Abstract: The online concierge system generates task units based on orders and assigns batches of task units to pickers. The online concierge system generates task units based on received orders. The online concierge system generates permutations of these task units to generate candidate sets of task batches. The online concierge system scores each of these candidate sets, and selects a set of task batches to assign to pickers based on the scores. Additionally, to determine which task UI to display to the picker, the picker client device uses a UI state machine. The UI state machine is a state machine where each state corresponds to a task UI to display on the picker client device. The state transitions between the UI states of the UI state machine indicate which UI state to transition to from a current UI state based on the next task unit in the received task batch.

Abstract: An online concierge system receives two types of orders, one of which requires fulfillment in a specific time interval, while the other can be fulfilled anytime up to a specific time interval. A machine learning model, trained on historical data about available shoppers in discrete time intervals, is used to predict how many shoppers will be available to fulfill orders in each time interval. For each time interval, the system retrieves the relevant orders of both types and creates candidate groups including orders of both types. For each group, the system determines a fulfillment cost based on items in the orders. The candidate group with the lowest cost is selected, and the orders in the selected group are sent to devices of available shoppers in that interval, prompting the shoppers to view and fulfill the orders.

Abstract: An online concierge system receives information describing orders from its customers and generates a route for each order based on this information. The routes are partitioned into multiple sets of routes and multiple candidate generation processes are executed in parallel. During execution of a candidate generation process, one or more routes included in each set of routes are paired with shoppers of the system based on a set of constraints, producing multiple route-shopper pairs. A cost associated with each route-shopper pair is determined based on attributes associated with each shopper and/or information associated with each route of the pair. During an optimization process, which is executed asynchronously with the candidate generation process, one or more route-shopper pairs are selected based on pairing-cost data identifying route-shopper pairs and their associated costs. One or more requests to fulfill orders are sent to one or more shoppers based on the selected route-shopper pair(s).

Abstract: An online concierge system allows users to order items within discrete time intervals later than a time when an order was received. The online concierge system allocates a specified percentage of an estimated number of shoppers during a discrete time interval to fulfilling orders received before the discrete time interval. An order may include a flag authorizing flexible fulfillment of the order along with a discrete time interval, which allows the order to be fulfilled earlier than the identified discrete time interval. The online concierge system generates groups of multiple orders authorizing flexible fulfillment and determines a cost for fulfilling different groups of orders. The online concierge system identifies a group of orders authorizing flexible fulfillment having a minimum cost for fulfillment by a shopper, allowing for more allocation of shoppers by enabling grouping of orders identifying different discrete time intervals.

Abstract: An online shopping concierge system identifies a set of delivery orders and a set of delivery agents associated with a location. The system allocates the orders among the agents, each agent being allocated at least one order. The system obtains agent progress data describing travel progress of the agents to the location, and order preparation progress data describing progress of preparing the orders for delivery. The system periodically updates the allocation of the orders among the agents based on the agent progress data and the order preparation progress data. This involves re-allocating at least one order to a different delivery agent. When a first agent arrives at the location, the system assigns to the first agent the orders allocated to the first agent. The system then removes the first agent from the set of available delivery agents, and removes the assigned delivery orders from the set of delivery orders.

Abstract: An online shopping concierge system identifies a set of delivery orders and a set of delivery agents associated with a location. The system allocates the orders among the agents, each agent being allocated at least one order. The system obtains agent progress data describing travel progress of the agents to the location, and order preparation progress data describing progress of preparing the orders for delivery. The system periodically updates the allocation of the orders among the agents based on the agent progress data and the order preparation progress data. This involves re-allocating at least one order to a different delivery agent. When a first agent arrives at the location, the system assigns to the first agent the orders allocated to the first agent. The system then removes the first agent from the set of available delivery agents, and removes the assigned delivery orders from the set of delivery orders.

Abstract: An online concierge system allows users to order items within discrete time intervals later than a time when an order was received. The online concierge system allocates a specified percentage of an estimated number of shoppers during a discrete time interval to fulfilling orders received before the discrete time interval. An order may include a flag authorizing flexible fulfillment of the order along with a discrete time interval, which allows the order to be fulfilled earlier than the identified discrete time interval. The online concierge system generates groups of multiple orders authorizing flexible fulfillment and determines a cost for fulfilling different groups of orders. The online concierge system identifies a group of orders authorizing flexible fulfillment having a minimum cost for fulfillment by a shopper, allowing for more allocation of shoppers by enabling grouping of orders identifying different discrete time intervals.

Abstract: An online shopping concierge system identifies a set of delivery orders and a set of delivery agents associated with a location. The system allocates the orders among the agents, each agent being allocated at least one order. The system obtains agent progress data describing travel progress of the agents to the location, and order preparation progress data describing progress of preparing the orders for delivery. The system periodically updates the allocation of the orders among the agents based on the agent progress data and the order preparation progress data. This involves re-allocating at least one order to a different delivery agent. When a first agent arrives at the location, the system assigns to the first agent the orders allocated to the first agent. The system then removes the first agent from the set of available delivery agents, and removes the assigned delivery orders from the set of delivery orders.

Abstract: An online shopping concierge system identifies a set of delivery orders and a set of delivery agents associated with a location. The system allocates the orders among the agents, each agent being allocated at least one order. The system obtains agent progress data describing travel progress of the agents to the location, and order preparation progress data describing progress of preparing the orders for delivery. The system periodically updates the allocation of the orders among the agents based on the agent progress data and the order preparation progress data. This involves re-allocating at least one order to a different delivery agent. When a first agent arrives at the location, the system assigns to the first agent the orders allocated to the first agent. The system then removes the first agent from the set of available delivery agents, and removes the assigned delivery orders from the set of delivery orders.

Abstract: An online shopping concierge system identifies a set of delivery orders and a set of delivery agents associated with a location. The system allocates the orders among the agents, each agent being allocated at least one order. The system obtains agent progress data describing travel progress of the agents to the location, and order preparation progress data describing progress of preparing the orders for delivery. The system periodically updates the allocation of the orders among the agents based on the agent progress data and the order preparation progress data. This involves re-allocating at least one order to a different delivery agent. When a first agent arrives at the location, the system assigns to the first agent the orders allocated to the first agent. The system then removes the first agent from the set of available delivery agents, and removes the assigned delivery orders from the set of delivery orders.