Efficient database design for multiple price based on quantity and attribute

database-design

I have a data sample for products with different prices depending on quantity and attributes. The price might be updated occasionally (not too frequently). 

PID | Name                | Type  | Colour  | Colour Print | Quantity: 1 to 149 |   150 to 199| 200 to 249 |250 to 499
1   |White ABC Product    |ABC    |White    |1CP           |2.34|2.07   |1.82|1.51
2   |White ABC Product    |ABC    |White    |2CP           |2.6 |2.31   |1.97|1.62
3   |White ABC Product    |ABC    |White    |3CP          |2.86|2.55|2.14|1.77
7   |Red ABC Product      |ABC    |Red      |1CP           |2.39|2.12|1.87|1.56
8   |Red ABC Product      |ABC    |Red      |2CP           |2.65|2.36|2.02|1.67
9   |Red ABC Product      |ABC    |Red      |3CP           |2.91|2.6|2.19|1.82
12  |White XYZ Product    |XYZ    |White    |1CP           |2.69|2.38|2.09|1.74
13  |White XYZ Product    |XYZ    |White    |2CP           |2.69|2.38|2.09|1.74
14  |White XYZ Product    |XYZ    |White    |3CP           |3.29|2.93|2.46|2.04
18  |Emerald  XYZ Product |XYZ    |Emerald  |1CP           |2.74|2.43|2.14  |1.79   
19  |Emerald  XYZ Product |XYZ    |Emerald  |2CP           |3.04|2.71|2.32  |1.91   
20  |Emerald  XYZ Product |XYZ    |Emerald  |3CP           |3.34|2.98|2.51  |2.09

So basically, I can design the database as the same structure as the above data sample and dump all data into the table (a lot of repetition) or I can do something like this:

Product Table:
---------
--Product id
--Product name {ABC, XYZ, PQR...so on}


Colour Table:
-------
--Colour id
--Colour value {white, red, emerald, and so on}

Colour Print Table 
--------
--Colour print id
--Colour print value {1CP, 2CP, 3CP}

Quantity Table
--------
--Quantity id
--Quantity value {1-149, 150-199, 200-249,250-499}

Price Table
-------
--Price id
--Product id
--Colour id
--Colour Print id
--Quantity id
--Price

So the price table will look something like this:

Price table                 
price id |  product id |colour id | quantity id | colourprint id |  price
1        | 1           |1         | 1           |1               |2.34
2        | 1           |1         | 2           |1               |2.07
3        | 1           |1         | 3           |1               |1.82
4        | 1           |1         | 4           |1               |1.51
5        | 1           |1         | 1           |2               |2.6
6        | 1           |1         | 2           |2               |2.31
7        | 1           |1         | 3           |2               |1.97
8        | 1           |1         | 4           |2               |1.62
9        | 1           |1         | 1           |3               |2.86

Price is displayed to the user when they choose the options based on type of product, colour, colour print and quantity.

New products might also be added in the future. I'm looking to design the database in the most efficient way.

I find the first option easier to implement but not sure if it's the most efficient or if it's even correct.

Your input would be appreciated. Thank you!

Best Answer

First of all you must define your entities and these form your tables. From what you provide above I can see two tables based on two entities: Product and price.

Then you will add your attributes to each entity such as colour and colour print.

Then you should decide on the nature of your relationships - product has a 1:M relationship with price.

To avoid anomalies in your database you will have to normalise your tables - see https://beginnersbook.com/2015/05/normalization-in-dbms/

Hope this helps :-)

Related Question