Fulfillment center and retail store fulfillment of retail orders

A system comprising:

• a fulfillment center;
• a retail store located remote from the fulfillment center;
• a central order management system comprising a first processor and a first memory device coupled to the first processor, the first memory device comprising instructions executable by the first processor that, when executed, cause the first processor of the central order management system to:
• receive, from a customer device, data related to a first order of a plurality of retail items for pick-up or delivery, wherein the data from the customer device is packaged in a first data structure;
• parse the data packaged in the first data structure into a second data structure by creating one or more order records comprising a first set of customer-related data, store-related data associated with a retail store, and at least one of the plurality of retail items, wherein the second data structure is suitable for storage in an order database and the first data structure is not suitable for storage in the order database;
• store the parsed data in the order database;
• and
• select, using the central order management system, a preferred source location from which to source a retail item of the plurality of retail items in the first order, the preferred source location being selected from the group consisting of:
• the fulfillment center and the retail store, wherein the instructions further cause the first processor to select the preferred source location comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the first processor to:
• determine an amount of time remaining until the delivery time or pick-up time associated with the first order;
• determine a predetermined threshold based, at least in part, on an amount of time needed to prepare and deliver the retail items from the fulfillment center to the retail store;
• select the preferred source location to be the fulfillment center in response to determining that the retail items are available at the fulfillment center;
• and
• select the preferred source location to be the retail store in response to determining that the amount of time remaining until the delivery time or the pick-up time is less than the predetermined threshold;
• one or more order processing servers comprising a second processor and a second memory device coupled to the second processor, the second memory device comprising instructions executable by the second processor that, when executed, cause the second processor of the one or more order processing servers to generate one more tasks associated with:
• if the fulfillment center is selected as the preferred source location, preparing the first order at the fulfillment center and loading the first order onto a transportation vehicle for transportation to the retail store;
• and
• if the retail store is selected as the preferred source location, preparing the first order at the retail store, wherein for at least one retail item in the first order, the at least one retail item in the first order is available at both the fulfillment center and the retail store;
• and
• one or more pieces of automation equipment in the fulfillment center, wherein the executable instructions, when executed, further cause the second processor of the one or more order processing servers to generate the one or more tasks associated with preparing the first portion of the order by outputting one or more control signals for operating the automation equipment.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform functions, including functions to:

• receive, from a customer device, data related to a first order of a plurality of retail items for pick-up or delivery, wherein the data from the customer device is packaged in a first data structure;
• parse the data packaged in the first data structure into a second data structure by creating one or more order records comprising customer-related data, store-related data associated with a retail store, and at least one of the plurality of retail items, wherein the second data structure is suitable for storage in an order database and the first data structure is not suitable for storage in the order database;
• store the parsed data in the order database;
• select, a preferred source location from which to source a retail item of the plurality of retail items in the first order, the preferred source location being selected from the group consisting of:
• a fulfillment center and the retail store, wherein the retail store is located remote from the fulfillment center, and wherein selecting the preferred source location for the first order comprises:
• determining, using the central order management system, an amount of time remaining until a delivery time or a pick-up time associated with the first order;
• determining, using the central order management system, a predetermined threshold based, at least in part, on the amount of time needed to prepare and deliver the retail items from the fulfillment center to the retail store;
• selecting, using the central order management system, the preferred source location to be the fulfillment center in response to determining that the retail items are available at the fulfillment center;
• and
• selecting, using the central order management system, the preferred source location to be the retail store in response to determining that the amount of time remaining until the delivery time or the pick-up time is less than the predetermined threshold;
• and
• generate one or more tasks associated with:
• if the fulfillment center is selected as the preferred source location, preparing the first order at the fulfillment center and loading the first portion of the first order onto a transportation vehicle for transportation to the retail store, wherein preparing the first order comprises outputting one or more control signals to automation equipment in the fulfillment center;
• and
• if the retail store is selected as the preferred source location, preparing the first order at the retail store, wherein for at least one retail item in the first order, the at least one retail item in the first order is available at both the fulfillment center and the retail store.