Merchandise management device, merchandise management system, merchandise management method, and program

Abstract

This product management device comprises: a display count acquisition means for acquiring a display count on a product shelf of a target product for which a reception request was received from a customer; an inventory acquisition means for acquiring inventory information regarding the target product when the display count is less than a prescribed number; an acceptance means for accepting a reception request when the inventory count of the target product is equal to or greater than the prescribed number; and a notification means for providing notification of delivery information regarding the target product to at least one store terminal when a reception request has been accepted.

Description

Merchandise management device, merchandise management system, merchandise management method, and recording medium

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a merchandise management device, a merchandise management system, a merchandise management method, and a recording medium.

[0002] When a customer visits a store, the product they want to purchase may not be on the shelves. There is a technology that can help avoid lost opportunities that would have been gained if the product had been on the shelves.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an electronic shelf label management server that transmits product information, including at least one of information on the estimated arrival time of the product and information on the estimated display time of the product, to an electronic shelf label terminal.Patent Document 2 discloses an information processing device that provides product replenishment guidance to a small subsidiary store near a mother store, taking into account product inventory at the subsidiary store or the mother store, in response to the product and quantity that a customer wants to purchase at the subsidiary store.

[0004] JP 2011-186955 A International Publication No. 2020 / 195612

[0005] In a store, even if the shelves are empty, there may be more than the required number of products in stock in the back room. If a customer wants to purchase a product in the back room, they need to call out to an employee, but if there is no employee nearby, they may give up on purchasing the product at that store.

[0006] An example of an objective of the present disclosure is to provide a product management device that can reduce opportunity losses caused by products not being displayed on shelves.

[0007] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a product management device includes a display number acquisition means for acquiring the number of displays on the product shelves for a target product that a customer has requested to be picked up; an inventory acquisition means for acquiring inventory information for the target product if the display number is less than a predetermined number; a reception means for accepting a pickup request if the inventory number of the target product is equal to or greater than a predetermined number; and a notification means for notifying at least one store terminal of delivery information for the target product if a pickup request is accepted.

[0008] A product management system in one aspect of the present disclosure is a product management system having a receipt request device and the above-mentioned product management device, wherein the receipt request device is configured to include a button provided on a product shelf or a display device with a touch panel function, and is equipped with a transmission means for transmitting a request to receive the target product to the receipt request device when a request to receive the target product is made using the button or the display device.

[0009] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a product management method includes a computer obtaining the number of displays on a product shelf for a target product that a customer has requested to be picked up, and if the number of displays is less than a predetermined number, obtaining inventory information for the target product, and if the inventory number of the target product is equal to or greater than a predetermined number, accepting the pickup request, and if the pickup request is accepted, notifying at least one store terminal of delivery information for the target product.

[0010] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a recording medium stores a program that causes a computer to execute a process of obtaining the number of displays on shelves of a target product for which a customer has requested pickup, obtaining inventory information for the target product if the number of displays is less than a predetermined number, accepting the pickup request if the inventory number of the target product is equal to or greater than a predetermined number, and notifying at least one store terminal of delivery information for the target product if the pickup request is accepted.

[0011] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a product management device that can reduce opportunity losses caused by products not being displayed on shelves.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a product management device according to the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration in which the product management device according to the present disclosure is realized by a computer device and its peripheral devices. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the product management device according to the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a product management system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of a location where a receipt request device according to the present disclosure is installed. FIG. 6 is an example of a screen for making a receipt request according to the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an outline of the operation of the product management system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a product management system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an outline of the operation of the product management system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a product management system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an outline of the operation of the product management system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a product management system according to the present disclosure.

[0013] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, embodiments of a product management device, a product management system, a product management method, and a non-transitory recording medium for recording a program according to the present disclosure will be described in detail. The disclosed technology is not limited to these embodiments.

[0014] 1 is a block diagram showing a product management device 100 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the product management device 100 includes a display quantity acquisition unit 101, an inventory quantity acquisition unit 102, a reception unit 103, and a notification unit 104.

[0015] The product management device 100 is a device that enables a customer to request pickup of a product when the product they have purchased is not on display on the shelves but the store has a specified number of products in stock. The product management device 100 aggregates management information such as the number of products on display and in stock at the store. The product management device 100 is installed, for example, in the backroom of the store and may include a POS (Point of Sale) server device that is a host device of the store's POS terminal.

[0016] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration in which the product management device 100 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is realized by a computer device 500 including a processor. As shown in FIG. 2, the product management device 100 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 501, memories such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) 502 and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 503, a storage device 505 such as a hard disk for storing a program 504, a communication interface 508 for network connection, and an input / output interface 509 for inputting and outputting data. In the first embodiment, the product management device 100 is connected to each component via a bus 510.

[0017] The CPU 501 runs an operating system to control the entire product management device 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The CPU 501 also reads programs and data into memory from a recording medium 506 mounted in, for example, a drive device 507. The CPU 501 also functions as the display number acquisition unit 101, inventory number acquisition unit 102, reception unit 103, and notification unit 104 in the first embodiment, and as part of these units, and executes processing or commands in the flowchart shown in FIG. 3, which will be described later, based on the program.

[0018] The recording medium 506 is, for example, an optical disk, a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, an external hard disk, or a semiconductor memory. The semiconductor memory or the like that is part of the recording medium is a non-volatile storage device that stores the program. The program may also be downloaded from an external computer (not shown) that is connected to a communication network.

[0019] As described above, the product management device 100 shown in Fig. 1 is realized by the computer hardware shown in Fig. 2. However, the means for realizing each unit of the product management device 100 in Fig. 1 is not limited to the configuration described above. Furthermore, the product management device 100 may be realized by a single device that is physically coupled to each other, or may be realized as a system consisting of two or more physically separate devices that are connected by wire or wirelessly.

[0020] The display number acquisition unit 101 acquires the number of display items on the product shelves for which a customer has requested pickup. The display number acquisition unit 101 acquires the number of display items of the target product obtained from, for example, a camera or a weight sensor provided on the product shelves. The display number acquisition unit 101 outputs the acquired display number of the target product to the inventory number acquisition unit 102.

[0021] The inventory quantity acquisition unit 102 acquires inventory information for a target product when the number of target products on display is less than a predetermined number. "Less than a predetermined number" means, for example, that the target product is not on display at all or that the number of target products displayed on shelves is predicted to sell out within a predetermined time based on the sales volume of the target product to date. Furthermore, the inventory quantity acquisition unit 102 may acquire inventory information for a target product when the number of target products on display is equal to or greater than the predetermined number but is less than the number of products requested for pickup by a customer.

[0022] The inventory quantity acquisition unit 102 acquires the inventory quantity in the back yard, for example, using a camera or weight sensor placed in the back yard of the store. The inventory quantity acquisition unit 102 may also acquire the inventory quantity of the target product registered in the storage device 505 or the POS server. As will be described later, the inventory quantity acquisition unit 102 does not need to count the target product for which a pickup request has been received and a pickup number has been linked as inventory. The inventory quantity acquisition unit 102 outputs the acquired inventory quantity of the product to the reception unit 103.

[0023] The reception unit 103 receives a pickup request when the inventory of the target product is equal to or greater than a predetermined number. "Above a predetermined number" refers to a predetermined inventory number, which may be one or more, or may be equal to or greater than the number requested for pickup by the customer. When the inventory of the target product is equal to or greater than the predetermined number, the reception unit 103 receives a pickup request for the target product from the customer and outputs information indicating the reception to the notification unit 104. On the other hand, when the inventory of the target product is less than the predetermined number, the reception unit 103 does not accept the request even if it receives a pickup request for the target product from the customer, and does not process the delivery of the target product. Even if the inventory of the target product is equal to or greater than the predetermined number, the reception unit 103 may not accept the pickup request if a store employee is unavailable and it will take longer than the predetermined time to receive the target product.

[0024] When the notification unit 104 receives a request to receive the target product, it notifies one of the store terminals of delivery information for the target product. The store terminal is, for example, a display installed in the back room of the store or a terminal carried by an employee, or other employee terminal device. When the reception unit 103 receives a request to receive the target product, the notification unit 104 may notify the store terminal of delivery information for at least one of the location and time of receipt of the target product. The terminal to which the notification unit 104 notifies the delivery information may be a terminal carried by the salesperson of the target product.

[0025] Furthermore, if the notification unit 104 receives a request to receive the target product, it may notify the sender of the request to receive the target product that the request to receive the target product has been received. Furthermore, if the notification unit 104 does not receive a request to receive the target product, it may notify the sender of the request to receive the target product that the request to receive the target product has not been received. Furthermore, the notification unit 104 may associate information about the target product for which a request to receive has been received with a receiving number and store the information in the storage device 505 or the POS server. This prevents the product associated with the receiving number from being counted as inventory, thereby avoiding the need to hand over the target product for which a request to receive the product has been received to another customer.

[0026] 3 is a flowchart showing an outline of the operation of the product management device 100 according to the first embodiment. The processing according to this flowchart may be executed based on program control by the processor described above. Furthermore, the processing according to this flowchart is executed, for example, when the product management device 100 receives a request to receive a product from a customer.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 3 , the display quantity acquisition unit 101 first acquires the number of display shelves for the target product for which a customer has requested pickup (step S101). If the display quantity of the target product is less than a predetermined number (S102; YES), the inventory quantity acquisition unit 102 acquires inventory information for the target product (step S103). Next, if the inventory of the target product is equal to or greater than a predetermined number (S104; YES), the acceptance unit 103 accepts the pickup request for the target product (step S105). Next, the notification unit 104 notifies at least one store terminal of delivery information for the target product (step S106). On the other hand, if the display quantity of the target product is not less than the predetermined number (S102; NO) in step S102, the inventory quantity acquisition unit 102 does not acquire inventory information for the target product, and the notification unit 104 notifies the sender of the pickup request for the target product that the pickup request for the target product was not accepted (step S107). Furthermore, if the inventory quantity of the target product is less than the predetermined quantity in step S102 (S104; NO), the receiving unit 103 does not receive the request to receive the target product, and the notifying unit 104 notifies the sender of the request to receive the target product that the request to receive the target product was not received (step S107).

[0028] In this embodiment, the inventory acquisition unit 102 acquires inventory information for a target product when the number of products on display for which a customer has requested pickup is less than a predetermined number. Next, the acceptance unit 103 accepts the pickup request for the target product when the number of products in stock is equal to or greater than a predetermined number. The notification unit 104 then notifies at least one store terminal of the delivery information for the target product. This reduces opportunity losses due to the product being unavailable on the shelves even when there is no employee nearby.

[0029] [Variation of the First Embodiment] Next, a product management system according to a variation of the first embodiment will be described. Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing a product management system 11 according to the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 4, the product management system 11 includes a product management device 110 and a receipt request device 210, which are connected to each other via a network. The product management device 110 has the same configuration as the product management device 100 according to the first embodiment.

[0030] The receipt request device 210 is a request device for a customer to request receipt of a target product. The receipt request device 210 is, for example, a display device provided on a product shelf where products are displayed, and equipped with buttons or a touch panel function that can be pressed by a customer. When the receipt request device 210 detects a customer's request to receive a target product, it transmits information about the receipt request to the product management device 110 via the communication interface 508.

[0031] Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a location where a receipt request device 210 according to the present disclosure is installed. In the example of Fig. 5, a display device is provided as the receipt request device 210 for each product shelf, but the number and locations where the receipt request devices 210 are installed are not limited to the example of Fig. 5. For example, a receipt request device 210 may be installed on each shelf of a product shelf, or the functions of the receipt request device 210 may be provided in the electronic shelf label of each product.

[0032] If the receipt requesting device 210 is a button, it is linked to each product or is configured to be able to identify which product a receipt request has been made for when the button is pressed. Also, if the receipt requesting device 210 is a button, when the receipt requesting device 210 detects that the button has been pressed, it sends a receipt request for the target product to the product management device 110. In this case, the receipt requesting device 210 may send the time the receipt request was made as information for identifying the receipt request. If the receipt requesting device 210 is configured to include a printer or the like, the printer may be configured to print information about the target product for which a receipt request has been made and a receipt number for identifying the receipt request.

[0033] If the receipt request device 210 is a display device with a touch panel function, a screen for accepting a receipt request for the target product can be displayed on the display device, and the customer can make a receipt request for the target product by operating the touch panel. In this case, the customer may specify the target product to be received on the screen of the display device.

[0034] Furthermore, if the receipt requesting device 210 is a button or a display device, the receipt requesting device 210 may be equipped with an NFC (Near Field Communication) reader, and may use the NFC reader to obtain a unique identifier stored in an IC chip in a customer terminal carried by the customer, and may transmit the unique identifier to the product management device 110 as a user identifier corresponding to the customer who made the receipt request. Furthermore, if an application program for shopping at a store is installed on the customer terminal, the receipt requesting device 210 may notify the customer via Bluetooth (registered trademark) that a receipt request for the target product has been made on the application program of the customer terminal, and may further notify the customer of a receipt number for identifying the receipt request.

[0035] The receipt request device 210 may be a customer terminal such as a tablet or smartphone carried by the customer. In this case, an application program for shopping at the store is installed on the device, and the customer can request receipt of the target product even when the customer is not inside the store by operating the application program. Furthermore, when the customer is inside the store, the target product to be received may be identified by, for example, reading a two-dimensional code displayed on a shelf tag.

[0036] FIG. 6 is an example of a screen for requesting a pickup in the present disclosure. The example of FIG. 6 shows an example of a screen when the pickup requesting device 210 is a display device or a customer terminal. In the example of FIG. 6, the pickup requesting device 210 displays a screen for accepting a pickup location and pickup time for the target product. In this case, the pickup requesting device 210 displays the available pickup location and available pickup time in a selectable manner. The example of the screen of FIG. 6 assumes that the target product will be picked up in a store, but the pickup location may be at home or a specific location other than home.

[0037] 7 is a flowchart showing an outline of the operation of the product management system 11 in a modification of the first embodiment. Note that the processing according to this flowchart may be executed based on program control by the processor described above.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 7, first, when the receipt request device 210 detects a receipt request for a target product from a customer (step S111), it transmits information about the receipt request to the product management device 110 (step S112).

[0039] In the product management device 110, the display number acquisition unit 111 acquires the number of display shelves for the target product for which a customer has requested pickup, received from the pickup request device 210 (step S113). If the display number of the target product is less than a predetermined number (S114; YES), the inventory number acquisition unit 112 acquires inventory information for the target product (step S115). If the inventory number of the target product is equal to or greater than a predetermined number (S116; YES), the acceptance unit 113 accepts the pickup request for the target product (step S117). Next, the notification unit 114 notifies at least one store terminal of the delivery information for the target product (step S118). Furthermore, the notification unit 114 notifies the pickup request device 210 that the pickup request for the target product has been accepted (step S119).

[0040] On the other hand, if in step S114 the number of displayed items of the target product is not less than the predetermined number (S114; NO), the inventory acquisition unit 112 does not acquire inventory information of the target product, and the notification unit 114 notifies the receipt request device 210 that the receipt request has not been accepted (step S120). Also, in step S116, if the inventory number of the target product is less than the predetermined number (S116; NO), the acceptance unit 113 does not accept the receipt request of the target product, and the notification unit 114 notifies the receipt request device 210 that the receipt request of the target product has not been accepted (step S120). With this, the product management system 11 ends the processing.

[0041] In this variation, when the receipt request device 210 detects a receipt request for the target product from a customer, it transmits the request to the product management device 110. When the product management device 110 receives a receipt request for the target product from the receipt request device 210, the reception unit 113 receives the receipt request for the target product based on the number of target products displayed on the product shelf and the number of products in stock, and the notification unit 114 notifies the receipt request device 210 of the receipt result. In this way, if a customer requests to receive the target product via the receipt request device 210, even if there is no employee nearby, it is possible to reduce opportunity loss caused by the product that the customer purchased not being displayed on the product shelf.

[0042] [Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Below, descriptions of content that overlaps with the above description will be omitted to the extent that the description of this embodiment is not unclear. In this embodiment, when a customer requests receipt of a target product via the receipt request device 220, if the number of target products displayed on the product shelves is less than a predetermined number and the inventory of the target product is less than a predetermined number, information regarding the delivery status of the target product is output to the receipt request device 220.

[0043] 8 is a block diagram showing a product management system 12 according to the second embodiment. The product management device 120 and receipt request device 220 in the product management system 12 can each realize their functions not only by hardware but also by a computer device and software under program control, similar to the computer device shown in FIG.

[0044] 8 , the product management device 120 includes a display number acquisition unit 121, an inventory number acquisition unit 122, a reception unit 123, a notification unit 124, a delivery information acquisition unit 125, and an output unit 126. The display number acquisition unit 121, the inventory number acquisition unit 122, the reception unit 123, and the notification unit 124 have the same configurations as the corresponding components in the first embodiment. In this embodiment, information about the delivery vehicle that will deliver the target product to the store where the pickup request has been made and the delivery route of the delivery vehicle are linked and stored in the storage device 505. The delivery route includes a delivery schedule for the delivery vehicle, and the order in which the delivery vehicle will deliver the products to each destination is linked to the arrival time or departure time at each destination, etc.

[0045] When the inventory of the target product is less than a predetermined amount, the delivery information acquisition unit 125 acquires delivery information regarding the delivery status of the target product. The delivery information is information regarding the stage at which the target product is located from when it is loaded onto a delivery vehicle at a distribution center to when it is displayed on the shelves of a store where a customer has requested to receive the target product. For example, the delivery information includes information such as whether the delivery vehicle carrying the target product has departed from the distribution center, which delivery destinations the delivery vehicle has stopped at on its delivery route, and whether the delivery vehicle has arrived at the store where a customer has requested to receive the target product. The delivery information acquisition unit 125 acquires delivery information for the target product loaded onto the delivery vehicle, for example, based on the current time and the delivery schedule of the delivery vehicle.

[0046] The output unit 126 outputs delivery information. In this embodiment, the output unit 126 outputs the delivery information to the receipt request device 220, which is the sender of the receipt request for the target product. The output unit 126 may also output delivery information for the target product to a store terminal. For example, the output unit 126 outputs information that the target product is scheduled to arrive within a predetermined time after departing from a delivery destination that the customer will visit immediately before the store where the customer has requested to receive the target product. The output unit 126 may also output a screen for accepting the receipt request for the target product. In this case, the acceptance unit 123 further accepts the receipt request input on the screen. The operation of the notification unit 124 when the acceptance unit 123 accepts the receipt request is the same as that of the notification unit 104 in the first embodiment.

[0047] 9 is a flowchart showing an outline of the operation of the product management system 12 in the second embodiment. Note that the processing according to this flowchart may be executed based on program control by the processor described above.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 9, first, when the receipt request device 220 detects a receipt request from a customer for a predetermined product (step S201), it transmits information about the receipt request to the product management device 120 (step S202).

[0049] In the product management device 120, the display number acquisition unit 121 acquires the number of display shelves for the target product for which a pickup request has been received from the pickup request device 220 (step S203). If the display number of the target product is less than a predetermined number (S204; YES), the inventory number acquisition unit 122 acquires inventory information for the target product (step S205). On the other hand, if the display number of the target product is not less than the predetermined number (S204; NO), the notification unit 124 notifies the pickup request device 220 that the pickup request for the target product has not been accepted (step S206).

[0050] Next, if the inventory of the target product is equal to or greater than the predetermined quantity (S207; YES), the receiving unit 123 receives a request to receive the target product (step S208). Next, the notification unit 124 notifies at least one of the store terminals of the target product's delivery information (step S209). On the other hand, if the receiving unit 123 determines in step S207 that the inventory of the target product is less than the predetermined quantity (step S207; NO), the delivery information acquisition unit 125 acquires delivery information regarding the delivery status of the target product (step S210). Next, the output unit 126 outputs the delivery information to the receipt request device 220 (step S211). This completes the processing of the product management system 12.

[0051] In this embodiment, when the inventory quantity of the target product is less than a predetermined quantity, the delivery information acquisition unit 125 acquires delivery information regarding the delivery status of the target product. Then, the output unit 126 outputs the delivery information to the receipt request device 220. This allows the customer to be informed that the target product will be in stock even if the target product they have purchased is out of stock.

[0052] In this embodiment, the delivery information acquisition unit 125 may acquire delivery information regarding the delivery status of the target product even if the inventory quantity of the target product is equal to or greater than a predetermined quantity. That is, even if the inventory quantity of the target product is equal to or greater than a predetermined quantity in step S207 of the flowchart in Fig. 9 (S207; YES), the delivery information acquisition unit 125 may acquire delivery information regarding the delivery status of the target product (step S210), and the output unit 126 may output the delivery information to the receipt request device 220 (step S211).

[0053] [Variation 1 of the Second Embodiment] Next, a variation of the present embodiment will be described. In this variation, when the number of target products displayed on the product shelves is less than a predetermined number and the stock quantity of the target products is less than a predetermined number, an estimated expected arrival time of the target products is output to the receipt request device 230 based on the delivery information and location information of the target products.

[0054] 10 is a block diagram showing a product management system 13 according to a modification of the second embodiment. The product management device 130 and the receipt request device 230 in the product management system 13 can each be realized by hardware, as well as by a computer device and software under program control, similar to the computer device shown in FIG.

[0055] 10 , the product management device 130 includes a display number acquisition unit 131, an inventory number acquisition unit 132, a reception unit 133, a notification unit 134, a delivery information acquisition unit 135, a location acquisition unit 136, an estimation unit 137, and an output unit 138. The display number acquisition unit 131, the inventory number acquisition unit 132, the reception unit 133, the notification unit 134, and the delivery information acquisition unit 135 in the product management device 130 have the same configurations as the corresponding components in the second embodiment.

[0056] The location acquisition unit 136 acquires location information of the target product. In this modification, the location acquisition unit 136 acquires location information obtained via the communication interface 508 using a GPS (Global Positioning System; registered trademark) of the delivery vehicle terminal of the delivery vehicle delivering the target product. The delivery vehicle terminal is a navigation device installed in each delivery vehicle or a mobile terminal carried by the delivery driver. The location acquisition unit 136 may also acquire location information obtained by a photographing device installed at a predetermined location on the delivery route, such as a distribution center or a delivery destination store, recognizing the license plate number of the delivery vehicle. The location acquisition unit 136 may also acquire information that the target product has been delivered to the store by detecting that the code information of the target product has been read for delivery processing at the store where the customer requested to receive the target product.

[0057] The estimation unit 137 estimates the expected arrival time of the target product based on the delivery information and location information of the target product. For example, the estimation unit 137 compares the planned location of the delivery vehicle on the delivery route planned by the delivery information with the location of the target product, and if these locations are within a predetermined distance, estimates the expected arrival time of the target product in accordance with the delivery information. On the other hand, the estimation unit 137 compares the planned location on the delivery route planned by the delivery information with the location of the target product, and if the location of the target product is closer to the store that has requested pickup than the planned location by a predetermined distance or more, estimates the expected arrival time to be earlier than planned, and if the location of the target product is farther from the store that has requested pickup than the planned location by a predetermined distance or more, estimates the expected arrival time to be later than planned.

[0058] The output unit 138 outputs the estimated expected arrival time. As in the second embodiment, the output unit 138 outputs to the receipt request device 230 that sent the receipt request for the target product. The output unit 138 may also output the expected arrival time of the target product to a store terminal. The output unit 138 may further output a screen for accepting the receipt request for the target product. In this case, the acceptance unit 133 further accepts the receipt request input on the screen. The operation of the notification unit 134 when the acceptance unit 133 accepts the receipt request is the same as that of the notification unit 104 in the first embodiment.

[0059] 11 is a flowchart showing an outline of the operation of the product management system 13 in a variation of the second embodiment. The processing according to this flowchart may be executed based on program control by the processor described above. This flowchart differs from FIG. 9 in the flow when the inventory quantity of the target product is less than the predetermined quantity in S307.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 11, first, when the receipt request device 230 detects a receipt request for a target product from a customer (step S301), it transmits information about the receipt request to the product management device 130 (step S302).

[0061] In the product management device 130, the display number acquisition unit 131 acquires the number of displays on the product shelves of the product that is the subject of the receipt request received from the receipt request device 230 (step S303). If the display number of the target product is less than a predetermined number (S304; YES), the inventory number acquisition unit 132 acquires inventory information for the target product (step S305). On the other hand, if the display number of the target product is not less than the predetermined number (S304; NO), the notification unit 134 notifies the receipt request device 230 that the receipt request for the target product was not accepted (step S306).

[0062] Next, if the inventory of the target product is equal to or greater than the predetermined quantity (S307; YES), the accepting unit 133 accepts a request to receive the target product (step S308). Next, the notification unit 134 notifies at least one store terminal of the target product's delivery information (step S309). On the other hand, if the inventory of the target product is less than the predetermined quantity (step S307; NO), the delivery information acquisition unit 135 acquires delivery information regarding the delivery status of the target product (step S310), and the location acquisition unit 136 acquires the target product's location information (step S311). Next, the estimation unit 137 estimates the target product's expected arrival time based on the location information and delivery information (step S312). Finally, the output unit 138 outputs the expected arrival time to the receipt request device 230 (step S313). This completes the process of the product management system 13.

[0063] In this modification, when the stock quantity of the target product is less than a predetermined quantity, the delivery information acquisition unit 135 acquires delivery information regarding the delivery status of the target product, and the location acquisition unit 136 acquires location information of the target product. Then, the estimation unit 137 estimates the expected arrival time of the target product based on the location information and delivery information of the target product, and the output unit 138 outputs the expected arrival time to the receipt request device 230. In this way, even if the target product purchased by the customer is out of stock, the expected arrival time of the target product can be notified.

[0064] [Variation 2 of the Second Embodiment] Next, a variation of the present embodiment will be described. In this variation, when the number of target products displayed on the product shelves is less than a predetermined number and the stock quantity of the target product is less than a predetermined number, the distribution information or estimated arrival time of the target product is output not only to the receipt request device 230 but also to other customers.

[0065] 12 is a block diagram showing a product management system 14 according to another modification of the second embodiment. The product management device 140 and the receipt request device 240 in the product management system 14 can each be realized by hardware, as well as by a computer device and software under program control, similar to the computer device shown in FIG.

[0066] 12 , the product management device 140 includes a display number acquisition unit 141, an inventory number acquisition unit 142, a reception unit 143, a notification unit 144, a delivery information acquisition unit 145, a selection unit 146, and an output unit 147. In the product management device 140, the display number acquisition unit 141, the inventory number acquisition unit 142, the reception unit 143, the notification unit 144, and the delivery information acquisition unit 145 have the same configurations as the corresponding units in the second embodiment. In this modification, a customer is assumed to have installed on their customer terminal a shopping application program that can be used at the store where they have requested to receive the target product.

[0067] The selection unit 146 selects other customers who are likely to purchase the target product. If the stock quantity of the target product is less than a predetermined number, the selection unit 146 selects other customers who are likely to purchase the target product based on at least one of the customer's location information, the customer's purchase history, and the customer's behavior history. The customer's location information, the customer's behavior history, and the customer's purchase history are each collected at predetermined intervals by a function on a shopping application program and stored in the storage device 505.

[0068] The customer's location information is obtained by the GPS of the customer's terminal, and is acquired, for example, in units of several minutes to several hours. The customer's behavioral history is also location information obtained by the GPS of the customer's terminal, but is information that can identify regular customer behavioral patterns, such as stopping by a store where a customer has requested to pick up a product on a specific day of the week or at a specific time. The customer's purchase history is, for example, information about purchased products that have been paid for using the customer's terminal.

[0069] When selecting other customers based on the customer's location information, the selection unit 146 selects, for example, customers who are within a predetermined distance from the store where the pickup request was made as other customers. When selecting other customers based on the customer's behavioral history, the selection unit 146 selects, for example, customers who are expected to approach the store within a predetermined time based on the customer's behavioral patterns as other customers. When selecting other customers based on the customer's purchasing history, the selection unit 146 selects, for example, customers who have purchased products in the same category as the target product a predetermined number of times as other customers. Note that these methods of selecting other customers are examples of customers who may purchase the target product, and the selection unit 146 may select customers who meet other conditions.

[0070] The output unit 147 outputs the delivery information of the target product to the selected other customers in addition to the receipt request device 240 that sent the receipt request of the target product. When outputting the delivery information of the target product to other customers, the output unit 147 may notify them through a shopping application program.

[0071] In this modification, the selection unit 146 selects other customers who may purchase the target product, and the output unit 147 outputs delivery information for the target product to the other selected customers in addition to the receipt request device 240 that sent the request to receive the target product. This makes it possible to encourage customers other than the customer who has purchased the target product to purchase the target product.

[0072] In the second embodiment, the above-described modifications may be combined. That is, the product management device 140 in Fig. 12 may further include a location acquisition unit and an estimation unit, and the output unit 147 may output the estimated arrival time of the target product to the selected other customer.

[0073] Although the present disclosure has been described above with reference to various embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments. The configuration and details of each of the present disclosures may include embodiments to which various modifications that would be apparent to those skilled in the art are applied within the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure may also include embodiments in which the details described herein are appropriately combined or substituted as necessary. For example, details described using a particular embodiment may also be applied to other embodiments to the extent that no contradiction occurs. For example, although multiple operations are described in sequence in the form of a flowchart, the order of the descriptions does not limit the order in which the multiple operations are performed. Therefore, when implementing each embodiment, the order of the multiple operations may be changed as long as it does not interfere with the content.

[0074] A part or all of the above-described embodiments can be described as, but not limited to, the following supplementary notes.

[0075] (Supplementary Note 1) A product management device comprising: a display number acquisition means for acquiring the number of displays on a product shelf for a target product that has been requested for pickup by a customer; an inventory acquisition means for acquiring stock information for the target product if the display number is less than a predetermined number; a reception means for accepting the pickup request if the stock number of the target product is equal to or greater than a predetermined number; and a notification means for notifying at least one store terminal of delivery information for the target product if the pickup request has been accepted.

[0076] (Supplementary Note 2) The product management device according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the notification means notifies the user of at least one of a place and a date and time for receiving the target product as the delivery information.

[0077] (Supplementary Note 3) The product management device according to Supplementary Note 1 or Supplementary Note 2, wherein the accepting unit does not accept the receipt request if it will take a predetermined time or more to receive the target product.

[0078] (Supplementary Note 4) The product management device according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 3, further comprising: a delivery acquisition means for acquiring delivery information relating to a delivery status of the target product; and an output means for outputting the delivery information.

[0079] (Supplementary Note 5) The product management device according to Supplementary Note 4, wherein the delivery acquisition means acquires delivery information relating to a delivery status of the target product when the stock quantity of the target product is less than a predetermined number.

[0080] (Supplementary Note 6) The product management device described in Supplementary Note 4 or Supplementary Note 5 further comprises: a location acquisition means for acquiring location information of the target product; and an estimation means for estimating an expected arrival time of the target product based on the delivery information and the location information, wherein the output means outputs the expected arrival time.

[0081] (Supplementary Note 7) The product management device described in Supplementary Note 5 or Supplementary Note 6, wherein the output means further outputs a screen for accepting a request to receive the target product, and the acceptance means further accepts the request to receive input on the screen.

[0082] (Appendix 8) A product management device as described in any of Appendices 4 to 7, further comprising a selection means for selecting other customers who may purchase the target product, and the output means further outputs the delivery information of the target product to the terminal device of the selected other customers.

[0083] (Supplementary Note 9) A merchandise management system having a receipt request device and a merchandise management device according to any one of Supplements 1 to 8, wherein the receipt request device is configured to include a button provided on a merchandise shelf in a store or a display device with a touch panel function, and the merchandise management system further comprises a transmission means for transmitting the request to receive the target merchandise to the merchandise management device when the request to receive the target merchandise is made using the button or the display device.

[0084] (Supplementary Note 10) The product management system described in Supplementary Note 9, wherein the receipt request device includes a button linked to each product, and when the button is pressed, a request to receive the target product linked to the button is sent to the product management device.

[0085] (Appendix 11) A product management method in which a computer obtains the number of displays on a product shelf for a target product that has been requested for pickup by a customer, obtains inventory information for the target product if the number of displays is less than a predetermined number, accepts the pickup request if the inventory number of the target product is equal to or greater than a predetermined number, and, if the pickup request is accepted, notifies at least one store terminal of delivery information for the target product.

[0086] (Appendix 12) A recording medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute the following process: obtain the number of displays on the shelves of a target product for which a customer has requested pickup; if the number of displays is less than a predetermined number, obtain inventory information for the target product; if the inventory number of the target product is equal to or greater than a predetermined number, accept the pickup request; and if the pickup request is accepted, notify at least one store terminal of delivery information for the target product.

[0087] 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 Product management system 100, 110, 120, 130, 140 Product management device 101, 111, 121, 131, 141 Display number acquisition unit 102, 112, 122, 132, 142 Stock number acquisition unit 103, 113, 123, 133, 143 Reception unit 104, 114, 124, 134, 144 Notification unit 125, 135, 145 Delivery information acquisition unit 126, 138, 147 Output unit 136 Position acquisition unit 137 Estimation unit 146 Selection unit 210, 220, 230, 240 Receipt request device 500 Computer device 501 CPU 502 ROM 503 RAM 504 Program 505 Storage device 506 Recording medium 507 Drive device 508 Communication interface 509 Input / output interface 510 Bus

Claims

1. a display number acquisition means for acquiring the number of display items on the product shelves for which a customer has requested receipt; an inventory acquisition means for acquiring inventory information of the target product when the number of displays is less than a predetermined number; a receiving means for receiving the receipt request when the stock quantity of the target product is equal to or greater than a predetermined quantity; a notification means for, when the receipt request is received, notifying at least one of the store terminals of delivery information of the target product.

2. The product management device according to claim 1 , wherein the notification means notifies the user of at least one of a place and a date and time for receiving the target product as the delivery information.

3. 3. The product management device according to claim 1, wherein the receiving unit does not receive the pickup request if it will take a predetermined time or more to receive the target product.

4. a delivery acquisition means for acquiring delivery information relating to the delivery status of the target product; The product management device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an output unit that outputs the delivery information.

5. a location acquisition means for acquiring location information of the target product; and an estimation means for estimating an expected arrival time of the target product based on the delivery information and the location information, The product management device according to claim 4 , wherein the output means outputs the estimated arrival time.

6. The output means further outputs a screen for accepting a request to receive the target product; 6. The product management device according to claim 5, wherein said receiving means further receives a pickup request input on said screen.

7. 3. A merchandise management system comprising a receipt request device and the merchandise management device according to claim 1, the receipt request device is configured to include a display device equipped with buttons or a touch panel function provided on a product shelf in a store, a sending unit that sends the request to receive the target product to the product management device when the request to receive the target product is made using the button or the display device.

8. the receipt request device is configured to include a button associated with each of the products; The product management system according to claim 7 , wherein when the button is pressed, a request to receive the target product linked to the button is transmitted to the product management device.

9. The computer Obtain the number of items displayed on the shelves for which the customer has requested pickup; If the number of displays is less than a predetermined number, obtain inventory information of the target product; If the stock quantity of the target product is equal to or greater than a predetermined quantity, the receipt request is accepted; When the receipt request is received, delivery information of the target product is notified to at least one of the store terminals.

10. Obtain the number of items displayed on the shelves for which the customer has requested pickup; If the number of displays is less than a predetermined number, obtain inventory information of the target product; If the stock quantity of the target product is equal to or greater than a predetermined quantity, the receipt request is accepted; A program that causes a computer to execute a process of notifying at least one of the store terminals of delivery information of the target product when the receipt request is accepted.