Apparatus and Method for Aggregating Like Products for Customer Product Orders
A memory has stored therein information for an enterprise. This information can include product inventory information for a plurality of differing products at each of a plurality of enterprise nodes along with delivery-chain specifications regarding a plurality of different order-fulfillment delivery chains. A control circuit that operably couples to that memory serves to automatically aggregate like products for product orders entered by a plurality of different customers (such as, but not limited to, on-line customers) as a function of the product inventory information and the delivery-chain specifications to reduce delivery costs.
1 . An apparatus comprising:
a memory having stored therein information for an enterprise, the information including:
product inventory information for a plurality of differing products at each of a plurality of enterprise nodes;
delivery-chain specifications regarding a plurality of different order-fulfillment delivery chains;
a control circuit operably coupled to the memory and configured to:
automatically aggregate like products for product orders entered by a plurality of different customers as a function of the product inventory information and the delivery-chain specifications to reduce delivery costs.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of enterprise nodes includes at least one distribution center and at least one retail facility.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the plurality of enterprise nodes includes a plurality of geographically distributed distribution centers and a plurality of geographically distributed retail facilities.
4 . The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the plurality of different order-fulfillment delivery chains includes order-fulfillment delivery chains that provide for delivering an ordered product to a customer's address as well as order-fulfillment delivery chains that provide for delivering an ordered product to an enterprise retail facility for in-store pickup by a customer.
5 . The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the plurality of different order-fulfillment delivery chains includes order-fulfillment delivery chains that rely at least in substantial part upon a use of enterprise-controlled vehicles.
6 . The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the plurality of different order-fulfillment delivery chains further includes order-fulfillment delivery chains that rely at least in substantial part upon use of third-party-controlled vehicles.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is configured to automatically aggregate like products for product orders entered by a plurality of different customers as a function of the product inventory information and the delivery-chain specifications by, at least in part, automatically considering opportunities to cartonize a plurality of like products as ordered by different customers.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is configured to automatically aggregate like products for product orders entered by a plurality of different on-line customers as a function of the product inventory information and the delivery-chain specifications by, at least in part, taking into account delivery due dates as correspond to at least some of the product orders.
9 . A method comprising:
by a control circuit:
accessing information for an enterprise, the information including:
product inventory information for a plurality of differing products at each of a plurality of enterprise nodes;
delivery-chain specifications regarding a plurality of different order-fulfillment delivery chains;
automatically aggregating like products for product orders entered by a plurality of different customers as a function of the product inventory information and the delivery-chain specifications to reduce delivery costs.
10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of enterprise nodes includes at least one distribution center and at least one retail facility.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of enterprise nodes includes a plurality of geographically distributed distribution centers and a plurality of geographically distributed retail facilities.
12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the plurality of different order-fulfillment delivery chains includes order-fulfillment delivery chains that provide for delivering an ordered product to a customer's address as well as order-fulfillment delivery chains that provide for delivering and ordered product to an enterprise retail facility for in-store pickup by a customer.
13 . The method of claim 11 wherein the plurality of different order-fulfillment delivery chains includes order-fulfillment delivery chains that rely at least in substantial part upon a use of enterprise-controlled vehicles.
14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the plurality of different order-fulfillment delivery chains further includes order-fulfillment delivery chains that rely at least in substantial part upon use of third-party-controlled vehicles.
15 . The method of claim 9 wherein automatically aggregating like products for product orders entered by a plurality of different customers as a function of the product inventory information and the delivery-chain specifications comprises, at least in part, automatically considering opportunities to cartonize a plurality of like products as ordered by different customers.
16 . The method of claim 9 wherein automatically aggregating like products for product orders entered by a plurality of different customers as a function of the product inventory information and the delivery-chain specifications comprises, at least in part, taking into account delivery due dates as correspond to at least some of the product orders.
17 . A non-transitory memory having computer instructions stored therein, which computer instructions when executed by a control circuit cause the control circuit to:
access information for an enterprise, the information including:
product inventory information for a plurality of differing products at each of a plurality of enterprise nodes;
delivery-chain specifications regarding a plurality of different order-fulfillment delivery chains;
automatically aggregate like products for product orders entered by a plurality of different customers as a function of the product inventory information and the delivery-chain specifications to reduce delivery costs.
18 . The non-transitory memory of claim 17 wherein the plurality of enterprise nodes includes a plurality of geographically distributed distribution centers and a plurality of geographically distributed retail facilities.
19 . The non-transitory memory of claim 17 wherein automatically aggregating like products for product orders entered by a plurality of different customers as a function of the product inventory information and the delivery-chain specifications comprises, at least in part, automatically considering opportunities to cartonize a plurality of like products as ordered by different customers.
20 . The non-transitory memory of claim 17 wherein automatically aggregating like products for product orders entered by a plurality of different on-line customers as a function of the product inventory information and the delivery-chain specifications comprises, at least in part, taking into account delivery due dates as correspond to at least some of the product orders.