Consumables Ordering System Usage Frequency Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users who infrequently use image forming apparatuses face a financial burden when purchasing consumables with emission rights, leading to avoidance of such purchases, as existing systems do not account for usage frequency.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus and consumables ordering system that acquires and displays information on consumables with and without emission rights, allowing users to select based on usage frequency, promoting sales of emission-right-granted apparatuses by offering cost-effective options and environmental awareness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If consumables with emission rights are purchased to promote environmental contribution, then environmental awareness is improved, but cost increases for infrequently used apparatus
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the type of consumables recommended to users based on their usage frequency. For infrequently used apparatus, it recommends consumables without emission rights (lower cost), while for frequently used apparatus, it recommends consumables with emission rights (environmentally friendly but higher cost). This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by matching the environmental benefit level to the actual usage pattern.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of consumable selection (emission rights status) based on the usage frequency parameter. By monitoring and evaluating usage frequency, the system switches between two consumable types: those with emission rights for high-usage scenarios and those without for low-usage scenarios, thereby optimizing both environmental impact and cost efficiency.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If consumables with emission rights are always recommended, then environmental contribution is maximized, but user burden increases leading to avoidance of purchase
Solution Approach 1:
The recommendation system dynamically adapts its suggestions based on individual user usage patterns. Instead of a static recommendation always promoting emission-rights consumables, the system evaluates actual usage frequency and adjusts recommendations accordingly, making the system more user-friendly and acceptable to a broader range of users.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the recommendation parameter (emission rights status) based on the usage frequency parameter. This parameter change allows the system to balance environmental contribution with user acceptance, avoiding the burden that would result from universally recommending higher-cost environmentally friendly consumables.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If emission rights are granted to all consumables, then environmental awareness is promoted, but sales are reduced due to cost concerns
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically segments the market based on usage frequency, creating two distinct recommendation streams. This dynamic segmentation allows emission-rights consumables to be promoted to appropriate users (frequently used apparatus) while offering cost-effective alternatives to price-sensitive users (infrequently used apparatus), thereby maintaining sales volume while still promoting environmental awareness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the consumable type parameter (with or without emission rights) based on usage frequency data. This parameter change enables the system to optimize both environmental impact and sales performance by matching the right consumable type to the right user scenario.
Data Source
AI summary
When a device desired to acquire emission right information is selected on a selection screen displayed on a display unit and a “SEND” icon is manipulated, a control unit causes the display unit to display consumables information of consumables granted with emission rights and consumables not granted with emission rights that is received from a server. When a user selects a consumable item that is desired to be ordered from among consumables indicated by the consumables information displayed on the display unit, and manipulates a “SEND ORDER SHEET” icon on the ordering screen, the control unit sends an order sheet to the server. The control unit causes the display unit to display, in the case of receiving order sheet receipt notification from the server in response to the sent order sheet, the received order sheet receipt notification.