Optimized order fulfillment from multiple sources

Abstract

The present disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods of order fulfillment using a fulfillment engine, which optimizes the allocation of client or user orders to third party merchants for fulfillment through the use of linear programming or machine learning. This optimization occurs by loading a series of relevant merchant attributes and client attributes into an optimizer with the order and analyzing the attributes to determine an optimal allocation of client orders to third party merchants. These orders are issued to the merchants and where necessary the system arranges delivery of the orders to the client. The system may also automatically update future orders in response to client feedback.

Now, therefore, the following is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method performed by a fulfillment system comprising a memory and a fulfillment processor, the method comprising:
 accessing, from the memory, by the fulfillment processor, a plurality of merchant records, each merchant record comprising information regarding at least one of the following fulfillment attributes:   (a) an item offered by the merchant,   (b) a location of the merchant, and   (c) a cost of the item;   accessing, from the memory, by the fulfillment processor, one or more user records, each user record comprising information including at least one of the following ordering attributes of a user:   (i) disinclination toward certain items,   (ii) preference to certain items,   (iii) delivery location,   (iv) maximum cost, and   (v) delivery time for the items;   receiving, from a user device, by the fulfillment processor, a request for one or more items, wherein the request does not include an indication of a merchant from which to source the one or more items;   analyzing the request, by the fulfillment processor, to identify one or more merchants capable of fulfilling at least one item of the request, the identification being based on the fulfillment attributes and the ordering attributes;   transmitting, by the fulfillment processor, to the identified one or more merchants, a fulfillment request indicating at least one item of the request; and   arranging transportation, by the fulfillment processor, of the one or more items of the request from the identified one or more merchants to the delivery location.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 accessing, from the memory, by the fulfillment processor, a desired profit margin, wherein the identification of the one or more merchants capable of fulfilling at least one item of the request is based on the desired profit margin, the cost of the items contained in the fulfillment attributes, and the maximum cost contained in the ordering attributes.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a first merchant associated with one of the plurality of merchant records fulfills a first item from the one or more items, and wherein a second merchant associated with one of the plurality of merchant records fulfils a second item from the one or more items. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identification of the one or more merchants capable of fulfilling at least one item of the request further comprises:
 optimizing allocation of user orders to merchants to maximize at least one of: a desired profit, user satisfaction, and overall merchant satisfaction, and wherein the transmission of the fulfillment request is done in accordance with an output of the optimizing.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fulfillment processor receives at least one instance of user feedback regarding a previous item fulfillment and wherein the method further comprises:
 transmitting updates to merchant orders in accordance with the received at least one instance of user feedback.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fulfillment processor receives at least one instance of user feedback regarding a previous item fulfillment, and wherein the method further comprises:
 changing, by the fulfillment processor, allocation of user orders to merchants in accordance with the received at least one instance of user feedback.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fulfillment processor arranges transportation of the one or more items of the request from the identified one or more merchants to the delivery location via a courier service. 
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 a memory, wherein the memory is configured to store a first characteristic associated with a geographic area;   at least one processor coupled to the memory, the at least one processor being configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to perform steps comprising:   accessing, from the memory, a plurality of merchant records, each merchant record comprising information regarding at least one of the following fulfillment attributes:   (a) an item offered by the merchant,   (b) a location of the merchant, and   (c) a cost of the item;   accessing, from the memory, one or more user records, each user record comprising information including at least one of the following ordering attributes of a user:   (i) disinclination toward certain items,   (ii) preference to certain items,   (iii) delivery location,   (iv) maximum cost, and   (v) delivery time for the items;   receiving, from a user device, a request for one or more items, wherein the request does not include an indication of a merchant from which to source the one or more items;   analyzing the request, to identify one or more merchants capable of fulfilling at least one item of the request, the identification being based on the fulfillment attributes and the ordering attributes;   transmitting, to the identified one or more merchants, a fulfillment request indicating at least one item of the request; and   arranging delivery of the one or more items of the request from the identified one or more merchants to the delivery location.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions to perform steps comprising:
 accessing, from the memory, by the processor, a desired profit margin, and wherein the identification of the one or more merchants capable of fulfilling at least one item of the request is based on the desired profit margin, the cost of the items contained in the fulfillment attributes, and the maximum cost contained in the ordering attributes.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein a first merchant associated with one of the plurality of merchant records fulfills a first item from the one or more items, and wherein a second merchant associated with one of the plurality of merchant records fulfils a second item from the one or more items. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the identification of the one or more merchants capable of fulfilling at least one item of the request further comprises:
 optimizing allocation of user orders to merchants to maximize at least one of: a desired profit, user satisfaction, and overall merchant satisfaction, and wherein the transmission of the fulfillment request is done in accordance with an output of the optimizing.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor receives at least one instance of user feedback regarding a previous item fulfillment and wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions to perform steps comprising:
 transmitting updates to merchant orders in accordance with the received at least one instance of user feedback.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor receives at least one instance of user feedback regarding a previous item fulfillment, and wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions to perform steps comprising:
 changing, by the processor, allocation of user orders to merchants in accordance with the received at least one instance of user feedback.   
     
     
         14 . A method performed by a fulfillment system comprising a memory and a processor, the method comprising:
 accessing, from the memory, by the processor, a plurality of merchant records, each merchant record comprising information regarding one or more fulfillment attributes including the following: items offered by the merchant;   accessing, from the memory, by the processor, one or more user records, each user record comprising information regarding one or more ordering attributes of a user including the following:   (i) disinclination toward certain items, and   (ii) preference to certain items;   receiving, from a first user, by the processor, a request for one or more items, wherein the request does not include an indication of a merchant from which to source the one or more items;   analyzing the request, by the processor, to identify one or more merchants capable of fulfilling at least one item of the request, the identification being based on the fulfillment attributes and the ordering attributes;   transmitting, by the processor, to the identified one or more merchants, a fulfillment request indicating at least one item of the request; and   arranging fulfillment, by the processor, of the one or more items of the request from the identified one or more merchants to the first user.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein each merchant record further comprises information regarding cost of the items offered by the merchant, wherein each user record further comprises information regarding maximum price that the user has committed to pay, wherein the method further comprises accessing, from the memory, by the processor, a desired profit margin, and wherein the identification of the one or more merchants capable of fulfilling at least one item of the request is based on the desired profit margin, the information regarding cost of the items offered by the merchant, and the information regarding maximum price that the user has committed to pay. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein a first merchant associated with one of the plurality of merchant records fulfills a first item from the one or more items, and wherein a second merchant associated with one of the plurality of merchant records fulfils a second item from the one or more items. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the identification of the one or more merchants capable of fulfilling at least one item of the request further comprises:
 optimizing allocation of user orders to merchants to maximize at least one of: a desired profit, user satisfaction, and overall merchant satisfaction, and wherein the transmission of the fulfillment request is done in accordance with an output of the optimizing.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the processor receives at least one instance of user feedback regarding a previous item fulfillment, and wherein the method further comprises:
 transmitting updates to merchant orders in accordance with the received at least one instance of user feedback.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the processor receives at least one instance of user feedback regarding a previous item fulfillment, and wherein the method further comprises:
 changing, by the processor, allocation of user orders to merchants in accordance with the received at least one instance of user feedback.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the processor arranges transportation of the one or more items of the request from the identified one or more merchants to the first user via a courier service.