Systems and methods for managing orders made via a computer network
View Patent ↗A system and method for allowing a user to schedule pickup of an ordered item provides a user interface having user interface elements for allowing a user to specify a frequency with which an order is it to be picked up, for informing a user as to availability of the item for pickup, and/or for allowing a user to request that an item be held in reserve for pickup within a given period of time, such as 24 hours. Frequency options provided to the user for selection when scheduling an order for pickup may include a one-time frequency, a daily frequency, a weekly frequency, a monthly frequency, and user specified dates. The information as to availability of the item for pickup is determined considering a time of order and real-time stocking information for the item.
1. A non-transitory, computer-readable media having stored thereon computer executable instructions, wherein the instructions perform steps for allowing a user to schedule pickup of an ordered item, the steps comprising:
providing a search results page which includes an item available for ordering; and
providing a user interface comprising user interface elements for allowing a user to specify that an order which includes the item is to be scheduled for pickup,
wherein the user interface comprises an indicator for informing a user of an earliest pick-up time, at which at least the item in the order will be available for pickup at a pick-up location, and
wherein the earliest pick-up time is determined considering both a presented cut-off time by which an order for the item must be placed and a time required to transport the item to the pick-up location from a stocking location as indicated by stocking information for the item which is accessed in real-time by the instructions.
2. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1 , wherein the user interface is caused to be displayed via user interactions with a tool bar.
3. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1 , wherein the user interface is caused to be displayed via user interaction with a user interface element of the search results page.
4. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1 , wherein the user interface is caused to be displayed via user interaction with a user interface element of a product details page.
5. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1 , wherein items within a single order are available to be scheduled for pickup at different times.
6. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1 , wherein an item within an order can be held in reserve at the pickup location via user interaction with the user interface elements.
7. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 6 , wherein payment for the item held in reserve is accepted when the item is picked up at the pickup location.
8. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 6 , wherein the item is held in reserve for a predetermined period of time where after the instructions release the item for purchase by others.
9. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1 , wherein the real-time stocking information for the item is used to influence a position of the item within a search results page.
10. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1 ,
wherein the user interface elements allow the user to alternatively specify that an order which includes the item is to be scheduled for delivery,
wherein the user interface comprises an indicator for informing a user of an earliest delivery time by which at least the item in the order will be delivered to a delivery location, and
wherein the earliest delivery time is determined considering both a presented cut-off time by which an order for the item must be placed and a time required to transport the item to the delivery location from a stocking location as indicated by stocking information for the item which is accessed in real-time by the instructions.