Multi-Merchant Duty-Free Booking System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Travelers face limited time for duty-free shopping at airports due to long queues and a vast array of choices, which can be overwhelming, and existing systems do not effectively facilitate efficient purchasing from multiple merchants during this limited time.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilizes a database to store inventory data from multiple merchants, allowing for mobile device-based browsing, ordering, and booking, with a booking module that transmits product data, receives order confirmations, generates booking messages, and sends them to respective merchants, enabling travelers to shop from multiple duty-free merchants without physically visiting each store.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If travelers visit multiple duty-free merchants physically, then they can browse and purchase from a wide array of choices, but the time required increases significantly due to long queues and limited shopping time
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows travelers to browse products, compare prices across multiple merchants, and place orders in advance through a mobile application before physically visiting the duty-free shops. This preliminary online action enables travelers to prepare their shopping lists and make decisions ahead of time, reducing the time needed during actual shopping visits while still accessing a wide array of choices from multiple merchants.
2Reliability
If travelers wait in queues for immigration, security and check-in, then they can proceed through security checks, but the time available for shopping is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables travelers to conduct shopping activities online before security clearance procedures, allowing them to browse products, compare prices, and place orders during their travel time. This preliminary shopping action utilizes otherwise wasted time during queue waiting periods, ensuring that security clearance can be completed efficiently while maximizing shopping time availability.
3Ease of manufacture
If travelers manually visit each duty-free merchant, then they can purchase items directly, but the complexity of coordinating multiple purchases increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple merchant inventories and pricing information into a single unified mobile application interface. Travelers can browse products from multiple duty-free merchants simultaneously, compare prices and availability across different merchants, and place consolidated orders through one application. This merging of functionality simplifies the purchasing process while reducing the complexity of coordinating multiple separate shopping visits.
4Adaptability or versatility
If travelers have access to extensive duty-free options, then they can find desired items, but the overwhelming array of choices makes decision-making difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the extensive duty-free product catalog into organized categories and allows travelers to filter and search for specific items of interest. The mobile application divides the overwhelming array of choices into manageable sections, enabling travelers to focus on particular product types or search for specific items rather than being overwhelmed by the entire inventory. This segmentation maintains product availability while significantly improving ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for facilitating purchases from a plurality of merchants in a transport terminal comprises a database which is configured to store inventory data relating to items offered by merchants in the transport terminal, the inventory data for each item comprising a price in a first currency accepted by the corresponding merchant, and an available quantity of the item; and a booking module which is in communication with the database. The booking module is configured to: transmit, to the mobile communications device, product data indicative of an item list comprising at least one of the items, and the price in the first currency for each item; receive order data indicative of an order confirmation from the mobile communications device for at least one confirmed item of the item list, the order confirmation indicating a quantity of each confirmed item; generate, for each merchant corresponding to a confirmed item, booking data indicative of a booking message, the booking message comprising the quantity of the confirmed item; and transmit respective booking messages to respective merchants.