Product Availability GUI Update via Scan Event Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional systems fail to accurately represent the availability of products on a webpage, as products received but not yet stowed at a fulfillment center are not considered available for sale, leading to discrepancies and decreased profit margins, and modifying existing systems to account for these products is technologically challenging and disruptive.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented system that receives scan events, retrieves product information from a database, and updates the database to indicate products as available for sale based on inspection and validation, generating a graphical user interface that reflects the updated 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 products received but not yet stowed are marked as unavailable for sale, then existing fulfillment systems maintain data accuracy and operational control, but product availability representation on webpages becomes inaccurate and profit margins decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the product inventory status into distinct categories: received/stowed products and received/unstowed products. This segmentation allows the system to track and represent each category separately, enabling accurate representation of all available products while maintaining operational control over the fulfillment process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the system comprising processor and memory) that bridges the gap between physical inventory status and digital representation. This intermediary processes scan events, retrieves product information, and updates availability status without requiring changes to the physical fulfillment infrastructure.
2Measurement precision
If existing fulfillment systems are modified to account for received but not yet stowed products, then product availability accuracy improves, but system complexity increases and existing functionality may be broken
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the availability determination logic from the core fulfillment system into a separate, standalone system. This extracted system handles scan events and availability updates independently, avoiding complexity injection into the existing fulfillment infrastructure while achieving accurate product availability representation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of product availability status from a binary state (available/unavailable based on stowing) to a multi-state parameter that distinguishes between received/stowed and received/unstowed products. This parameter change enables more accurate representation without requiring structural system changes.
3Ease of operation
If products received but not yet stowed are marked as unavailable for sale, then fulfillment center operational control is maintained, but the quantity of products available for sale decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by processing scan events and updating availability status as products are received, before they are stowed. This allows the system to represent products as available for sale in advance of physical stowing, increasing the quantity of products shown as available while maintaining operational control through the inspection workflow.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for optimizing availability of products for display on a GUI. Disclosed embodiments involve receiving scan events associated with products and determining whether one or more products are associated with a first category. In response to determining that a first set of products is associated with a second category, causing the first set to be inspected, and in response to receiving a second message confirming that the first set has been inspected and received, updating a database to indicate that the first set is available for sale. In response to determining that a second set of products is associated with the first category, validating the second set. Based on validation, updating the database to indicate that the second set is available for sale. Embodiments further involve generating a GUI based on the updated database, and transmitting the GUI to at least one customer device.