Distributing Consumer Demand Upstream in a Supply Chain

Abstract

A system and method for distributing consumer demand upstream in a supply chain is disclosed. The system receives, at a current time, an indication of consumer demand for a product that a consumer, associated with a consumer order management system, may be willing to receive at a future date rather than the current date in exchange for an incentive. The system also determines a particular incentive based on an order lead time for the product and conveys the particular incentive to the consumer order management system to determine whether to receive the product at the particular future date rather than the current date in exchange for the particular incentive. The consumer order management system communicates an order for the product to an upstream supply chain entity, such that, the consumer receives the product at the particular future date rather than the current date in exchange for the particular incentive.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system of distributing consumer demand upstream in a supply chain, comprising:
 one or more computer systems comprising one or more processors, the one or more computer systems comprising:
 a user interface configured to receive, on a current date, an indication of consumer demand for a product that a consumer associated with a consumer computer system is willing to receive at a date after the current date, rather than the current date, in exchange for an incentive, and communicate the indication of consumer demand for the product to a quote system coupled with the user interface and the consumer computer system, 
 the quote system configured to:
 receive, from the user interface, the indication of consumer demand for the product and determine a first incentive based on a first order lead time for the product, the first order lead time for the product representing a time difference between a first future date of a proposed delivery and the current date, the first order lead time is longer than a first supply channel delay between a downstream supply chain entity and a first upstream supply chain entity, and the first incentive is based at least partially on a cost savings to the downstream supply chain entity associated with the first order lead time; 
 determine a second incentive larger than the first incentive and based on a second order lead time for the product, the second order lead time for the product representing a time difference between a second future date and the current date, the second order lead time is longer than a second supply channel delay between the downstream supply chain entity and a second upstream supply chain entity, the second incentive reflecting collective cost savings to the downstream supply chain entity and the first upstream supply chain entity associated with the second order lead time; 
 determine a third incentive larger than the first incentive and the second incentive based on a third order lead time for the product, the third order lead time for the product representing a time difference between a third future date and the current date, the third order lead time is longer than a third supply channel delay between the downstream supply chain entity and a third upstream supply chain entity, the third incentive reflecting collective cost savings to the downstream supply chain entity and the second upstream supply chain entity associated with the third order lead time; and 
 communicate the first, second and third incentives to the consumer computer system, wherein the consumer computer system is further configured to determine whether to receive the product at the first, second or third future date rather than the current date in exchange for the first, second or third incentive; and 
 
 a consumer order management system configured to communicate a consumer order for the product to one of the first, second and third upstream supply chain entities such that, when the order is successfully processed by one of the first, second and third upstream supply chain entities respectively, the consumer receives the product at one of the first, second and third future dates from current inventory of one of the first, second and third upstream supply chain entities rather than from current inventory of the downstream supply chain entity in exchange for one of the first, second and third incentives respectively. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first, second and third incentives comprises a price discount on the product. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the quote system is a first quote system and is further configured to:
 collaborate with a second quote system associated with the first upstream supply chain entity to determine a cost at the first upstream supply chain entity associated with the consumer receiving the product from the current inventory of the first upstream supply chain entity;   determine a profit increase on the product at the downstream supply chain entity based on:
 the cost at the first upstream supply chain entity associated with supplying the product from the current inventory of the first upstream supply chain entity; and 
 the cost savings to the downstream supply chain entity associated with the first order lead time; and 
   determine the first incentive based on the profit increase.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the quote system is a first quote system and is further configured to collaborate with a second quote system associated with the first upstream supply chain entity to determine the incentive based on one or more business rules associated with one or more of the downstream and first upstream supply chain entities. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the quote system is a first quote system and is further configured to:
 collaborate with a second quote system associated with the second upstream supply chain entity to determine a cost at the second upstream supply chain entity associated with the consumer receiving the product from the current inventory of the second upstream supply chain entity;   determine a profit increase on the product at the downstream supply chain entity based on:
 the cost at the second upstream supply chain entity associated with supplying the product from the current inventory of the second upstream supply chain entity; and 
 the cost savings to the downstream supply chain entity associated with the second order lead time; and 
   determine the second incentive based on the profit increase.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the quote system is a first quote system and is further configured to collaborate with one or both of a second quote system associated with the first upstream supply chain entity and with a third quote system associated with the second upstream supply chain entity to determine the second incentive based on one or more business rules associated with one or more of the downstream and first and second upstream supply chain entities. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the consumer receiving the product at one of the first, second and third future dates rather than the current date in exchange for one of the first, second and third incentives comprises one of:
 a consumer purchasing the product via the consumer computer system at the current date;   a consumer committing at the current date to purchase the product via the consumer computer system at one of the first, second and third future dates; and   a consumer indicating an intention via the consumer computer system at the current date to purchase the product at one of the first, second and third future dates.   
     
     
         8 . A computer-implemented method of distributing consumer demand upstream in a supply chain, comprising:
 receiving, by a computer, on a current date, a consumer demand for a product to be received at a date after the current date;   determining, by the computer, a first incentive based on a first order lead time for the product, the first order lead time for the product representing a time difference between a first future date of a proposed delivery and the current date, the first order lead time is longer than a first supply channel delay between a downstream supply chain entity and a first upstream supply chain entity, and the first incentive is based at least partially on a cost savings to the downstream supply chain entity associated with the first order lead time;   determining, by the computer, a second incentive larger than the first incentive and based on a second order lead time for the product, the second order lead time for the product representing a time difference between a second future date and the current date, the second order lead time is longer than a second supply channel delay between the downstream supply chain entity and a second upstream supply chain entity, the second incentive reflecting collective cost savings to the downstream supply chain entity and the first upstream supply chain entity associated with the second order lead time;   determining, by the computer, a third incentive larger than the first incentive and the second incentive based on a third order lead time for the product, the third order lead time for the product representing a time difference between a third future date and the current date, the third order lead time is longer than a third supply channel delay between the downstream supply chain entity and a third upstream supply chain entity, the third incentive reflecting collective cost savings to the downstream supply chain entity and the second upstream supply chain entity associated with the third order lead time;   communicating, by the computer, the first, second and third incentives to a consumer computer system associated with a consumer, wherein the consumer computer system determines whether to receive the product at the first, second or third future date rather than the current date in exchange for the first, second or third incentive; and   communicating, by the computer, an order for the product to one of the first, second and third upstream supply chain entities such that, when the order is successfully processed by one of the first, second and third upstream supply chain entities respectively, the consumer receives the product at one of the first, second and third future dates from current inventory of one of the first, second and third upstream supply chain entities rather than from current inventory of the downstream supply chain entity in exchange for one of the first, second and third incentives respectively.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first, second and third incentives comprises a price discount on the product. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising:
 collaborating with the first upstream supply chain entity to determine a cost at the first upstream supply chain entity associated with the consumer receiving the product from the current inventory of the first upstream supply chain entity;   determining a profit increase on the product at the downstream supply chain entity based on:
 the cost at the first upstream supply chain entity associated with supplying the product from the current inventory of the first upstream supply chain entity; and 
 the cost savings to the downstream supply chain entity associated with the first order lead time; and 
   determining the first incentive based on the profit increase.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising collaborating with the first upstream supply chain entity to determine the incentive based on one or more business rules associated with one or more of the downstream and first upstream supply chain entities. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising:
 collaborating with the second upstream supply chain entity to determine a cost at the second upstream supply chain entity associated with the consumer receiving the product from the current inventory of the second upstream supply chain entity;   determining a profit increase on the product at the downstream supply chain entity based on:
 the cost at the second upstream supply chain entity associated with supplying the product from the current inventory of the second upstream supply chain entity; and 
 the cost savings to the downstream supply chain entity associated with the second order lead time; and 
   determining the second incentive based on the profit increase.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising collaborating with one or both of the first and second upstream supply chain entities to determine the second incentive based on one or more business rules associated with one or more of the downstream and first and second upstream supply chain entities. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the consumer receiving the product at one of the first, second and third future dates rather than the current date in exchange for one of the first, second and third incentives comprises one of:
 a consumer purchasing the product via a consumer computer system at the current date;   a consumer committing at the current date to purchase the product via the consumer computer system at one of the first, second and third future dates; and   a consumer indicating an intention via the consumer computer system at the current date to purchase the product at one of the first, second and third future dates.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable media embodied with software for distributing consumer demand upstream in a supply chain, the software when executed using one or more computers is configured to:
 receive, a consumer demand for a product to receive at a date after the current date, rather than the current date;   determine a first incentive based on a first order lead time for the product, the first order lead time for the product representing a time difference between a first future date of a proposed delivery and the current date, the first order lead time is longer than a first supply channel delay between the downstream supply chain entity and a first upstream supply chain entity, and the first incentive is based at least partially on a cost savings to the downstream supply chain entity associated with the first order lead time;   determine a second incentive larger than the first incentive and based on a second order lead time for the product, the second order lead time for the product representing a time difference between a second future date and the current date, the second order lead time is longer than a second supply channel delay between the downstream supply chain entity and a second upstream supply chain entity, the second incentive reflecting collective cost savings to the downstream supply chain entity and the first upstream supply chain entity associated with the second order lead time;   determine a third incentive larger than the first incentive and the second incentive based on a third order lead time for the product, the third order lead time for the product representing a time difference between a third future date and the current date, the third order lead time is longer than a third supply channel delay between the downstream supply chain entity and a third upstream supply chain entity, the third incentive reflecting collective cost savings to the downstream supply chain entity and the second upstream supply chain entity associated with the second order lead time;   communicate the first, second and third incentives to a consumer computer system associated with a consumer, wherein the consumer computer system determines whether to receive the product at the first, second or third future date rather than the current date in exchange for the first, second or third incentive; and   communicate an order for the product to one of the first, second and third upstream supply chain entities such that, when the order is successfully processed by one of the first, second and third upstream supply chain entities respectively, the consumer receives the product at one of the first, second and third future dates from current inventory of one of the first, second and third upstream supply chain entities rather than from current inventory of the downstream supply chain entity in exchange for the one of the first, second and third incentives respectively.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the first, second and third incentives comprises a price discount on the product. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the software is further configured to:
 collaborate with the first upstream supply chain entity to determine a cost at the first upstream supply chain entity associated with the consumer receiving the product from the current inventory of the first upstream supply chain entity;   determine a profit increase on the product at the downstream supply chain entity based on:
 the cost at the first upstream supply chain entity associated with supplying the product from the current inventory of the first upstream supply chain entity; and 
 the cost savings to the downstream supply chain entity associated with the first order lead time; and 
   determine the first incentive based on the profit increase.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the software is further configured to collaborate with the first upstream supply chain entity to determine the first incentive based on one or more business rules associated with one or more of the downstream and first upstream supply chain entities. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the software is further configured to:
 collaborate with the second upstream supply chain entity to determine a cost at the second upstream supply chain entity associated with the consumer receiving the product from the current inventory of the second upstream supply chain entity;   determine a profit increase on the product at the downstream supply chain entity based on:
 the cost at the second upstream supply chain entity associated with supplying the product from the current inventory of the second upstream supply chain entity; and 
 the cost savings to the downstream supply chain entity associated with the second order lead time; and 
   determine the second incentive based on the profit increase.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the software is further configured to collaborate with one or both of the first and second upstream supply chain entities to determine the second incentive based on one or more business rules associated with one or more of the downstream and first and second upstream supply chain entities.