for example, have an order application running on the customer terminal device 50 retrieve the pickup certificate code from the order management server 60 and display the retrieved pickup certificate code. Alternatively, the customer terminal device 50 may open the order completion notification email sent to the customer terminal device 50 upon completion of the online order, and display the pickup certificate code in response to an operation on the pickup certificate code link described in the email.

[0058] The customer performs the operation described above, having the customer terminal device 50 read the pickup certificate code displayed on it by the code reader 306 of the product locker 30. The product locker 30 notifies the store order management server 10 of the order number indicated by the read pickup certificate code. The store order management server 10 controls the product locker 30 so that the storage compartment 361 containing the product corresponding to the notified order number is unlocked. The product locker 30 unlocks the storage compartment 361 in accordance with the control of the store order management server 10. The product locker 30 also notifies the customer that the product to be picked up is stored in the corresponding storage compartment 361 by lighting up the indicator 363 corresponding to the unlocked storage compartment 361 in a predetermined pattern. The customer opens the door 362 corresponding to the lit indicator 363 and takes out the product stored in the storage compartment 361. In this way, the customer can pick up the product ordered online from the product locker 30.

[0059] Furthermore, the guidance screen in the same figure includes a password input button BT51. There is a possibility that a customer who comes to pick up an item ordered online may forget to bring the customer terminal device 50, or that the customer terminal device 50 may malfunction and be unable to display the pickup certificate code. In such cases, the customer can unlock the door without having the code reader 306 read the pickup certificate code by entering a password that they have previously registered in the ordering application. Therefore, in this case, the customer is instructed to operate the password input button BT51. When the password input button BT51 is operated, the touch panel display unit 305 displays an unlocking operation screen for unlocking the storage compartment 361 where the item is stored by entering the password. By following the instructions on the displayed unlocking operation screen, the customer can unlock the door 362 of the storage compartment 361 where the item they ordered online is stored and retrieve the item from the storage compartment 361.

[0060] In this way, with online ordering, customers can place orders from a location other than the store ST using the customer terminal device 50, and then pick up their ordered items by retrieving them from the product locker 30 at the store ST. Furthermore, if a customer has made an online payment when placing an online order, they can go directly to the product locker 30 to pick up their product without having to interact with a store employee for payment or other purposes when they visit the store ST. In other words, by using online ordering, customers can complete the entire process from ordering to picking up their product without having to interact with a store employee. Furthermore, store employees only need to place the products into the storage opening 361 of the product locker 30 for handover, and do not need to interact with customers face-to-face. As a result, store employees do not need to interrupt their previous duties to attend to customers who come to the store to pick up their online orders, allowing them to work more efficiently. Furthermore, because there is no need for face-to-face interaction between the staff and the customer, the exchange of goods can be completed in a short time. In addition, since there is no conversation or exchange of money between the staff and the customer, good hygiene can be maintained. Furthermore, for example, when handing over products ordered online without using product lockers 30, the following operation may be implemented. That is, in a situation where customers who order face-to-face with store staff (regular customers) are lined up in the store, when a customer who placed an online order (online order customer) arrives at the store, they may be asked to line up at the end of the same line as the regular customers, thus prioritizing regular customers. However, in such an operation, online order customers may become dissatisfied because it takes extra time to receive their products even if they arrive at the store on time. Therefore, it is possible to prioritize online customers and, when an online customer arrives in the store, interrupt service to regular customers to hand over the goods to the online customer. However, in this case, regular customers waiting in line may feel that they have been cut in line by customers who arrived later and may become dissatisfied. In contrast, with the product delivery system of this embodiment, online customers do not need to be further assisted by store staff who are normally assisting other customers when picking up their products, thus preventing any of the above-mentioned dissatisfactions. Thus, using the product lockers 30 for online order pickup offers advantages for both the store and the customer.

[0061] [Example of using a store employee order management system] In store ST, store employees prepare products according to online orders and store the prepared products in the storage opening 361 of the product locker 30 for handover to customers (online order handling operations). In performing online order handling operations, store employees use the store employee order management device 40. The following describes an example of how store employees use the store employee order management device 40 with reference to Figures 7 to 9. In the following explanation, the store employee order management device 40 will be used as an example when it is a tablet terminal. The store employee order management device 40 as a tablet terminal is equipped with a touch panel display.

[0062] The employee order management device 40 displays an online order handling screen on its touch panel display. The online order handling screen is the operation screen used by customers when handling online orders. Figure 7 shows an example of an online order handling screen. In this online order handling screen, the order handling operation area AR20 is located. The order handling operation area AR20 contains the following tabs: All List Tab Tb1, Unsold Tab Tb2, In Stock Tab Tb3, Stored Other Locations Tab Tb4, and Oversized Tab Tb5. In the diagram, the All List Tab Tb1 is selected, indicating that the order list screen in the order handling operation area AR20 displays list items for online orders corresponding to all statuses. The order list screen displays a list of online orders placed with store ST as the destination. Each list item on the order list screen corresponds to one online order.

[0063] Each list item on the order list screen includes the following fields: order number, status, time of visit, storage period, and quantity ordered. The order number field displays the order number indicating the corresponding online order. While the diagram shows the order number as a three-digit number, the format is not limited to three digits. For example, the order number may have more than three digits. Furthermore, the order number may be a combination of numbers and letters. In the "Product Name" field, the name of the product ordered via the corresponding online order will be displayed. The status field displays the current status of the corresponding online order. The status is displayed as text within the status field. The status of items ordered online can be one of the following: "Not cooked," "Not stored," "In storage," "Stored elsewhere," "Stored / Other location," "Overage," "Discarded," "Receiving," or "Received."

[0064] The "Not Cooked" status indicates that the corresponding online order item has not yet been cooked and has not been stored in the storage compartment 361. For example, in the list item displayed at the stage when the online order is received, the status will be "Not Cooked." The "Not Cooked" status also functions as an instruction to cook the corresponding item. In other words, the "Not Cooked" status may be displayed in response to the store clerk order management device 40 having a cooking instruction function, in order to give cooking instructions to the store clerk in response to the receipt of the online order.

[0065] The "Not Stored" status indicates that the preparation (cooking) of the corresponding online order is complete, but the item has not yet been stored in the storage compartment 361. If the employee order management device 40 does not have a cooking instruction function and therefore the "Not Cooked" status is not used, the "Not Stored" status may be made to include the "Not Cooked" status. In this case, the status of the list item displayed at the stage when the online order is received may be shown as "Not Stored".

[0066] The "Storing" status indicates that the corresponding online order item has been prepared (cooked), and that storage slot 361 for storing the prepared item has been assigned.

[0067] The "Stored elsewhere" status indicates that the corresponding online order is being stored in a location other than the storage compartment 361 of the product locker 30. The "Stored elsewhere" status may also include situations where the product has been removed from storage compartment 361 due to exceeding the storage limit, or where the product is being stored in a location other than storage compartment 361 because it does not fit in storage compartment 361 due to size or other reasons.

[0068] The "Storage / Other Location" status indicates that some of the products prepared in response to the corresponding online order have been allocated to storage compartment 361, while the remaining products are being stored in a location other than storage compartment 361.

[0069] The "overdue" status indicates that a certain amount of time has passed since the time of arrival of the online order. For example, statuses such as "In Storage" or "Stored elsewhere" are changed according to the store clerk's actions on the online order processing screen. On the other hand, the "Overdue" status is transitioned from other statuses, for example, after a certain amount of time has elapsed since the arrival time set in the corresponding online order. It may also be possible to change to the "Overdue" status depending on the store clerk's actions.

[0070] The "Discarded" status indicates that the corresponding online order item has been discarded. For example, a store employee may be able to change the status to "Discarded" after removing the corresponding item stored in storage compartment 361 for disposal. Alternatively, the corresponding item stored in storage compartment 361 may be removed from storage compartment 361 and stored elsewhere, and the status may be changed to "Stored elsewhere" before it can be changed to "Discarded". In this case, even if an operation is performed to set the status to "Discarded" without going through the "Stored elsewhere" status, the operation may not be accepted, and an error may be reported to the store employee, for example.

[0071] The "Picking Up" status indicates that the door 362 of the storage compartment 361, where the corresponding online order items were stored, has been unlocked in response to the customer having the pickup certificate code read by the product locker 30.

[0072] The "Received" status indicates that the corresponding online order item has been removed from the storage opening 361 with the door 362 unlocked.

[0073] In the status column of the order list screen, one of the above statuses may be displayed depending on the status of the corresponding online order. In this embodiment, the order list screen will delete the list items of items with the status "Received". Therefore, the "Received" status does not need to be displayed in the status column of the order list screen. However, if a "Received" tab is provided in the order handling operation area AR20, the order list screen may be displayed to show the list items of online orders with the status "Received" when the "Received" tab is operated.

[0074] Additionally, the "Arrival Time" field on the order list screen displays the time (arrival time) when the customer who placed the online order will come to pick up their order. The arrival time is specified by the customer when placing the online order.

[0075] The "Storage Period" field on the order list screen displays the storage period for items ordered via the corresponding online order. Specifically, the "Storage Period" field shows the time after which the storage period expires. The time after which the storage period expires is the time after a predetermined period has elapsed from the time of arrival. The diagram shows an example where the time after which the storage period is set to 30 minutes. If an item remains stored in the storage compartment 361 and is not picked up by the customer after the specified time, the store clerk will remove the item from the storage compartment 361 and either store it in another location until the customer comes to pick it up, or, depending on the item, discard it.

[0076] In the order list, the "Number of Orders" column shows the number of items ordered through the corresponding online order.

[0077] Furthermore, the order list screen may include a field for, for example, an eat-in / takeout category. This field would indicate whether the corresponding online order is for eat-in or takeout. By checking whether the order is for eat-in or takeout, the staff can determine whether to prepare the product accordingly. For example, staff can prepare items designated for eat-in by placing them on a tray, and items designated for takeout by placing them in a bag.

[0078] On the order list screen, the list items corresponding to each online order are arranged from top to bottom in order of earliest arrival time. In response to online orders, store staff are required to have the products ready as close as possible to the customer's arrival time for pickup. Furthermore, for food and beverages that need to maintain a specific temperature (hot or cold) when the customer picks them up, preparing them well in advance of the customer's arrival time may result in them becoming cold or warm. Therefore, staff may be required to start preparations at a time calculated backward from the customer's arrival time. In other words, store staff use the customer's arrival time to determine when and which items to start preparing for each online order. In this respect, information about the customer's arrival time is crucial for store staff to smoothly handle online orders.

[0079] Therefore, in this embodiment, the order list screen is arranged so that the online order list items are in order of arrival time. This makes it easier for store staff to determine, for example, what order and when they should start preparing the products, and enables them to handle online orders smoothly.

[0080] Furthermore, the online order processing screen shown in the same figure includes a locker status area AR30. The locker status area AR30 indicates the storage status of the products in the product locker 30. In the locker status area AR30 shown in the figure, six storage slot status areas AR31 (AR31-1 to AR31-6) are arranged, corresponding to the fact that the product locker 30 is provided with six storage slots 361 (361-1 to 361-6), as illustrated in Figure 5. Storage slot status areas AR31-1 to AR31-6 correspond to storage slots 361-1 to 361-6, respectively. In locker status area AR30, storage slot status areas AR31-1 to AR31-6 are arranged in accordance with the arrangement of storage slots 361-1 to 361-6 as seen from the staff's perspective (Figure 5(A)). In other words, in locker status area AR30, storage slot status areas AR31-1 to AR31-3 are arranged sequentially from right to left on the upper row, and storage slot status areas AR31-4 to AR31-6 are arranged sequentially from right to left on the lower row. In addition, storage slot numbers from "1" to "6" are displayed in storage slot status areas AR31-1 to AR31-6, respectively. By arranging the storage compartment status areas AR31-1 to AR31-6 in this way, store staff can accurately understand the correspondence between the storage compartment status areas AR31-1 to AR31-6 and the storage compartments 361-1 to 361-6.

[0081] In the locker status area AR30 shown in the figure, storage slot status areas AR31-1, 31-2, and AR31-3 indicate the "storage in progress" state, where an item is stored. Storage slot status areas AR31-4 and AR31-6 indicate the "empty" state, where no item is stored. Storage slot status area AR31-5 indicates the "overdue" state, where an excess amount of time has elapsed since an item was stored. In other words, the locker status area AR30 in the diagram indicates that lockers 361-1, 361-2, and 361-3, with locker numbers 1, 2, and 3, are currently storing items, lockers 361-4 and 361-6, with locker numbers 4 and 6, are empty, and locker 361-5, with locker number 5, has exceeded the time limit since an item was stored inside it.

[0082] The storage slot status area AR31 is displayed with a background color corresponding to the relevant status. In the storage slot status area AR31 indicating that an item is in storage, the order number corresponding to the stored item and the pickup-related time information are displayed. In the same figure, the pickup-related time information shows the arrival time ("arrival time") and the overdue time ("storage period"). The arrival time in the storage slot status area AR31 indicates the arrival time specified by the customer when ordering the stored item online. The overdue time is the time after a predetermined period has elapsed from the arrival time. If an item remains in storage slot 361 and the overdue time has passed without being picked up by the customer, the store clerk will remove the item from storage slot 361 and either store it in another location until the customer comes to pick it up, for example, or discard it depending on the item.

[0083] Furthermore, when the time limit has been exceeded, the corresponding storage slot status area AR31 may be configured to notify the store staff that the time limit has been exceeded in a predetermined manner. Alternatively, when the time limit has been exceeded, an indicator or similar device provided on the back side of the corresponding storage slot 361 in the product locker 30 may light up in a predetermined manner to notify the store staff that the time limit has been exceeded.

[0084] Furthermore, in the storage slot status area AR31, which indicates an unstorage state, an example is shown where no information is displayed.

[0085] As described above, with the goods stored in the storage compartment 361, for example, a store employee performs an operation to select the list item with order number 252 in the order handling operation area AR20. Such an operation to select a list item may be a touch operation on the list item. In response to this operation, a selection box FL is placed on the list item with order number 252 to indicate that it is selected. In this case, the locker status area AR30 also contains a storage slot status area AR31-2 that indicates that the locker is storing product with order number 252, for which a list item has been selected. Therefore, the storage slot status area AR31-2 is also highlighted in a predetermined manner to indicate that it is selected along with the corresponding list item. The figure shows an example where the frame corresponding to the outline of the storage slot status area AR31-2 is made thicker to indicate the highlighting.

[0086] As described above, when the list item for online order number 252 and the storage status area AR31-2 are selected, the storage registration button BT31 will be shown as inoperable, while the storage registration cancellation button BT32, the transfer registration button BT33, and the other-location storage registration button BT34 will be shown as operable. Inoperable registration operation buttons will be indicated as inoperable, for example, by being grayed out.

[0087] The storage registration button BT31 is a button that is operated during the product storage registration operation, which is performed when registering that an online ordered product has been stored in the storage compartment 361.

[0088] The storage registration cancellation button BT32 is used to cancel the registration that an item has been stored in the storage opening 361.

[0089] The movement registration button BT33 is operated when registering the movement of an item stored in the storage opening 361.

[0090] The BT34 button, which registers that a product will be stored at another location, is used to register the product for storage at another location.

[0091] Here, with the goods stored in the storage opening 361, as shown in the locker status area AR30 in Figure 7, the store clerk prepared the goods corresponding to online order number 255, which corresponds to the third list item from the top on the order list screen in the order handling operation area AR20 of the same figure. In other words, in this case, the store clerk prepared the goods for the online order with order number 255, which is the closest online order with an unstored status as shown on the order list screen and whose arrival time was closest. When the store clerk prepares to store the online order with order number 255 in the product locker 30, they select the list item with order number 255, which is the third row from the top in the order handling operation area AR20. In response to this operation, as shown in the transition of the online order handling screen from Figure 7 to Figure 8, the selection box FL is placed next to the list item with order number 255. At this time, since the product corresponding to the online order with order number 255 is not stored in any of the storage slots 361, none of the storage slot status areas AR31 in the locker status area AR30 correspond to the online order with order number 255. For this reason, none of the storage slot status areas AR31 in the locker status area AR30 are highlighted.

[0092] At this time, the store clerk can see the storage slot status area AR31 in the locker status area AR30 and realize that two storage slots 361 with storage slot numbers 4 and 6 are available. Therefore, the store clerk decides which of the two storage slots 361 with storage slot numbers 4 and 6 to store the item with order number 251. In this case, the store clerk decided to store the item with order number 251 in storage slot 361-4 with storage slot number 4.

[0093] The store clerk then places item number 251 into storage compartment 361-4, which is assigned the storage compartment number 4.

[0094] When the store clerk places an item in storage slot 361-4, they perform the following item storage registration operation on the online order handling screen. At this time, the status of the online order with order number 255, which corresponds to the list item selected in the order handling operation area AR20, is "not stored". Therefore, the storage registration button BT31 is operational, while the storage registration cancellation button BT32, the move registration button BT33, and the other location storage registration button BT34 are inoperable. So the store clerk operates the storage registration button BT31.

[0095] In response to the operation of the storage registration button BT31, the store clerk order management device 40 displays the storage slot registration operation screen on the touch panel display. The storage slot registration operation screen is where the operation to register the storage slot 361, which is the storage location for the product with the order number corresponding to the list item selected in the order handling operation area AR20, is performed. Although not shown in the diagram, the storage slot registration operation screen has, for example, storage slot selection buttons corresponding to each storage slot 361-1 to 361-6. In this case, the store clerk selects the storage compartment selection button corresponding to storage compartment 361-4. Upon operation of the storage compartment selection button, for example, the operated storage compartment selection button is highlighted, and a message is displayed to the store clerk asking for confirmation that storage compartment 361-4, corresponding to the selected storage compartment selection button, is the correct storage location for the product. After confirming that storage compartment 361-4 is correct, the store clerk performs a confirmation operation. The confirmation operation may be performed on the confirmation button located on the storage compartment registration operation screen. Furthermore, upon operation of the confirmation button, a registration confirmation dialog may be displayed to the store clerk informing them that the registration of storage compartment 361-4 corresponding to order number 255 has been confirmed. For example, the registration confirmation dialog may have a close button, and when the store clerk operates the close button, the registration confirmation dialog will be dismissed.

[0096] Figure 9 shows an example of the online order processing screen that appears after the registration confirmation dialog has been cleared. In the online order screen shown in the figure, the result of the product storage registration operation, which indicates that the product corresponding to online order number 252 has been stored in storage slot 361-4, is reflected. In other words, in the locker status area AR30 shown in the figure, the storage slot status area AR31-4 corresponding to storage slot 361-4 has changed to a state indicating that the product for online order number 252 is being stored.

[0097] Alternatively, the product storage registration operation may involve first selecting the storage location status area AR31 corresponding to the storage location 361 where the product will be stored, and then selecting the list item corresponding to the online order from the order list screen in the order handling operation area AR20, and operating the storage registration button BT31.

[0098] Furthermore, store employees may perform the product storage registration operation before placing the product into storage slot 361.

[0099] Then, when a customer who has placed an online order unlocks the storage compartment 361 containing their ordered items using the operation described in Figure 6, opens the door 362, and retrieves the items, the product locker 30 sends a notification (delivery completion notification) to the store order management server 10 indicating that the handover of the items has been completed. The store order management server 10 then sends the received delivery completion notification to the employee order management device 40.

[0100] Upon receiving a delivery completion notification, the online order response screen of the employee order management device 40 changes its display as follows: In the locker status area AR30 of the online order response screen, the storage slot status area AR31-4 corresponding to the storage slot 361-4 indicated by the received delivery completion notification changes from indicating a stored state to an unstored state. In addition, on the order list screen, the list item corresponding to the online order with order number 251, which was displayed in gray, is removed.

[0101] In this way, the store clerk can understand the current storage status of products in storage compartment 361 while performing the task of responding to online orders, as the store clerk operates on the online order response screen and the online order response screen is displayed accordingly.

[0102] Furthermore, if, for example, the wrong product is stored in storage compartment 361, or if the product has been stored in storage compartment 361 for an excessive amount of time and is now deemed suitable for disposal, the product storage registration will be canceled and the product stored in storage compartment 361 will be removed. In such cases, the store clerk performs a storage registration cancellation operation. That is, the clerk, for example, selects the target storage location status area AR31 and then operates the storage registration cancellation button BT32. In response to the operation of the storage registration cancellation button BT32, the selected storage location status area AR31 changes to an unstorage state, and the status of the corresponding product in the list item changes from stored to unstorage or from overflow to discard.

[0103] Furthermore, for example, there may be cases where you place an item in storage slot 361 and perform the item storage registration operation, but for some reason you want to move it to another storage slot 361. For example, after placing an item in storage slot 361 and performing the item storage registration operation, it is noticed that the storage slot 361 in which the item was placed is dirty. This is an example of a situation where you would want to move the item to another storage slot 361.

[0104] Furthermore, the order management server 60 may be able to obtain information about customers who have placed online orders (customer information) based on the user profile information registered by the customer in response to the ordering application. Customer information may include, for example, the customer's name and gender. The order management server 60 may, for example, send online order information, including customer information, to the store order management server 10, thereby enabling the store order management server 10 to acquire customer information. The store order management server 10 can then use the acquired customer information to display the customer information for each received online order on the online order handling screen displayed on the employee order management device 40. In such cases, if the same customer places multiple online orders, the online order processing screen will allow it to identify which order numbers belong to the same customer. Here, for example, two online orders, order numbers 111 and 112, were placed by the same customer. The store clerk prepared the items corresponding to order numbers 111 and 112, and placed the items for order numbers 111 and 112 into two empty storage compartments, 361-1 and 361-6, respectively. Subsequently, storage compartment 361-2, number 2, or storage compartment 361-4, number 4, became vacant. Storage compartments 361-2 and 361-4, number 2 or 4, are located adjacent to storage compartment 361-1, number 1. In this case, if the product stored in storage compartment 361-6, number 6, is stored in either storage compartment 361-2 or 361-4, number 2 or 4, the customer will be spared the inconvenience of retrieving products corresponding to two separate online orders from distant storage compartments 361, which is preferable. Furthermore, even if the store order management server 10 cannot obtain the customer's information for online orders, it is highly likely that multiple online orders with consecutive order numbers are handled by the same customer. From this perspective, it is preferable that products from multiple online orders with consecutive order numbers be stored in storage compartments 361 that are as close to each other as possible. In other words, if it is known or suspected that multiple online orders have been received from the same customer, it is preferable to move the items from one of the storage compartments 361 so that the distance between the storage compartments 361 containing the items corresponding to those multiple online orders is reduced.

[0105] When an employee wants to move an item as described above, they take the item out of the storage compartment 361 where it was previously stored, move it to another storage compartment 361, and then perform the item movement registration operation. As part of the item movement registration operation, the employee specifies the storage compartment status area AR31 corresponding to the source storage compartment 361 and the storage compartment status area AR31 corresponding to the destination storage compartment 361. After that, the employee operates the move registration button BT33. When the move registration button BT33 is operated, the storage slot status area AR31 corresponding to the storage slot 361 from which the item is being moved changes from a stored state to an unstored state, and the storage slot status area AR31 corresponding to the storage slot 361 to which the item is being moved changes from an unstored state to a stored state. At this time, the storage slot status area AR31 that is in the stored state will display the same order number, arrival time, excess time, etc. as the storage slot status area AR31 of the storage slot from which the item is being stored.

[0106] Furthermore, for example, when a store employee finished preparing an item for an online order whose arrival time was approaching and attempted to store it in storage compartment 361, they were unable to do so because all storage compartments 361 were already filled with items. However, based on the arrival time of the prepared item, the employee determined that the customer was unlikely to come to pick up the item anytime soon and therefore did not need to put it in storage compartment 361 immediately. In such a case, the employee would not store the prepared item in storage compartment 361, but instead store it in another designated location and then perform the "stored elsewhere" registration operation. In this case, to register an item for storage elsewhere, the store clerk selects the list item corresponding to the item to be stored elsewhere from the list items in the order handling area AR20, for example, and then operates the storage elsewhere registration button BT34. As a result of this product transfer registration operation, the status of the list item corresponding to the product to be stored elsewhere will change from "not in storage" to "stored elsewhere."

[0107] Furthermore, depending on the quantity and size of the items ordered through online ordering, it may not be possible to store all the ordered items in storage compartment 361. In such cases, even if there are empty storage compartments 361, the store staff may be allowed to register the items for storage elsewhere. The decision of whether or not the products can be stored in the storage opening 361 may be made by the store staff based on their own judgment, or it may be made by, for example, the store order management server 10 based on the quantity, size, etc., of the products ordered online.

[0108] Furthermore, there may be cases where items stored in storage compartment 361 need to be stored elsewhere for replacement with other items. In such cases, the store staff should be able to register the items for storage elsewhere. In this case, the store clerk takes the item to be stored elsewhere from storage slot 361, stores it elsewhere, and then performs the following storage elsewhere registration operation. The store clerk selects the storage slot status area AR31 corresponding to the storage slot 361 from which the item to be stored elsewhere was taken, and then operates the storage elsewhere registration button BT34. When the "Register for Storage at Another Location" button BT34 is pressed, the storage location status area AR31 corresponding to the storage location 361 from which the item to be stored elsewhere was removed changes from "Stored" to "Not Stored". Additionally, the status of the list item corresponding to the item to be stored elsewhere changes from "Not Stored" to "Stored at Another Location". In this case, to register an item for storage elsewhere, the store clerk selects the list item corresponding to the item to be stored elsewhere from the list items in the order handling area AR20, for example, and then operates the storage elsewhere registration button BT34.

[0109] For online orders corresponding to a status of "stored elsewhere," it may be possible to input information about the other location where the corresponding product is stored. Specifically, for example, in the operation of registering storage elsewhere, a selection of storage locations may be displayed, such as "next to the locker," "on the counter," "second shelf of the refrigerator," "third shelf of the warming unit," or "next to the cash register," from which the user can select the appropriate storage location. The store order management server 10 manages the selected storage location in association with the online order of the product that is to be stored elsewhere. The employee order management device 40 may display the storage location on the online order response screen, for example, by corresponding it to a list item, in accordance with the online order that has been designated as being stored elsewhere.

[0110] Furthermore, the store clerk order management device 40 may notify the store clerk of the storage location along with the customer's arrival in response to the arrival of an online order that has been designated as being stored elsewhere, as follows: For example, a customer who placed an online order with a status of "stored elsewhere" came to the store and had the pickup certificate code read by the code reader 306 at the product locker 30. Upon reading the pickup certificate code with the code reader 306, the store clerk order management device 40 notifies the store clerk that a customer who has placed an online order with an "off-site storage" status has come to pick up the goods. The store clerk order management device 40 may also notify the store clerk of the storage location entered during the off-site storage registration operation, along with the customer's arrival to pick up the goods. Such notifications may be made not only through the employee order management device 40, but also, for example, through a mobile terminal carried by an employee.

[0111] In the order processing area AR20, in addition to the full list tab Tb1, there are also the unsold tab Tb2, in-sold tab Tb3, stored elsewhere tab Tb4, and oversized tab Tb5. The display of the order processing area AR20 when the unsold tab Tb2, in-sold tab Tb3, stored elsewhere tab Tb4, and oversized tab Tb5 are selected is as follows. When the "Unsold" tab Tb2 is selected, the order handling operation area AR20 displays a list of list items corresponding to online orders of products with the status "Unsold". When the "In Storage" tab Tb3 is selected, the order handling operation area AR20 displays a list of list items corresponding to online orders for items with the status "In Storage". When the "Stored Outside" tab Tb4 is selected, the order handling operation area AR20 displays a list of items corresponding to online orders for products whose status is "Stored Outside". When the "Excess" tab Tb5 is selected, the order handling operation area AR20 displays a list of items corresponding to online orders of products with the "Excess" status.

[0112] The following describes an example configuration of a product delivery system for managing online orders, including the specifications of the online order processing screen as described above.

[0113] [Example configuration for a store order management server] Figure 10 shows an example configuration of the store order management server 10. The store order management server 10 in the figure comprises a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101, a storage unit 102, RAM 103, an external network compatible communication unit 104, and a store network compatible communication unit 105.

[0114] The CPU 101 is a central processing unit that controls the operation of the store order management server 10 by reading and executing programs stored in the memory unit 102. The memory unit 102 is an auxiliary storage device for the CPU 101, and stores various types of information used by the CPU 101, including programs. RAM103 is the main memory of CPU101. The external network-compatible communication unit 104 is the part that communicates with devices outside the store, such as the order management server 60, via a network. The store network-compatible communication unit 105 is the part that communicates with devices within the store ST, such as the employee order management device 40, product lockers 30, and POS terminal device 20, via the store network.

[0115] [Example of product locker configuration] Figure 11 shows an example configuration of a product locker 30. The product locker 30 in the figure includes a CPU 301, a storage unit 302, a RAM 303, a communication unit 304, a touch panel display unit 305, a code reader 306, a door lock unit 307 (307-1 to 307-6), a door opening / closing sensor 308 (308-1 to 308-6), and an indicator 363 (363-1 to 363-6).

[0116] The CPU 301 is a central processing unit that controls the operation of the product locker 30 by reading and executing programs stored in the memory unit 302. The memory unit 302 is an auxiliary memory device for the CPU 301, and stores various types of information used by the CPU 301, including programs. RAM303 is the main memory of CPU301. The communication unit 304 is the part that communicates with the store order management server 10 via the store network. The communication unit 304 may also be capable of communicating with POS terminals 20, employee order management devices 40, etc., via the store network without going through the store order management server 10.

[0117] The touch panel display unit 305 displays an image. Furthermore, the touch panel display unit 305 allows for operation by touching the display surface on which the image is shown with a finger or other operating object.

[0118] The code reader 306 reads codes such as two-dimensional codes or barcodes.

[0119] The door lock unit 307 is a lock provided for each door 362. The door lock unit 307 is locked and unlocked, for example, in response to control by the CPU 301. Regarding locking, for example, the door lock unit 307 may be designed to be locked when the door 362 is closed, based on the structure of the door lock unit 307 itself.

[0120] A door opening / closing sensor 308 is provided for each door 362 and detects whether the corresponding door 362 is in an open or closed state.

[0121] An indicator 363 is provided on the front side of the product locker 30, corresponding to each storage opening 361. The indicator 363 may be composed of, for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) capable of lighting up in a predetermined single color or multiple colors. As mentioned above, the indicator 363 lights up to inform the customer that the item to be picked up is stored in the corresponding storage opening 361, but the indicator 363 may also be used for other notifications. For example, if the door 362 is left open for a certain period of time or longer, the indicator 363 may light up in a predetermined pattern to notify the customer that the door 362 has been left open. Furthermore, the indicator 363 may indicate whether the door 362 is unlocked or locked using a predetermined lighting pattern. In addition, the indicator 363 may be configured to indicate, for example, whether an unlocked door 362 is closed or open using a predetermined lighting pattern.

[0122] In addition to the indicator 363 provided on the front side of the product locker 30, an indicator for notifying store staff may be provided on the back side of the product locker 30, corresponding to each storage opening 361.

[0123] [Example configuration of a store employee order management system] Figure 12 shows an example configuration of the employee order management device 40. The employee order management device 40 in the figure comprises a CPU 401, a storage unit 402, a RAM 403, a communication unit 404, and a touch panel display unit 405. The CPU 401 is a central processing unit that controls the operation of the employee order management device 40 by reading and executing programs stored in the memory unit 402. The memory unit 402 is an auxiliary memory device for the CPU 401, and stores various types of information used by the CPU 401, including programs. RAM403 is the main memory of CPU401. The communication unit 404 is the part that communicates with the store order management server 10 via the store network. The communication unit 404 may also be capable of communicating with POS terminals 20, product lockers 30, etc., via the store network without going through the store order management server 10.

[0124] The touch panel display unit 405 displays an image. Furthermore, the touch panel display unit 405 allows for operation by touching the display surface on which the image is shown with a finger or other operating object. Furthermore, the employee order management device 40 may be equipped with operating units other than the touch panel display unit 405.

[0125] [Example of customer terminal system configuration] Figure 13 shows an example configuration of a customer terminal device 50. The customer terminal device 50 in the figure comprises a CPU 501, a storage unit 502, a RAM 503, a display unit 504, an operation unit 505, an imaging unit 506, and a network-compatible communication unit 507. The CPU 501 is a central processing unit that controls the operation of the customer terminal device 50 by reading and executing programs stored in the memory unit 502. The memory unit 502 is an auxiliary storage device for the CPU 501, and stores various types of information used by the CPU 501, including programs. RAM503 is the main memory of CPU501. The display unit 504 displays an image in accordance with the display control of the CPU 501. The display unit 504 may be configured as a touch panel that allows operation of the screen. The operation unit 505 collectively refers to the various controls provided on the customer terminal device 50 and the various input devices connected to the customer terminal device 50. The imaging unit 506 performs imaging in accordance with the control of the CPU 401. Furthermore, the imaging unit 506 in this embodiment can also function as the part that reads the 2D code in a code reader that processes 2D codes. The network-enabled communication unit 507 is a component that communicates wirelessly over a network. The network-enabled communication unit 507 enables the customer terminal device 50 to communicate with the order management server 60.

[0126] [Example of processing procedure] Referring to the flowchart in Figure 14, an example of the processing procedure performed by the store order management server 10, the employee order management device 40, and the product locker 30 in this embodiment in relation to the receipt of online orders will be described.

[0127] First, we will explain an example of the processing procedure performed by the store order management server 10. Step S101: When the order management server 60 receives an online order from the customer terminal device 50, it sends online order information indicating the details of the received order to the store order management server 10 of the store ST to which the order was placed. The store order management server 10 determines whether or not it has received the online order information sent from the order management server 60. Step S102: The store order management server 10 stores the online order information received in step S101 in the storage unit 102.

[0128] Figure 15 shows an example of online order information corresponding to one online order. The online order information in the figure includes areas for order identification information, customer identification information, ordered product information, time of visit, and payment information.

[0129] The order identification information area stores order identification information that indicates the corresponding online order. The order identification information is unique to each online order received by each store ST, as assigned by the order management server 60 upon receiving the online order. The order identification information is used as the order number on the online order handling screen displayed on the employee order management device 40.

[0130] The customer identification information area stores customer identification information that identifies the customer who placed the corresponding online order. The customer identification information may be the user identification information assigned during user registration of the order application installed on the customer terminal device 50. Alternatively, application identification information that uniquely identifies the order application installed on the customer terminal device 50 may be used as the customer identification information.

[0131] The ordered product information area stores ordered product information that indicates the products ordered through the corresponding online order. The "Arrival Time" field stores the arrival time specified in the corresponding online order.

[0132] The settlement information area stores settlement information for the corresponding online order. The settlement information indicates if payment has been completed via online payment when the online order was placed. If payment (settlement) at the store ST was selected when the online order was placed, it also includes information that the store ST's POS terminal 20 uses for settlement processing, such as the price of each ordered item, the total amount of the ordered items, and, if applicable, the discount amount or discount rate.

[0133] Return to the explanation in Figure 14. Step S103: The store order management server 10 updates the online order receipt information in response to the receipt of the current online order information. The online order receipt information is generated based on the online order information stored in step S102, specifically the online order information for which the customer has not yet completed picking up the goods. The store order management server 10 transmits the updated online receipt information to the store employee order management device 40.

[0134] Figure 16 shows an example of online order receipt information. In the online order receipt information in this figure, one record (one row) corresponds to one online order. The online order receipt information corresponding to one online order includes areas for order identification information, ordered product information, and time of visit. The order identification information, ordered product information, and visit time in the online order receipt information are obtained from the corresponding online order information, respectively.

[0135] Return to the explanation in Figure 14. Step S104: If it is determined in step S101 that online order information has not been received, or after processing in step S103, the store order management server 10 determines whether or not it has received a product storage registration notification sent from the employee order management device 40. A product storage registration notification is a notification sent by the employee order management device 40 in response to an employee performing a product storage registration operation on the employee order management device 40. The product storage registration notification includes order identification information corresponding to the product registered as having been stored in the storage slot 361 by the product storage registration operation, and the storage slot number of the storage slot 361 in which the product was stored.

[0136] Step S105: The store order management server 10 updates the product storage management information so that the contents of the received product storage registration notification are reflected. The store order management server 10 sends the updated product storage management information to the employee order management device 40. Product storage management information is information that shows the current storage status of products in each of the storage compartments 361 of the product lockers 30.

[0137] Figure 17 shows an example of product storage management information. The product storage management information in this figure has a structure in which order identification information is associated with each storage slot number. The order identification information "999" indicates that storage slot 361, indicated by the corresponding storage slot number, is empty. According to the product storage management information in the same diagram, for example, products corresponding to order numbers 242, 251, and 248 are stored in storage compartments 361-2, 361-4, and 361-6, respectively, with storage compartment numbers 2, 4, and 6, respectively, while no products are stored in storage compartments 361-1, 361-3, and 361-6, respectively, with storage compartment numbers 1, 3, and 5. In step S105, the store order management server 10 updates the product storage management information by storing the order identification information shown in the same product storage registration notice, in association with the storage box number shown in the received product storage registration notice.

[0138] Furthermore, as mentioned above, product storage management information is updated in response to product movement and disposal operations performed by store staff on the online order screen.

[0139] Return to the explanation in Figure 14. Step S106: If it is determined in step S104 that no product storage registration notification has been received, or after processing in step S105, the store order management server 10 determines whether or not a delivery completion notification sent from the product locker 30 has been received.

[0140] Step S107: Upon receiving the delivery completion notification, the store order management server 10 updates the product storage management information by storing a value corresponding to the unstorage status in the area of ​​the order identification information associated with the same storage slot number indicated by the delivery completion notification. The store order management server 10 transmits the updated product storage management information to the store employee order management device 40.

[0141] Step S108: The store order management server 10 also updates the online order receipt information in response to the receipt of the delivery completion notification. In this case, the store order management server 10 updates the online order receipt information by deleting the online order information of the order identification information that was stored before being changed to a value corresponding to the unpaid state in step S107. The store order management server 10 transmits the updated online order receipt information to the employee order management device 40.

[0142] Step S109: If it is determined in step S106 that a delivery completion notification has not been received, or after processing in step S108, the store order management server 10 determines whether or not an unlocking request has been received from the product locker 30. The product locker 30 sends an unlocking request to the store order management server 10 in response to the code reader 306 reading the pickup certificate code. The unlocking request includes order identification information (order number) indicated in the pickup certificate code read by the code reader 306. If no unlocking request is received, the process returns to step S101.

[0143] Step S110: When the store order management server 10 receives an unlocking request, it refers to the product storage management information and determines whether or not the product corresponding to the online order indicated by the order identifier included in the received unlocking request is stored in the storage compartment 361.

[0144] Step S111: The store order management server 10 sends an unlock response to the product locker 30 according to the result of the determination in step S110. If the store order management server 10 determines in step S110 that the product is stored in the storage slot 361, it sends an unlock response indicating permission to unlock. The unlock response indicating permission to unlock includes the storage slot number to which the order identification information included in the unlock request was associated in the product storage management information. On the other hand, if the store order management server 10 determines in step S110 that the product is not stored in the storage slot 361, it sends an unlock response indicating that unlocking is prohibited.

[0145] Next, we will explain an example of a processing procedure performed by the employee order management device 40. For the sake of simplicity and clarity, this diagram will explain an example of a processing procedure performed by the employee order management device 40 regarding the display of the order list screen and the locker status area AR30 on the online order handling screen. The explanation of the processing procedures for displaying the moving product list screen and the disposal product list screen will be omitted.

[0146] Step S201: At the stage when the process shown in the figure begins, the employee order management device 40 is displaying the order list screen in the order handling operation area AR20. It determines whether or not online order receipt information or product storage management information has been received from the store order management server 10.

[0147] Step S202: In response to receiving online order receipt information or product storage management information, the store clerk order management device 40 updates the online order response screen displayed on the touch panel display unit 405 as follows.

[0148] When online order receipt information is received, the employee order management device 40 updates the order list screen in the order handling operation area AR20 of the online customer service screen as part of the process in step S202. In other words, the employee order management device 40 displays an order list screen in the order handling operation area AR20 in which the list items for each online order indicated by the received online order receipt information are arranged from top to bottom in order of arrival time. Online order receipt information is transmitted via step S103 or step S108. Depending on step S103, online order receipt information is transmitted with the online order information added in response to the new online order. Therefore, depending on the processing in step S202 in response to the online order receipt information transmitted via step S103, the order list screen is updated by adding list items. On the other hand, in step S108, in response to the completion of product pickup, online order receipt information is sent with the online order information corresponding to the product to be picked up deleted. Therefore, depending on the processing in step S202 in response to the online order receipt information sent in step S108, the order list screen is updated so that the list items are deleted.

[0149] Furthermore, as part of the processing in step S202, if product storage management information is received, the employee order management device 40 updates the display of the locker status area AR30 on the online customer service screen as follows. The employee order management device 40 compares the product storage management information received this time with the product storage management information received last time to identify changes in storage status. If the employee order management device 40 identifies that the storage status has changed from unstorage to storage (the product has been stored), it changes the storage slot status area AR31 corresponding to the storage slot number that changed from unstorage to storage to indicate storage status. At this time, the employee order management device 40 also obtains the time of arrival from the online order receipt information which stores the same order identification information (order number) associated with the storage slot number that changed to storage status. The employee order management device 40 calculates the time after which a certain amount of time has elapsed from the obtained time of arrival as the excess time. Note that the calculation of the excess time may be performed by the store order management server 10. The employee order management device 40 displays the arrival time obtained as described above and the calculated overtime time in the storage area AR31 of the target storage location. The employee order management device 40 also updates the display on the order list screen of the order handling operation area AR20 so that the list item corresponding to the order identification information, which indicates that the item is stored in the storage location based on the received product storage management information, is grayed out.

[0150] Furthermore, when the employee order management device 40 identifies a change in storage status, such as a change from a stored state to an unstored state (i.e., the product has been taken out), it changes the storage slot status area AR31 corresponding to the storage slot number where the storage status change occurred, from a state indicating a stored state to a state indicating an unstored state.

[0151] Step S203: If neither online order receipt information nor product storage management information was received in step S201, or after processing in step S202, the store clerk order management device 40 determines whether or not a product storage registration operation was performed by a store clerk. If no product storage registration operation was performed, the process returns to step S201.

[0152] Step S204: If it is determined in step S203 that the product storage registration operation has been performed, the employee order management device 40 sends a product storage registration notification to the store order management server 10. The store order management server 10 updates the product storage management information in step S106 in response to the sent product storage registration notification, and sends the updated product storage management information in step S107. The product storage management information sent in this way is received in step S201 after the sending of the product storage registration notification, and the locker status area AR30 is updated in step S202. As a result, the online order response screen is updated as illustrated in the transition from Figure 8 to Figure 9.

[0153] Next, we will describe an example of the processing procedure performed by the product locker 30. Step S301: The product locker 30 waits for the code reader 306 to read the pickup certificate code.

[0154] Step S302: When the pickup certificate code is read, the product locker 30 sends an unlock request to the store order management server 10. The unlock request includes order identification information indicated by the pickup certificate code read by the code reader 306. The unlock request is a command that requests the unlocking of the door 362 of the storage opening 361 where the product corresponding to the order identification information is stored.

[0155] Step S303: In response to the unlocking request sent in step S302, the store order management server 10 sends an unlocking response in step S110. In step S303, the product locker 30 determines whether the received unlock response indicates permission to unlock or prohibition to unlock.

[0156] Step S304: If the received unlocking response indicates permission to unlock, the product locker 30 executes a control (unlocking control) to unlock the door lock 307 of door 362 corresponding to the storage compartment number included in the received unlocking response. In addition, during the unlocking control in step S304, the product locker 30 lights up an indicator 363 provided in a predetermined manner, corresponding to the storage compartment 361 whose door lock 307 has been unlocked, to inform the customer of the storage compartment 361 in which the product to be picked up is stored.

[0157] Step S305: If the received unlock response indicates that unlocking is prohibited, the product locker 30 displays on the touch panel display unit 305 that the product to be picked up by the customer has not yet been placed in the storage opening 361. After processing in step S305, the process returns to step S301.

[0158] Step S306: After performing unlocking control in step S304, the product locker 30 waits for the product to be taken out of the storage opening 361 through which the door 362 has been unlocked. To take out the product, the customer opens the unlocked door 362, takes the product out of the storage opening 361, and then closes the door 362. The product locker 30 may then determine that the product has been taken out, based on the detection by the door opening / closing sensor 308 corresponding to the unlocked door 362 that the unlocked door 362 has been opened and then closed. Furthermore, the determination of whether an item has been removed may be based on information other than the detection output of the door opening / closing sensor 308. For example, the determination of whether an item has been removed may be made by providing a camera that photographs the inside of each storage opening 361, and the item locker 30 making the determination based on the image taken by the camera. Alternatively, a weighing sensor may be provided on the bottom of each storage opening 361, and the item locker 30 may determine whether an item has been removed based on the change in weight measured by the weighing sensor.

[0159] Step S307: When it is determined in step S306 that the product has been retrieved, the product locker 30 sends a delivery completion notification to the store order management server 10. Furthermore, if it is not determined that the product has been removed even after a certain period of time has elapsed since door 362 was unlocked, a notification may be given, for example, to store staff or customers, that the product has not been removed.

[0160] <Variation> Modifications of this embodiment will be described below. The modifications described below may be combined with the above embodiment and other modifications as appropriate.

[0161] [First variation] In a store ST, multiple product lockers 30 may be installed. In this case, on the online order processing screen, multiple locker status areas AR30 corresponding to each of the multiple product lockers 30 may be placed.

[0162] Furthermore, multiple employee order management devices 40 may be used simultaneously in a store ST. In this case, the online order handling screen may be displayed in a synchronized manner across multiple employee order management devices 40 so as to show the common order receipt status and the storage status of products in the product lockers 30. Alternatively, if multiple product lockers 30 are installed, one employee order management device 40 may be used for each product locker 30. In this case, the locker status area AR30 on the online order handling screen displayed on the employee order management device 40 may be configured to show the status of the corresponding product locker 30. In this case, for example, the store order management server 10 may distribute the received online orders to one of the multiple product lockers 30. In this case, the order list screen displayed in the order handling operation area AR20 of the online order handling screen displayed on the employee order management device 40 may display the list items of the distributed online orders.

[0163] [Second variation] A tag device corresponding to each storage compartment 361 of the product locker 30 may be provided at a designated location in the store ST, so that it can be operated by a store employee. The tag device is equipped with a sensor that detects when it is touched and stores the storage compartment number associated with it. The tag device is also capable of communicating with the store employee order management device 40 using a predetermined short-range wireless communication method. In this modified example, as in the first embodiment, if the store clerk is responsible for determining the storage slot 361 in which the product will be stored, the clerk, once they have determined the storage slot 361 in which the prepared product will be stored, performs an operation on the online order processing screen to specify the list item corresponding to the product to be stored (target product specification operation). The clerk also performs an operation to touch the tag device corresponding to the determined storage slot 361. When the tag device detects that it has been touched by a sensor, it sends a storage slot number notification to the store clerk order management device 40 indicating the storage slot number associated with it. The store clerk order management device 40 sends a product storage registration notification to the store order management server 10, which includes the storage slot number indicated in the storage slot number notification received from the tag device and the order identification information of the online order corresponding to the list item specified by the store clerk through the product selection operation. By operating the tag device in this way, store employees can also perform the product storage registration operation.

[0164] [Third variation] Figure 18 shows an example of an online order handling screen displayed in the store clerk order management device 40 as a modified example. The online order handling screen displays a list of online orders received by the store ST. Each list item in the figure corresponds to one online order received by the store ST. Furthermore, the list items are arranged from top to bottom in order of arrival time, similar to the embodiment described above. The list items corresponding to the online order in 1 have fields for order number, product name, time of arrival, and payment slot number. In addition, the list items in the figure may also include a field for eat-in / takeout classification, similar to the first embodiment.

[0165] In this modified example, without any operation by a store employee, the store order management server 10 (or store employee order management device 40) determines when an online order is received and assigns a storage slot number to it. The storage slot number field on the online order handling screen in the figure displays the value of the storage slot number assigned by the store order management server 10 in this manner.

[0166] Furthermore, in the online order processing screen shown in the diagram, the list items for online orders are color-coded with one of two background colors: a primary color and a secondary color. In the example shown, four list items with order numbers 001, 002, 004, and 006 are color-coded with the primary color, while two list items with order numbers 003 and 005 are color-coded with the secondary color.

[0167] The first color indicates that it is permissible to prepare the goods at this time (preparation permission), and the second color indicates that it is not permissible to prepare the goods at this time (preparation prohibition). Online orders that are permitted for preparation include those for which the arrival time is within a certain period. Furthermore, online orders that can be stored at room temperature in storage compartment 361, even if the arrival time is not yet within that period, may also be included in those permitted for preparation. On the other hand, online orders that are prohibited from preparation are those for which the arrival time is not within that period. The store staff are instructed to prepare the items from online orders that are listed under the first background color. This allows the staff to efficiently prepare products in response to online orders.

[0168] The store clerk checks the storage compartment number in the corresponding list item on the online order processing screen to determine which storage compartment 361 to store the prepared product in. The store clerk stores the product in storage compartment 361 corresponding to the storage compartment number they confirmed. The store clerk also performs an operation (product storage confirmation operation) on the online order processing screen, for example by touch operation, to select the list item corresponding to the product that was just stored. The list item selected in the product storage confirmation operation changes to a predetermined state (for example, a third-color background) to indicate that the corresponding product has been stored in storage compartment 361.

[0169] Furthermore, when a product stored in the storage compartment 361 is picked up by the customer, the online order response screen is updated so that the list item corresponding to the picked-up product is deleted.

[0170] [Fourth variation] In some cases, a single online order may contain too many items to fit into the same storage compartment 361. In such cases, the store staff will place some of the ordered items into storage compartment 361 and leave the remaining items (excess items) in a designated location. Furthermore, when a customer has the pickup certificate code read by the code reader 306 of the product locker 30 in order to pick up the relevant product, the store staff may be notified that a customer who placed an online order with surplus stock has come to pick up the product. Such notification may be given, for example, by display or sound on the store staff order management device 40, or by lighting up a lamp installed near the product locker 30 or in the place where the surplus stock is stored.

[0171] Furthermore, there may be cases where, for example, goods have been prepared, but all the storage slots 361 are already filled with goods. In such cases, the store clerk may place the prepared goods in a designated location other than the goods locker 30, and then register them as goods that cannot be stored in the storage slots 361 (items that cannot be stored) as part of the goods storage registration operation. On the online order handling screen, for example, on the order list screen, the relevant list item may be indicated as an item that cannot be stored in a predetermined manner. Furthermore, if a customer has the code reader 306 of the product locker 30 read a pickup certificate code in order to retrieve an item that cannot be stored, the store staff may be notified that the customer has come to pick up the item.

[0172] [Fifth variation] In the above embodiment, the excess time was set as the time after a predetermined period of time had elapsed from the time of arrival at the store. In this modified example, the time used to set the excess time may be changed for each store, for example. Furthermore, the time used to set the excess time may be changed within the same store depending on the product, the time period to which the current time corresponds, etc. Furthermore, the time used to set the excess time may be changed depending on the customer who placed the online order. For example, for each customer who placed an online order, the store employee order management device 40 (or store order management server 10, etc.) may store as a history the difference time between the time of arrival and the time when the product was taken out of the storage slot 361. Then, based on the difference time so far, the store employee order management device 40 (or store order management server 10, etc.) sets the time used to set the excess time for each customer who placed an online order.

[0173] Furthermore, for example, when a customer places an online order using the customer terminal device 50, the arrival time may be set to undecided. In the case of an online order where the arrival time is set to undecided, the online order response screen may, for example, set a predetermined time after the time the online order was placed as the arrival time, and set the excess time using a longer period than that normally used for setting the excess time.

[0174] [Sixth variation] Alternatively, a system could be in place where customers pick up their orders at the store within a specified time after completing their online order. In this case, the time after the specified time from the time the online order is completed could be set as the excess time, and the time before the excess time could be set as the arrival time at the store. Furthermore, in the above-mentioned operation, it is also acceptable to not set a specific time for customers to arrive at the store, but rather have store staff prepare the products in the order that online orders are received.

[0175] [7th variation] In the above embodiment, the store order management server 10 and the employee order management device 40 worked together to manage online orders using the online order response screen on the employee order management device 40. However, for example, the employee order management device 40 may have the functions of the store order management server 10 and implement online order management using an online order response screen. In this case, the employee order management device 40 may be omitted in the store ST. Furthermore, the functions of the employee order management device 40 may be provided by an external device, such as an order management server 60 or another server outside the store ST, and the external device and the employee order management device 40 may work together to realize the management of online orders using an online order response screen.

[0176] [8th variation] Furthermore, in the product handover system, characteristics may be defined for each product that is handed over via the product locker 30. Based on the characteristics defined for the product, for example, the store order management server 10 may make decisions regarding the preparation (cooking) and storage of the online ordered product, and the decision results may be reflected in the display on the employee order management device 40, etc.

[0177] The characteristics of the product may be defined by the following product characteristics table, cooking characteristics definition table, and temperature characteristics definition table. This product preparation management information may be stored, for example, by the store order management server 10. Figure 19 shows an example of a product characteristics table. In the product characteristics table in this figure, one record (one row) corresponds to product characteristics information for one product. The product characteristics information for one product includes the fields for product name (which may also be a product code), cooking characteristics, temperature characteristics, recooking instructions, and size. The area for the product name stores the product name of the corresponding product. Note that a product code or other identifier may be used instead of the product name. In other words, the area corresponding to the product name should store any information that can identify the product. The cooking characteristics domain stores the cooking characteristics of the corresponding product. Cooking characteristics are the properties of a product that are determined by the cooking method. The temperature characteristic range stores the temperature characteristics to which the corresponding product belongs. The temperature characteristic represents the required temperature for the product. The recooking instruction area stores a flag indicating whether or not the corresponding product can be recooked. Recooking means that if the corresponding product has been stored in the storage opening 361 for a while without being consumed, and its temperature characteristics have caused it to no longer reach the required temperature, it will be recooked to return to the required temperature. The size range indicates the size of the corresponding product.

[0178] Figure 20 shows an example of a cooking characteristic definition table. The cooking characteristic definition table contains information indicating the cooking time corresponding to each pre-classified cooking characteristic. In the example shown in the diagram, for instance, the cooking characteristic of "hot beverage" is associated with a cooking time of "15 seconds." In other words, if a product's cooking characteristic is "hot beverage," the time required for preparation (cooking) is specified as 15 seconds.

[0179] Figure 21 shows an example of a temperature characteristic definition table. The temperature characteristic definition table contains information indicating the serving time corresponding to each pre-classified temperature characteristic. The serving time is the time from when cooking (preparation) is completed until the product can be served to the customer while maintaining its quality in terms of temperature, hygiene, etc. Specifically, in the figure, for products with the temperature characteristic "hot", the serving time is set to 300 seconds. This indicates that products with the temperature characteristic "hot" can be served to customers for up to 300 seconds after cooking is completed, as they maintain the necessary temperature as a product. However, after 300 seconds, the product no longer maintains the necessary temperature and should not be served to customers.

[0180] In this embodiment, the difference between the available time and the excess time is as follows. The available serving time is a time limit set from the perspective of maintaining the quality of the product over time, as described above. Such a available serving time can be used, for example, to determine whether or not a re-cooking instruction is necessary, as described later, or to set the timing for storing the product in the storage opening 361. The excess time is fixed regardless of the product and is the time limit during which the product can be stored in the storage compartment 361 after the time of arrival. In other words, the excess time is the time during which one online order can occupy the storage compartment 361 after the time of arrival.

[0181] For example, according to the product characteristics table, cooking characteristics definition table, and temperature characteristics definition table, the available serving time for "cookies" is 2400 seconds (40 minutes). In this case, the available serving time for "cookies" is 10 minutes longer than the excess time. Therefore, in response to an online order for "cookies," the "cookies" as a product may be placed in the storage compartment 361 10 minutes before the customer's arrival time. The employee order management device 40 may display a notification to the employee that online orders for "cookies" can be placed in the storage compartment 361 10 minutes before the customer's arrival time.

[0182] When no particular distinction is made between the product characteristics table, cooking characteristics definition table, temperature characteristics definition table, and storage opening size table shown in Figures 19 to 21 above, they may also be referred to as "product preparation management information."

[0183] Based on the product preparation management information, the store order management server 10 can determine when to start preparing (cooking) each online ordered product and when to store it in the storage compartment 361. As a specific example, when a "prepared sandwich" is ordered online, the store order management server 10 can recognize that the preparation time for the "prepared sandwich" is 180 seconds by referring to the product characteristics table and the preparation characteristics definition table. The store order management server 10 may be configured to notify store employees on the online order handling screen of the appropriate timing (cooking start timing) to begin cooking the "cooked sandwich" ordered in a predetermined manner, based on the recognized cooking time.

[0184] Furthermore, if the online order processing screen is configured to notify staff of the cooking start time for each item ordered online, the list items in the order processing area AR20 may be arranged from top to bottom in order of earliest cooking start time.

[0185] Furthermore, the store order management server 10 can also recognize that the available serving time for a "cooked sandwich" ordered via online ordering is 300 seconds (5 minutes) by referring to the temperature characteristics definition table. Therefore, in this modified product delivery system, based on the available delivery time, the system can interact with customers who come to pick up products they ordered online as follows:

[0186] The product locker 30 sends an unlocking request to the store order management server 10 upon reading the pickup certificate code. The store order management server 10 refers to the product characteristics table corresponding to the product to be picked up, which corresponds to the order identification information included in the received unlocking request, and determines whether the product to be picked up is set to "yes" for "re-cooking instructions". If the "re-cooking instruction" is set to "yes," the store order management server 10 further refers to the temperature characteristic definition table to obtain the time available for pickup of the product. The store order management server 10 determines whether the obtained time available for pickup has elapsed since the time the product was registered for storage. If the time available for pickup has elapsed, when the store order management server 10 sends an unlocking response granting permission to unlock, it includes information indicating that the time available for pickup has elapsed in the unlocking response.

[0187] If the product locker 30 receives an unlocking permission response that does not contain any information about the loss of access, it may unlock the door 362 of the corresponding storage opening 361 and allow the customer to take out the product. On the other hand, if the product locker 30 receives an unlocking permission response that includes information about the escaping, it will display a re-cooking confirmation screen on the touch panel display unit 305 without unlocking the door 362 of the storage opening 361 where the product to be picked up is stored. The re-cooking confirmation screen is a screen that asks the customer whether or not they want to request re-cooking.

[0188] On the re-cooking confirmation screen, a message is displayed informing the customer that re-cooking is possible, such as, "Some time has passed since it was put away. We will re-cook it if you wait XX minutes." The re-cooking confirmation screen also allows the customer to specify whether or not re-cooking is necessary. For example, the re-cooking confirmation screen may include a re-cooking instruction button displayed in response to a dialog box such as "Request re-cooking," and a "No re-cooking needed" button displayed in response to a dialog box such as "Take it home as is."

[0189] If the customer decides that they can take the product home as is, they press the "No Recooking Required" button. When the "No Recooking Required" button is pressed, the product locker 30 unlocks and opens the door 362 of the storage compartment 361 where the product to be picked up is stored, allowing the customer to take the product. At this time, the touch panel display unit 305 may display a message guiding the customer to pick up the product, such as "Please take the product from the open storage compartment."

[0190] On the other hand, if a customer presses the recooking instruction button, the product locker 30 sends a recooking instruction to the store order management server 10. Upon receiving the recooking instruction, the store order management server 10 sends a recooking instruction for the relevant product to the employee order management device 40. The employee order management device 40 displays a message instructing the employee to recook the product to be picked up in response to the receipt of a recooking instruction. The message instructing the employee to recook the product to be picked up may be displayed, for example, in the storage status area AR31 on the online order handling screen, which indicates that the product to be picked up is stored, in a predetermined manner, indicating that recooking should be instructed. The message instructing the employee to recook the product to be picked up as a priority over other products may also include instructions to the employee.

[0191] The store clerk, in response to the recooking instruction given by the store clerk order management device 40, takes the item to be picked up from the storage opening 361 and recooks it, for example, by reheating it. The store clerk then returns the recooked item to the original storage opening 361 or hands it directly to the customer. The store clerk also confirms with the store clerk order management device 40 that the recooking of the item has been completed. If the item is returned to its original storage compartment 361, the customer may have the code reader 306 read the pickup certificate code again to unlock the door 362. Alternatively, a store employee may perform a predetermined operation on the online order processing screen (which may also serve as a confirmation operation that the re-cooking has been completed) to unlock the door 362 of the storage compartment 361 containing the item to be picked up. Furthermore, the product locker 30 may be configured not to accept the reading of the pickup certificate code after the customer has pressed the re-cooking instruction button, until a confirmation operation is performed to confirm that the re-cooking is complete. In this case, even if another customer tries to read the pickup certificate code while the customer is waiting for the re-cooking to be completed, the door will not open and they will not be able to retrieve their product, thus preventing confusion when customers retrieve their products from the product locker 30. Furthermore, if the store clerk hands the re-cooked items directly to the customer, they may perform a prescribed operation on the online order processing screen to register that the items have been picked up.

[0192] [9th variation] There are cases where a customer who has taken an item from the storage opening 361 leaves the area with the door 362 open instead of closing it. In such cases, if the store clerk can close the door 362 from the back of the product locker 30, the clerk does not have to move to the front of the product locker 30 to close the door 362. Therefore, the product locker 30 may be provided with a structure that allows the door 362 to be closed by pulling, for example, a rope, chain, wire, lever, etc., from the back of the storage opening 361. In particular, the handle (lever) directly attached to the back of door 362 allows store employees to grasp it and open or close the door directly, preventing it from being left open and thus preventing it from obstructing customers.

[0193] Furthermore, a door may be provided on the back side of the storage opening 361. Providing a door on the back side of the storage opening 361 can improve the heat retention performance of the goods stored in the storage opening 361, for example.

[0194] Alternatively, instead of the door 362, a retractable bar may be provided in the storage opening 361, for example. The bar is locked when lowered to a predetermined height. When the bar is locked, the goods stored in the storage opening 361 are restricted by the bar and cannot be removed. When the bar is unlocked, the bar rises, releasing the restriction, and the goods can be removed from the storage opening 361. Furthermore, mechanisms that restrict the removal of products, such as doors or bars, may be omitted. In this case, if indicators or interior lights are provided at each storage opening 361 to notify customers that an item is available for removal, customers can easily identify the storage opening 361 containing their product by the status of the indicators or interior lights. In this case, the product locker 30 can have a simple structure.

[0195] [10th variation] The number and arrangement pattern of the storage openings 361 in the product locker 30 may be changed as appropriate. Even in stores with limited floor space or counter space, or stores with relatively low reservation frequency, it is possible to install product lockers 30 with a reduced number of storage slots 361. For example, if we use the product locker 30 illustrated in Figure 5 as a base, by arranging two levels of storage compartments 361 vertically and increasing or decreasing the number of horizontal rows, thereby changing the number of storage compartments 361 to an even number, we can manufacture the product locker 30 by commonly utilizing the structure of the left-hand housing, which is equipped with the touch panel display unit 305 and the code reader 306, as shown in the same figure. Furthermore, the above embodiment shows a configuration in which the product locker is installed so as to be placed on the counter CT, as illustrated in Figure 4. In contrast, if the product locker 30 has storage openings 361 arranged in a pattern that is elongated vertically, such as 4 rows x 2 columns, the product locker 30 can be installed on the floor and stand on its own. In this case, the product locker 30 can be installed even in stores that do not have a counter. Furthermore, the product locker 30 may be installed, for example, with its rear side against a wall. In this case, when a store employee stores products in the storage opening 361, they open the door 362 from the front. Also, in this case, the opening of the storage opening 361 on the rear side of the product locker 30 may be covered.

[0196] The size of the storage opening 361 of the product locker 30 may be appropriately changed depending on the type of product to be stored, for example. For example, when flat products such as pizza or sushi in a sushi tub are to be provided to customers using the product locker 30, the storage opening 361 may have a width and depth that allows the product to be placed inside, while the height may be set low enough to leave some room even when the container is inside.

[0197] Furthermore, the sizes of the multiple storage openings 361 provided in the product locker 30 may be different rather than uniform.

[0198] If the multiple storage compartments 361 provided in the product locker 30 are of different sizes, the allocation of which product is stored in which storage compartment 361 may be predetermined according to the size and shape of the products that can be ordered online. For this purpose, the product delivery system of this embodiment has a storage slot size management table that defines the products that can be stored in each storage slot 361. The storage slot size management table may be stored, for example, in the store order management server 10.

[0199] Figure 22 shows an example of a storage compartment size management table. The storage compartment size management table has a structure that associates the storage compartment size with the number of items that can be stored for each storage compartment number of the storage compartments 361. In the example in Figure 5, the size of each storage compartment 361 is the same, but the storage compartment size management table in the same figure corresponds to an example where storage compartments 361 of different sizes are provided. The storage slot size area stores the size information for storage slot 361, which corresponds to the storage slot number. The storage capacity area is further divided into areas for each product. The storage capacity area corresponding to a single product stores a value indicating the maximum number of that product that can be stored, according to the size of each storage slot 361.

[0200] Based on this storage compartment size management table, the store order management server 10 can determine which storage compartment 361 corresponds to the size of the product ordered via online order from among the multiple storage compartments 361. The employee order management device 40 may, for example, display an available storage compartment 361 among the determined storage compartments 361 when a product storage registration operation is being performed. This allows the employee to accurately select the appropriate storage compartment 361 for the ordered product and perform the product storage registration operation, even if the sizes of the multiple storage compartments 361 in the product locker 30 are different.

[0201] Furthermore, since the storage compartment size management table specifies the number of items that can be stored, the store order management server 10 can also determine whether or not the total number of items ordered by one online order can be stored in one storage compartment 361. If the store order management server 10 determines that the total number of items cannot be stored in a single storage slot 361, it may be configured to determine a number of storage slots 361 that can accommodate the total number of items as the storage destination. The result of this determination regarding the storage slots 361 may be displayed, for example, on the online order response screen displayed on the store employee order management device 40 when registering product storage.

[0202] However, it is undesirable for multiple storage slots 361 to be occupied by the storage of products from a single online order. Therefore, the number of storage slots 361 that can store products corresponding to a single online order may be limited in advance. In this case, if the store order management server 10 determines that the number of storage slots 361 required to store the total number of items ordered by one online order exceeds a predetermined limit, it may take the following actions. In other words, the store order management server 10 ensures that the employee order management device 40 is notified when registering product storage if it is not possible to store all items in the designated storage slot 361. In this case, the employee order management device 40 may also notify the employee of the number of items that can be stored in the storage slot 361 and the number of items that cannot be stored. In this case, the employee may, for example, store as many items as can be stored in the storage slot 361 and store the remaining items in another designated storage location.

[0203] [11th variation] Furthermore, if the order management server 60 is configured to allow the store order management server 10 to obtain customer information for customers who have placed online orders, and the customer information includes the customer's gender, then, for example, storage in the upper storage slots 361 of the product locker 30 may be prohibited. For example, when registering product storage in response to an online order from a female customer, the storage slot status area AR31 corresponding to an empty storage slot 361 above a predetermined level in the locker status area AR30 of the store clerk order management device 40 may be set to, for example, "Storage Prohibited" so that it cannot be selected as a storage location.

[0204] [12th variation] For example, the ordering application in the above embodiment was developed for the product delivery system of this embodiment. However, some stores, when introducing a product delivery system having product lockers 30 as in this embodiment, may use their own ordering application instead of the standard ordering application developed for the product delivery system of this embodiment.

[0205] For example, one store had already implemented an online ordering system before introducing the product handover system of this embodiment. However, the handover of products was done by hand from store staff to customers. In order to enable product handover using the product locker 30, the product handover system of this embodiment is introduced, but the ordering application used by customers remains the same as before. In this case, the existing ordering application is considered one of the proprietary ordering applications.

[0206] Recently, the following type of delivery service has become popular: A delivery service company contracts with restaurants for delivery services. Customers install an ordering application provided by the delivery service company on their devices. Using this application, customers select items (menus) from the contracted restaurants and place an order. The delivery service company's server receives the order placed via the ordering application and transmits it to the restaurant's terminal. The server also transmits a delivery request to the delivery driver's terminal. At this time, the server issues an order number and notifies both the restaurant and the delivery driver's terminal of this number. Depending on the delivery request sent by the server, the address of the restaurant receiving the delivery and the address of the user (customer) receiving the delivery may also be notified. A delivery driver receives a delivery request on their device and heads to the restaurant to pick up the ordered items. The items the driver receives from the restaurant are identified by the order number. The driver then delivers the items to the user at the designated address. If a store that has introduced a product handover system using product lockers 30, as in this embodiment, has a contract with a delivery service company as described above, then for orders from customers using the delivery service, the store will use the order application used by the delivery service. Using such a delivery service-compatible order application also falls under the category of using a proprietary order application instead of the official order application. When using an order application compatible with delivery services in this manner, orders from the order application may be received by the delivery service server, and the online order information may be transmitted from the delivery service server to the order management server 60 of this embodiment.

[0207] When a proprietary ordering application is used as described above, it is difficult for the order management server 60 of this embodiment to obtain order information that would be obtained when using the official ordering application. For example, the rules for assigning order numbers (reservation numbers) differ between the proprietary ordering application and the official ordering application. Therefore, it is difficult for the proprietary ordering application to cooperate with the order management server 60 regarding order numbers. In this case, it is difficult to issue a pickup certificate code corresponding to the order number when ordering using the proprietary ordering application, as is the case when using the official ordering application. Therefore, in a product handover system that uses product lockers 30 for product handover, if the system supports the use of a proprietary ordering application, order management may be implemented.

[0208] Figure 23 shows an example of the overall configuration of the order delivery system corresponding to this modification. The store ST in the figure does not support the use of the regular order application, but rather supports orders using a proprietary order application. Furthermore, the figure gives an example where the store uses both an existing order application and a delivery service-compatible order application as its proprietary order application.

[0209] In the diagram, the customer terminal device 50A is a terminal on which an existing ordering application corresponding to the store ST is installed. A customer CS possessing the customer terminal device 50A places an order by operating the customer terminal device 50A on which the existing ordering application is running. In response to the order operation, the customer terminal device 50A transmits the order data to the order management server 60A. Order management server 60A is a server that manages online orders compatible with existing order applications. When the order management server 60A receives order data from an existing order application, it sends online order information based on the received order data to the store order management server 10A. At this time, the order management server 60A issues an order number and includes the issued order number in the online order information.

[0210] Furthermore, the customer terminal device 50B is a terminal on which a delivery service-compatible ordering application is installed. A customer CS possessing the customer terminal device 50B places an order by operating the customer terminal device 50B on which the delivery service-compatible ordering application is running. In response to the order being placed, the customer terminal device 50B transmits the order data to the DS (Delivery Service) compatible order management server 60B. The DS-compatible order management server 60B is a server that manages orders received from delivery service-compatible order applications. When the DS-compatible order management server 60B receives order data from a delivery service-compatible order application, it sends online order information based on the received order data to the order management server 60A. At this time, the DS-compatible order management server 60B issues an order number and includes the issued order number in the online order information. The DS-compatible order management server 60B also sends the corresponding delivery request to the delivery person terminal 80 carried by the delivery person CL. The delivery person terminal 80 displays the delivery request information, such as the order number included in the received delivery request, the information of the store to which the order was placed, and the ordered products. The delivery person CL goes to the store to which the order was placed, as indicated by the displayed delivery request information.

[0211] Here, the numbering rule for order numbers issued by the DS-compatible order management server 60B differs from the numbering rule for order numbers issued by the aforementioned order management server 60A in response to orders from an existing order application, and the two do not cooperate with each other. For example, the order number issued by the DS-compatible order management server 60B is generated using digits 0 to 9 and alphabets a to z. The order number issued by the order management server 60A corresponding to the existing order application is generated using digits 0 to 9.

[0212] The order management server 60A transmits the online order information received from the DS-compatible order management server 60B to the store order management server 10. Note that the online order information may be configured to be transmitted from the DS-compatible order management server 60B to the store order management server 10 without going through the order management server 60A.

[0213] The store order management server 10A is a device that performs order management at a store ST in response to orders from an existing order application and an order application compatible with delivery services. In response to receiving the online order information, the store order management server 10A causes an order processing slip indicating the order processing specified by the received online order information to be issued by, for example, a kitchen printer (not shown) or a POS terminal device 20. An order number is indicated on the order processing slip. Note that, although not shown in the drawings, the store order management server 10 may be connected to a predetermined terminal device provided in the store ST, so that the terminal device displays information such as the order number corresponding to the content of the above order processing slip and the ordered product.

[0214] In this case, when the store clerk completes preparation of the product in accordance with the order processing slip, the store clerk stores the prepared product in one of the empty storage compartments 361 of the product locker 30. Then, the store clerk performs a product storage registration operation on an online order handling screen corresponding to an order from an original order application displayed on the store clerk order management device 40.

[0215] Figure 24 shows an example of an online order handling screen that corresponds to orders placed using a proprietary ordering application. In this online order handling screen, the order number input area AR120 is placed in place of the order handling operation area AR20. The order number input area AR120 is the screen where the order number of the online order corresponding to the product to be stored in storage slot 361 is entered (order number input operation) during the product storage registration operation. The order number input area AR120 contains the order number display area AR121, the input key area AR122, and the confirmation button BT120. The order number display area AR121 is the area where the order number entered through operations on the input key area AR122 is displayed. The input key area AR122 is an area where numeric keys, letter keys, a backspace key, a clear key, etc., are located for entering order numbers by number. The confirmation button BT120 is used to confirm the order number displayed in the order number display area AR121.

[0216] The store clerk operates the keys located in the input key area AR122 on the online order handling screen shown in the diagram to enter the order number indicated on the order processing slip. In the input key area AR122 shown in the diagram, the keys are arranged to allow input of both numbers and letters. This allows the store clerk to enter order numbers corresponding to orders placed using the existing ordering application and order numbers corresponding to orders placed using the delivery service-compatible ordering application. The store clerk confirms that the order number displayed in the order number display area AR121 is correct before operating the confirmation button BT120. The entered order number is confirmed upon operation of the confirmation button BT120. The diagram shows the state where order number 126 has been entered. When the confirmation button BT120 is operated in this state, order number 126 is confirmed. When the confirmation button BT120 is pressed, the display will change to, for example, "Cancel Confirmation," and it will function as a cancellation button. When the cancellation button is pressed, the order number confirmation will be canceled. In response to the cancellation of the order number confirmation, the order number numbers that were previously displayed in the order number display area AR121 will be erased.

[0217] When the customer confirms the order number by pressing the confirmation button BT120, the store clerk operates the storage slot status area AR31 in the locker status area AR30, which indicates that the storage slots are empty, and which corresponds to storage slot 361 where the product with order number 126 is stored. In this case, the store clerk had stored the product in storage slot 361-4, out of the empty storage slots 361-2, 361-4, and 361-6. Therefore, the store clerk operates the storage slot status area AR31-4 corresponding to storage slot 361-4. The operated storage slot status area AR31-4 will then be in a state that indicates it is selected, for example, by highlighting its outer frame. As described above, when any of the storage slot status areas AR31 are selected, the storage registration button BT31 is in an active state and can be operated. The store clerk operates the storage registration button BT31. Upon operation of the storage registration button BT31, the storage registration of item number 126 being stored in storage slot 361-4 is completed. In response to the completion of the storage registration, the storage slot status area AR31-4 corresponding to storage slot 361-4 changes from "empty" to "storage in place," and order number 126 is displayed.

[0218] Alternatively, the product storage registration operation may involve first selecting the storage slot status area AR31 corresponding to the storage slot 361 where the product will be stored, then entering the order number by operating the order number input area AR120, and finally operating the storage registration button BT31.

[0219] Furthermore, before the order number is entered and confirmed, it is possible to select a storage slot status area AR31 that indicates the status "In Storage". When a storage slot status area AR31 indicating the status "In Storage" is selected, the selected storage slot status area AR31 is highlighted to indicate that it is selected, and the storage registration cancellation button BT32 and the move registration button BT33 become active and operable. The store clerk can then cancel or move the items stored in the storage slot 361 corresponding to the selected storage slot status area AR31, and then operate the storage registration cancellation button BT32 or the move registration button BT33 to perform the storage cancellation registration or move registration operation.

[0220] Furthermore, in the store of this modified example, a product locker management server 70 is provided. The product locker management server 70 manages the storage status of products in the product lockers 30. The product locker management server 70 stores product storage management information, for example, similar to that in Figure 17. In response to the product storage registration operation performed on the online order response screen displayed on the employee order management device 40 as described above, the product locker management server 70 updates the product storage management information so that storage slot 361-4 is associated with product number 126.

[0221] When a customer (CS) places an order using an existing ordering application, or when a delivery person (CL) receives a delivery request for an order to a store (ST), they enter the order number into the product locker (30) upon arriving at the store (ST). In this modified example, the touch panel display unit (305) of the product locker (30) displays an order number input screen with keys for entering the order number. The customer (CS) or delivery person (CL) enters the order number by operating the corresponding key, and then confirms the entered order number by operating, for example, the confirmation button. This input after the order number can be treated as a password used to unlock the storage compartment (361) in the product locker (30) where the corresponding product is stored.

[0222] Furthermore, if existing ordering applications or ordering applications compatible with delivery services are capable of displaying the order number as a code (collection certificate code), the customer CS or delivery person CL may display the collection certificate code on the customer terminal device 50A or the delivery person terminal 80 and have the code reader 306 read the displayed collection certificate code.

[0223] Upon confirmation of the order number, the product locker 30 sends an unlocking request containing the confirmed order number to the product locker management server 70. The product locker management server 70 refers to the product storage management information and sends an unlocking response indicating the storage compartment number associated with the order number included in the unlocking request. The product locker 30 unlocks the storage compartment 361 corresponding to the storage compartment number indicated in the received unlocking response and opens the door 362. The customer CS or delivery person CL takes the product out of the storage opening 361, which has its door 362 open, and closes the door 362. When the product locker 30 detects that the product has been taken out of the storage opening 361, it sends a delivery completion notification to the product locker management server 70. When the product locker management server 70 receives a delivery completion notification, it deletes the order number associated with the storage slot number included in the unlock response from the product storage management information.

[0224] Furthermore, the system may be configured to allow order management in response to orders placed using the standard order application described above, as well as order management in response to orders placed using a proprietary order application (at least one of the existing order application and the order application compatible with the delivery service) as described in this modified example. In this case, the employee order management device 40 may be able to switch between displaying an online order response screen corresponding to a standard order application and an online order response screen corresponding to a proprietary order application, depending on the employee's operation. In this case, the product locker 30 may be configured so that, in response to an order placed using a proprietary ordering application, the customer CS or delivery person CL can operate the touch panel display unit 305 to display an order number input screen.

[0225] Furthermore, the employee order management device 40 may manage online orders placed using a regular order application and online orders placed using a proprietary order application in an integrated manner using, for example, a single online order handling screen. In this case, the online order handling screen may display online orders placed using a regular order application, online orders placed using an existing order application, and online orders placed using a delivery service-compatible order application in a way that allows for distinction between them, for example, by background color or icons.

[0226] Furthermore, when a store handles orders placed through both a standard ordering application and a proprietary ordering application, and the order number format differs depending on the application, store staff can identify which ordering application was used for an online order received by the store based on the difference in the order number format. As a concrete example, consider a case where a standard ordering application uses a three-digit order number, an existing ordering application uses a five-digit order number, and an ordering application compatible with delivery services uses a five-digit number combined with letters. In this case, if the order number consists of 3-digit or 5-digit numbers, the store clerk can identify that the order is placed via an official order application or an existing order application. In this case, the store clerk can pack the corresponding product for takeout for the customer and then store it in the storage opening 361. Furthermore, if the order number is a combination of 5-digit numbers and alphabets, the store clerk can identify that the order is placed via an order application compatible with delivery services. In this case, the store clerk can pack the corresponding product for delivery service and then store it in the storage opening 361.

[0227] Furthermore, in cases where a pickup certification code is also used for orders placed via an independent order application, the product locker 30 and the product locker management server 70 may be configured to manage the storage of products in the product locker 30 based on the order number indicated by the pickup certification code.

[0228] Note that the product locker management server 70 may be omitted. In this case, management of the product locker 30 may be performed by at least one of the clerk order management device 40 and the store order management server 10.

[0229] [13th Modification] In the above embodiment, the case where the product locker 30 and the clerk order management device 40 are separate individual devices is taken as an example. However, for example, the product locker 30 and the clerk order management device 40 may be integrated to constitute a single device.

[0230] <Summary of Embodiment> [Technical Field] The present invention relates to a product delivery system. [Background Art] There is known a product delivery system configured to deliver a product cooked in response to an order placed by a customer using a smartphone to the customer via a delivery box (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6243076 [Overview of the prefecture] [Problems the invention aims to solve] In product delivery systems like the one described above, it is essential to improve the efficiency of order processing. This invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and aims to improve the efficiency of responding to orders.

[0231] [Means for solving the problem] (1) As described above, one aspect of this embodiment is a product delivery system in which reserved products (for example, products ordered by online ordering) that have been reserved for pickup are delivered to the customer by storing them in the storage opening (361) of a product delivery locker (for example, product locker 30), and the product delivery system is equipped with display means for displaying reservation information relating to the reserved products and storage opening information relating to the storage opening of the locker. An example of reservation information for reserved items is the information displayed on the order list screen shown in the order handling operation area AR20 on the online order handling screen (Figures 7-9). Similarly, an example of locker storage information is the information displayed in the locker status area AR30 on the online order handling screen.

[0232] In the product handover system of this embodiment, the store clerk prepares the products ordered via online ordering and stores the prepared products in the product locker 30. According to the above configuration, store staff can check the status of online orders, such as what products have been ordered, and the status of products stored in the product locker 30 for product handover, by looking at the display of reservation information and the display of storage location information. In other words, in this embodiment, store staff can check the information necessary to respond to online orders by looking at the displays, thereby improving the efficiency of order handling.

[0233] (2) One aspect of this embodiment is the product delivery system described in (1), comprising a matching means (for example, a storage registration button BT31) for associating the reservation information with the storage location information, wherein the display means displays the reservation information and the storage location information on the same screen.

[0234] With the above configuration, store staff can perform product storage registration operations while simultaneously monitoring the receipt status of online orders and the storage status of products in the product locker 30 by looking at the same single screen.

[0235] (3) One aspect of this embodiment is the product delivery system described in (1) or (2), wherein the display means displays the reservation information (list items in the order list screen) corresponding to each of the multiple reserved products in order based on the scheduled delivery time (e.g., arrival time) of the reserved products set in response to the pickup reservation.

[0236] According to the above configuration, the list items corresponding to the order units on the order list screen are displayed in order of arrival time. This makes it easier for store staff to determine the order and pace in which to prepare products for currently received online orders.

[0237] (4) One aspect of this embodiment is a product delivery system according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the display means changes the manner in which the reservation information of the reserved product associated with the storage compartment is displayed in the display of the reservation information, depending on whether the storage compartment and the reserved product are associated.

[0238] An example of "changing the way the reservation information for the reserved product associated with the storage compartment is to gray out the list items on the order list screen (Figure 9). With the above configuration, it is possible to change the appearance of the list items on the order list screen that correspond to orders for which preparation is complete and the products have been stored in the storage slot 361 of the product locker 30. This makes it possible to distinguish between online orders for which preparation is complete and the products have been stored in the storage slot 361, and online orders for which preparation is not complete and the products have not yet been stored in the storage slot 361, on the order list screen.

[0239] (5) One aspect of this embodiment is a product delivery system according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the display means detects that a reserved product stored in the storage compartment has been taken out by a customer, and in the display of the reservation information, changes the manner in which the reservation information of the reserved product that has been detected to have been taken out of the storage compartment is displayed.

[0240] With the above configuration, the order list screen can be modified to indicate that the item in the list of products that have been prepared and are to be stored in the storage slot 361 of the product locker 30 has been stored in the storage slot 361 (Figure 9). This makes it possible to distinguish between online orders in which the product has been stored in the storage slot 361 and online orders in which the product has not been stored.

[0241] (6) One aspect of this embodiment is a product delivery system according to any one of (1) to (5), comprising a storage means for storing product storage management information (Figure 17) that associates the storage opening with the reserved product.

[0242] The product storage management information in Figure 17 has a structure that associates storage box numbers with order identification information. Online orders indicated by order identification information are associated with the ordered products (reserved products). Therefore, the product storage management information that associates storage box numbers with order identification information corresponds to an association between storage boxes and reserved products. Furthermore, with the above configuration, it becomes possible to manage product storage management information in a way that shows the current storage status of products in each storage compartment 361 of the product locker 30.

[0243] (7) One aspect of this embodiment is the product handover system described in (6), comprising information management means capable of changing the product storage management information to indicate that the reserved product stored in the storage compartment has been removed from the storage compartment by a store employee before it has been picked up by the customer.

[0244] Examples of when goods are removed from the storage opening 361 before being picked up by a customer include when a store employee removes goods stored in the storage opening 361 and moves them to another location for storage, or when the employee disposes of excess goods because the excess time has passed. According to the above configuration, the current storage status of products in each storage compartment 361 of the product locker 30 can be managed by product storage management information, including changes in the status due to product movement work performed by store staff or removal of products from storage compartment 361 due to excess product disposal work.

[0245] (8) One aspect of this embodiment is a product delivery system as described in (6) or (7), comprising: a code reading means for reading code information (e.g., a pickup certificate code) corresponding to a reserved product; and a notification means (e.g., step S305) for notifying that the product to be picked up is not stored in the storage slot when product storage management information associated with the reserved product and storage slot indicated by the code information read by the code reading means is not stored (e.g., step S110).

[0246] According to the above configuration, when a customer has the pickup certificate code read by the product locker 30, if the product ordered by the customer has not yet been placed in the storage slot 361, the customer will be notified of this fact. This ensures that even if the storage slot 361 cannot be opened when a customer has had the pickup certificate code read by the customer before the ordered product has been placed in the storage slot 361, the customer will not be confused.

[0247] (9) One aspect of this embodiment is a product delivery system according to any one of (6) to (8), comprising: a code reading means for reading code information corresponding to reservation information; and an unlocking means (S110, S111, S304) for unlocking a storage compartment in which a product to be picked up is stored when product storage management information is stored which associates the reservation information indicated by the code information read by the code reading means with a storage compartment.

[0248] According to the above configuration, when a customer has the product locker 30 read the pickup certificate code, the lock on the storage opening 361 is released so that the customer can retrieve the product, depending on whether the product ordered by the customer is still stored in the storage opening 361.

[0249] Furthermore, programs for realizing the functions of the above-described store order management server 10, POS terminal device 20, product locker 30, employee order management device 40, customer terminal device 50, order management server 60, etc., may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, and the programs recorded on this recording medium may be loaded into a computer system and executed to perform the processing of the above-described store order management server 10, POS terminal device 20, product locker 30, employee order management device 40, customer terminal device 50, order management server 60, etc. Here, "loading a program recorded on a recording medium into a computer system and executing it" includes installing the program into the computer system. Here, "computer system" includes hardware such as the OS and peripheral devices. Also, "computer system" may include multiple computer devices connected via a network including communication lines such as the Internet, WAN, LAN, and dedicated lines. Also, "computer-readable recording medium" refers to portable media such as flexible disks, magneto-optical disks, ROMs, CD-ROMs, and storage devices such as hard disks built into a computer system. Thus, the recording medium on which the program is stored may be a non-transient recording medium such as a CD-ROM. Furthermore, the recording medium includes internal or external recording media accessible from the distribution server for the purpose of distributing the program. The program code stored on the distribution server's recording medium may be different from the program code in an executable format for the terminal device. In other words, as long as it can be downloaded from the distribution server and installed in an executable format for the terminal device, the format in which it is stored on the distribution server is irrelevant. It is also acceptable for the program to be divided into multiple parts, each downloaded at a different time and then combined on the terminal device, and for each of the divided programs to be distributed by a different distribution server. Moreover, "computer-readable recording medium" includes volatile memory (RAM) within computer systems that act as servers or clients when a program is transmitted over a network, which retains the program for a certain period of time.Furthermore, the above program may be intended to implement some of the functions described above. It may also be a so-called differential file (differential program) that can implement the above functions in combination with programs already recorded in the computer system. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0250] 10 Store order management servers, 20 POS terminals, 30 merchandise lockers, 40 clerk order management devices, 50 customer terminals, 60 order management servers, 361 (361-1~361-6) storage compartments, 362 (362-1~362-6) doors

Claims

1. A product handover system in which reserved products are handed over to customers by storing the reserved products in the storage slot of a locker for product handover, The system includes a display means for displaying reservation information relating to the reserved product and storage information relating to the storage opening of the locker, The aforementioned display means is A reservation information operation area for identifying the aforementioned reservation information and a storage slot information operation area for assigning the identified reservation information to the storage slot information are displayed side by side in the left-right direction. In the aforementioned reservation information operation area, the reservation information can be displayed in a list, and the storage method of the reserved product can be displayed for each of the aforementioned reservation information. Product handover system.

2. A product handover system in which reserved products are handed over to customers by storing the reserved products in the storage slot of a locker for product handover, The system includes a display means for displaying reservation information relating to the reserved product and storage information relating to the storage opening of the locker, The aforementioned display means is A reservation information operation area for identifying the aforementioned reservation information and a storage slot information operation area for assigning the identified reservation information to the storage slot information are displayed side by side in the left-right direction. The aforementioned reservation information operation area is, It has a key area for entering an order number via touch operation to identify the reservation information, and a number display area for displaying the order number entered in the key area. The aforementioned display means is When the reservation information is assigned to the storage slot information in the storage slot information operation area, the order number entered in the key area to identify the reservation information and displayed in the number display area is displayed in association with the storage slot information to which the reservation information is assigned. Product handover system.

3. The aforementioned display means is An operator area containing an operator for assigning storage slot information to reservation information, and an operator for releasing the assignment of storage slot information to reservation information, is displayed together with the reservation information operation area and the storage slot information operation area. The product delivery system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. A computer serving as a display device in a product handover system, in which reserved products are handed over to customers by storing the reserved products in the storage slot of a locker for product handover, A program for functioning as a display means for displaying reservation information relating to the reserved product and storage information relating to the storage opening of the locker, The aforementioned display means is A reservation information operation area for identifying the aforementioned reservation information and a storage slot information operation area for assigning the identified reservation information to the storage slot information are displayed side by side in the left-right direction. In the aforementioned reservation information operation area, the reservation information can be displayed in a list, and the storage method of the reserved product can be displayed for each of the aforementioned reservation information. program.

5. A computer serving as a display device in a product handover system, in which reserved products are handed over to customers by storing the reserved products in the storage slot of a locker for product handover, A program for functioning as a display means for displaying reservation information relating to the reserved product and storage information relating to the storage opening of the locker, The aforementioned display means is A reservation information operation area for identifying the aforementioned reservation information and a storage slot information operation area for assigning the identified reservation information to the storage slot information are displayed side by side in the left-right direction. The aforementioned reservation information operation area is, It has a key area for entering an order number via touch operation to identify the reservation information, and a number display area for displaying the order number entered in the key area. The aforementioned display means is When the reservation information is assigned to the storage slot information in the storage slot information operation area, the order number entered in the key area to identify the reservation information and displayed in the number display area is displayed in association with the storage slot information to which the reservation information is assigned. program.

Images