# US 8,751,334 B2 · Item substitution for unavailable items relating to a customer order > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,751,334 B2 - Document ID: US8751334B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/334,449 - Filed: 2011-12-22 - Published: 2012-04-19 - Granted: 2014-06-10 - Earliest claimed: 2000-12-27 - Assignees: IpVenture, Inc. - Applicants: Joyo Wijaya; Louis H. Borders - Inventors: Joyo Wijaya; Louis H. Borders - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8751334B2 ## CPC - G06Q 30/0635: {replenishment orders; recurring orders} - G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders - G06Q 10/08726: {for replenishment processing, procedures, or recommendations using forecasting or optimisation} - G06Q 10/0875: Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials - G06Q 30/0201: Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data - G06Q 30/0601: Electronic shopping [e-shopping] - G06Q 30/0613: {using intermediate agents} - G06Q 30/0617: {Representative agent} - G06Q 30/0631: {Recommending goods or services} - G06Q 30/0633: {Managing shopping lists, e.g. compiling or processing purchase lists (shipping orders G06Q10/083; order filling G06Q10/087)} - G06Q 30/0641: {utilising user interfaces specially adapted for shopping} - G06Q 30/0643: {graphically representing goods, e.g. 3D product representation} - G06Q 10/0874: {Inventory fulfillment (shipping G06Q10/083)} - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A technique is disclosed for automatically implementing item substitutions for unavailable items in a customer order. According to one embodiment, line item orders from selected customer orders may be aggregated and processed for substitution analysis. Substitutions for unavailable items of selected customer orders may then be automatically implemented based upon substitution instructions, business rules, and/or other predefined criteria. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method for effecting, via a computer network, substitution of at least one ordered item of at least one customer order at an online store, the method comprising: receiving, via the computer network, a plurality of customer orders placed by a plurality of customers; analyzing, by executing instructions via at least one computing device, the plurality of customer orders to identify an item in the orders having been oversold, before delivering items in the orders to the plurality of customers; and substituting the oversold item with a substituted item for a customer order based on at least one substitution rule retrieved from a storage device, the storage device being accessible by the at least one computing device, wherein said substituting selects, from a plurality of customer orders that include the oversold item, at least one customer order that asks for the largest quantity of the oversold item so that the number of orders requiring substitution for the oversold item can be reduced. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one substitution rule is configured to minimize the number of items to be substituted for a customer order. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one substitution rule restricts substituting an item in a customer order if the customer so specifies when the customer places the customer order. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one substitution rule restricts substituting all items in a customer order if the customer so specifies when the customer places the customer order. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one substitution rule restricts substituting an oversold item if the oversold item is a regulated product. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one substitution rule restricts substituting an oversold item by a substituted item having a different regulation code. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one substitution restricts substituting an oversold item in a customer order by a substituted item if the customer order already includes the substituted item. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the price of the oversold item is lower than the price of the substituted item, and wherein the customer paying for the customer order is charged the price of the oversold item, which is lower than the price of the substituted item. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the size of the oversold item is smaller than the size of the substituted item. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the oversold item is a non-premium brand, but the substituted item is a premium brand. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the oversold item is identified to be substituted in view of its shelf-life being shorter than a plurality of other items that customers can order via the online store. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the cost incurred by the customer for the substituted item is not greater than the cost otherwise would have been for the oversold item. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein of the quantity of oversold item ordered by a customer, a portion of them is substituted by the substituted item, and the remaining portion is filled by the oversold item. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprising allowing a merchant to enter information regarding at least one item via a publishing system, wherein at least one customer of the online store is allowed to access the information from the online store regarding the at least one item, wherein the at least one item from the merchant has become an oversold item, and wherein the online store notifies the merchant that the at least one item from the merchant has become an oversold item. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 14, wherein the online store allows the merchant to provide a solution regarding the at least one item becoming an oversold item before the online store fulfills a customer order asking for the at least one item. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 15, wherein the merchant determines an item to substitute for the at least one item, which the online store follows. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein a plurality of optional substituted items are identified to be the substituted item, and wherein the plurality of optional substituted items are ranked for substitution. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein said substituting depends on a preference specified by the customer of the at least one customer order. ### Claim 19 A computer-implemented method for effecting, via a computer network, substitution of at least one ordered item of at least one customer order at an online store, the method comprising: receiving, via the computer network, a plurality of customer orders placed by a plurality of customers; analyzing, by executing instructions via at least one computing device, the plurality of customer orders to identify an item in the orders having been oversold, before delivering items in the orders to the plurality of customers; and substituting the oversold item with a substituted item for a customer order based on at least one substitution rule from a storage device, the storage device being accessible by the at least one computing device, wherein the at least one substitution rule is configured to minimize the number of items to be substituted for a customer order. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 19, wherein said substituting depends on a preference specified by the customer of the customer order. ### Claim 21 A computer-implemented method for effecting, via a computer network, substitution of at least one ordered item of at least one customer order at an online store, the method comprising: receiving, via the computer network, a customer order placed by a customer; analyzing, by executing instructions via at least one processor, the customer order with at least one other customer order to identify an item in the customer orders having been oversold, before delivering items in the orders to the customers; notifying the merchant that provides the oversold item to the online store that the item has become oversold; and allowing the merchant to provide at least a part of a solution regarding the item becoming an oversold item before the online store fulfills a customer order asking for the item, wherein at least a part of the solution is configured to be stored in a storage device, which is accessible by the at least one processor. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 21, wherein the merchant determines an item to substitute for the oversold item, which the online store follows. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 21, wherein at least a part of the solution depends on a preference specified by the customer of the customer order. ### Claim 24 A computer-implemented method for effecting, via a computer network, substitution of at least one ordered item of at least one customer order at an online store, the method comprising: receiving, via the computer network, a plurality of customer orders placed by a plurality of customers; analyzing, by executing instructions via at least one computing device, the plurality of customer orders to identify an item in the orders having been oversold, before delivering items in the orders to the plurality of customers; and substituting the oversold item with a substituted item for a customer order based on at least one substitution rule in a storage device, the storage device being accessible by the at least one computing device, wherein the method further comprises determining whether to upgrade the oversold item based on size and/or brand. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 24, wherein said substituting depends on a preference specified by the customer of the customer order. ### Claim 26 A computer-implemented method for effecting, via a computer network, substitution of at least one ordered item of at least one customer order at an online store, the method comprising: receiving, via the computer network, a plurality of customer orders placed by a plurality of customers; analyzing, by executing instructions via at least one computing device, the plurality of customer orders collectively to identify an item having been oversold, based on information from the plurality of customer orders, before delivering items in the orders to the plurality of customers; and substituting the oversold item with a substituted item for a customer order from a customer based on at least one substitution rule retrieved from a storage device, the storage device being accessible by the at least one computing device. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 26, wherein the substituting depends on a preference specified by the customer. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 26 further comprising providing information to the customer regarding an item not being available until a specific date. ### Claim 29 A computer-implemented method for effecting, via a computer network, substitution of at least one ordered item of at least one customer order at an online store, the method comprising: receiving, via the computer network, a plurality of customer orders placed by a plurality of customers; analyzing, by executing instructions via at least one computing device, the plurality of customer orders to identify an item in the orders having been oversold, before delivering items in the orders to the plurality of customers; substituting the oversold item with a substituted item for a customer order from a customer based on at least one substitution rule retrieved from a storage device, the storage device being accessible by the at least one computing device; and charging the customer the lower of the two prices of either the oversold item or the substituted item. ### Claim 30 A computer-implemented method for effecting, via a computer network, substitution of at least one ordered item of at least one customer order at an online store, the method comprising: receiving, via the computer network, a plurality of customer orders placed by a plurality of customers; analyzing, by executing instructions via at least one computing device, the plurality of customer orders to identify an item in the orders having been oversold, before delivering items in the orders to the plurality of customers; substituting the oversold item with a substituted item for a customer order from a customer based on at least one substitution rule retrieved from a storage device, the storage device being accessible by the at least one computing device; and not charging the customer for the substituted item. ### Claim 31 A computer-implemented method for effecting, via a computer network, substitution of at least one ordered item of at least one customer order at an online store, the method comprising: receiving, via the computer network, a plurality of customer orders placed by a plurality of customers; analyzing, by executing instructions via at least one computing device, the plurality of customer orders to identify an item in the orders having been oversold, before delivering items in the orders to the plurality of customers; and substituting the oversold item with a substituted item for a customer order from a customer based on at least one substitution rule retrieved from a storage device, the storage device being accessible by the at least one computing device, wherein another substitution rule restricts substituting all items in another customer order from another customer responsive to the another customer so specifying at the time the another customer places the another customer order. ### Claim 32 A computer-implemented method for effecting, via a computer network, substitution of at least one ordered item of at least one customer order at an online store, the method comprising: receiving, via the computer network, a plurality of customer orders placed by a plurality of customers; analyzing, by executing instructions via at least one computing device, the plurality of customer orders to identify an item in the orders having been oversold, before delivering items in the orders to the plurality of customers; and substituting the oversold item with a substituted item for a customer order from a customer based on at least one substitution rule retrieved from a storage device, the storage device being accessible by the at least one computing device, wherein another substitution rule restricts substituting an item in another customer order from another customer responsive to the another customer so specifying at the time the another customer places the another customer order.