Store Structural Plan Generation for Adaptive Merchandising
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current merchandising processes in retail stores are manual, time-consuming, prone to errors, and do not account for store layout changes, requiring multiple iterations for accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A system that translates digital store models into structural plans, generates merchandising plans, and updates them automatically to reflect changes, using a merchandising module accessible through user interfaces for efficient merchandising decisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual methods are used to create and validate merchandising plans, then flexibility in making merchandising decisions is maintained, but the process becomes time-consuming and resource-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical processes with an automated computer system that uses algorithms to generate, validate, and update merchandising plans. The system automatically processes store layout data, fixture information, and merchandising rules to produce optimized plans without manual intervention, thereby maintaining decision quality while dramatically improving efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing the automated merchandising system to independently generate and validate plans using pre-configured merchandising rules and store data. The system can automatically detect layout changes and update plans without requiring manual reconfiguration, making the process self-sufficient while preserving merchandising flexibility through configurable rules.
2Measurement precision
If manual creation of store layout representations is performed, then accuracy can be carefully validated, but the process requires multiple iterations and is prone to error
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates automated validation that provides immediate feedback on merchandising plan feasibility by checking against store layout data, fixture capacities, and merchandising rules. This continuous feedback mechanism detects errors and validates accuracy in real-time during plan generation, eliminating the need for multiple manual iteration cycles while maintaining high precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary validation checks during the automated plan generation process by pre-configuring merchandising rules, fixture constraints, and layout parameters. This preliminary action ensures that accuracy is built into the plan from the outset rather than requiring multiple post-creation iterations, significantly reducing the time needed to achieve validated results.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional merchandising processes are used, then established methods can be followed, but the processes do not account for store layout changes requiring plans to be recreated
Solution Approach 1:
The system transforms static merchandising plans into dynamic ones that automatically adapt to store layout changes. The automated system continuously monitors layout data and fixture positions, detecting changes and regenerating affected portions of merchandising plans without requiring complete recreation. This maintains established merchandising methods while providing real-time adaptability to structural changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a universal merchandising platform that handles both traditional plan creation and automatic adaptation to layout changes through a single integrated solution. The system can process various store configurations, fixture types, and change scenarios using the same core algorithms, eliminating the need for separate processes for initial plan creation and subsequent updates.
4Quantity of substance
If multiple stores require merchandising plans, then comprehensive coverage is achieved, but the manual process becomes increasingly resource-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The automated system provides a universal merchandising solution that can simultaneously generate and validate plans for multiple stores using the same platform and algorithms. The system processes each store's specific layout data and fixture information while applying consistent merchandising rules across all locations, enabling comprehensive multi-store coverage without proportionally increasing resource requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual mechanical processes with automated computing that can handle multiple stores in parallel. The computer system automatically processes store data, generates plans, and validates feasibility for numerous locations simultaneously, reducing the resource intensity that would otherwise increase linearly with the number of stores covered.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a computer implemented method for merchandising a store is disclosed. The method may include, generating by a processing element a data object representation of the store from a digital model of the store, rendering by the processing element a structural plan of the store from the data object representation of the store, receiving by the processing element a merchandising placement specifying a placement of a first merchandising category at a first position within the structural plan, generating by the processing element a merchandising plane including the first merchandising category position at the first position, wherein the first position is related to a location in the store, and outputting to a display the merchandising plan.