Abstract: Technologies are described herein for generating container plans for multi-item orders. The items of the order are divided into zones, where the zones may determine the picking zone and/or packaging requirements for the item. Zone-based container plans are generated for the items in the order associated with each individual zone. The container plan includes an assignment of each item to one or more logical shipping containers. A mixed container plan is also generated for all the items in the order regardless of the associated zone. If the number of logical shipping containers in the mixed container plan is less than the total number of logical shipping containers in the zone-based container plans, then a final container plan for the order is generated from the mixed container plan. Otherwise, the final container plan is generated by combining the zone-based plans for each zone associated with items in the order.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for generating container plans for multi-item orders. The items of the order are divided into zones, where the zones may determine the picking zone and/or packaging requirements for the item. Zone-based container plans are generated for the items in the order associated with each individual zone. The container plan includes an assignment of each item to one or more logical shipping containers. A mixed container plan is also generated for all the items in the order regardless of the associated zone. If the number of logical shipping containers in the mixed container plan is less than the total number of logical shipping containers in the zone-based container plans, then a final container plan for the order is generated from the mixed container plan. Otherwise, the final container plan is generated by combining the zone-based plans for each zone associated with items in the order.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for managing tote deliveries by a tote delivery service. The tote delivery service directs delivery of items ordered by customers via a network site to delivery addresses corresponding to the customers in reusable totes on upcoming tote delivery days. A user interface to the network site may provide a tote management user interface that includes one or more user interface elements via which a customer may view the customer's upcoming tote orders and modify the content, destination, or scheduling of upcoming totes. For example, the customer may move an item from one tote into another tote, remove or delete an item from a tote, and replicate an item or an entire tote order to another tote. A customer may have multiple tote delivery days and multiple delivery addresses; the tote management user interface enables the customer to manage tote deliveries across time and across location.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing recommendations and reminders to customers of a network site that provides a tote delivery service. The tote delivery service directs delivery of tote orders to delivery addresses in reusable totes on assigned tote delivery days. Information including tote delivery data may be analyzed to determine, for example, items to be recommended for purchase by customers, items that customers may want to have scheduled for regular delivery via the tote delivery service, and so on. Based on the analysis, recommendations may be sent to particular customers via one or more communications channels, for example via email or by displaying the recommendation on a web page of the network site. In addition, reminders may be provided to customers of upcoming tote delivery days. The reminders may, for example, indicate what items are scheduled for tote delivery on a given delivery day.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing multiple shipping options to customers of a network site. A user interface to the network site may provide two or more shipping options to customers of the site when ordering items offered by the site. The shipping options include a tote delivery service that directs delivery of items ordered by the customers via the network site to delivery addresses corresponding to the customers in reusable totes on scheduled tote delivery days. Selecting the tote delivery service option for an item may automatically place the item in a tote order to be delivered in a reusable tote on a specified upcoming tote delivery day. Alternatively, selecting the tote delivery service option may open a user interface that allows the customer to specify a particular tote delivery day and/or delivery address before completing the order.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for fulfilling tote delivery orders. A tote delivery service directs delivery of items ordered by customers via a network site to delivery addresses corresponding to the customers in reusable totes on assigned tote delivery days. Tote delivery data may be processed to generate bulk transfer data for fulfillment centers and zone delivery data for sortation nodes. Each fulfillment center may pick items indicated by the bulk transfer data and bulk transfer the items to particular sortation nodes. At a sortation node, the items in the received bulk transfers, and possibly items received from other sources such as direct transfers from vendors, are rebinned into totes corresponding to delivery addresses in zones. The totes are loaded onto delivery vehicles, which deliver the totes to the delivery addresses in particular zones served by the sortation node. The zones and tote delivery days may be determined by zip code.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing multiple shipping options to customers of a network site. A user interface to the network site may provide two or more shipping options to customers of the site when ordering items offered by the site. The shipping options include a tote delivery service that directs delivery of items ordered by the customers via the network site to delivery addresses corresponding to the customers in reusable totes on scheduled tote delivery days. Selecting the tote delivery service option for an item may automatically place the item in a tote order to be delivered in a reusable tote on a specified upcoming tote delivery day. Alternatively, selecting the tote delivery service option may open a user interface that allows the customer to specify a particular tote delivery day and/or delivery address before completing the order.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for managing tote deliveries by a tote delivery service. The tote delivery service directs delivery of items ordered by customers via a network site to delivery addresses corresponding to the customers in reusable totes on upcoming tote delivery days. A user interface to the network site may provide a tote management user interface that includes one or more user interface elements via which a customer may view the customer's upcoming tote orders and modify the content, destination, or scheduling of upcoming totes. For example, the customer may move an item from one tote into another tote, remove or delete an item from a tote, and replicate an item or an entire tote order to another tote. A customer may have multiple tote delivery days and multiple delivery addresses; the tote management user interface enables the customer to manage tote deliveries across time and across location.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for fulfilling tote delivery orders. A tote delivery service directs delivery of items ordered by customers via a network site to delivery addresses corresponding to the customers in reusable totes on assigned tote delivery days. Tote delivery data may be processed to generate bulk transfer data for fulfillment centers and zone delivery data for sortation nodes. Each fulfillment center may pick items indicated by the bulk transfer data and bulk transfer the items to particular sortation nodes. At a sortation node, the items in the received bulk transfers, and possibly items received from other sources such as direct transfers from vendors, are rebinned into totes corresponding to delivery addresses in zones. The totes are loaded onto delivery vehicles, which deliver the totes to the delivery addresses in particular zones served by the sortation node. The zones and tote delivery days may be determined by zip code.