Optimistic product order reservation system and method

A method for evaluating product orders in a multi-channel, network-based system, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a computerized order management system, a current inventory quantity of a product from a computerized inventory management system;
• storing, by the computerized order management system, the current inventory quantity as a last known inventory of the product in a store of last known inventory data;
• receiving, by the computerized order management system, an order for an order quantity of the product from a user computing device, the order received over a network;
• retrieving, by the computerized order management system, a threshold inventory quantity of the product from a store of threshold inventory data;
• retrieving, by the computerized order management system, the last known inventory quantity of the product from the last known inventory data;
• comparing, by the computerized order management system, the threshold inventory quantity of the product with the difference between the last known inventory quantity and the order quantity;
• performing, by the computerized order management system, an asynchronous reservation of the quantity of the product when the threshold inventory quantity is less than the difference between the last known inventory quantity and the order quantity, wherein an asynchronous reservation comprises the order processing system confirming the order to the user without waiting for the inventory management system to confirm the order;
• and
• performing, by the computerized order management system, a synchronous reservation of the quantity of the product when the threshold inventory quantity is greater than the difference between the last known inventory quantity and the order quantity, wherein a synchronous reservation comprises the order processing system confirming the order to the user only after the inventory management system confirms the order.

A system for evaluating product orders, the system comprising:

• an inventory management system;
• and
• an order management system configured to communicate with the computerized inventory management system over a network, the order management system comprising:
• a data storage subsystem storing threshold inventory data, last known inventory data, and product flag data;
• an order processing subsystem configured to:
• receive a current inventory quantity of a product from the inventory management system;
• store the current inventory quantity as a last known inventory of the product in the last known inventory data;
• receive an order for an order quantity of the product from a user computing device, the order received over a network;
• retrieve a threshold inventory quantity of the product from the threshold inventory data;
• retrieve the last known inventory quantity of the product from the last known inventory data;
• retrieve a status of a flag associated with the product from the flag status data, the flag having a synchronous state and an asynchronous state;
• compare the threshold inventory quantity of the product with the difference between the last known inventory quantity and the order quantity;
• perform an asynchronous reservation of the quantity of the product when the flag is in an asynchronous state and the threshold inventory quantity is less than the difference between the last known inventory quantity and the order quantity, wherein an asynchronous reservation comprises the order processing system confirming the order to the user without waiting for the inventory management system to confirm the order;
• and
• perform a synchronous reservation of the quantity of the product when the flag is in a synchronous state or the threshold inventory quantity is greater than the difference between the last known inventory quantity and the order quantity, wherein a synchronous reservation comprises the order processing system confirming the order to the user only after the inventory management system confirms the order.