Online Store Modification Scheduling Around Flash Sale Traffic

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Solution Overview

Problem

E-commerce systems face significant strain during flash sale events due to sudden high order request rates, leading to resource overload and potential service degradation.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for scheduling modifications to online stores by detecting anticipated flash sale events and adjusting the timing of modifications based on anticipated traffic levels, resource availability, and sending notifications to users.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a modification is scheduled at the originally planned time to enable receiving orders for a product, then the product can be made available for purchase, but the system experiences resource overload and service degradation due to flash sale traffic

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduct availabilityVSAvoidservice stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of anticipated flash sale events and proactively reschedules modifications before they would cause resource overload. By detecting traffic patterns in advance and adjusting modification timing beforehand, the system avoids the harmful impact of simultaneous high traffic and store modifications, ensuring both product availability and service stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the modification timing is delayed to avoid flash sale traffic, then service stability is maintained, but the product launch is postponed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice stabilityVSAvoidproduct launch timing
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors traffic patterns and resource utilization metrics to detect anticipated flash sale events. This feedback mechanism enables dynamic adjustment of modification scheduling - when flash sale traffic is detected, the system reschedules modifications to off-peak times, and when traffic is normal, modifications proceed as planned. This ensures optimal timing that balances service stability with timely product launches.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12505394B2Systems and methods for modifying online stores
Publication Date: 2025.12.23 SHOPIFY INC
  • US12505394B2 patent drawing
  • US12505394B2 patent drawing
  • US12505394B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Methods and systems for scheduling modifications to online stores. Detecting an anticipated flash sale event for a first online store. Scheduling a modification to a second online store to occur at a first time, wherein the modification is to enable the second online store to receive orders for a product. Determining that the first time is within a defined time of the anticipated flash sale. Responsive to determining that the first time is within a defined time of the anticipated flash sale, determining a second time for scheduling the modification, the second time different from the first time.