System and method for tracking placement of slots on shelves in a facility and suggesting alternate product types for restocking slots

A method comprising:

• at a robotic system, autonomously navigating throughout regions of a facility to capture images of inventory structures, arranged throughout the facility, via an optical sensor integrated into the robotic system;
• and
• at a computer system:
• accessing a first image of a first inventory structure captured by the robotic system at a first time;
• identifying a first slot boundary of a first slot on the first inventory structure based on a first location of a first shelf tag arranged on the first shelf, the first shelf tag comprising a first product identifier;
• detecting a first object arranged within the first slot boundary in the first image;
• in response to the first object differing from a first template image, in a set of template images, associated with the first product identifier:
• interpreting absence of a product unit of a first product type in the first slot on the first shelf, the first product type assigned to the first product identifier;
• and
• in response to the first object corresponding to a second template image, in the set of template images, associated with a second product identifier assigned to a second product type, flagging the first image as depicting a first stocking error event characterized by occupation of product units of the second product type in the first slot;
• and
• in response to detection of the first stocking error event:
• accessing a first set of sales data associated with the second product type during an initial time period succeeding the first stocking error event;
• based on the first set of sales data, estimating a first performance score for the second product type occupying a second slot during the initial time period;
• accessing a second set of sales data associated with the second product type during the first stocking error event;
• based on the second set of sales data, estimating a second performance score for the second product type occupying the first slot and the second slot during the first stocking error event;
• and
• in response to the second performance score exceeding the first performance score:
• generating a report indicating detection of the first stocking error event and comprising a prompt to increase a quantity of slots occupied by the second product type;
• and
• transmitting the report to a facility associate affiliated with the facility.

A method comprising:

• at a robotic system, autonomously navigating throughout regions of a facility to capture images of inventory structures, arranged throughout the facility, via an optical sensor integrated into the robotic system;
• and
• at a computer system:
• accessing a first image of an inventory structure captured by the robotic system at a first time;
• detecting a first shelf tag on a first shelf depicted in the first image, the first shelf tag comprising a first product identifier;
• identifying a first slot boundary for a first slot on the first shelf based on a location of the first shelf tag on the first shelf;
• detecting absence of objects arranged within the first slot boundary on the first shelf in the first image;
• in response to detecting absence of objects arranged within the first slot boundary:
• identifying a first product type, in a set of product types, assigned to the first product identifier;
• accessing an inventory log specifying location of stock of products within the facility;
• and
• accessing a first quantity of product units of the first product type available in the facility and specified in the inventory log;
• and
• in response to the first quantity of product units of the first product type falling below a threshold quantity:
• accessing a set of slot rules assigned to the first slot on the first shelf;
• based on the set of slot rules and the inventory log, selecting a second product type for stocking in the first slot on the first shelf in replacement of the first product type;
• generating an electronic notification indicating absence of stock of the first product type and comprising a prompt to restock the first slot on the first shelf with a second quantity of product units of the second product type;
• and
• transmitting the electronic notification to an associate affiliated with the facility.