Product Availability GUI for Unstowed Inventory
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional systems fail to accurately represent the availability of products on a webpage, as received but not yet stowed items are considered unavailable, leading to discrepancies in inventory and reduced profit margins, and modifying existing systems to account for these items is technologically challenging and disruptive.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented system that receives scan events from mobile devices to determine the quantity of received products, retrieves stored quantities from a database, calculates a total quantity, modifies the database, and generates a graphical user interface (GUI) to display product availability, allowing not yet stowed products to be considered available for sale without breaking existing data infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional systems only consider stowed products as available, then existing data infrastructure remains simple and stable, but product availability accuracy deteriorates and profit margins decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments product inventory into two distinct categories: stowed products and unstowed products. Each category is tracked separately in the database with its own location indicators (e.g., 'stowed_location' vs. 'unstowed_location'). This segmentation allows the system to maintain accurate availability information by distinguishing between products ready for fulfillment and those still being processed, without requiring complete system restructuring.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary component - a product availability determination system that acts as a mediator between the raw inventory data and the fulfillment system. This intermediary evaluates multiple factors including product location (stowed vs. unstowed), fulfillment eligibility criteria, and order requirements to determine final availability status. It translates complex inventory states into simple availability indicators that the existing fulfillment system can process without modification.
2Quantity of substance
If received but not yet stowed products are marked as unavailable, then system simplicity is maintained, but inventory discrepancy increases and gross profit margin decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic availability determination that adapts to different product states and fulfillment scenarios. Rather than a static rule that all unstowed products are unavailable, the system dynamically evaluates each product's availability based on current location, stow status, fulfillment eligibility, and order requirements. This dynamic approach ensures that products become available for sale as soon as they meet the necessary criteria, maximizing the sellable inventory quantity and preventing profit loss from premature unavailability markings.
3Measurement precision
If existing systems are modified to account for unstowed items, then product availability accuracy improves, but system stability deteriorates due to code changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the complexity of availability determination into a separate, dedicated component rather than embedding it throughout the existing fulfillment codebase. The product availability determination system operates as an independent module that queries inventory data, applies business rules, and returns availability decisions. This extraction allows inventory accuracy improvements while leaving the core fulfillment system untouched, maintaining its stability and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a virtual representation of inventory availability through the product availability determination system that mirrors the physical inventory state without directly modifying the physical system. This virtual copy allows the system to experiment with and implement sophisticated availability logic while the original fulfillment system remains unchanged. The virtual inventory model can be updated and refined without risking system stability, as changes are isolated to the copy rather than the original system.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for optimizing a quantity of products for display on a graphical user interface. Disclosed embodiments involve receiving a scan event comprising at least one identifier associated with a first quantity of products and an indication that the first quantity of products was received at a first zone. The first quantity of products comprises at least one of a product type. A second quantity of products, comprising at least one of the product type, and stored at a second zone, is retrieved from a database. A total quantity of products is determined based on the first quantity of products and the second quantity of products. The database is modified based on the generated total quantity of products. A graphical user interface is generated, the graphical user interface comprising a product availability and the total quantity of products. The graphical user interface is transmitted to a customer device.