Authors:
Zachary Darden, Jeffrey Duska, Dan Kane, Dominic Reyes, Robert Vanderley
Abstract:
This disclosure proposes a method of identifying areas where dry goods have likely gone beyond their expiration dates.
Background:
Attention is given by Retailers to track expiration dates for perishable items like produce, dairy, meats, etc. that spoil quickly, but little attention is given to tracking expiration dates for dry goods. How can some of the new technologies assist Retailers in managing dry goods?
Description:
Retailers use heat maps to analyze shopper traffic in the store.
What if we use that data coupled with other information about product expiration and stocking dates to generate a new heat map. A heat map that shows where associates need to focus on checking for spoiled goods.
The store shopper heat map is going to have many high-volume areas, especially around the perimeter of the store for produce, dairy, meats, etc. that spoil quickly. For this disclosure, we are not really considering these items.
This disclosure is focused on a method of identifying areas where dry goods have likely gone beyond their expiration.
Possible Input Information
1) Many ways this could be obtained, but ultimately, you need to track the stocking date, quantity, and expiration date for what was stocked for each dry good type put into the store.
2) The quantity sales for that item from item movement information.
3) Foot traffic heat map information for where that good is. If the person is lingering there longer than normal, they may be sorting through items looking for non-expired boxes.
Result
1) A software system can use this information to generate a daily report and/or heat map of dry goods areas of the store that need inspection for potentially out of date items.
2) When an inspection is done, it will clear that entry in the system and can reset the expiration date tracker to the soonest expiration date noted by the inspector.
TGCS Reference 2538
