ETA-based item pick-up and fulfillment alternatives

• Main Authors: Kolathur, Satheesh Narayanan, Hapgood, Ryan David, Edwards, Alexander
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 08.09.2020
• Subjects: CALCULATING; COMPUTING; COUNTING; DATA PROCESSING SYSTEMS OR METHODS, SPECIALLY ADAPTED FORADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORYOR FORECASTING PURPOSES; PHYSICS; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE,COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORY OR FORECASTINGPURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

A customer may place an order for items to be picked up at a merchant location. Upon receiving an indication that the customer is initiating travel to the merchant location to pick up the items, multiple ETA data points for the customer may be determined while the customer is in transit to the merchant location. Based on the ETA data, it may be determined that the customer is likely to arrive after the merchant location closes, which may prevent the customer from being able to pick up the items from the merchant location. Alternative fulfillment options may be presented to the customer to enable the customer to obtain the items. The alternative fulfillment options may include picking up the items at an alternative merchant location, scheduling a delivery of the items, picking up the items from the merchant location at a subsequent time, or facilitating a cancelation of the order.