International Business Machines Corporation
DATA-DRIVEN BASED ONLINE-LOCAL STORE MATCH

Abstract:

An online store offering a product that is currently unavailable can still fulfill an order for the product by querying a multi-store inventory database to see if the product is available from brick-and-mortar stores near the customer. Proximity of local stores is based on a customer location in the customer's profile. Local store selection can be based on product matching policies such as a threshold price difference for the product compared to the online store price. If the customer approves local store pickup, the service generates a voucher to purchase the product directly from the local stores, and presents it to the customer via the online presence. The customer can then redeem the voucher at any of the indicated local stores and pick up the product. When the system receives confirmation of redemption of the voucher, a credit is issued from the online store to the local store.