Order allocation to select from inventory locations stocking few units of inventory

A computer implemented method of filling a customer order in a distribution center having multiple inventory locations for stocking a plurality of items, the method comprising:

• using a computer to identify a replicated item from the customer order, which replicated item is stocked in at least a first inventory location and a second inventory location;
• determining that units of the replicated item in the first and second inventory locations expire within a single expiration window;
• and
• choosing to fill the customer order with units of the replicated item stocked in the second inventory location, wherein the first inventory location has a first number of units of the replicated item and the second inventory location has a second number of units of the replicated item, and wherein the first number is greater than the second number.

A distribution center having inventory arranged for filling customer orders, the distribution center comprising:

• at least one ambient having a plurality of pods, with each pod having multiple inventory locations for storing a plurality of items;
• and
• a computerized warehouse management system that performs a throughput analysis to select a pod to provide at least some of the items necessary to fill a customer order, wherein the pod contains, in comparison to other pods in the distribution center, the most items of the items in the customer order which have not yet been allocated to other pods and
• wherein the warehouse management system selects replicated items stocked in at least two inventory locations in the pod based upon which of the two inventory locations has the fewer units of the replicated item.