Patent attributes
A computer-implemented method for analyzing package performance in a materials handling facility may include calculating an expected shipping cost for an item package and an actual shipping cost for the item package to determine excess shipping costs due to shipping item packages in the wrong container. The expected shipping cost may be the sum of the transportation cost and shipping materials cost when the item package is shipped in a recommended container. The actual shipping cost may be the sum of the transportation cost and shipping materials cost when the item is shipped in another container. The shipping materials costs may include the costs of the containers themselves and any non-item contents in the containers. A package performance analyzer may be configured to calculate excess shipping costs, generate various package performance reports according to received report parameters, and recommend corrective actions, including changing the available container types or providing training.
