Environmentally responsive shipping selection

Abstract

The selection of a shipping option responsive to an environmental preference is enabled. A user may indicate a shipping criteria preference including an environmental impact weighting. A cost value of each of a plurality of shipping options is determined including an environmental impact cost. A shipping option is selected and implemented for a shipping of an item as a function of the indicated environmental impact weighting. Each of the plurality of shipping option cost values may be dynamically recalculated and the status of at least one of the shipping options updated, the updating determining a change in value a shipping option cost value, an implemented selected shipping option changed to another of the plurality of shipping options as a function of the status updating.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for enabling the selection of a shipping option responsive to an environmental preference, comprising:
 selecting and implementing via a central processing unit a highest ranked one of a first ranked plurality of shipping options for a shipping of an item, wherein the plurality of shipping options are ranked in a first ranking as a function of shipping option cost values determined for each of the shipping options from at least one of environmental impact costs, shipping price costs and time-to-delivery costs;   dynamically recalculating the determined cost values of at least one of the plurality of shipping options during a shipping of the item by the implemented highest ranked one of the first ranked plurality of shipping options;   updating via the central processing unit the ranking of the plurality of shipping options to generate a second ranking of the shipping options that is different from the first ranking in response to a change in value of the recalculated at least one shipping option cost values; and   changing via the central processing unit the implemented selected shipping option during the shipping of the item from the highest ranked one of the first ranking to another of the plurality of shipping options that is ranked higher in the second updated ranking.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 integrating computer-readable program code into a computer system comprising the central processing unit, a computer readable memory and a computer readable storage medium, wherein the computer readable program code is embodied on the computer readable storage medium and comprises instructions that, when executed by the central processing unit via the computer readable memory, cause the central processing unit to perform the steps of selecting and implementing the highest ranked one of the first ranked plurality of shipping options in the first ranking, dynamically recalculating the determined cost values of the at least one of the plurality of shipping options during the shipping of the item by the implemented highest ranked one of the first ranked plurality of shipping options, updating the ranking of the plurality of shipping options to generate the second ranking of the shipping in response to the change in value of the recalculated at least one shipping option cost values; and changing the implemented selected shipping option during the shipping of the item from the highest ranked one of the first ranking to another of the plurality of shipping options that is ranked higher in the second updated ranking.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
 notifying a user of the change in value of the at least one of the determined shipping option cost values;   presenting the updated second ranking of the plurality of shipping options to the user; and   enabling the user to manually change the selected and implemented shipping option during the shipping of the item to the another of the presented shipping options in the updated second ranking of the plurality of shipping options.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the updating via the central processing unit the ranking of the plurality of shipping options to generate the second ranking of the shipping options further comprises:
 providing for an extended time period for responses of shipping option cost values from shipping option entities after an initial calculation and return of the first ranking of the shipping options;   discovering during the extended time period that the another shipping option has newly available capacity for shipping the item;   determining that using the newly available capacity in the another shipping option results in a lower environmental impact cost for the shipping the item than using the selected and implemented shipping option; and   ranking the another shipping option higher than the selected and implemented shipping option in the updated second ranking in response to determining the lowered environmental impact cost for the shipping the item using the newly available capacity.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 tracking a progression of the item through the selected and implemented shipping option;   determining changes to environmental impact costs relevant to shipping of the item in response to a change in fuel supply or a change in availability within a transport system of the selected and implemented shipping option;   informing the user of the determined changes to the environmental impact costs; and   enabling the user to retain the selected and implemented shipping option in response to the information of the determined changes to the environmental impact costs, instead of switching to the another option that is ranked higher in the second rankings.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 presenting the plurality of the shipping options to the user by presenting bids provided by at least one shipping vendor in response to a real-time query.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 calculating a reward amount as a function of a weighting value of a user-indicated shipping preference environmental impact weighting or as a function of an environmental impact cost value of a one of the plurality of shipping options manually selected by the user; and   providing the calculated reward amount to the user.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the calculating and providing the reward amount comprises calculating and providing a long-term incentive as function of the user historically selecting shipping options with low environmental impacts on a plurality of historic item orders, the incentive at least one of a monetary value, a discount on offered items and a point value redeemable for goods or services. 
     
     
         9 . An article of manufacture, comprising:
 a storage device comprising computer executable program code stored thereon, the program code comprising instructions which, when executed on a computer system, cause the computer system to:   select and implement a highest ranked one of a first plurality of shipping options to effect a shipping of an item, wherein the plurality of shipping options are ranked in a first ranking as a function of shipping option cost values determined for each of the shipping options from at least one of environmental impact costs, shipping price costs and time-to-delivery costs;   dynamically recalculate the at least one of the plurality of shipping option determined cost values during a shipping of the item by the implemented highest ranked one of the first ranked plurality of shipping options;   update the ranking of the shipping options to generate a second ranking of the shipping options that is different from the first ranking in response to a change in value of the recalculated at least one of the determined shipping option cost values; and   change the implemented selected shipping option during the shipping of the item from the highest ranked one of the first ranking to another of the plurality of shipping options that is ranked higher in the second updated ranking.   
     
     
         10 . The article of manufacture of  claim 9 , the program code comprising instructions which, when executed on the computer system, causes the computer system to:
 notify a user of the change in value of the at least one of the determined shipping option cost values and of the updated second ranking of the presented plurality of shipping options; and   enable the user to manually change the selected and implemented shipping option during the shipping of the item to the another of the plurality of shipping options presented in the updated second ranking through an input to the computer system.   
     
     
         11 . The article of manufacture of  claim 10 , the program code comprising instructions which, when executed on the computer system, causes the computer system to update the ranking of the plurality of shipping options to generate the second ranking of the shipping options by:
 providing for an extended time period for responses of shipping option cost values from shipping option entities after an initial calculation and return of the first ranking of the shipping options;   discovering during the extended time period that the another shipping option has newly available capacity for shipping the item;   determining that using the newly available capacity in the another shipping option results in a lower environmental impact cost for the shipping the item than using the selected and implemented shipping option; and   ranking the another shipping option higher than the selected and implemented shipping option in the updated second ranking in response to determining the lowered environmental impact cost for the shipping the item using the newly available capacity.   
     
     
         12 . The article of manufacture of  claim 11 , the program code comprising instructions which, when executed on the computer system, causes the computer system to:
 track a progression of the item through the selected and implemented shipping option;   determine changes to environmental impact costs relevant to shipping of the item in response to a change in fuel supply or a change in availability within a transport system of the selected and implemented shipping option;   inform the user of the determined changes to the environmental impact costs; and   enable the user to retain the selected and implemented shipping option in response to the information of the determined changes to the environmental impact costs, instead of switching to the another option that is ranked higher in the second rankings.   
     
     
         13 . The article of manufacture of  claim 11 , the program code comprising instructions which, when executed on the computer system, causes the computer system to:
 calculate a reward amount as a function of a weighting value of an indicated shipping preference environmental impact weighting or as a function of an environmental impact cost value of a one of the plurality of shipping options manually selected by the user; and   provide the calculated reward amount to the user.   
     
     
         14 . A system, comprising:
 a central processing unit;   a memory in communication with the central processing unit that comprises a logic component; and   a network interface in communication with the central processing unit and the memory;   wherein the central processing unit:   selects and implements a highest ranked one of a first plurality of shipping options to effect a shipping of an item, wherein the plurality of shipping options are ranked in a first ranking as a function of shipping option cost values determined for each of the shipping options from at least one of environmental impact costs, shipping price costs and time-to-delivery costs;   dynamically recalculates at least one of the plurality of shipping option determined cost values during the shipping of the item by the implemented highest ranked one of the first ranked plurality of shipping options;   updates the ranking of the shipping options to generate a second ranking of the shipping options that is different from the first ranking in response to a change in value of at least one of the recalculated at least one shipping option cost values; and   changes the implemented selected shipping option during the shipping of the item from the highest ranked one of the first ranking to another of the plurality of shipping options that is ranked higher in the second ranking as a function of the updated ranking.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the central processing unit further:
 notifies a user of the change in value of the at least one of the determined shipping option cost values and of the updated second ranking of the presented plurality of shipping options; and   enables the user to manually change the selected and implemented shipping option during the shipping of the item to the another of the plurality of shipping options presented in the updated second ranking through an input to the system.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the central processing unit updates the ranking of the plurality of shipping options to generate the second ranking of the shipping options by:
 providing for an extended time period for responses of shipping option cost values from shipping option entities after an initial calculation and return of the first ranking of the shipping options;   discovering during the extended time period that the another shipping option has newly available capacity for shipping the item;   determining that using the newly available capacity in the another shipping option results in a lower environmental impact cost for the shipping the item than using the selected and implemented shipping option; and   ranking the another shipping option higher than the selected and implemented shipping option in the updated second ranking in response to determining the lowered environmental impact cost for the shipping the item using the newly available capacity.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the central processing unit:
 tracks a progression of the item through the selected and implemented shipping option;   determines changes to environmental impact costs relevant to shipping of the item in response to a change in fuel supply or a change in availability within a transport system of the selected and implemented shipping option;   informs the user of the determined changes to the environmental impact costs; and   enables the user, via an input to the system, to retain the selected and implemented shipping option in response to the information of the determined changes to the environmental impact costs, instead of switching to the another option that is ranked higher in the second rankings.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the central processing unit:
 calculates a reward amount as a function of a weighting value of an indicated shipping preference environmental impact weighting or as a function of an environmental impact cost value of a one of the plurality of shipping options manually selected by the user via an input to the system; and   provides the calculated reward amount to the user.