Introduction

Welcome to the documentation for my analysis project on the Global Superstore dataset! In this document, I'll walk you through the process of analyzing the dataset, uncovering insights, and creating visualizations to present the findings. The dataset comprises multiple tables containing information on orders, products, customers, and sales.

Data Cleaning

Before proceeding with my analysis, several data cleaning steps were undertaken:

• Handling missing values: Null values in the dataset were either imputed or removed based on the specific context.
• Removing duplicates: Duplicate records were identified and eliminated to ensure data accuracy.
• Correcting inconsistencies: Inconsistent data entries, such as typos or formatting errors, were rectified to maintain data integrity.

The primary objectives of the analysis were to:

• Identify key trends and patterns in sales data.
• Explore factors influencing sales performance across different product categories, regions, and customer segments.
• Uncover insights to drive strategic decision-making and improve profitability for the Global Superstore.

Tool Used

The analysis was conducted using SQL queries to extract and manipulate data from the dataset. Various analytical techniques, including aggregation, filtering, and segmentation, were applied to derive meaningful insights.

Queries and Explanations

1. What are the three countries that generated the highest total profit for Global Superstore in 2014?

• Query:

SELECT top 3 Country, SUM(Profit) AS TotalProfit
FROM Orders
WHERE YEAR(Order_Date) = 2014
GROUP BY Country
ORDER BY TotalProfit DESC

This query selects the top three countries with the highest total profit in 2014 from the 'Orders' table. It calculates the sum of profits for each country and then orders the results in descending order to identify the top performers.

2. Identify the 3 subcategories with the highest average shipping cost in the United States.

• Query:

SELECT top 3 Sub_Category, AVG(Shipping_Cost) AS Avg_ShippingCost
FROM Orders
WHERE Country = 'United States'
GROUP BY Sub_Category
ORDER BY Avg_ShippingCost DESC

This query retrieves the top three subcategories with the highest average shipping cost in the United States from the 'Orders' table. It calculates the average shipping cost for each subcategory and then orders the results in descending order.

3. Assess Nigeria’s profitability (i.e., total profit) for 2014. How does it compare to other African countries?

• Query:

SELECT Country, SUM(Profit) AS TotalProfit
FROM Orders
WHERE YEAR(OrderDate) = 2014 AND Region = 'Africa'
GROUP BY Country
ORDER BY TotalProfit DESC;

This query calculates the total profit for each African country in 2014 from the 'Orders' table. It filters the data by the 'Africa' region and then groups the results by country, ordering them by total profit in descending order to compare Nigeria's profitability with other African countries.

4. Identify the product subcategory that is the least profitable in Southeast Asia.

• Query:

SELECT top 1 Subcategory, SUM(Profit) AS TotalProfit
FROM Orders
WHERE Country IN ('Cambodia','Indonesia','Malaysia','Myanmar','Philippines', 'Singapore','Thailand','Vietnam')
GROUP BY Subcategory
ORDER BY TotalProfit ASC

This query identifies the product subcategory with the least profitability in Southeast Asia from the 'Orders' table. It filters the data by the countries comprising Southeast Asia and then calculates the total profit for each subcategory, ordering the results in ascending order to determine the least profitable subcategory.

5. Which city is the least profitable (in terms of average profit) in the United States?

• Query:

SELECT top 1 City, AVG(Profit) AS AvgProfit
FROM Orders
WHERE Country = 'United States'
GROUP BY City
ORDER BY AvgProfit ASC

This query identifies the city with the lowest average profit in the United States from the 'Orders' table. It calculates the average profit for each city and then orders the results in ascending order to determine the least profitable city.

6. Which product subcategory has the highest average profit in Australia?

• Query:

SELECT top 1 Subcategory, AVG(Profit) AS AvgProfit
FROM Orders
WHERE Country = 'Australia'
GROUP BY Subcategory
ORDER BY AvgProfit DESC

This query identifies the product subcategory with the highest average profit in Australia from the 'Orders' table. It calculates the average profit for each subcategory and then orders the results in descending order to determine the most profitable subcategory.

7. Who are the most valuable customers and what do they purchase?

• Query:

SELECT top 5 CustomerName, SUM(Profit) AS TotalProfit
FROM Orders
GROUP BY CustomerName
ORDER BY TotalProfit DESC

This query identifies the top five most valuable customers from the 'Orders' table based on total profit. It calculates the total profit for each customer and then orders the results in descending order to determine the most valuable customers and what they purchase.