Order fulfillment systems and methods with customer location tracking

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus are disclosed that provide a pickup process for items purchased from a store. In some embodiments, a mobile computing device of a customer may determine whether the mobile computing device and therefore the customer are in a pickup zone for a store. In response to determining that the mobile computing device is in the pickup zone, the mobile computing device may notify the customer and request whether the customer wishes to initiate pickup of purchased items from the store. The mobile computing device may notify a merchandise pickup system of the customer's desire to pickup the purchased items.

1 . A method of a mobile computing device, comprising:
 receiving, by the mobile computing device, an indication that an item is ready for pickup;   in response to said receiving, detecting, by the mobile computing device, whether the mobile computing device is in a defined pickup zone;   in response to detecting that the mobile computing device is in the defined pickup zone, generating, by the mobile computing device, a notification that requests whether to initiate pickup of the item; and   transmitting a request, by the mobile computing device, to initiate pickup of the item in response to a reply to the notification.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 initiating a timer that reflects an elapse of time since initiating pickup; and   presenting the timer via the mobile computing device.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving content targeted to a customer associated with the item for pickup in response to said requesting pickup; and   presenting the targeted content via the mobile computing device.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving pickup instructions in response to said requesting pickup; and   presenting the instructions via the mobile computing device.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving an order confirmation for the item; and   altering one or more power management features of the mobile computing device in response to receiving the order confirmation.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said detecting whether the mobile computing device is in a defined pickup zone, comprises:
 monitoring a global location of the mobile computing device; and   comparing the global location of the mobile computing device to the defined pickup zone for the store.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said detecting whether the mobile computing device is in a defined pickup zone, comprises:
 receiving, by the mobile computing device, a signal transmitted from the store; and   detecting, by the mobile computing device, the defined pickup zone based on the received signal.   
     
     
         8 . A computer readable storage device comprising a plurality of instructions, that in response to being executed, cause a mobile computing device to:
 detect whether the mobile computing device is in a defined pickup zone in response to receiving an indication that an item is ready for pickup;   in response to detecting that the mobile computing device is in the defined pickup zone, generate a notification that requests whether to initiate pickup of the item; and   request pickup of the item in response to a reply to the notification that requests whether to initiate pickup.   
     
     
         9 . The computer readable storage device of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the mobile computing device to initiate and present a timer that reflects an elapse of time since the request to pickup. 
     
     
         10 . The computer readable storage device of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the mobile computing device to present content targeted to a customer associated with the item for pickup and received in response to requesting pickup. 
     
     
         11 . The computer readable storage device of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the mobile computing device to present pickup instructions received in response to requesting pickup. 
     
     
         12 . The computer readable storage device of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the mobile computing device to alter one or more power management features of the mobile computing device in response to a received order confirmation. 
     
     
         13 . The computer readable storage device of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the mobile computing device to monitor a global location of the mobile computing device, and compare the global location to the defined pickup zone for the store. 
     
     
         14 . The computer readable storage device of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the mobile computing device to detect the defined pickup zone for the store based on a signal received in the defined pickup zone. 
     
     
         15 . A system, comprising:
 an application for a mobile computing device that configures the mobile computing device to request whether to initiate pickup of one or more items of an order in response to detecting that the mobile computing device is in a defined pickup zone, and request pickup of the one or more items in response to a reply to the notification; and   a merchandise pickup system for a store configured to instruct an associate of the store to the gather one or more items for the order, notify the mobile computing device that the order is ready for pickup, and instruct an associate to deliver the one or more items to a pickup location in response to receiving the request from the mobile computing device.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising an e-commerce system configured to receive the order for the one or more items, and notify the merchandise pickup system of the order in response to receiving a request to initiate pickup of the one or more items from the store. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the e-commerce system is further configured to obtain vehicle information that describes a vehicle to be used to pickup the one or more items; and   the merchandise pickup system is configured to instruct the associate to deliver the one or more items to the described vehicle.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the e-commerce system is further configured to send to the application of the mobile computing device an order confirmation that indicates the order includes one or more items for pickup; and   the application is further configured to alter one or more power management features of the mobile computing device in response to receiving the order confirmation that indicates the order includes one or more items for pickup.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the merchandise pickup system is configured to provide the application of the mobile computing device with content targeted to a customer associated with the order in response to receiving the request from the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the merchandise pickup system is configured to provide the application of the mobile computing device with pickup instructions in response to receiving the request from the mobile computing device.