Computer-implemented systems and methods for intelligent prediction of out of stock items and proactive reordering

Abstract

Methods and systems for determining a cause of out of stock condition by running a decision tree against historical information associated with the out of stock item and contacting a supplier of the out of stock item to request items based on the determined cause. The system receives information associated with an out of stock item from a system storing information associated with items in a fulfillment center, the information collected over an extended period, determines a cause of the out of stock condition by running a decision tree against the received information, the decision tree includes a plurality of conditions, and predicts an out of stock condition of the item based on the determined cause. Based on the prediction, the system contacts a supplier of the out of stock item to request more items.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system, comprising:
 one or more memory devices storing instructions;   one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising:
 receiving information associated with an out of stock item from a system storing information associated with items in a fulfillment center, the information collected over an extended period; 
 determining a cause of the out of stock condition by running a decision tree against the received information, the decision tree including one or more conditions selected from a low forecast for purchasing the out of stock item, an unexecuted purchase order, an unreceived purchase order by a supplier, a failure from a supplier to deliver an ordered amount of the out of stock item, a defect with the out of stock item, and a canceled purchase order; 
 predicting an out of stock condition of the item based on the determined cause; 
 contacting, based on the prediction, a supplier of the out of stock item to order one or more items of the out of stock item; 
 ordering the one or more items of the out of stock item from the supplier; and 
 monitoring the status of the order. 
   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein determining a cause of the out of stock condition by running a decision tree comprises:
 measuring a purity for each of the one or more conditions;   choosing from the one or more conditions the condition with the highest purity that splits a decision tree into branches;   storing the chosen condition in a data structure;   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein determining a cause of the out of stock condition by running a decision tree further comprises:
 repeating measuring a purity for each remaining condition and choosing a condition with the highest purity to form a sub-divided branch based on the chosen condition until all conditions split the decision tree into branches; and   determining a cause of out of stock condition by finding a condition forming the longest path from a root of the decision tree.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the operations further comprise limiting a number of conditions for measuring a purity. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the purity provides a certainty about whether an item is out of stock or not after a condition splits a decision tree. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the purity is symmetric. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising:
 preventing the determined cause of the out of stock condition from affecting ordering the one or more items of the out of stock item.   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the information associated with an out of stock item includes at least one cause for the out of stock condition on a day. 
     
     
         29 . The system of claim  1 , wherein monitoring the status of the order comprises contacting a supplier to check on status of purchase orders associated with the out of stock item. 
     
     
         30 . A method for determining a cause of out of stock condition, comprising:
 receiving information associated with an out of stock item from a system storing information associated with items in a fulfillment center, the information collected over an extended period;   determining a cause of the out of stock condition by running a decision tree against the received information, the decision tree includes one or more conditions selected from a low forecast for purchasing the out of stock item, an unexecuted purchase order, an unreceived purchase order by a supplier, a failure from a supplier to deliver an ordered amount of the out of stock item, a defect with the out of stock item, and a canceled purchase order;   predicting an out of stock condition of the item based on the determined cause;   ordering, based on the prediction, one or more of the out of stock item from a supplier; and   monitoring the status of the order.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein determining a cause of the out of stock condition by running a decision tree comprises:
 measuring a purity for each of the one or more conditions; and   choosing from the one or more conditions the condition with the highest purity that splits a decision tree into branches.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein determining a cause of the out of stock condition by running a decision tree further comprises:
 repeating measuring a purity for each remaining condition and choosing a condition with the highest purity to form a sub-divided branch based on the chosen condition until all conditions split the decision tree into branches; and   determining a cause of out of stock condition by finding a condition forming the longest path from a root of the decision tree.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the operations further comprise limiting a number of conditions for measuring a purity. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the purity provides a certainty about whether an item is out of stock or not after a condition splits a decision tree. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the purity is symmetric. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 preventing the determined cause of the out of stock condition from affecting ordering the one or more items of the out of stock item.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the information associated with an out of stock item include at least one cause for the out of stock condition on a day. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the operations further comprise contacting a supplier to check on status of purchase orders associated with the out of stock item. 
     
     
         39 . A system, comprising:
 one or more memory devices storing instructions;   one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising:
 receiving information associated with an out of stock item from a system storing information associated with items in a fulfillment center, the information collected over an extended period; 
 determining a cause of the out of stock condition by running a decision tree including a limited number of conditions against the received information, wherein determining a cause of the out of stock condition by running a decision tree comprises:
 measuring a purity for each condition, the purity providing a certainty about whether an item is out of stock or not after a condition splits a decision tree; and 
 choosing a condition with the highest purity that splits a decision tree into branches; 
 
 predicting an out of stock condition of the item based on the determined cause; 
 ordering, based on the prediction, one or more of the out of stock item from a supplier; 
 monitoring the status of the order; and 
 preventing the determined cause of the out of stock condition from affecting ordering the one or more items of the out of stock item. 
   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein determining a cause of the out of stock condition by running a decision tree further comprises:
 repeating measuring a purity for each of remaining condition and choosing a condition with the highest purity to form a sub-divided branch based on the chosen condition until all conditions split the decision tree into branches; and   determining a cause of out of stock condition by finding a condition forming the longest path from a root of the decision tree.