JP2004171489A - Ordering intermediation method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform the ordering of an alternate commodity, even in the stockout of a commodity ordered, while reducing the labor hour of an orderer. <P>SOLUTION: This method comprises the step of acquiring, when stockout is detected for any one of ordered commodities included in received order data, the commodity attributes of the out-of-stock ordered commodity from a commodity information storage part; the alternate commodity specification step of specifying the alternate commodity on the basis of at least color information of the commodity attributes of the out-of-stock ordered commodity acquired from the commodity information storage part; and the transmission step of transmitting the order data of the alternate commodity to an order destination computer of the alternate commodity. In apparel business or the like, for example, not necessarily the same commodity but another commodity having a prescribed attribute may be automatically alternately ordered. Accordingly, by presetting the alternate commodity, the alternate commodity is determined on the basis of at least the color information of the out-of-stock ordered commodity. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a product order management technology.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For example, JP-A-2002-109299 discloses the following technique. In other words, the server receives order information from the communication network and stores the stock information of the product from the framework for transmitting the order information of the product from the client to the communication network and specifying a substitute product for the ordered product on the order information. It stores it in the device, searches the inventory information stored in the storage device based on the order information, judges whether or not the order can be accepted, and if the order is not possible, searches the order with the alternative order information specified as the framework, and Is transmitted to the client, and the client receives the determination result of the order.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2002-109299
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
When such a technique is used, the orderer needs to set alternative products for all the products in advance, and it is not always a convenient system.
[0005]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for enabling ordering of a substitute product while reducing the trouble of the orderer even when the ordered product is out of stock.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The order intermediation method according to the present invention, when detecting that a missing item has occurred in any of the ordered items included in the received order data, acquires the attribute of the missing ordered item from the item information storage unit. And a substitute product specifying step of specifying a substitute product based on at least the color information among the product attributes of the missing ordered product obtained from the product information storage unit, and placing the order data of the substitute product on the substitute product. Transmitting to the destination computer.
[0007]
For example, in the apparel industry or the like, there is a case where another product having a predetermined attribute may be automatically replaced instead of completely the same product. Therefore, in the present invention, a substitute product is determined based on at least color information of a missing ordered product without setting a substitute product in advance.
[0008]
Also, in the above-described alternative product specifying step, a configuration may be employed in which a product having a predetermined relationship from the color information and the product classification is extracted from the product information storage unit among the product attributes of the ordered ordered product that is missing. Good. The alternative product may be determined further based on information on the display location of the ordered product in the store where the order was placed.
[0009]
The above method can be implemented by a program and a computer, and this program is stored in a storage medium or storage device such as a flexible disk, a CD-ROM, a magneto-optical disk, a semiconductor memory, and a hard disk. In some cases, it is distributed as a digital signal via a network or the like. The intermediate processing result is temporarily stored in a memory.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows an outline of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The Internet 1 which is a computer network includes, for example, one or a plurality of store terminals 3 which are personal computers and have a Web (Web) browser and an e-mail function, a main processing in the present embodiment, and a Web server function. The automatic order management system 5 and one or a plurality of order receiving servers 7 are connected.
[0011]
The automatic order management system 5 includes an order data acquisition unit 51, a store layout management unit 52, an order data transmission unit 53, a delivery data notification unit 54, a substitute outage order processing unit 55, and a delivery data acquisition unit 56. And are included. These processing contents will be described in the description of the processing flow. Further, the automatic order management system 5 manages an order management DB 57, a product master DB 58, a color classification master DB 59, and a store management DB 60.
[0012]
FIG. 2 shows an example of data stored in the order management DB 57. In the example of the order management DB 57 shown in FIG. 2, a column 201 of an order code issued at the time of receiving an order, a column 202 of a store code where an order is placed, a column 203 of a product code of the ordered product, and a The column 204 of the quantity, the column 205 of the shelf number of the display shelf of the ordered product at the store where the order was placed, the column 206 of the current number of ordered products at the store where the order was placed, and the A column 207 of the displayable number of the ordered product, a column 208 of the supplier code of the ordered product, a column 209 of the order status of the ordered product (1: normal, 0: missing item, 2: substitute item), and a delivery quantity Column 210 and a column 211 of the delivery status of the ordered product (1: delivered, 0: not delivered). In the present embodiment, since the order data includes information of the store code, the product code, the quantity, the shelf number, the current storage number, and the displayable number, these are registered in the order management DB 57. When the order data is sent to the order server 7, the order code is sent. When the order data is received from the order server 7, the order status is sent. Registers the delivery status.
[0013]
FIG. 3 shows an example of data stored in the product master DB 58. In the example of the product master DB 58 shown in FIG. 3, a column 301 of a product code, a column 302 of a department code, a column 303 of a product category (major category, medium category, small category), and a color category (major category, A column 304 of medium classification and small classification) and a column 305 of supplier code are included. For example, a similar product can be set so that it is a product that differs only in the small category of the product category. Further, it is possible to set such that a similar color is a color in which only the small classification of the color classification is different. A unit price, a formal product name, and the like may be registered as other data.
[0014]
FIG. 4 shows an example of data stored in the color classification master DB 59. The example of the color classification master DB 59 illustrated in FIG. 4 includes a column 401 of color classification (major classification, medium classification, and small classification) and a column 402 of color names. The color classification master DB 59 is referred to when it is necessary to confirm the name of the color for the color classification.
[0015]
An example of data stored in the store management DB 60 is shown in FIGS. The store management DB 60 includes, for each store, a color setting table for storing a setting as to whether the substitute product has the same color as the ordered product or another color, a layout table for storing data of the store layout, Is stored. The example of the color setting table shown in FIG. 5 includes a column 501 of shelf number and a column 502 of color setting (0: similar color, 1: other color). The data of the color setting table is registered when an alternative product has to be ordered. Once registered, if a shortage occurs later in the same storage bin, a substitute product is automatically extracted according to the setting.
[0016]
Further, in the example of the layout table shown in FIG. 6, a column 601 of a store code, a column 602 of a shelf number, a column 603 of a product code, a column 604 of a displayable number, and others (in-store or inventory ) Column 605 is included. It is used for specifying other products displayed on the shelf of the same storage bin.
[0017]
The processing contents of the system shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. The store clerk operates the store terminal 3 to access the order page of the automatic order management system 5 (FIG. 7: step S1). It is assumed that the login processing has been performed before this. The order data acquisition unit 51 of the automatic order management system 5 transmits the order page data to the shop terminal 3 in response to the access (Step S3). The shop terminal 3 receives the order page data from the automatic order management system 5 and displays it on the display device (step S5). The store clerk inputs order data such as the product code of the ordered product, the ordered quantity, the shelf number, the current number of warehouses, and the number of displayable items in the input fields of the displayed order page. The shop terminal 3 receives the input of such order data (step S7), and transmits the order data to the automatic order management system 5 according to the instruction of the store clerk (step S9). FIG. 8 shows an example of data transmitted from the shop terminal 3 to the automatic order management system 5. The example of FIG. 8 includes a store code, a product code, an order quantity, a shelf number, a current storage number, a displayable number, and other information.
[0018]
The order data acquisition unit 51 of the automatic order management system 5 receives the order data from the shop terminal 3 and registers it in the order management DB 57 (step S11). Then, the order data acquisition unit 51 transmits the data of the order data reception confirmation to the shop terminal 3 (Step S13). The shop terminal 3 receives the order data reception confirmation data from the automatic order management system 5, and displays the data on the display device (step S15). The store clerk confirms the order on this display. Although not shown in FIG. 7, the order may be modified or canceled at this stage.
[0019]
When new data is registered in the order management DB 57, the store layout management unit 52 of the automatic order management system 5 checks whether there is any change in the contents of the layout table included in the store management DB 60, and records if necessary. Alternatively, an update process is performed (step S17). For example, if the display location of the ordered product has been changed, the display location is updated. If it is a new ordered product, data on the ordered product is registered. The processing shifts to a processing of FIG.
[0020]
The order data transmission unit 53 of the automatic order management system 5 searches the product master DB 58 using the product code included in the order data newly registered in the order management DB 57, specifies the order destination of each product, and places the order. The order data is transmitted to the order receiving server 7 (step S19). For example, when order data as shown in FIG. 8 is newly registered in the order management DB 57, an order code, a product code, and a quantity are transmitted to three order receiving servers as shown in FIG. The supplier server 7 receives the order data from the automatic order management system 5, and stores it in the order data storage unit (not shown) of the supplier server 7 (step S21). Then, the supplier server 7 performs a process of confirming its own stock with reference to an inventory management system (not shown), generates delivery data for the order data, and transmits it to the automatic order management system 5 (step S23). ). For example, as shown in FIG. 11, each supplier server 7 transmits delivery data including a sender code, an order code, a product code, and a delivery quantity as a transmission source.
[0021]
The delivery data acquisition unit 56 of the automatic order management system 5 receives the delivery data from each order receiving server 7 and stores it in the order management DB 57 (step S25). The delivery quantity is registered in the delivery quantity column 210 of the order management DB 57. Further, upon receiving the delivery data from each of the supplier servers 7, the delivery data acquisition unit 56 checks whether a missing item has occurred (step S27). The missing item is determined by comparing the order quantity and the delivery quantity of the corresponding order data in the order management DB 57. The determination is made after the delivery data is received for all the ordered products included in the order data. Further, when it is determined that there is a missing item, the determination is made after the delivery data on the substitute product has been collected.
[0022]
If there is a missing item (step S27: Yes route), data “0” representing the missing item is registered in the order status column 209 of the order management DB 57 in correspondence with the product in which the missing item occurred. If there is a missing item in only some of the items, data “1” indicating normal handling is registered in correspondence with the ordered item for which there was no missing item. Then, the processing shifts to a processing of FIG. On the other hand, when it is determined that there is no missing item (step S27: No route), data “1” indicating normal handling is registered in the order status column 209 of the order management DB 57. When the delivery data relating to the ordering of the substitute product is received, data “2” representing the substitute product is registered. Then, the delivery data notification unit 54 generates display data and delivery data to which the display data is added from the current number of warehouses and the number of displayables included in the order data in the order management DB 57, and stores the delivery data by e-mail, for example. The message is transmitted to the terminal 3 (step S29). The store terminal 3 receives the delivery data from the automatic order management system 5, and displays the data on the display device (step S31). For example, delivery data as shown in FIG. 12 is transmitted. That is, it includes an order code, a product code, a delivery quantity, a set of storage location and quantity as display data, and remarks (for example, in the case of a substitute product, data called “substitute ordered product”). The first set of storage location and quantity is composed of the shelf number of the ordered product and the displayable number of the newly delivered product based on the data of the current storage number and the displayable number. The rest consists of the stockyard shelf numbers held as inventory and the remaining delivery quantity. For substitute products, display data is generated using the data of the originally ordered products. However, display data may not be generated for the substitute product. Also, the delivery status column 211 of the order management DB 57 is updated. That is, "1" is registered for the line of the product code of the product to be delivered, and "0" is registered for the line of the product code of the product not to be delivered.
[0023]
Next, a process when a shortage occurs will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 13, the out-of-stock replacement order processing unit 55 of the automatic order management system 5 is a shortage notification including a product code and a shortage quantity of a missing ordered product and a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) to a replacement product designation page. Is transmitted to the store terminal 3 by e-mail, for example (step S33). The URL includes a store code and an order code. The shop terminal 3 receives the shortage notification from the automatic order management system 5 and displays it on the display device (step S35). The store clerk looks at the out-of-stock notification displayed on the display device and clicks a link (URL) to a substitute product designation page when ordering a substitute product. Then, the shop terminal 3 accesses the substitute item designation page (step S37). Upon receiving the access from the store terminal 3 (step S39), the substitute out-of-stock processing unit 55 of the automatic order management system 5 acquires the store code and the order code from the URL of the access destination, and stores the order code in the order management DB 57. A search is performed to determine which order product to determine a substitute product for. Then, it is determined whether the setting has already been registered in the color setting table (FIG. 5) from the shelf number of the ordered product (step S41). If it is determined that the color setting is not registered in the bin number (step S41: No route), the substitute order setting page data is generated and transmitted to the store terminal 3 (step S43). The shop terminal 3 receives the substitute order setting page data and displays it on the display device (step S45). If it is determined that the color setting table has already been set (step S41: Yes route), the process proceeds to step S51.
[0024]
For example, a screen as shown in FIG. 14 is displayed. In the example of FIG. 14, the color classification acquired in the product master DB 58 based on the missing product code and the color (in parentheses) acquired based on the color classification from the color classification master DB 59, and the order management DB 57 into the product code. And the bin number obtained based on the displayed bin numbers. Further, a radio button for selecting a substitute product of a similar color or a substitute product of another color, an OK button and a cancel button are provided. Here, the store clerk clicks one of the radio buttons and clicks the OK button. In the case of canceling, the setting is not performed, and the setting of the substitute product is set at a later opportunity.
[0025]
The shop terminal 3 accepts the input of the designated data by the clerk, and transmits it to the automatic order management system 5 (step S47). The out-of-stock alternative order processing unit 55 of the automatic order management system 5 receives the designated data from the store terminal 3 and stores data indicating any of the similar colors and other colors in the color setting table (FIG. 5). Register (step S49). Then, the out-of-stock replacement order processing unit 55 determines whether a similar color or a different color has been specified for the shelf number of the missing ordered product (step S51). If it is determined that the similar colors have been designated (step S51: Yes route), the products of the same classification and similar colors in the same shelf number as the out-of-order items are placed in the layout table (FIG. 6) and the products. The selection is made based on the information in the master DB 58. For example, when the product code 222222 is out of stock, the product code 666666 and the product code 777777 are extracted from the layout table as products of the same shelf number and the same classification. If the first two digits are not the same, for example, the same two digits may be determined to be the same. As described above, in the present embodiment, products of the same classification are products of the same product classification in the first two digits. Then, referring to the product master DB 58, the data of the color classification of the product code 666666 and the product code 777777 is acquired. In the example of the product master DB 58 shown in FIG. 3, since the color classifications are 113 and 112, it is determined that they are similar colors. As described above, in the present embodiment, if the first two digits are the same, it is determined that the colors are similar. Therefore, the product code 666666 and the product code 777777 are selected as candidates.
[0026]
On the other hand, when it is determined that the designation of another color has been performed (step S51: No route), all the products of the same classification in the same storage bin except for the color of the missing ordered product are arranged in a layout table (FIG. 6) and selection based on the information in the product master DB 58 (step S55). Note that products of similar colors may be excluded. Then, the out-of-stock alternative order processing unit 55 generates order selection list page data including information on the selected product, and transmits it to the store terminal 3 (step S57). The shop terminal 3 receives the order selection list page data from the automatic order management system 5 and displays it on the display device (step S59).
[0027]
For example, a screen as shown in FIG. 15 is displayed. Here, a check box for selecting one of the product code 666666 and the product code 777777, a product code, a product name, and a unit price are displayed. Also, an OK button and a cancel button are provided. The store clerk checks one of the check boxes and clicks the OK button. When canceling, no selection is made, and the selection of the substitute product is made at a later opportunity.
[0028]
The store terminal 3 accepts the selection input of the store clerk, and transmits the data of the selection input to the automatic order management system 5 (step S61). The out-of-stock alternative order processing unit 55 of the automatic order management system 5 receives the alternative product selection input data from the shop terminal 3 and registers it in the order management DB 57 (step S63). Register the selected substitute product in the record of the same order code. For example, when the product with the product code 666666 is selected as a substitute product, the product code 666666, the missing quantity 20 and the order status (“2” representing the substitute product) are registered. Then, the processing returns to the processing of FIG. 9 via the terminal A in order to place an order for the selected substitute product. In this case, in step S19, the data (BBB) of the order destination of the product code 666666 is acquired from the product master DB 58, and the order code (A11111), the product code (666666), and the quantity (20) are transmitted. Steps S19 to S63 are repeated until no shortage occurs for the substitute product.
[0029]
By performing such processing, a substitute product is selected based on the color information, and is presented to the clerk of the store where the order was placed. If there is only one alternative product, the order of the alternative product may be completely automatically placed without presenting the candidate to the store clerk. Further, even if the number of the extracted substitute products is not one, it may be narrowed down to substitute products determined to be more similar, and the substitute products may be automatically ordered. The setting may be such that substitute products of similar colors are always selected.
[0030]
Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the functional blocks of the automatic order management system 5 shown in FIG. 1 do not necessarily have to correspond to program modules. Further, only the delivery data may be transmitted to the store terminal 3 without adding the display data.
[0031]
(Appendix 1)
When detecting that a missing item has occurred for any of the ordered items included in the received order data, acquiring the attribute of the missing ordered item from the item information storage unit;
An alternative product specifying step of specifying an alternative product based on at least color information among the product attributes of the missing ordered product obtained from the product information storage unit,
A transmitting step of transmitting the order data of the substitute product to a computer for ordering the substitute product,
Order mediation methods including.
[0032]
(Appendix 2)
Transmitting information about the substitute product specified in the substitute product specifying step to the ordering computer;
Further comprising
2. The order intermediation method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting step is performed when designation of a substitute product is received from the order source computer.
[0033]
(Appendix 3)
In the alternative product specifying step,
3. The order mediation method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a product having a predetermined relationship from the color information and the product classification among the product attributes of the missing ordered product is extracted from the product information storage unit.
[0034]
(Appendix 4)
In the alternative product specifying step,
3. The order according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a substitute product is extracted from the product information storage unit based on the color information and the product classification among the product attributes of the missing ordered product and the information on the display place at the ordering source. Mediation method.
[0035]
(Appendix 5)
When receiving delivery data from the ordering computer, confirming whether there is a missing item of the ordered item,
Sending no delivery data including display data to the ordering computer when it is confirmed that there is no missing item in the ordered product;
4. The order intermediation method according to any one of supplementary notes 1 to 3, further comprising:
[0036]
(Appendix 6)
When detecting that a missing item has occurred for any of the ordered items included in the received order data, acquiring the attribute of the missing ordered item from the item information storage unit;
An alternative product specifying step of specifying an alternative product based on at least color information among the product attributes of the missing ordered product obtained from the product information storage unit,
A transmitting step of transmitting the order data of the substitute product to a computer for ordering the substitute product,
A program for causing a computer to execute.
[0037]
(Appendix 7)
Means for obtaining, from the product information storage unit, the product attribute of the missing ordered product when detecting that a missing product has occurred for any of the ordered products included in the received order data;
Means for identifying a substitute product based on at least color information among the product attributes of the missing ordered product obtained from the product information storage unit;
Means for transmitting the order data of the substitute product to a computer for ordering the substitute product,
An order intermediary device having a.
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it becomes possible to place an order for a substitute product while reducing the trouble of the orderer even when the ordered product is out of stock.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of data stored in an order management DB.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of data stored in a product master DB.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of data stored in a color classification master DB.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a color setting table.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a layout table.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a processing flow (part 1) according to the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of order data transmitted from a store terminal.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a processing flow (part 2) according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of order data transmitted to an order receiving server.
FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of delivery data received from an order receiving server.
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of delivery data transmitted to a store terminal.
FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a processing flow (part 3) according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of a color setting screen.
FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of a substitute product selection list screen.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Internet 3 Store Terminal 5 Automatic Order Management System 7 Ordering Server 51 Order Data Acquisition Unit 52 Store Layout Management Unit 53 Order Data Transmission Unit 54 Delivery Data Notification Unit 55 Out-of-Stock Alternate Order Processing Unit 56 Delivery Data Acquisition Unit 57 Order Management DB
58 Product Master DB
59 color classification master DB
60 store management DB

Claims (3)

When detecting that a missing item has occurred in any of the ordered items included in the received order data, acquiring the item attribute of the missing ordered item from the item information storage unit;
An alternative product specifying step of specifying an alternative product based on at least color information among the product attributes of the missing ordered product obtained from the product information storage unit;
A transmitting step of transmitting the order data of the substitute product to a computer for ordering the substitute product,
Order mediation method including. In the alternative product specifying step,
2. The order intermediation method according to claim 1, wherein a product having a predetermined relationship from the color information and the product classification among the product attributes of the missing ordered product is extracted from the product information storage unit. When detecting that a missing item has occurred in any of the ordered items included in the received order data, acquiring the item attribute of the missing ordered item from the item information storage unit;
An alternative product specifying step of specifying an alternative product based on at least color information among the product attributes of the missing ordered product obtained from the product information storage unit;
A transmitting step of transmitting the order data of the substitute product to a computer for ordering the substitute product,
A program for causing a computer to execute.

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