Abstract: Systems and methods for automated buying are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method may include implementing a just-in-time purchasing plan prior to arrival of a seasonal period, receiving an indication of one or more business goals corresponding to an item to be stocked in inventory during a seasonal period, and receiving an indication of one or more operational constraints corresponding to the seasonal period. The method may also include evaluating a financial cost function with a multi-constraint optimization model to provide a seasonal purchasing plan for the item during the seasonal period based, at least in part, on the business goals and operational constraints. In some cases, the business goals and operational constraints may cause the seasonal purchasing plan to depart from the just-in-time purchasing plan. The method may further include causing an automatic purchasing of the item that implements the seasonal purchasing plan during the seasonal period.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing inventory fulfillment services to customers who have small quantities of heterogeneous items to sell. A self-service registration interface for generating lists of items to sell via the inventory fulfillment service is provided. The inventory fulfillment service may provide pricing suggestions to the customer. The inventory fulfillment service may determine whether a listed item satisfies one or more listing rules. Shipping information for a list of items may be automatically generated and provided to the customer. The customer may ship the items in one shipment to a specified facility. The customer is the seller of record for all items listed. The customer may not be charged for services until an item is sold. A listing period may be specified for which listed items will be carried. If an item does not sell within the period, option(s) for disposal of the item may be provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods for supply risk detection are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method includes identifying fulfillment-related features corresponding to an item to be stored in inventory. The method also includes selecting a subset of the fulfillment-related features that is correlated with a supply constraint associated with the item. For example, in some cases the correlation is based on historical supply constraint data. The method further includes building a supply risk early detection model based, at least in part, upon the subset fulfillment-related features and evaluating the model to determine a probability that a third-party vendor will suffer a shortage of the item, as well as an expected duration of the shortage. Upon evaluation of the model, the method may include creating a purchasing plan for the item that takes into account the probability of the shortage and the expected duration of the shortage.

Abstract: Methods and systems for inventory planning are described. An inventory reduction factor for an entity, based at least in part on an estimated ability of hosted merchants to fulfill demand for an item, may be determined. An adjusted target inventory estimate may be calculated using the determined inventory reduction factor and a target inventory quantity. The hosted merchants may be merchants offering the item for sale via a sales channel through which the entity also offers the item. The hosted merchants may in some cases be merchants offering the item for sale via the entity's website.

Abstract: Systems and methods for supply risk detection are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method includes identifying fulfillment-related features corresponding to an item to be stored in inventory. The method also includes selecting a subset of the fulfillment-related features that is correlated with a supply constraint associated with the item. For example, in some cases the correlation is based on historical supply constraint data. The method further includes building a supply risk early detection model based, at least in part, upon the subset fulfillment-related features and evaluating the model to determine a probability that a third-party vendor will suffer a shortage of the item, as well as an expected duration of the shortage. Upon evaluation of the model, the method may include creating a purchasing plan for the item that takes into account the probability of the shortage and the expected duration of the shortage.

Abstract: Systems and methods for predictive drop shipping are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method may include maintaining inventory of an item that is offered for sale to customers via a webpage. A ratio may be calculated between a number of views of the webpage and a number of units of the item purchased over a first time period when a fast shipping or delivery option is available, and over a second time period when such option is not available. The method may identify the item as a candidate for drop shipping in response to the ratio being larger during the first time period than during the second time period. Upon receipt of an order, the received order may be fulfilled via drop shipping, in some cases, despite the inventory being sufficient to fulfill the order, and despite a cost of fulfillment via drop shipping being higher than fulfillment from inventory.

Abstract: A fulfillment services provider may offer export services to merchants, including generation of required export documentation; calculation, collection, and remittance of customs duties; and transportation via an international carrier. Such export services may be offered through a registration service, and may be integrated with other fulfillment services provided to registered merchants (e.g., domestic order fulfillment and/or warehousing of inventory), or may be offered to merchants that do not receive other fulfillment services from the provider. Export services may be provided to merchants who certify that all registered or specified items may be legally exported to all (or specified) international destinations, or the provider may verify compliance to export regulations on behalf of registered merchants. The provider may assume the role of Principal Party in Interest for registered merchants or the merchants may retain this role.

Abstract: A fulfillment services provider may offer export services to merchants, including generation of required export documentation; calculation, collection, and remittance of customs duties; and transportation via an international carrier. Such export services may be offered through a registration service, and may be integrated with other fulfillment services provided to registered merchants (e.g., domestic order fulfillment and/or warehousing of inventory), or may be offered to merchants that do not receive other fulfillment services from the provider. Export services may be provided to merchants who certify that all registered or specified items may be legally exported to all (or specified) international destinations, or the provider may verify compliance to export regulations on behalf of registered merchants. The provider may assume the role of Principal Party in Interest for registered merchants or the merchants may retain this role.