Exact Algorithms and Heuristics for the Min Buying Problem

• Grant number: 25/13883-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2025
• End date: November 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Computer Science - Theory of Computation
• Principal Investigator: Rafael Crivellari Saliba Schouery
• Grantee: Bruna Daher de Albuquerque
• Host Institution: Instituto de Computação (IC). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/05803-3 - Cutting, packing, lot-sizing, scheduling, routing and location problems and their integration in industrial and logistics settings, AP.TEM

Abstract

Non-parametric pricing problems consist of defining product prices with the aim of maximizing seller revenue, a decision made considering consumer behavior patterns. The main problems in this class are NP-hard and, therefore, do not admit polynomial algorithms unless P = NP. Even so, due to their practical importance, researchers have developed exact and heuristic methods aimed at solving these problems, with significant advances in recent years.In this project, the main focus will be the Min Buying Problem, a pricing problem where the consumer always opts for the least expensive product among items that do not exceed their budget and that they are willing to buy. The objective of this work is to improve existing Integer Linear Programming formulations, as well as to explore new heuristics for the problem, evaluating the impact of these approaches.Finally, the results will be compiled into a technical report, contributing to the consolidation of learning, with the possibility of submitting a scientific article for publication. In parallel, the project seeks to introduce the candidate to scientific research.