Doordash, Inc.

Square, Inc.

Avlok Kohli

Amandeep Manik

Nicholas Martin Adler

Pui Wai Kwong

In some examples, a computer may receive, from a buyer application on a buyer device, an indication that the buyer has accessed information related to a first merchant of a plurality of merchants. The computer may send a communication to a merchant application on a merchant computing device of the first merchant to determine a current backlog of orders for the first merchant. Based at least partially on receiving an indication that the current backlog exceeds a threshold, the computer may send, to the buyer application, item information that causes the buyer application to present, in a user interface, information indicating availability of a meal kit for a menu item offered by the first merchant. The computer may receive a selection via the user interface indicating an order for the meal kit and may send a communication to the merchant application to indicate the order for the meal kit.

Managing item options for distribution efficiency

In some examples, a system receives, from a courier device, an indicated geographic location of the courier device determined at least in part from a satellite positioning system receiver associated with the courier device. The system may determine an amount of an item possessed by the courier and may further determine a plurality of past delivery locations within a threshold courier travel time of the indicated geographic location of the courier device. In addition, the system may determine a plurality of buyer devices associated with the plurality of past delivery locations, and may send, to the plurality of buyer devices, respective electronic communications indicting that the item is available for delivery from the courier located within the threshold courier travel time of a respective buyer location.

Item selection for fast deliveries

In some examples, a computer may receive, from a buyer application on a buyer device, an indication that the buyer has accessed information related to a first merchant of a plurality of merchants. The computer may send a communication to a merchant application on merchant computing device of the first merchant to determine a current backlog of orders for the first merchant. Based at least partially on receiving an indication that the current backlog exceeds a threshold, the computer may send, to the buyer application, item information that causes the buyer application to present, in a user interface, information indicating availability of a meal kit for a menu item offered by the first merchant. The computer may receive a selection via the user interface indicating an order for the meal kit and may send a communication to the merchant application to indicate the order for the meal kit.

In some examples, a service device may receive, from buyer applications on respective buyer devices, communications indicating a number of times item information about a first item is presented in user interfaces on the buyer devices. The service device may further receive respective orders through the user interfaces, for the first item or other items. The service device may compare the number of times the item information about the first item is presented in the respective user interfaces to a number of times the buyer applications are used to place orders for the first item to determine a value for the first item. In addition, the service device may send, to a merchant device, a communication indicating an amount of the first item determined for the merchant based at least in part on the value determined for the first item.

Item selection based on user interactions

In some examples, a service provider may receive a plurality of communications indicating buyer accesses to respective item-ordering applications on respective buyer devices. The service provider may determine that the buyer accesses occurred at respective buyer locations outside of a current delivery region. The service provider may determine a cluster of the respective buyer locations, and may further determine, based on the cluster, a recommended courier location for extending the delivery region to include a new area including the cluster. Additionally, in some cases, the service provider may determine a recommended courier location based on a plurality of past delivery locations. Further, in response to receiving an indication of a delivery location from a buyer device, the service provider may determine that a courier is within a threshold delivery travel time to the delivery location prior to providing item information to the buyer device.

Managing couriers for fast deliveries

In some examples, a service may rank a plurality of items in an item category based at least in part on sales information indicating quantities of various items sold within a geographic region. From the ranking, the service may select an item ranked higher than a threshold ranking to offer for delivery to buyers. The service may send, to a courier device, a communication indicating a quantity of the item to be picked up from a merchant that provides the item. Further, the service may send item information about the item to a plurality of buyer devices for presentation of the item information to buyers. In some cases, to avoid spoilage, if fewer than a threshold number of items are sold over a first period of time, the service may send, to the plurality of buyer devices, an indication that a price of the item is reduced.

In some examples, a service provider may determine a courier placement location for a service area and a courier inventory for the service area. Based on the inventory, the service provider may order first items from a first merchant and second items from a second merchant. The service provider may dispatch a first courier to pick up the first items and a second courier to pick up the second items. Further, a third courier may go to a handoff location to receive the courier inventory made up of first items picked up by the first courier and second items picked up by the second courier. In some examples, the handoff location is determined dynamically based on the current locations of the first, second, and third couriers and predicted courier travel times. Additionally, or alternatively, the handoff location may be determined based in part on the courier placement location.

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Avlok Kohli