Method and apparatus for managing item inventories

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to methods, systems, and apparatuses for identifying related records in a database. The method determining an item identifier for at least one item stored in an item catalog database, accessing the item catalog database to determine one or more item attributes for the at least one item, accessing an item inventory database to determine one or more item inventory levels for the at least one item, using, by a processor, a predictive model to calculated a predicted inventory level for the at least one item, the predictive model indicating an estimated inventory level for the at least one item at a particular time subsequent to the calculation of the predicted inventory level, wherein the predictive model receives the one or more item attributes and the one or more item inventory levels as inputs, storing the predicted inventory level, and using the predicted inventory level to evaluate an electronic marketing communication for transmission, wherein the electronic marketing communication comprises content related to the at least one item.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system, comprising one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to:
 calculate a predicted inventory level for at least one item using a predictive model and based at least in part on one or more item attributes and one or more item inventory levels associated with the at least one item; and   transmit, to a consumer device and in response to a determination that the predicted inventory level indicates a quantity of the at least one item will remain available for purchase for a threshold interval of time, an electronic communication that comprises content related to the at least one item.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more storage devices store instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to further cause the one or more computers to:
 receive the one or more item attributes and one or more item inventory levels as inputs for the predictive model.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more storage devices store instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to further cause the one or more computers to:
 employ the predictive model to determine the predicted inventory level at a particular time subsequent to a previous calculation for a previous predicted inventory level for the at least one item.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more storage devices store instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to further cause the one or more computers to:
 receive, from an external source, an item identifier for the at least one item; and   access an item catalog database based on the item identifier to determine the one or more item attributes for the at least one item.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more storage devices store instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to further cause the one or more computers to:
 receive, from an external source, an item identifier for the at least one item; and   access an item catalog database based on the item identifier to determine the one or more item inventory levels for the at least one item.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more storage devices store instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to further cause the one or more computers to:
 receive, from an electronic marketing communication transmission service, an item identifier for the at least one item; and   notify the electronic marketing communication transmission service of the predicted inventory level.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more storage devices store instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to further cause the one or more computers to:
 generate the predictive model based on regression analysis of first historical data for the one or more item attributes and second historical data for the or more item inventory levels.   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more storage devices store instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to further cause the one or more computers to:
 determine an actual inventory level for the at least one item at the threshold interval of time;   determine an error between the actual inventory level and the predicted inventory level; and   update the predictive model based on the error.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more storage devices store instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to further cause the one or more computers to:
 determine an actual inventory level for the at least one item at the threshold interval of time;   determine an error between the actual inventory level and the predicted inventory level; and   adjust a weight of at least one item attribute from the one or more item attributes based on the error.   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more storage devices store instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to further cause the one or more computers to:
 select the at least one item for inclusion in the electronic communication in response to a determination the predicted inventory level for the at least one item is greater than a threshold inventory level.   
     
     
         31 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 calculating a predicted inventory level for at least one item using a predictive model and based at least in part on one or more item attributes and one or more item inventory levels associated with the at least one item; and   transmitting, to a consumer device and in response to determining that the predicted inventory level indicates a quantity of the at least one item will remain available for purchase for a threshold interval of time, an electronic communication that comprises content related to the at least one item.   
     
     
         32 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 employing the predictive model to determine the predicted inventory level at a particular time subsequent to a previous calculation for a previous predicted inventory level for the at least one item.   
     
     
         33 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 receiving, from an external source, an item identifier for the at least one item; and   accessing an item catalog database based on the item identifier to determine the one or more item attributes for the at least one item.   
     
     
         34 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 receiving, from an external source, an item identifier for the at least one item; and   accessing an item catalog database based on the item identifier to determine the one or more item inventory levels for the at least one item.   
     
     
         35 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 generating the predictive model based on regression analysis of first historical data for the one or more item attributes and second historical data for the or more item inventory levels.   
     
     
         36 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 determining an actual inventory level for the at least one item at the threshold interval of time;   determining an error between the actual inventory level and the predicted inventory level; and   updating the predictive model based on the error.   
     
     
         37 . A computer program product, stored on a computer readable medium, comprising instructions that when executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to:
 calculate a predicted inventory level for at least one item using a predictive model based at least in part on one or more item attributes and one or more item inventory levels associated with the at least one item; and   transmit, to a consumer device and in response to a determination that the predicted inventory level indicates a quantity of the at least one item will remain available for purchase for a threshold interval of time, an electronic communication that comprises content related to the at least one item.   
     
     
         38 . The computer program product of  claim 37 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computers, further cause the one or more computers to:
 receive, from an external source, an item identifier for the at least one item; and   access an item catalog database based on the item identifier to determine the one or more item attributes for the at least one item.   
     
     
         39 . The computer program product of  claim 37 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computers, further cause the one or more computers to:
 receive, from an external source, an item identifier for the at least one item; and   access an item catalog database based on the item identifier to determine the one or more item inventory levels for the at least one item.   
     
     
         40 . The computer program product of  claim 37 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computers, further cause the one or more computers to:
 determine an actual inventory level for the at least one item at the threshold interval of time;   determine an error between the actual inventory level and the predicted inventory level; and   update the predictive model based on the error.