Abstract: The present invention provides a method of and apparatus for storing a retail performance metric. The retail performance metric is determined by recording the time the system waited for and received an input. The retail performance metric type is determined as a function of the input received by the system. A retail performance metric is recorded as a function of the time the system waited for an input and the retail performance metric type and is recorded separately from the specific event causing the RPM.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a system and method of encouraging customers to review purchased items. Customers are provided with review requests a predetermined amount of time after the customer has purchased an item or had the item delivered. The predetermined amount of time is related to an estimated time it will take the customer to evaluate the item. The reviews may include textual reviews that are presented to other customers and/or item ratings that are used to generate personal recommendations.

Abstract: An article of manufacture is provided including a computer with memory including stored therein a first list of employees each having a criteria of eligibility data associated therewith and a second list of work area functions each having a criteria of eligibility data associated therewith; a computer usable code having a computer readable program code medium embodied therein for controlling the transfer of a shift change in a place of employment, the computer readable program code medium in said article of manufacture including computer-readable program code for causing the computer to ascertain an identity of an owner of a shift, computer-readable program code for causing the computer to ascertain an identity of a recipient of a shift, and computer-readable program code for causing the computer to approve the transferring of a shift of the owner to the recipient only if the eligibility data of the recipient matches that of the work area function associated with the shift of the owner.

Abstract: A collection request inputted at a consignor destination system is recorded on an electronic tag attached to freight and sent to a collection management system so as to be received. During collection of freight, information concerning collection is recorded on the electronic tag by means of a terminal unit and the collection information is sent to the collection management system. Anin-base station freight information management system informs a freight information overall management system of the collection information and information concerning freight passing through the base station. The freight information overall management system acquires a transport history of the freight on the basis of the information sent from the in-base station freight information management system, calculates a delivery schedule of the freight and informs it to each in-base station freight information management system.

Abstract: A set of data is received containing values associated with respective data points, the values associated with each of the data points being characterized by a distribution. The values for each of the data points are expressed in a form that includes information about a distribution of the values for each of the data points. The distribution information is used in clustering the set of data with at least one other set of data containing values associated with data points.

Abstract: A method of generating a real time global sales forecast for a company includes steps of defining an hierarchical structure for a sales force of the company and defining a place within the structure for each member thereof. Original pipeline sales information may then be remotely entered by members of the sales force and tagged to the customer, to the relevant product and/or services and to that member of the sales force having entered it. Pipeline sales information included in the original pipeline sales information may then be selectively modified to generate forecast sales information that is also stored and tagged. The original pipeline sales information is maintained unchanged in the database. The stored sales forecast and/or pipeline information may then be selectively aggregated according to the hierarchical structure to generate a real time sales forecast over a selected time period.