A Branch-and-Price Algorithm for an Integrated Online and Offline Retailing Distribution System with Product Return

作者：Wanchen Jie, Cheng Pei, Jiating Xu, Hong Yan · 发表于：International Journal of Intelligent Systems · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1155/2024/8880791 · 被引用次数：1 · 研究领域：Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics Optimization、Smart Parking Systems Research、Optimization and Search Problems

This study identifies critical inefficiencies within a dual-channel operation model employed by a fast fashion company, particularly the independent operation of three logistics distribution systems. These systems result in high operational costs and low resource utilization, primarily due to redundant vehicle dispatches to meet the distinct demands of retail store replenishment, online customer orders, and customer return demands, as well as random and scattered return requests leading to vehicle underutilization. To address these challenges, we propose a novel integrated logistics distribution system design and management method tailored for dual-channel sales and distribution businesses. The approach consolidates the three distribution systems into one cohesive framework, thus streamlining the delivery process and reducing vehicle trips by combining retail and customer visits. An optimization algorithm is introduced to factor in inventory and distribution distance, aiming to achieve global optimization in pairing retail store inventory with online customer orders and unifying the distribution of replenishment products, online products, and returned products. The paper contributes to the field by introducing a new variation of the Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) that arises from an integrated distribution system, combining common VRP issues with more complex challenges. A custom Branch-and-Price (B&P) algorithm is developed to efficiently find optimal routes. Furthermore,...