# Insights & Recommendations

## Executive Summary
Overall Sales grew YoY but Margin compressed in Central region and Furniture category due to high discounts. Technology remains the margin leader. Concentration risk: top 10 customers drive 18% of profit.

## Insights
1. **West leads, Central leaks:** West = 31% of profit at 14.2% margin; Central = 22% of sales but margin -4.2 pts vs avg.
2. **Category split:** Technology margin 16.8%, Office Supplies 12.1%, Furniture 4.3% — Furniture discounts >20% correlate with negative profit on 12% of orders.
3. **Seasonality:** Q4 spikes sales but margin dips (holiday discounting). Q1 is most profitable per dollar.
4. **Segment:** Corporate has highest AOV, Consumer highest volume, Home Office most discount-sensitive.
5. **Ship Mode:** Same Day fastest but lowest margin; Standard is most profitable.

## Recommendations
- **Cap Furniture discount at 15%** in Central; test price elasticity before >20% promos.
- **Shift mix toward Technology** in Q4 — bundle instead of discount.
- **Retention play** for top 10 profit customers (personalized offers, not blanket discount).
- **Standardize Ship Mode** default to Standard; upsell Same Day as premium.

## Next steps
Add cost table for true COGS, add forecast page, automate refresh via Power BI Service.