IP Library Granted Patent US 10,803,419
Granted Patent B2
US 10,803,419 · App. 16/049,044 · Granted Oct 13, 2020

Stock management for electronic transactions

Inventors: Lisa Marie Wood Bradley (Cary, NC); Nan Li (Austin, TX); Charles E. Wiese (Raleigh, NC); Marissa A. Wood (Laguna Vista, TX)
Assignee: Wayfair LLC
G06Q10/087G06Q30/0202G06Q30/0635
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,803,419
App. No.
16/049,044
Granted
Oct 13, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Stock management for electronic transactions includes receiving an indication that an item of stock has been selected to be purchased by a purchaser. Stock management for electronic transactions also includes obtaining information relating to the purchaser, and determining whether to remove the item from stock based on the obtained information.

Claims (42)

1. A computer system for stock management of an inventory of items physically located at one or more physical locations for shipping to purchasers that purchased one or more of the items via electronic transactions, the computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a data storage device in communication with the processor,

the processor configured to execute instructions from the data storage device to:

receive an indication that an item, from the inventory of items, has been selected electronically to potentially be purchased by a first purchaser, the indication being received in response to the item being placed in an electronic holding container for the first purchaser prior to completion of purchase of the item, the first purchaser using a user interface for browsing items in the inventory of items;

obtain purchase history information relating to the first purchaser; and

control availability of the item for a second purchaser at least in part by:

determining whether the first purchaser is likely to purchase the item based on the purchase history information,

when it is determined that the first purchaser is likely to purchase the item, indicating the item as unavailable to the second purchaser, and

when it is determined that the first purchaser is not likely to purchase the item, indicating the item as available to the second purchaser, so as to reduce instances of the item being unavailable to the second purchaser due to being in the electronic holding container of the first purchaser.

2. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the purchase history information indicates a group membership of the first purchaser.

3. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the purchase history information indicates a correlation between items placed in the electronic holding container and completed purchases for the first purchaser.

4. The computer system of claim 3 , wherein the correlation is a ratio of a number of times an item was selected for purchase by the first purchaser to a number of times an item was purchased by the first purchaser.

5. The computer system of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to compare the ratio to a threshold value.

6. The computer system of claim 5 , wherein the processor to is further configured to:

indicate the item as unavailable to the second purchaser when the ratio is greater than the threshold value; and

indicate the item as available to the second purchaser when the ratio is not greater than the threshold value.

7. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the item is an item with a quantity level less than a threshold.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the item is one of a group of selected items having a particular characteristic.

9. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the purchase history information indicates a frequency of past purchases.

10. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the purchase history information indicates a quantity of past purchases.

11. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the purchase history information indicates a value of a number of past purchases.

12. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the purchase history information indicates a type of past purchases.

13. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the type of past purchases indicates a furniture purchase, appliance purchase, media purchase, electronic goods purchase, literature purchase, household items purchase, consumable items purchase, consumer goods purchase, services purchase, or combinations thereof.

14. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to present the user interface to the first purchaser.

15. A method for stock management of an inventory of items physically located at one or more physical locations for shipping to purchasers that purchased one or more of the items via electronic transactions, the method comprising:

using at least one computer hardware processor to perform:

receiving an indication that an item, from the inventory of items, has been selected electronically to potentially be purchased by a first purchaser, the indication being received in response to the item being placed in an electronic holding container for the first purchaser prior to completion of purchase of the item, the first purchaser using a user interface for browsing items in the inventory of items;

obtaining purchase history information relating to the first purchaser; and

controlling availability of the item for a second purchaser at least in part by:

determining whether the first purchaser is likely to purchase the item based on the purchase history information,

when it is determined that the first purchaser is likely to purchase the item, indicating the item as unavailable to the second purchaser, and

when it is determined that the first purchaser is not likely to purchase the item, indicating the item as available to the second purchaser, so as to reduce instances of the item being unavailable to the second purchaser due to being in the electronic holding container of the first purchaser.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the purchase history information indicates a correlation between items placed in the electronic holding container and completed purchases for the first purchaser.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the purchase history information indicates one or more of: a frequency of past purchases, a quantity of past purchases, a value of a number of past purchases, and a type of past purchases.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one hardware processor, cause the at least one hardware processor to perform a method for managing an inventory of items physically located at one or more physical locations for shipping to purchasers that purchased one or more of the items via electronic transactions, the method comprising:

receiving an indication that an item, from the inventory of items, has been selected electronically to potentially be purchased by a first purchaser, the indication being received in response to the item being placed in an electronic holding container for the first purchaser prior to completion of purchase of the item, the first purchaser using a user interface for browsing items in the inventory of items;

obtaining purchase history information relating to the first purchaser; and

controlling availability of the item for a second purchaser at least in part by:

determining whether the first purchaser is likely to purchase the item based on the purchase history information,

when it is determined that the first purchaser is likely to purchase the item, indicating the item as unavailable to the second purchaser, and

when it is determined that the first purchaser is not likely to purchase the item, indicating the item as available to the second purchaser, so as to reduce instances of the item being unavailable to the second purchaser due to being in the electronic holding container of the first purchaser.

Assignments (7)
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 20, 2026
From: WAYFAIR LLC
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 075591/0399 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2025
From: WAYFAIR LLC
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073514/0326 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 13, 2025
From: WAYFAIR LLC
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 070513/0542 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 10, 2024
From: WAYFAIR LLC
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069143/0399 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 24, 2021
From: WAYFAIR LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 055708/0832 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 29, 2019
From: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
To: WAYFAIR LLC
Reel/Frame 050867/0899 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 30, 2018
From: WOOD BRADLEY, LISA MARIE; LI, NAN; WIESE, CHARLES E.; WOOD, MARISSA A.
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 046502/0264 →
Continuity (2)
Division 14144117 · Dec 30, 2013
Related Publication 20180336517A1 · Nov 22, 2018