Distributing Consumer Demand Upstream in a Supply Chain

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.

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.