Patent attributes
In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for distributing consumer demand upstream in a supply chain includes receiving, at a current time, an indication of consumer demand for a product that a consumer may be willing to receive at a future date rather than the current date in exchange for an incentive. The method also includes determining a particular incentive based on an order lead time for the product and conveying the particular incentive to allow the consumer to choose whether to receive the product at the particular future date rather than the current date in exchange for the particular incentive. If the consumer chooses to receive the product at the particular future date rather than the current date in exchange for the particular incentive, an order for the product is communicated to the upstream supply chain entity to allow the consumer to receive the product at the particular future date from current inventory of the upstream supply chain entity rather than from current inventory of the downstream supply chain entity in exchange for the particular incentive.
