DEMAND-SUPPLY MATCHING WITH A TIME AND VIRTUAL SPACE NETWORK

• Main Authors: Harsha Pavithra, Ettl Markus R, Uichanco Joline Ann V, Subramanian Shivaram
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 29.09.2016
• Subjects: CALCULATING; COMPUTING; COUNTING; DATA PROCESSING SYSTEMS OR METHODS, SPECIALLY ADAPTED FORADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORYOR FORECASTING PURPOSES; IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL; PHYSICS; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE,COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORY OR FORECASTINGPURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes receiving historical transaction data related to a product. A demand model is calibrated to forecast demand for each of one or more zones and each of one or more channels over which the product is sold. A time-and-virtual-space (TVS) network is constructed, by a computer processor, to include one or more supply nodes and one or more sink nodes. Each of the supply nodes represents inventory of the product at a corresponding physical location, and each of the sink nodes represents a calibrated demand for the product. Based on the TVS network, a low-cost plan is determined for an omni-channel retail environment. The low-cost plan specifies at least one of allocation of the product across physical stores, partitioning of the inventory of the product for virtual sales, and pricing of the product.