Multidimensional Data Analysis In The Retail Chain Sales Management Applications

One of the most important operational goals of a retail chain is how to generate targeted revenue. It is crucial for a chain of over one thousand outlets carrying thousands of merchandises to understand how to deploy product mix, where to open stores, and how to ascertain the sales momentum. To apply Multidimensional Data Analysis Techniques to the management of the retail chain are enabled the top executives, managers and all level decision makers and executors to get immediate and consistent access to the operation information and have in-depth understanding to the business. Through on-line data analysis of drilling and slicing operation, management can compare sales date of different regions and of different products and identify opportunities of certain regions or certain products. And through multi-dimensional analysis, management can locate the potential revenue growth or problems. Better revenue is achieved by effective control over the problems or by amplifying the growth potentials.The first step is cleansing and extracting data in the regional operational systems and converting the processed data into the multi-dimensional database at headquarters. On top of that, through on-line analytical data processing of drilling, slicing, and perspective operations, multi-dimensional revenue information such as time, store and product performance are obtained. Management can easily observe performance features of different categories of products in different types of store and identify problems when the same products generate better sales in some stores and poorer sales in others even if the stores are of identical surroundings. In addition, analysis can be derived from multi-dimensional statements after peacekeeping biopsy applied to goods, with peacekeeping and drilling done to the dimensions of time and place. Hence the reasons for regional sales gap are identified and so have the revenue growth opportunity. Top executives, managers and all level decision makers and executors therefore are able to have immediate and consistent access to operation information and form in-depth understanding to the business.