Shipping carton optimization system and method

A shipping optimization method for a shipper of goods, comprising:

• providing a computer-based carton optimization system, the carton optimization system comprising:
• a data store, the data store storing goods order data associated with past goods orders received by the shipper, and
• at least one computer in communication with the data store, the at least one computer running specialized carton optimization software;
• using the at least one computer to retrieve from the data store a data sample containing a number of the past goods orders;
• using the at least one computer and associated carton optimization software to perform an order cubing operation to determine a best fitted carton for each goods order contained in the data sample, which results in a set of optimally fitted cartons for all goods orders in the data sample;
• using the at least one computer and associated carton optimization software to determine an optimized carton set containing a plurality of cartons that will collectively fit all goods orders in the data sample and will also reduce dimensional weighing shipping cost;
• using the at least one computer and associated carton optimization software to predict how many future orders will use each carton size within the optimized carton set;
• and
• by way of instructions from the carton optimization system, causing an automated carton-making machine in communication with the carton optimization system to produce the various shipping cartons of the optimized carton set in the predicted required quantities thereof;
• wherein an acceptable data sample size is based on an equation selected from the group consisting of:
• n
• =
• 4
• W
• 2
• where W is in the range of sample values, and
• n
• 1
• =
• [
• Z
• ∝
• 2
• ×
• σ
• E
• ]
• 2
• where E is the maximum error, σ is the standard deviation, and Z is the critical cutoff value, resulting in a 1−α confidence level that the sample mean will fall within the maximum error E around the population mean.