Examining factors influencing sales of dedicated car mats using car population and machine learning models

Abstract

The goal of this thesis is to examine the relationship between designated car mats sales and car features as primary product. It is based on data from Polish car mat manufacturer with leading position in European market. Their process of selecting future car models for production of new car mats lacks data-driven insight to which this article hopes to lay foundation. Various regression and ensemble models were applied. Results indicate the car population and feature popularity the most influential factors in dedicated car mats sales with premium car mat brand being less favoured. The best model achieved an R2 of 0.596, suggesting that further data expansion and advanced techniques are needed for more accurate predictions. Insights from this study can guide strategic product development and marketing decisions for car mat manufacturers. Future research should incorporate broader datasets and additional variables to capture more comprehensive trends.

Date of Award	8 May 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Nicolò Bertani (Supervisor)