Shopping optimizer

Abstract

A method, system, and/or computer program product optimizes shopping for one or more desired items. An identification of a desired item, which is initially available for purchase at a first physical store, is received. An identity of a second shopper, who also wants the desired item and is currently shopping for the desired item, is received. One or more processors then determine a likelihood of the first shopper arriving at the first physical store before the second shopper purchases a last available instance of the desired item in the first physical store. In response to determining that the first shopper will arrive at the first physical store before the last available instance of the desired item has been purchased by the second shopper, the first shopper is provided with an identity of the first physical store.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of optimizing shopping for one or more desired items, the method comprising:
 receiving, by one or more processors, an identification of a desired item, wherein the identification of the desired item is generated by a first shopper, and wherein said desired item is initially available for purchase at a first physical store;   receiving, by one or more processors, an identity of a second shopper, wherein the second shopper has been identified as also desiring the desired item and currently shopping for the desired item;   determining, by one or more processors, a predicted demand for the desired item at a predetermined time;   determining, by one or more processors, a likelihood of the first shopper arriving at the first physical store before the second shopper purchases a last available instance of the desired item in the first physical store, wherein said determining is derived from the predicted demand and from relative travel times to the first physical store for the first shopper and the second shopper from an initial point in time, wherein the first shopper and the second shopper are at different geographical locations at the initial point in time, and wherein said determining is further derived by a quantity of said desired item that is available at the first physical store at the initial point in time; and   in response to one or more processors determining that the first shopper will arrive at the first physical store before said last available instance of the desired item has been purchased by the second shopper, providing the first shopper with an identity of the first physical store.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the desired item is from a list of multiple desired items for the first shopper, wherein each of the multiple desired items is offered at a discounted price at a different physical store at specific times on a same date, and wherein the method further comprises:
 generating, by one or more processors, a shopping itinerary for the first shopper, wherein the shopping itinerary directs the first shopper to different physical stores at times during which items on the list are offered at the discounted price.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to one or more processors determining that the second shopper will arrive at the first physical store and purchase a last remaining copy of the desired item before the first shopper arrives at the first physical store, directing the first shopper to a second physical store that currently has the desired item in stock.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by one or more processors, a ranked list of desired items from the first shopper, wherein the desired item is a highest ranked item on the ranked list of desired items; and   in response to one or more processors determining that the second shopper will arrive at the first physical store before the first shopper, directing the first shopper to a location that has a secondary item in stock, wherein the secondary item is on the ranked list of desired items, and wherein the secondary item is ranked lower than the desired item.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying, by one or more processors, an alternative item to the desired item, wherein the alternative item performs a same function as the desired item; and   in response to the first shopper arriving at the first physical store after the desired item is out of stock, providing, by one or more processors, an identity of a second physical store that currently has the alternative item in stock.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting, by one or more processors, real-time travel route delays to the first physical store; and in response to determining that the real-time travel route delays will cause the first shopper to arrive at the first physical store after the second shopper, directing the first shopper to a second physical store that also carries the desired item.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the desired item is advertised at a special price for a specific time on a single date, and wherein the method further comprises:
 identifying, by one or more processors, the second shopper based on a shopping history of the second shopper, wherein the shopping history of the second shopper describes the second shopper's history of purchasing advertised items at a special price at a specific time on a single day.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the desired item was sold out before the first shopper was able to purchase the desired item at the first physical store, and wherein the method further comprises:
 in response to the first physical store restocking the desired item, transmitting, by one or more processors, an alert to the first shopper, wherein the alert describes a new availability of the desired item at the first physical store.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the desired item is from a list of multiple desired items for the first shopper, wherein the multiple desired items are offered at different physical stores, and wherein the method further comprises:
 determining, by one or more processors, a period of time during which crowds at different physical stores will be lightest compared to other periods of times; and   generating, by one or more processors, an itinerary for the first shopper, wherein the itinerary directs the first shopper to each of the different physical stores during the period of time when the crowds will be lightest compared to the other periods of time.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, by one or more processors, a first probability that the first shopper will arrive at the first physical store before said last available instance of the desired item has been purchased by the second shopper at the first physical store;   determining, by one or more processors, a second probability that the first shopper will arrive at a second physical store before said last available instance of the desired item has been purchased by the second shopper at the second physical store; and   in response to the first probability being lower than a predetermined level set by the first shopper, and in response to the second probability being higher than the predetermined level set by the first shopper, directing the first shopper to the second physical store.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, by one or more processors, a probability that the first shopper will arrive at the first physical store before said last available instance of the desired item has been purchased by the second shopper at the first physical store; and   in response to the probability being lower than a predetermined level set by the first shopper, directing the first shopper to a second physical store.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the desired item is a highest ranked item from a ranked list of multiple desired items for the first shopper, and wherein the method further comprises:
 determining, by one or more processors, a probability that the first shopper will arrive at the first physical store before said last available instance of the desired item has been purchased by the second shopper at the first physical store; and   in response to the probability being lower than a predetermined level set by the first shopper, directing the first shopper to a lower ranked item from the ranked list of multiple desired items for the first shopper.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a third shopper is an agent of the first shopper, and wherein the method further comprises:
 in response to determining that the third shopper has arrived at the first physical store before the second shopper, issuing, by one or more processors, authorization from the first shopper to the third shopper to purchase the desired item.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the desired item is advertised to a specific geographic region, and wherein the method further comprises:
 determining, by one or more processors, an estimated quantity of shoppers within the specific geographic region who will be shopping for copies of the desired item at a particular time; and   adjusting, by one or more processors, the likelihood of the first shopper arriving at the first physical store before the last available instance of the desired item in the first physical store is purchased based on the estimated quantity of shoppers within the specific geographic region who will be shopping for copies of the desired item at the particular time.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first shopper desires a first item and a second item, wherein the first shopper ranks the first item over the second item in importance to the first shopper, and wherein the second shopper also desires the first item and the second item, but wherein the second shopper ranks the second item over the first item in importance to the second shopper, and wherein the method further comprises:
 in response to one or more processors determining that the first shopper has access to the second item and that the second shopper has access to the first item, directing the first shopper to purchase the second item on behalf of the second shopper and the second shopper to purchase the first item on behalf of the first shopper.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 directing, by one or more processors, the first shopper to a specific location within the first physical store where the desired item is located.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to determining, by one or more processors, that the desired item has sold out at the first physical store without the first shopper purchasing an instance of the desired item, transmitting a notice to the first shopper of when the desired item will next be in stock at the first physical store.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by one or more processors, a pictorial representation of the desired item from the first shopper; and   creating, by one or more processors, the identification of the desired item from the pictorial representation of the desired item.