Abstract: Techniques described herein are directed to, among other things, enabling customers to order items from a merchant and initiate payment for the items via electronic messages sent from customer devices. For instance, when a first network of the merchant is inoperable, or when the merchant is operating at a location where a first network is unavailable, a customer and a merchant may communicate using electronic messages sent over a second network and may request to initiate payment for items via an electronic message sent over the second network.

Abstract: This disclosure describes, in part, techniques for synchronizing data between merchants' inventories, and techniques for utilizing the data synchronization to process cross-merchant transactions. For instance, a system may store a first inventory of items indicating first items offered for purchase by a first merchant and a second inventory of items indicating second items offered for purchase by a second merchant. The system may then analyze the first inventory of items with respect to the second inventory of items to determine that the second merchant should offer a first item from the first items for purchase at a physical establishment of the second merchant on behalf of the first merchant. The system can then provide a merchant device of the second merchant with access to the second inventory of items and the first item from the first inventory of items.

Abstract: In some examples, a service provider may determine from a shift schedule that a first employee is scheduled to work a particular shift at a business within a threshold period of time. The service provider may determine, based on a location of a first mobile device of the first employee, that the first employee is unlikely to arrive at the business in time for the start of the particular shift. In response, the service provider may find a replacement employee to fill the shift of the first employee. For instance, the service provider may send the communication to a second mobile device associated with a second employee that is determined to be within a threshold distance of the business. Alternatively, if the service provider determines that the business is overstaffed on a particular day, the service provider may offer a selected employee an incentive to depart work early.

Abstract: Techniques and arrangements for facilitating synchronization of order ticket functionality utilized by point-of-sale (POS) devices with kitchen display systems. In some example, a POS device and a line buster device collectively receive a plurality of customer orders associated with a transaction between a merchant and plurality of customers. Based on individual customer orders, the POS device determines when to fire off the orders to the kitchen display system irrespective of the sequence in which they are received. In some examples, the kitchen display system then synchronizes with a customer device to provide real-time or near-real time updates on the status of the order.

Abstract: This disclosure describes, in part, techniques for synchronizing data between merchants' inventories, and techniques for utilizing the data synchronization to process cross-merchant transactions. For instance, a system may store a first inventory of items indicating first items offered for purchase by a first merchant and a second inventory of items indicating second items offered for purchase by a second merchant. The system may then analyze the first inventory of items with respect to the second inventory of items to determine that the second merchant should offer a first item from the first items for purchase at a physical establishment of the second merchant on behalf of the first merchant. The system can then provide a merchant device of the second merchant with access to the second inventory of items and the first item from the first inventory of items.

Abstract: In some examples, a service provider may associate, with an employer profile of an employer, a plurality of employee profiles of employees that are available to be assigned to one or more shifts of a plurality of shifts. The service provider may determine, based at least in part on shift information and the employee profiles, a shift schedule that indicates employee assignments for individual shifts. In some cases, in response to determining that a first shift is unfilled, the service provider may add to the shift schedule an incentive for one of the employees to select the first shift. Alternatively, in response to determining, based at least in part on the employee profiles, that multiple employees indicated a preference to work a second shift, the service provider may leave the second shift unassigned to enable the employees to bid on being assigned to work the second shift.

Abstract: In some examples, a service provider may determine from a shift schedule that a first employee is scheduled to work a particular shift at a business within a threshold period of time. The service provider may determine, based on a location of a first mobile device of the first employee, that the first employee is unlikely to arrive at the business in time for the start of the particular shift. In response, the service provider may find a replacement employee to fill the shift of the first employee. For instance, the service provider may send the communication to a second mobile device associated with a second employee that is determined to be within a threshold distance of the business. Alternatively, if the service provider determines that the business is overstaffed on a particular day, the service provider may offer a selected employee an incentive to depart work early.

Abstract: Techniques and arrangements for facilitating synchronization of order ticket functionality utilized by point-of-sale (POS) devices with kitchen display systems. In some example, a POS device and a line buster device collectively receive a plurality of customer orders associated with a transaction between a merchant and plurality of customers. Based on individual customer orders, the POS device determines when to fire off the orders to the kitchen display system irrespective of the sequence in which they are received. In some examples, the kitchen display system then determines whether or not to request payment from the customer before the order is prepared or delivered.

Abstract: Smart inventory tags are described herein. In an example, a service provider can determine interaction capability(s) for a tag associated with an item in an inventory of a merchant. The tag can be configured to be positioned proximate to the item offered for sale by the merchant at a physical store of the merchant. The service provider can receive an indication associated with a selection of at least one interaction capability of the interaction capability(s) and, based at least in part on the indication, the service provider can generate encoded information associated with the at least one interaction capability. The service provider can generate an instruction for generating the tag including the encoded information to enable a presentation of a user interface associated with the at least one interaction via a device operated by a user at the physical store of the merchant.