Inventory analysis device, inventory analysis method, and inventory analysis system

Abstract

This invention makes it possible to ascertain dead stock that needs to be handled preferentially in the inventory. The present invention is provided with: an inventory index value acquisition unit 12 that acquires an inventory index value, which is an index value pertaining to the inventory status of a product; a sales index value acquisition unit 13 that acquires a sales index value, which is an index value pertaining to the sales status of the product; and an inventory identification unit 14 that identifies, as dead stock, product inventory for which the inventory index value is evaluated to be lower than an inventory threshold value and the sales index value is evaluated to be lower than a sales threshold value. The inventory status is identified on the basis of not only the perspective of whether the inventory index value is evaluated to be lower than the inventory threshold value, but also the logical product thereof with the perspective of whether the sales index value is evaluated to be lower than the sales threshold value, so that it is possible to ascertain the product inventory for which low evaluation values are indicated for both the inventory index value and the sales index value, as dead stock that needs to be handled preferentially in the inventory.

Description

Inventory analysis device, inventory analysis method, and inventory analysis system

[0001] The present invention relates to an inventory analysis device, an inventory analysis method, and an inventory analysis system for analyzing the inventory status of products.

[0002] Generally, companies invest funds to manufacture or purchase goods and obtain new funds by selling those goods. Goods that a company temporarily holds for the purpose of selling become inventory. If inventory continues to accumulate, it will never be converted into cash, meaning that the company will not be able to obtain new operating funds. Therefore, it is important to quickly identify and sell inventory that cannot be converted into cash, especially inventory of unsold, dead stock.

[0003] In light of the fact that the existence of slow inventory can lead to future impairment losses and reduce profits, an information processing system has been proposed that helps reduce the occurrence of slow inventory and efficiently increase retail store profits (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The information processing system described in Patent Document 1 determines the risk of inventory being slow based on sales information for the target product at the store, sales information for the target product on an e-commerce site, and the inventory quantity of the target product.

[0004] Specifically, the information processing system described in Patent Document 1 predicts the expected consumption period until the inventory quantity of the target product is sold out if sold in a store (in-house sales consumption period), and also predicts the expected consumption period until the inventory quantity of the target product is sold out if sold on an e-commerce site (market sales consumption period).Then, as shown in Figure 3 of Patent Document 1, the current inventory stagnation risk of the target product is determined to be one of ranks 1 to 4 depending on the combination of the length of the in-house sales consumption period and the length of the market sales consumption period.

[0005] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-33352

[0006] According to the technology described in Patent Document 1, it is possible to grasp the risk of inventory being held up. However, the technical information processing system described in Patent Document 1 simply determines that the longer the sales consumption period (inventory period), the higher the risk of inventory being held up. Therefore, there is a problem in that it is not clear what the reason for the inventory period is being extended, making it difficult to grasp the dead stock that should be addressed as a priority.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and has as its object to make it possible to grasp the dead stock that should be dealt with as a priority among the stocks.

[0008] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention obtains an inventory index value, which is an index value relating to the inventory status of a product, and also obtains a sales index value, which is an index value relating to the sales status of the product, and identifies inventory of products whose inventory index value is on the lower side of the inventory threshold and whose sales index value is on the lower side of the sales threshold as dead stock.

[0009] According to the present invention configured as described above, the inventory situation is identified not simply from the perspective of whether the inventory index value is on the lower side of the inventory threshold value, but also from the perspective of whether the sales index value is on the lower side of the sales threshold value.Therefore, unlike when the risk of inventory being left behind is determined simply from whether the inventory period is long or not, inventory of products that show low evaluation values ​​for both the inventory index value and the sales index value can be recognized as dead stock that should be dealt with as a priority among inventory.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of an inventory analysis system to which an inventory analysis device according to this embodiment is applied. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of an inventory analysis server according to this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an inventory positioning map. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display of a detail window. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a display of a policy candidate window. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a display of a policy candidate window. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a display of a policy candidate window. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a display of an inventory positioning map that visualizes changes in the state of symbols. A flowchart showing an example of the operation of the inventory analysis server according to this embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another example of a display of the inventory positioning map.

[0011] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of an inventory analysis system to which an inventory analysis device according to this embodiment is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, the inventory analysis system according to this embodiment includes an inventory analysis server 10 (corresponding to the inventory analysis device), a sales information management server 20, an inventory information management server 30, and a workflow management server 40. A sales-related information storage unit 101, an inventory-related information storage unit 102, and a policy-related information storage unit 103 are connected to the inventory analysis server 10. A user terminal 50 is connected to the inventory analysis server 10 and the workflow management server 40 via a communication network 100 such as the Internet or a mobile phone network. Connections other than the user terminal 50 may be via a local area network (LAN) or a communication network such as the Internet or a mobile phone network.

[0012] The sales information management server 20 is a server that manages sales information for each product. When a product is sold at a store or an EC site, the sales information management server 20 records sales information, including the product ID, product name, store ID, store name, site ID, sale date and time, sales price, sales quantity, etc., of the product as sales results in a database (not shown).

[0013] The inventory information management server 30 is a server that manages inventory information for each product. When managing store inventory, the inventory information management server 30 records arrival information, including the product ID, product name, store ID, store name, arrival date and time, and arrival quantity, of the product, as an arrival record in a database (not shown). Also, when the product is shipped from a store, the inventory information management server 30 records shipping information, including the product ID, product name, store ID, store name, shipping date and time, and shipping quantity, of the product, as a shipping record in a database (not shown).

[0014] Furthermore, when managing warehouse inventory for products sold on an EC site, the inventory information management server 30 records, when a product is received at a warehouse, inventory information including the product's product ID, product name, warehouse ID, warehouse name, receiving date and time, and received quantity as a warehousing record in a database (not shown). Also, when a product is shipped from a warehouse, it records, when a product is removed from a warehouse, shipping information including the product's product ID, product name, warehouse ID, warehouse name, shipping date and time, and shipped quantity as a shipping record in a database (not shown).

[0015] Although the configuration shown here includes a sales information management server 20 and an inventory information management server 30, this configuration is not limited thereto. Any server configuration capable of grasping product sales information and inventory information may be used. For example, a configuration in which product sales information and inventory information are managed by a POS (Point of Sale) server installed in a store may be used. The POS server stores information on product arrivals and sales, which changes from time to time, and this information can be used to grasp product sales information and inventory information. In this case, the POS server plays the roles of the sales information management server 20 and the inventory information management server 30. Alternatively, a configuration in which product sales information and inventory information are managed by a WMS (Warehouse Management System) server used in a warehouse may be used. The WMS server stores information on product arrivals and shipments, which changes from time to time, and this information can be used to grasp product sales information and inventory information on an e-commerce site. In this case, the WMS server plays the roles of the sales information management server 20 and the inventory information management server 30.

[0016] The workflow management server 40 executes processes related to the approval workflow when implementing measures, which will be described later. That is, in this embodiment, it is possible to set an execution authority for each measure, and when a certain measure is to be implemented, the workflow management server 40 executes a flow process to obtain approval from the authority. Note that the approval workflow process can be performed by applying known technology, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0017] The user terminal 50 exchanges information with the inventory analysis server 10. For example, the user terminal 50 provides the inventory analysis server 10 with information necessary for the inventory analysis server 10 to execute processing. The user terminal 50 also acquires information on the results of processing executed by the inventory analysis server 10 and displays it on the screen of the user terminal 50. Details of this information exchange will be described later. Furthermore, the user terminal 50 exchanges information with the workflow management server 40 when executing processing related to the approval workflow. A detailed explanation of this will be omitted.

[0018] The inventory analysis server 10 acquires sales information and inventory information from the sales information management server 20 and the inventory information management server 30, and uses this information to perform an analysis process related to product inventory. If the sales information management server 20 and the inventory information management server 30 are linked to a company's core system (ERP system), the inventory analysis server 10 may acquire the sales information and inventory information from the core system. The inventory analysis server 10 may acquire information periodically at preset intervals, or may acquire information when an instruction to execute an analysis process is received from the user terminal 50.

[0019] When executing inventory analysis processing, the inventory analysis server 10 uses various information stored in the sales-related information storage unit 101, the inventory-related information storage unit 102, and the policy-related information storage unit 103. These storage units 101 to 103 store not only preset information, but also information acquired from the sales information management server 20 and the inventory information management server 30, and information generated by the inventory analysis server 10.

[0020] The sales-related information storage unit 101 stores sales information acquired from the sales information management server 20, as well as target values ​​(e.g., target daily sales volume) set in advance for sales index values ​​(described later), target sales dates, and sales index values ​​(e.g., average daily sales volume) for each product acquired by the inventory analysis server 10. The target daily sales volume and target sales date are information set by the user through operations on the user terminal 50.

[0021] The inventory-related information storage unit 102 stores inventory information acquired from the inventory information management server 30, as well as target values ​​(e.g., target inventory days) set in advance for inventory index values ​​(described later), product costs, inventory management costs, inventory disposal costs, and inventory index values ​​(e.g., inventory days) for each product acquired by the inventory analysis server 10. The target inventory days, product costs, inventory management costs, and inventory disposal costs are information set by the user through operations on the user terminal 50.

[0022] The policy-related information storage unit 103 stores information such as multiple pre-set policy information items, as well as information on executed policies, policy execution dates, the number of times the policies have been executed, and authority related to the execution of the policies, all of which are managed by the inventory analysis server 10. The multiple policy information items are information indicating policies to be presented to the user as candidates. The executed policies, policy execution dates, and the number of times the policies have been executed are information that records the policies implemented by the user, their execution dates, and the number of times they have been executed as history. The authority related to the execution of the policies is information that is set by the user by operating the user terminal 50.

[0023] Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the inventory analysis server 10. As shown in Fig. 2, the inventory analysis server 10 of this embodiment includes, as its functional configuration, a goal setting unit 11, an inventory index value acquisition unit 12, a sales index value acquisition unit 13, an inventory identification unit 14, a mapping unit 15, a measure presentation unit 16, a selection reception unit 17, a measure history recording unit 18, and a workflow activation unit 19.

[0024] The functional blocks 11 to 19 can be configured using any of hardware, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), and software. For example, the functional blocks 11 to 19 are realized by the operation of a program stored in a storage medium such as RAM, ROM, a hard disk, or a semiconductor memory under the control of a microcomputer configured with a CPU, RAM, ROM, etc.

[0025] The target setting unit 11 sets a target value for the inventory index value and also sets a target value for the sales index value in accordance with instructions from a user operating the user terminal 50. As described above, in this embodiment, the number of inventory days (a numerical value indicating how many days' worth of sales the number of inventory items held in stock corresponds to) is used as an example of the inventory index value. In this case, the target setting unit 11 sets a target value for the number of inventory days (target number of inventory days). In this embodiment, the average daily sales volume is used as an example of the sales index value. In this case, the target setting unit 11 sets a target value for the average daily sales volume (target daily sales volume).

[0026] The target setting unit 11 stores the set target values ​​in the sales-related information storage unit 101 and the inventory-related information storage unit 102. When an instruction to execute an analysis process is received from the user terminal 50, the target setting unit 11 reads out the target values ​​from the sales-related information storage unit 101 and the inventory-related information storage unit 102 and provides them to the inventory identification unit 14.

[0027] The inventory index value acquisition unit 12 acquires an inventory index value, which is an index value of the inventory status of a product. Specifically, the inventory index value acquisition unit 12 calculates the average daily sales amount for each product based on the sales information stored in the sales-related information storage unit 101, calculates the inventory amount according to the inventory quantity based on the inventory information stored in the inventory-related information storage unit 102, and acquires the inventory days by dividing the inventory amount by the average daily sales amount. Note that the inventory turnover days may be acquired instead of the inventory days. In this case, the average inventory amount for the period for which the inventory turnover days is to be calculated may be divided by the average sales cost for that period. In addition, the inventory turnover days may be acquired using the sales quantity for a specified period and the average inventory quantity for that period, rather than based on monetary values ​​such as sales or inventory amount.

[0028] The sales index value acquisition unit 13 acquires a sales index value, which is an index value of the sales status of a product. Specifically, the sales index value acquisition unit 13 calculates the average daily sales volume (average sales volume per day) for each product based on the sales information stored in the sales-related information storage unit 101. Note that the average daily sales volume calculated by the inventory index value acquisition unit 12 may be calculated by the sales index value acquisition unit 13, and the calculated data may be acquired by the inventory index value acquisition unit 12.

[0029] Although the example has been described above in which the inventory index value acquisition unit 12 calculates the inventory index value based on the sales information stored in the sales-related information storage unit 101 and the inventory information stored in the inventory-related information storage unit 102, and the sales index value acquisition unit 13 calculates the sales index value based on the sales information stored in the sales-related information storage unit 101, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the sales information management server 20 and the inventory information management server 30 may calculate the inventory index value and the sales index value and store them in the sales-related information storage unit 101 and the inventory-related information storage unit 102, and the inventory index value acquisition unit 12 and the sales index value acquisition unit 13 may acquire the inventory index value and the sales index value from the sales-related information storage unit 101 and the inventory-related information storage unit 102.

[0030] The inventory identification unit 14 classifies and identifies inventory of products into four types based on a combination of whether the inventory index value is lower than the inventory threshold value and whether the sales index value is lower than the sales threshold value. In this embodiment, the target inventory days set by the target setting unit 11 for the inventory index value is used as the inventory threshold value. Also, the target daily sales volume set by the target setting unit 11 for the sales index value is used as the sales threshold value.

[0031] That is, the inventory identification unit 14 identifies as "stock consideration inventory" the inventory of products whose inventory days acquired by the inventory index value acquisition unit 12 are shorter than the target inventory days and whose average daily sales volume acquired by the sales index value acquisition unit 13 are less than the target daily sales volume. Products classified as this type are products with low inventory volumes and low sales. Basically, these are considered to be products where sales have declined over time since the product was sold, and therefore, they are positioned as products that require consideration of whether to sell out the inventory as is or whether sales will recover if the inventory is replenished.

[0032] Furthermore, the inventory identification unit 14 identifies as "best-selling inventory" the inventory of a product whose inventory days acquired by the inventory index value acquisition unit 12 are shorter than the target inventory days and whose average daily sales volume acquired by the sales index value acquisition unit 13 are greater than the target daily sales volume. Products classified as this type are products with low inventory volumes and high sales volumes. Basically, since these products are considered to have a high probability of being best-selling products, they are positioned as products that require consideration of replenishment in order to prevent opportunity losses due to stockouts.

[0033] Furthermore, the inventory identification unit 14 identifies as "dead stock" the inventory of products whose inventory days acquired by the inventory index value acquisition unit 12 are longer than the target inventory days and whose average daily sales volume acquired by the sales index value acquisition unit 13 are less than the target daily sales volume. Products classified as this type are products with a large inventory volume and low sales. Basically, these are considered to be cases where there is a high possibility that they are dead stock products, and therefore, they are positioned as products that require consideration of measures to convert them into cash in order to prevent losses from occurring.

[0034] Furthermore, the inventory identification unit 14 identifies as "market inventory" the inventory of products whose inventory days acquired by the inventory index value acquisition unit 12 are longer than the target inventory days and whose average daily sales volume acquired by the sales index value acquisition unit 13 are greater than the target daily sales volume. Products classified as this type are products with large inventory volumes and high sales volumes. Since sales are generally strong, these products are positioned as products for which progress is being monitored to see if the inventory can be consumed by the target sales date. When inventory is replenished while sales are progressing smoothly, the product is often classified as this type.

[0035] The mapping unit 15 generates a map in which symbols corresponding to multiple products are plotted on a four-quadrant segment map corresponding to four types of classification, based on the inventory index values ​​of multiple products acquired by the inventory index value acquisition unit 12 and the sales index values ​​of multiple products acquired by the sales index value acquisition unit 13. The generated map is then provided to the user terminal 50. Hereinafter, the map generated by the mapping unit 15 is referred to as an "inventory positioning map."

[0036] Figure 3 shows an example of an inventory positioning map. In the example of Figure 3, the vertical axis represents the difference in inventory days (target inventory days minus actual inventory days), and the horizontal axis represents the difference in average daily sales (actual average daily sales minus target daily sales). A four-quadrant segment map is created by drawing boundaries on the vertical axis where the difference in inventory days = 0 and on the horizontal axis where the difference in average daily sales = 0. The multiple symbols indicated by circles represent individual products, and are plotted at coordinate positions (average daily sales difference, inventory days difference) calculated from each product's inventory index value and sales index value, target inventory days, and target daily sales.

[0037] When an inventory positioning map is constructed as shown in Figure 3, the inventory of products placed in the first quadrant at the top left is "inventory to be considered for arrival," the inventory of products placed in the second quadrant at the top right is "best-selling inventory," the inventory of products placed in the third quadrant at the bottom left is "dead-stock inventory," and the inventory of products placed in the fourth quadrant at the bottom right is "market inventory."

[0038] The user can easily understand which products should be prioritized based on the inventory positioning map displayed on the user terminal 50. In particular, since it is possible to understand the dead stock that should be prioritized, as well as the best-selling stock, it is possible to consider the need to replenish the best-selling stock.

[0039] 4, when the user performs an operation to select a desired symbol, the mapping unit 15 may display detailed information about the product corresponding to the selected symbol in a pop-up window. The detailed information about the product includes any information extracted from sales information, inventory information, inventory index values, sales index values, and the implementation history of measures. Hereinafter, such a pop-up window will be referred to as a "details window."

[0040] The measure presentation unit 16 presents candidate measures for improving at least one of the inventory index value and the sales index value for the inventory identified as dead stock by the inventory identification unit 14. The contents of the candidate measures to be presented are set in advance as policy information in the policy-related information storage unit 103. That is, the policy presentation unit 16 acquires the policy information from the policy-related information storage unit 103, and presents candidate measures to the user terminal 50 based on the policy information.

[0041] On the inventory positioning map, dead stock, located in the third quadrant at the bottom left, is idle inventory that does not generate cash. If left dormant, it could be detrimental to a company. Specifically, the following negative effects could occur: - It puts pressure on warehouses and back-of-store areas, making it harder to stock shelves there. This reduced work efficiency increases the time required for tasks, preventing other warehouse tasks from being completed and reducing the time available in stores to engage with customers and lead to sales. - Storing products in a warehouse incurs storage costs. The longer products are left in storage, the higher the storage costs become, reducing a company's profits. - Products deteriorate over time even when stored. Therefore, they cannot be stored forever and must be discarded once they deteriorate. Disposal not only wastes the product's cost price, but also incurs additional disposal costs.

[0042] Therefore, it is necessary to convert products located in the dead stock area on the inventory positioning map into cash as quickly as possible to reduce losses for the company. Therefore, the measure suggestion unit 16 presents to the user terminal 50 candidate measures required to convert the inventory identified as dead stock by the inventory identification unit 14 into cash.

[0043] 5 to 9 are diagrams showing examples of policy candidate presentations. In the example shown in Fig. 5, when a desired symbol is selected, a list of policy candidates is displayed in a pop-up window by selecting the policy consideration button in the details window that pops up. Hereinafter, such a pop-up window will be referred to as the "policy candidate window."

[0044] In the example of the measure candidate window shown in FIG. 5, four measure candidates are presented: checking product display (indicated as "product not on display"), checking sales status at other stores (indicated as "selling at other stores"), checking the possibility of price reduction (indicated as "price reduction needs to be considered"), and checking the possibility of disposal (indicated as "possibly in stock"). The user selects one of these four measure candidates. When one of the measure candidates is selected, the measure presenting unit 16 presents more specific measure examples and information on considerations for the selected measure candidate, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 9.

[0045] The first measure "check product display" shown in Figure 5 is a measure to check whether products identified as dead stock are being displayed appropriately. In stores, products are sometimes left in the back yard and not put out. Therefore, checking whether the product display is in a state where it can be sold is presented as a measure candidate. When this first measure candidate is selected, the measure presenting unit 16 presents as a specific example measure, as shown in Figure 6, checking whether products are being left in the back yard.

[0046] The second measure shown in Figure 5, "Checking sales status at other stores," involves checking whether the same product identified as dead stock at your store is selling at other stores. Checking the sales status of the product at other stores is suggested as a possible measure to take when sales are poor despite the product being properly displayed. If it is confirmed that the same product is selling at other stores, you can refer to the measures being implemented at other stores to see if there are any measures you can take to increase sales at your store.

[0047] When this second candidate measure is selected, the measure presentation unit 16 presents three specific example measures, as shown in FIG. 7 : changing the visual merchandising (VMD), promoting on social media, and transferring products between stores. Changing the VMD is a measure such as imitating the product display method of a store with good sales. Promoting on social media is a measure such as imitating the SNS posting method of a store with good sales. Transferring products between stores is a measure of inquiring about transferring products between stores when there is no material to imitate. Transferring products between stores is an effective measure when inventory at other stores is being steadily consumed or when inventory is running low. Note that if an e-commerce site exists, this measure also includes transferring inventory to the e-commerce site.

[0048] The third measure, "Confirm Possibility of Price Reduction" shown in Figure 5, is a measure to consider reducing the price of a product identified as dead stock. When a product is properly displayed but sales are unfavorable at other stores or the product cannot be moved to another store, the measure to confirm whether the price should be reduced to sell out the product is presented as a possible measure. When this third measure candidate is selected, the measure presentation unit 16 presents as specific example measures two methods, as shown in Figure 8, including a method of reducing the price in a closed environment by distributing coupons exclusive to members, and a method of selling the product at a predetermined discount.

[0049] The fourth measure shown in Figure 5, "Confirming the possibility of disposal," is a measure to consider the disposal of products identified as dead stock. As mentioned above, if dead stock products remain in stock for a long time, it can be detrimental to a company. Therefore, we propose confirming whether or not the product should be disposed of as a possible measure when it is considered difficult to sell out the product by lowering the price.

[0050] Figure 9 shows an example screen displayed when the fourth option, "Confirm Disposability," is selected. The example screen shown in Figure 9 displays the potential loss amount if the item is maintained as inventory and the disposal fee if the inventory is discarded. The potential loss amount indicates the storage cost required for the storage period if the item is kept as inventory. The storage period can be set by the user, or the disposal deadline (such as the sell-by date described below) specified for each item can be set as the storage period. If warehouse storage costs are determined based on the warehouse's usage area (or contracted area), for example, the storage cost for a specific item can be calculated by determining the area required for the warehouse placement based on the size of the item and calculating what percentage of the warehouse area it occupies. By visualizing the potential loss amount and disposal fee in this way, it becomes possible to determine whether it is better to discard the item at this stage.

[0051] The user selects and executes one of the candidate measures (including specific example measures) presented as shown in Figures 5 to 9. The selection of a measure is performed by checking a checkbox and operating the selection completion button, as shown in Figures 6 to 9. The selection receiving unit 17 receives the selection of the measure selected by the user in the manner described above. After that, when the user executes the selected measure, the user inputs information such as the name of the executed measure, the execution date, and the person in charge of execution from the user terminal 50, and transmits this information to the inventory analysis server 10 as measure execution report information.

[0052] The policy history recording unit 18 records the policy selected and executed by the user from the candidates presented by the policy presentation unit 16 (the policy accepted by the selection accepting unit 17) and the execution date as policy history information in the policy-related information storage unit 103. That is, the policy history recording unit 18 records the policy selected by the user (or the approved policy in the case of a policy requiring approval) in the policy-related information storage unit 103. Thereafter, when policy execution report information is sent from the user terminal 50, the policy history recording unit 18 records at least the execution date in association with the name of the selected policy in the policy-related information storage unit 103. Note that, in addition to the policy name and execution date, information included in the policy execution report information may also be recorded.

[0053] The mapping unit 15 may visualize and display changes in the status of symbols plotted on an inventory positioning map based on the inventory index value and sales index value before the implementation date and the inventory index value and sales index value after the implementation date for the inventory of products for which a measure has been implemented. Figure 10 is a diagram showing an example of an inventory positioning map that visualizes changes in the status of symbols. In Figure 10, arrows indicate that the implementation of measures on products corresponding to two symbols Z1 and Z2 has resulted in changes to the positions of symbols Z1' and Z2', respectively.

[0054] By generating an inventory positioning map again after the implementation date of the measure, the user can understand how the positioning on the map has changed for the inventory for which the measure was implemented. By checking this change in positioning, the user can confirm whether the measure was effective. Basically, if the arrow points upward to the upper right, it can be determined that the inventory index value and sales index value are approaching their respective target values, that is, the inventory situation and sales situation have improved, and the measure was effective. On the other hand, if the arrow does not point upward to the upper right, it can be determined that the measure was ineffective or only weakly effective. In this case, the user selects and implements another measure through the measure candidate window shown in Figure 5.

[0055] When generating an inventory positioning map after a campaign is implemented, only products with dead stock may be extracted and mapped. FIG. 10 shows an example of such a display. Alternatively, only products for which a campaign has been implemented may be extracted and mapped. Alternatively, products may be filtered and mapped by campaign type (e.g., only products with changed VMDs, only products for which coupons have been distributed, etc.). By filtering and mapping products by campaign type, users can easily grasp trends in which campaigns are effective. Collecting data on the effectiveness of campaigns can also measure which campaigns are effective in which situations and use this data to guide future campaign implementation. It is possible to evaluate all campaigns with arrows pointing upwards as "effective." Alternatively, it is possible to evaluate only campaigns corresponding to arrows pointing upwards whose length is equal to or exceeds a predetermined value as "effective." The definition of "effective" may be arbitrarily set. A campaign evaluated as "effective" is deemed effective.

[0056] It is desirable to allow users to decide who is authorized to execute which measures. In this embodiment, information regarding implementation authority for candidate measures presented by the measure presentation unit 16 is set on the user terminal 50, and the set information is sent to the inventory analysis server 10 and recorded in the measure-related information storage unit 103. The information regarding implementation authority indicates who has authority over which measures.

[0057] When a user selects a measure from the candidates (when the selection receiving unit 17 receives the selection of a measure), the workflow starting unit 19 starts the workflow management server 40 to execute the approval workflow corresponding to the implementation authority set for the selected measure. In this manner, when a measure is selected by the user, if the measure requires approval, the approval workflow of the workflow management server 40 is automatically started. For example, if a store clerk selects a discount measure based on the sales and inventory status of a product, a price reduction request workflow is automatically circulated to a superior, who can then decide whether to approve the price reduction through a predetermined approval route. When the execution of the selected measure is approved, the measure history recording unit 18 stores information about the measure name in the measure-related information storage unit 103.

[0058] 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the inventory analysis server 10 according to this embodiment configured as described above. It is assumed that the target daily sales volume and the target inventory days have already been set before the flowchart of FIG. 11 is executed.

[0059] 11, the inventory analysis server 10 determines whether an instruction to create an inventory positioning map has been received from the user terminal 50 (step S1). If an instruction to create an inventory positioning map has been received, the inventory index value acquisition unit 12 acquires inventory information from the inventory-related information storage unit 102, and the sales index value acquisition unit 13 acquires sales information from the sales-related information storage unit 101 (step S2). The inventory index value acquisition unit 12 then calculates the number of days of inventory as an inventory index value for each product, and the sales index value acquisition unit 13 calculates the average daily sales volume as a sales index value for each product (step S3).

[0060] Next, the inventory identification unit 14 classifies and identifies the inventory of products into four types (inventory under consideration for arrival, best-selling inventory, dead stock, and market inventory) based on a combination of whether the inventory days are longer than the target inventory days and whether the average daily sales volume is smaller than the target daily sales volume (Step S4). Furthermore, the mapping unit 15 generates an inventory positioning map showing symbols corresponding to multiple products in four quadrant areas corresponding to the four types of classification based on the inventory days and average daily sales volume of multiple products and the differences between the target inventory days and target daily sales volume (Step S5), and displays the map on the user terminal 50 (Step S6).

[0061] At this time, the mapping unit 15 refers to the policy history information in the policy-related information storage unit 103 and determines whether there are any products for which a policy has been implemented. If there are any products for which a policy has been implemented, the mapping unit 15 visualizes and displays the change in the status of the symbols plotted on the inventory positioning map for those products based on the inventory index value and sales index value before the policy implementation date and the inventory index value and sales index value after the policy implementation date. Note that the change in the status of the symbols may be displayed only when the user performs a predetermined operation on the user terminal 50.

[0062] Here, the mapping unit 15 determines whether an operation to select any symbol on the inventory positioning map has been performed (step S7). If an operation to select a symbol has not been performed, the processing of the flowchart shown in Fig. 11 is terminated. On the other hand, if an operation to select any symbol has been performed, the mapping unit 15 pops up a details window showing detailed information about the product corresponding to the selected symbol, as shown in Fig. 4 (step S8).

[0063] Next, the policy presentation unit 16 determines whether or not an operation to select a policy consideration button present in the details window has been performed (step S9). If an operation to select the policy consideration button has not been performed, the processing of the flowchart shown in Fig. 11 ends. On the other hand, if an operation to select the policy consideration button has been performed, the policy presentation unit 16 pops up a policy candidate window as shown in Fig. 5 (step S10).

[0064] Here, the policy presenting unit 16 determines whether any policy candidate has been selected from the policy candidate window (step S11). If no policy candidate has been selected, the processing of the flowchart shown in Fig. 11 ends. On the other hand, if a policy candidate has been selected, more specific policy examples and information on consideration materials for the selected policy candidate are presented (step S12), as shown in Figs. 6 to 9.

[0065] Thereafter, the selection receiving unit 17 determines whether any measure has been selected (step S13). If no measure has been selected, the process of the flowchart shown in Fig. 11 ends. On the other hand, if any measure has been selected, the workflow starting unit 19 starts the workflow management server 40 so as to execute the approval workflow corresponding to the implementation authority set for the selected measure (step S14).

[0066] Thereafter, the policy history recording unit 18 inquires of the workflow management server 40 as to whether or not the policy execution has been approved in the approval workflow (step S15). If the workflow management server 40 notifies the user that the policy execution has not been approved, the process of the flowchart shown in FIG. 11 ends. In this case, the process may proceed to step S10. On the other hand, if the workflow management server 40 notifies the user that the policy execution has been approved, the policy history recording unit 18 records the approved policy as policy history information in the policy-related information storage unit 103 (step S16). If the implementation authority has not been set for the selected policy, the process skips steps S14 and S15 and proceeds to step S16.

[0067] Thereafter, the policy history recording unit 18 determines whether policy execution report information has been sent from the user terminal 50 (step S17). If policy execution report information has been sent, the information on the execution date contained therein is recorded in the policy-related information storage unit 103 as policy history information for the selected policy (step S18). This completes the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 11.

[0068] As explained in detail above, in this embodiment, inventory index values ​​(number of days in stock) relating to the inventory status of multiple products are obtained, and sales index values ​​(average daily sales volume) relating to the sales status of multiple products are obtained, and inventory of products whose inventory index values ​​are lower than the inventory threshold value (target number of days in stock) and whose sales index values ​​are lower than the sales threshold value (target daily sales volume) are identified as dead stock.

[0069] According to this embodiment configured as described above, the inventory situation is identified not simply from the perspective of whether the inventory index value is on the lower side of the inventory threshold value, but also from the perspective of whether the sales index value is on the lower side of the sales threshold value.Therefore, unlike when the risk of inventory being left behind is determined simply from whether the inventory period is long or not, inventory of products that show low evaluation values ​​for both the inventory index value and the sales index value can be identified as dead stock that should be dealt with as a priority among inventory.

[0070] In addition, in this embodiment, the inventory threshold and sales threshold used to identify dead stock are set as target values ​​for the inventory index value and sales index value, so dead stock can be identified based on whether the inventory index value and sales index value are evaluated lower than the target values, respectively. Then, by presenting potential measures for products identified as dead stock, it is possible to support at least one of the inventory index value and sales index value to approach the target value.

[0071] In this embodiment, product inventory is classified and identified into four types, and an inventory positioning map is generated and presented to the user, showing symbols corresponding to multiple products on a four-quadrant segment map corresponding to the four types of classification. This makes it easy to understand at a glance which products have been identified as dead stock. At the same time, it also makes it easy to understand stock under consideration for arrival, best-selling stock, and market stock, making it easier for the user to consider the necessary measures for each.

[0072] Furthermore, in this embodiment, for dead stock that should be addressed with particular priority, candidate measures for improving at least one of the inventory index value and the sales index value are presented. This makes it easier for the user to consider measures for converting dead stock into cash. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the user implements a measure, an inventory positioning map is generated and displayed that visualizes changes in symbol positioning before and after the implementation date of the measure, allowing the user to confirm whether the measure was effective.

[0073] In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the number of days in stock or the number of days in stock turnover was used as the inventory index value, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the inventory quantity, the inventory value, the inventory turnover rate, etc. may be used as the inventory index value. In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which the average daily sales volume was used as the sales index value, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the sales amount, the gross profit amount, the proper consumption rate (the ratio of the quantity / amount that could be sold at the regular price without discounting, etc., to the purchase quantity / amount) of the product may be used as the sales index value.

[0074] Alternatively, the sales index value may be determined based on whether the sell-by date set for a product is approaching. For example, in the case of food products, the best-before date or expiration date can be set as the sell-by date. For seasonal products such as clothing, the end of the season (for example, the end of February for winter items) can be set as the sell-by date. Products with a large amount of inventory despite an approaching sell-by date are likely to remain unsold. In the case of food products, expiration can lead directly to disposal. Therefore, for example, the number of days remaining until the sell-by date can be used as the sales index value, and inventory of products whose sales index value is lower than the sales threshold and whose inventory index value is lower than the inventory threshold can be identified as dead stock.

[0075] Furthermore, when generating an inventory positioning map, the user may be allowed to arbitrarily change the period for which the average daily sales volume is calculated. For example, the average daily sales volume may be calculated by specifying the period from the start of sales (the day the product arrives at the store) to the time the inventory positioning map is generated. Alternatively, the average daily sales volume may be calculated by specifying a period such as one month or one week before the map is generated. By generating an inventory positioning map with a variable target period, it becomes possible to arbitrarily specify and check long-term or recent trends.

[0076] Furthermore, the processing of the inventory identification unit 14 and the mapping unit 15 may be performed separately for cases where inventory of products sold in a store is stored in the store's barnyard and cases where inventory of products sold on an e-commerce site is stored in a warehouse. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12, symbols relating to store inventory and symbols relating to warehouse inventory may be displayed together on the inventory positioning map so that the two symbols can be visually distinguished. In Figure 12, solid circular symbols indicate those relating to store inventory, and open circular symbols indicate those relating to warehouse inventory.

[0077] By generating such an inventory positioning map, it is possible to compare and consider the distribution of inventory types of products sold in stores with the distribution of inventory types of products sold on an EC site. It is also possible to consider inventory status by comparing store sales status with overall sales status or EC site sales status with overall sales status, such as identifying products that are not selling well in stores but are selling well across the company, or products that are selling well on the EC site but are not selling well across the company.

[0078] Furthermore, although the products displayed in the detail windows of Figures 4 to 10 are displayed in SKUs (Stock Keeping Units, a unit used to count the minimum number of items for inventory management), the product unit is not limited to SKUs. For example, each SKU may be classified into categories with multiple levels, and the categories may be displayed as product units. This allows similar products to be handled in groups, and makes it possible to grasp the inventory status for each group.

[0079] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which an inventory positioning map was generated and presented, displaying symbols at coordinate positions determined based on the inventory index values ​​and sales index values ​​of multiple products. However, the present invention is not limited to this. That is, it is not necessary to present the four types of inventory identified by the inventory identification unit 14 in the form of an inventory positioning map. For example, products may be displayed in a list format, separated by inventory type. However, generating and presenting an inventory positioning map is preferable because it allows for a more intuitive understanding of the inventory status compared to a list display. In particular, the greater the number of products, the easier it is to grasp the inventory status using the inventory positioning map. Furthermore, when generating an inventory positioning map, for example, an approximation formula calculated based on the coordinate positions of multiple products may be further superimposed. The coefficients of the approximation formula and the distance between the approximation formula and the coordinate position of any product may be analyzed, which allows for a more intuitive understanding of the inventory status, facilitates the selection of products requiring priority attention, the consideration of measures to be implemented, and the setting of goals for implementing those measures.

[0080] On the other hand, when displaying in a list, candidate measures may also be displayed, and the measure to be implemented this time may be selected from the list. Also, after the measure is implemented, it may be possible to input measure implementation report information from the list, or measures implemented in the past may be displayed on the list. In the case of a list, inputting measure implementation report information from the list makes the input work easier than inputting measure implementation report information from the details window for each product. In addition, filtering by measure becomes possible, making it easier to understand products for which the same measure has been implemented.

[0081] In the above embodiment, an example was described in which product inventory is classified and identified into four types based on a combination of whether the inventory index value is lower than the inventory threshold and whether the sales index value is lower than the sales threshold. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it is also possible to identify only dead stock that requires particular priority. In other words, the inventory identification unit 14 may only identify as dead stock inventory those products whose inventory index value is lower than the inventory threshold and whose sales index value is lower than the sales threshold.

[0082] In the above embodiment, the information on the candidate measures presented by the measure presentation unit 16 is predetermined. However, this is not limiting. For example, the content of the candidate measures to be presented may be changed depending on the coordinate position on the inventory positioning map identified based on the inventory index value and the sales index value. Furthermore, for a product on which a measure has been implemented, the content of the candidate measures to be presented may be changed depending on the manner of change in the coordinate position on the inventory positioning map identified based on the inventory index value and the sales index value before and after the date of the measure implementation (e.g., the direction and size of the arrow shown in FIG. 10 ). As described above, the effectiveness of past measures may be measured, and measures that are expected to be more effective based on the measured results may be preferentially displayed. For example, measures evaluated as "effective" may be preferentially displayed as measures that are expected to be more effective. "Preferential display" refers to a display method that makes it easier for the user to see when multiple candidate measures are displayed, such as displaying them at the top or emphasizing them by using bold or highlighting text.

[0083] In the above embodiment, the change in the state of the symbol is visualized in FIG. 10 . However, when a changed symbol is selected, a check box allowing the user to select the effect of the measure may be displayed as a details window. For example, check boxes may be prepared with options such as high effect, medium effect, and low effect, and the user selects a check box based on the degree of change in the state of the symbol. The selection result is transmitted to the measure-related information storage unit 103 and stored as effectiveness evaluation information in association with the name of the implemented measure. As a result, the measure-related information storage unit 103 accumulates past implemented measures and their effects as measure history information. The measure presentation unit 16 may analyze the effectiveness of past implemented measures based on the evaluation information stored as measure history information in the measure-related information storage unit 103, and prioritize displaying measures calculated to be highly effective. A highly effective measure may be, for example, a measure for which the "high effect" option is selected. Alternatively, evaluation values ​​may be set for each of high effect, medium effect, and low effect, and a score may be calculated using a predetermined function based on the evaluation values ​​selected when a certain measure is implemented multiple times or when a certain measure is implemented for multiple products, and if the score is equal to or greater than a threshold, the measure may be evaluated as being highly effective.In addition to the user inputting the effect using a check box, the level of effectiveness may also be determined automatically based on the amount of movement of the state change of the symbol in Figure 10 (the tilt and length of the arrow).

[0084] Furthermore, when analyzing the effectiveness of past measures, the target can be selected from individual products, product groups that group together multiple similar products, or the entire product range that includes all products handled. Effectiveness can also be scored, and the magnitude of the score can be used as the criterion for judgment. In this case, a higher score can be set for measures that have achieved an effect that is closer to the target value, or scores can be assigned according to the length of the arrow pointing to the center point. Furthermore, the weighting of measures can be changed for individual products and product groups. Since it is expected that the effectiveness of measures will differ depending on the product, it is considered effective to implement measures that are optimal for individual products or product groups.

[0085] In the above embodiment, we have described an example in which potential measures are presented only for inventory identified as dead stock. However, potential measures may also be presented for products classified as inventory under consideration for arrival, best-selling inventory, and market inventory. In this case, potential measures may be presented for the four types of inventory classified by the inventory identification unit 14 to bring at least one of the inventory index value and sales index value closer to the target value (i.e., move the symbol placement position closer to the central coordinate position on the inventory positioning map). Furthermore, market inventory has a large inventory quantity, so if sales decrease, it may potentially become dead stock. Therefore, if sales decrease and the inventory days tend to increase further, a warning may be issued. Furthermore, for best-selling inventory, if the arrow points left in the status change shown in FIG. 10, it may potentially become inventory under consideration for arrival, so a warning may be issued.

[0086] Changing the target value may be included as one of the possible measures for approaching the target value. For example, if the symbols of multiple products placed on the inventory positioning map are generally distributed in the upper right area, it is possible that the target values ​​for the inventory index value and the target values ​​for the sales index value are both set lower than appropriate values. Conversely, if the symbols of multiple products placed on the inventory positioning map are generally distributed in the lower left area, it is possible that the target values ​​for the inventory index value and the target values ​​for the sales index value are both set higher than appropriate values. Furthermore, if the symbols of multiple products are generally distributed in the upper area, lower area, left area, or right area, it is possible that either the target value for the inventory index value or the target value for the sales index value is set higher or lower than appropriate values. In such cases, changing the target value is also presented as one possible measure.

[0087] In the above embodiment, an inventory threshold and a sales threshold are set separately, but these thresholds may be set at multiple levels. For example, by providing two inventory thresholds (a value that indicates a level requiring attention and a numerical value that requires immediate action) and two sales thresholds (a value that indicates a level requiring attention and a numerical value that requires immediate action), the inventory identification unit 14 can classify eight types of inventory. By subdividing the types, it is possible to subdivide the candidate measures according to the type, and it becomes possible to present more appropriate candidate measures to the user.

[0088] In the above embodiment, the target values ​​set for the inventory index value and the sales index value are used as the inventory threshold and the sales threshold, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, values ​​statistically calculated for the product (such as an average value) may be used as the inventory threshold and the sales threshold.

[0089] In the above embodiment, the policy presentation unit 16, the policy history recording unit 18, and the workflow starting unit 19 are not essential components, and any one or more of these may be omitted.

[0090] Furthermore, the above-described embodiments are merely examples of specific embodiments for carrying out the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited thereby. In other words, the present invention can be carried out in various forms without departing from the gist or main characteristics thereof.

[0091] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Inventory analysis server (inventory analysis device) 11 Goal setting unit 12 Inventory index value acquisition unit 13 Sales index value acquisition unit 14 Inventory identification unit 15 Mapping unit 16 Measure presentation unit 17 Selection reception unit 18 Measure history recording unit 19 Workflow startup unit 20 Sales information management server 30 Inventory information management server 40 Workflow management server 50 User terminal 101 Sales-related information storage unit 102 Inventory-related information storage unit 103 Measure-related information storage unit

Claims

1. An inventory analysis device comprising: an inventory index value acquisition unit that acquires an inventory index value which is an index value relating to the inventory status of a product; a sales index value acquisition unit that acquires a sales index value which is an index value relating to the sales status of the product; and an inventory identification unit that identifies inventory of products whose inventory index value is on the lower evaluation side of an inventory threshold and whose sales index value is on the lower evaluation side of the sales threshold as dead stock.

2. The inventory analysis device according to claim 1, characterized in that the inventory threshold is a target value set for the inventory index value, and the sales threshold is a target value set for the sales index value.

3. The inventory analysis device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the inventory identification unit classifies and identifies the inventory of the product into four types based on a combination of whether the inventory index value is on the lower evaluation side of the inventory threshold value and whether the sales index value is on the lower evaluation side of the sales threshold value.

4. The inventory analysis device as described in claim 3, further comprising a mapping unit which generates a map showing symbols corresponding to the products on a four-quadrant segment map corresponding to the four types of classification based on the inventory index value and the sales index value of the products.

5. An inventory analysis device as described in claim 1 or 2, further comprising a measure presentation unit that presents potential measures for improving at least one of the inventory index value and the sales index value for inventory identified as dead stock by the inventory identification unit.

6. The inventory analysis device of claim 3, further comprising a measure presentation unit that presents candidate measures for bringing at least one of the inventory index value and the sales index value closer to the target value for the four types of inventory classified by the inventory identification unit, wherein the inventory threshold value is a target value set for the inventory index value, the sales threshold value is a target value set for the sales index value, and 7. The inventory analysis device according to claim 4, further comprising: a measure presentation unit which presents candidate measures for improving at least one of the inventory index value and the sales index value for the inventory identified as the dead stock by the inventory identification unit; and a measure history recording unit which records as history the measure selected and executed by a user from the candidates presented by the measure presentation unit and the date of execution, wherein the mapping unit visualizes and displays, for the inventory of the product on which the measure has been executed, a change in state of symbols plotted on the segment map based on the inventory index value and the sales index value before the execution date and the inventory index value and the sales index value after the execution date.

8. The inventory analysis device according to claim 5, further comprising a policy history recording unit which records, for a policy selected and executed by a user from among the candidates presented by the policy presentation unit, the presence or absence or the degree of improvement in at least one of the inventory index value and the sales index value as evaluation information regarding the effectiveness of the policy, and the policy presentation unit analyzes the effectiveness of policies executed in the past based on the evaluation information stored by the policy history recording unit, and preferentially displays candidate policies which are likely to produce greater effects.

9. The inventory analysis device according to claim 7, further comprising a policy history recording unit which records, for a policy selected and executed by a user from among the candidates presented by the policy presentation unit, the presence or absence or the degree of improvement in at least one of the inventory index value and the sales index value as evaluation information regarding the effectiveness of the policy, wherein the policy history recording unit records evaluation information input by the user based on the change in state of the symbol displayed on the segment map by the mapping unit, and the policy presentation unit analyzes the effectiveness of policies executed in the past based on the evaluation information stored by the policy history recording unit, and preferentially displays candidate policies which are likely to produce greater effects.

10. The inventory analysis device described in claim 9, characterized in that the policy presentation unit calculates a score using a predetermined function based on the evaluation information stored in the policy history recording unit, and preferentially displays policies with scores above a threshold as candidate policies that have the potential to achieve greater results.

11. The inventory analysis device as described in claim 7, characterized in that the policy presentation unit analyzes the effectiveness of past implemented policies based on changes in the state of the symbols, and preferentially displays candidate policies that are likely to be more effective.

12. The inventory analysis device according to claim 8, characterized in that the measure presentation unit analyzes the effectiveness of the past measures implemented by a unit selected from among an individual product unit, a product group unit consisting of multiple similar products, or an entire product unit including all products handled.

13. The inventory analysis device as described in claim 5, further comprising a workflow launch unit which launches an approval workflow corresponding to the implementation authority set for the candidate measures presented by the measure presentation unit, when a user selects a measure from among the candidates.

14. An inventory analysis method comprising the steps of: an inventory index value acquisition unit and a sales index value acquisition unit of a computer acquiring an inventory index value which is an index value relating to the inventory status of a product, and acquiring a sales index value which is an index value relating to the sales status of the product; and an inventory identification unit of the computer identifying inventory of products whose inventory index value is on the lower evaluation side of an inventory threshold and whose sales index value is on the lower evaluation side of the sales threshold as dead stock.

15. An inventory analysis system comprising: an inventory index value acquisition unit that acquires an inventory index value which is an index value relating to the inventory status of a product; a sales index value acquisition unit that acquires a sales index value which is an index value relating to the sales status of the product; and an inventory identification unit that identifies inventory of products whose inventory index value is on the lower evaluation side than an inventory threshold and whose sales index value is on the lower evaluation side than the sales threshold as dead stock.

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