ENTERPRISE-ACCESSIBLE CUSTOMER LOCKER
An enterprise-accessible customer locker is physically located at a first customer's address. A control circuit can be configured to select products (including unordered products if desired) for a first customer to be placed in the aforementioned enterprise-accessible customer locker. The control circuit can also be configured to determine a need to deliver a particular product to a second customer who is physically discrete from the aforementioned first customer's address. The control circuit can then be further configured to arrange to transfer the particular product from the first customer's enterprise-accessible customer locker to the second customer at a delivery address corresponding to the second customer. By one approach, the foregoing can include a consideration of whether the particular product is in fact available at the first customer's enterprise-accessible customer locker and/or what the relevant timeframe is for when the first customer may in fact need the particular product.
1 . An apparatus comprising:
an enterprise-accessible customer locker physically located at a customer's address;
a control circuit configured to:
select unordered products for the customer to be placed in the enterprise-accessible customer locker;
determine a need to deliver a particular product to a second customer, the second customer being physically discrete from the customer's address;
arrange to transfer the particular product from the enterprise-accessible customer locker to the second customer at a delivery address corresponding to the second customer.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the enterprise-accessible customer locker comprises one of:
a secure-delivery receptacle that corresponds to the customer's address;
an unattended retail storefront installed in the customer's residence at the customer's address.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is configured to select the unordered products for the customer as a function, at least in part, of:
information including a plurality of partiality vectors for the customer; and
vectorized characterizations for each of a plurality of products, wherein each of the vectorized characterizations indicates a measure regarding an extent to which a corresponding one of the products accords with a corresponding one of the plurality of partiality vectors.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is configured to determine the need to deliver the particular product to the second customer, at least in part, as a function of an order placed on behalf of the second customer.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is configured to determine the need to deliver the particular product to the second customer, at least in part, as a function of:
information including a plurality of partiality vectors for the second customer; and
vectorized characterizations for each of a plurality of products, wherein each of the vectorized characterizations indicates a measure regarding an extent to which a corresponding one of the products accords with a corresponding one of the plurality of partiality vectors.
6 . The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the partiality vectors include at least one partiality vector that is knowingly based upon at least one value of the second customer.
7 . The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the at least one partiality vector that is knowingly based upon at least one value of the second customer is not based upon any previous purchase of the second customer.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is configured to arrange to transfer the particular product from the enterprise-accessible customer locker to the second customer by automatically tasking a delivery agent with transferring the particular product.
9 . The apparatus of claim 8 wherein tasking the delivery agent comprises automatically sending a message to so task the delivery agent.
10 . The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the message includes information to unlock the enterprise-accessible customer locker.
11 . The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the delivery agent is a third party with respect to the enterprise.
12 . The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the delivery agent comprises an autonomous delivery agent.
13 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
determine that the particular product is presently available at the enterprise-accessible customer locker.
14 . The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
determine that the customer will not likely need the particular product for at least a predetermined period of time.
15 . The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the control circuit is further configured to determine that the customer will not likely need the particular product for at least the predetermined period of time as a function, at least in part, of:
information including a plurality of partiality vectors for the customer; and
vectorized characterizations for the particular product, wherein each of the vectorized characterizations indicates a measure regarding an extent to which the particular product accords with a corresponding one of the plurality of partiality vectors.
16 . The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
arrange for a replacement product for the particular product to be placed in the enterprise-accessible customer locker prior to when the customer will likely need the particular product.