Patent attributes
Various embodiments provide systems and methods for encouraging online merchants to tender shipments according to specified criteria such that its delivery can be synchronized with anticipated and/or forecasted deliveries to the same or nearby addresses. In this way, a more efficient delivery of the shipment may be achieved. The encouragement or incentive may be in the form of a decrease in shipping cost for the particular shipment, a general shipping discount for selecting a threshold number of incentivized shipments, or some other incentive schedule. In some embodiments, the incentives may not be financially based and instead may be reductions in emissions, fuel consumption, improved customer experience (e.g., multiple deliveries at the same time versus separate deliveries) and the like. Of course, any combination of incentives may be provided both financial and otherwise.
