An order for a product or service can be processed over a global network using emoji characters. A system server establishes a platform for a user to place a request order for the product or service, and the user is enabled to place the request order for delivery of the product or service by depositing an emoji character. The system server maps the emoji character to the product or service. The system server generates a fill order for the product or service and communicates the fill order to a provider, whereupon the system server directs the provider to fulfill the fill order.

An online concierge system allows users to order items within discrete time intervals later than a time when an order was received or for short-term fulfillment when the order was received. To account for a number of shoppers available to fulfill orders during different discrete time intervals and numbers of orders for fulfillment during different discrete time intervals, the online concierge system specifies a target rate for orders fulfilled later than a specified discrete time interval and a threshold from the target rate. A trained machine learning model periodically predicts a percentage of orders being fulfilled late, with an order associated with a predicted percentage when the order was received. The online concierge system increases a price of orders associated with predicted percentages greater than the threshold from the target rate. The increased price of an order is determined from a price elasticity curve and the predicted percentage.

An information processing device according to the present disclosure acquires first information relating to a specific commodity having a possibility of being purchased by a user. In addition, the information processing device acquires second information relating to a position of the user. Moreover, the information processing device allocates a specific vehicle on which the specific commodity is loaded to the user based on the first information and the second information.

This application relates to apparatus and methods for automatically scheduling pickup and deliveries of ordered items. In some examples, an order for purchased items is received. The order may be for pickup or delivery. A first subset of a plurality of vendors are determined to be eligible to execute the pickup or delivery based on applying a set of vendor rules to the order. From the first subset of vendors, a second set of vendors are determined to have capacity based on applying a first set of algorithms to the order and to capacity data. The second set of vendors may then be ranked based on applying a second set of algorithms to the order and to performance data. The order is assigned to the highest ranked vendor. In some examples, the first set of algorithms and the second set of algorithms include one or more trained machine learning models.

A computerized method (200) of performing a purchase and an associated communication system are disclosed. A customer mobile computing device (CMCD) communicates (210) with a server computing device (SCD) to generate an order for the purchase. The server computing device (SCD) communicates (220) with a payment processor computing device (PPCD) to perform a first part of a payment transaction for the purchase, wherein the first part of the payment transaction involves reserving funds for the purchase. A merchant computing device (MCD) performs (230) a digital handshake procedure with the customer mobile computing device (CMCD). The digital handshake procedure involves short-range wireless data communication to verify spatial proximity between the customer mobile computing device (CMCD) and the merchant computing device (MCD). When spatial proximity has been verified, the merchant computing device (MCD) communicates (240) with the server computing device (SCD) to accept the order. The server computing device (SCD) communicates (250) with the payment processor computing device (PPCD) to perform a second part of the payment transaction, wherein the second part of the payment transaction involves capturing funds for the purchase.

A computer-implemented method comprising, receiving, by one or more processors, a request to create a listing for a purchase of a product or service, wherein a quantity of greater than two of the product or service is required, analyzing, by one or more processors, a set of requirements to purchase the product or service based on a set of seller's requirements, applying, by one or more processors, the set of seller requirements to the listing, wherein the listing is depicted within a user interface, determining, by one or more processors, if a length of time restrictions has expired or a predetermined number of purchasers have joined the listing to purchase the product or service, wherein a user interface is manipulated based on the determination, and processing, by one or more processors, the listing based on the determination.

When a new order is received and is to be inserted into an unprepared order queue for order preparation. The new order's items and items' ingredients are obtained along with expected preparation/cook time for each ingredient. Items and ingredients for the orders that are already in the queue are also inspected along with the times that each order was placed in the queue. A machine-learning model is processed with the data associated with the orders and the new order. The model returns an optimized rearrangement of the queue with the new order inserted into the queue that levels out the expected order wait times, reduces variations in order wait times, and minimizes order preparation times based on the rearranged/modified queue. The optimized queue is presented on a display associated with staff responsible for preparing the orders of the queue.

The present invention discloses a system and method of delivering food items or products of interests from the space-vending machine housed in a space shuttle or the orbiter to the astronaut's specific location on the International Space Station. More precisely, the orbiter docks into the desired experiment module from where it receives the order and delivers it on the International Space Station.

Systems and methods can enhance efficiencies of order fulfillment processes. For example, this document describes systems and methods for optimizing the efficiency of multiple order sortation process lines to expedite order processing in a cost-effective manner. In some embodiments, this innovation includes an efficient method for loading or filling the capacity of multiple parallel order sortation process lines so that they operate at peak efficiently and the operators are utilized at a high level. Additionally, the systems and methods promote efficiency enhancements of order sortation equipment by reducing the potential for downtime due to material flow interferences.

Examples include a HUD that (i) identifies a fulfillment route comprising item entries, each comprising an item identifier and item location corresponding to a location within a given environment, (ii) presents a visualization corresponding to a first item entry that includes an indication of a first item location, (iii) based on a first sound and/or visual input, verifies that there is an instance of a first item identified in the first item entry, (iv) based on the verification, presents a placement visualization representing item receptacles in the given environment and a placement indication identifying a target item receptacle that is to receive the first item, (v) based on a second sound and/or visual input, determines that the target item receptacle received the first item, and (vi) based on the determination, presents a second visualization corresponding to a second item entry that includes an indication of a second item location.