Semi-Opaque Sales System for Excess Inventory
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current opaque sales methods in the travel industry and other sectors face challenges in selling excess inventory due to customer distrust and discomfort with unknown product quality, limiting the ability to maximize sales of discounted items.
Innovation Solution
A semi-opaque sales system that discloses details of transaction items while withholding which item will be purchased, using real-time data to present comparable items at full retail prices, allowing users to select and pay for sub-items with multiple payment types, and providing options for eliminating items or backing out of transactions for added confidence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If opaque sales methods are used to sell excess inventory at discounted rates, then sales volume of excess inventory increases, but customer trust and comfort decrease due to lack of product detail disclosure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the sales process into two distinct phases: (1) a browsing phase where customers can view detailed information about multiple items in a class, and (2) a purchase phase where the specific item is revealed only after commitment. This segmentation allows customers to evaluate options transparently while maintaining the opaque pricing model for excess inventory.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary disclosure of item details (descriptions, specifications, images) before the customer makes a purchase commitment. This preliminary action builds customer confidence and trust by allowing them to evaluate the item class thoroughly, while the actual item assignment remains contingent until purchase.
2Loss of energy
If fully opaque sales are used, then revenue from excess inventory maximization improves, but customer confidence in product quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different levels of information disclosure to different aspects of the sale: full transparency is provided for item class details (descriptions, specifications, images), while selective opacity is maintained for the specific item assignment and pricing. This local quality approach satisfies both customer information needs and revenue optimization goals.
3Productivity
If travel service providers distribute discounted inventory to third-party aggregation sites, then occupancy and sales increase, but existing pricing structure is undermined
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a virtual copy of the item class with full descriptive information available for browsing, while the actual item assignment and pricing remain controlled through the opaque mechanism. This copying approach allows customers to evaluate options as if they were fully transparent without actually undermining the pricing structure.
4Reliability
If item details are disclosed before purchase, then customer confidence increases, but the ability to sell excess inventory at discount decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the level of information disclosure based on the sales stage: detailed information is disclosed during browsing to build confidence, while specific item details are withheld during the purchase decision phase to maintain discount eligibility. This dynamic approach resolves the contradiction between transparency and pricing flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are systems, computer-implemented methods, and tangible computer-readable storage media for conducting sales. The method embodiment receives a time agnostic inquiry with at least one parameter from a user associated with a sale of an item, identifies one or more discount items that satisfy the inquiry, identifies comparable items for each discount item at nondiscount rates dynamically using real-time data, presents one or more comparable groups, each comparable group including one discount item and the respective comparable items, and furthers the sales process based on user input responding to the presented one or more comparable groups. Also disclosed is a method further including receiving a request from the user for multiple sub-items associated with the item, and engaging in a dialog with the user to enable payment for each of the sub-items with one of multiple payment types. The user can indicate a set of personalized comparable items.