How would you decide if you should build a "Products you might want to buy" feature on the Facebook Marketplace newsfeed?

Introduction

Deciding whether to build a "Products you might want to buy" feature on the Facebook Marketplace newsfeed is a critical product trade-off that could significantly impact user engagement and revenue. This scenario involves balancing user experience, business goals, and technical feasibility. I'll analyze this trade-off by examining the context, potential impacts, and key metrics, then design an experiment to inform our decision.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• What's the current user engagement rate on Facebook Marketplace?

• Why it matters: Understanding baseline engagement helps assess potential impact.
• Hypothetical answer: 30% of Facebook users engage with Marketplace monthly.
• Impact: Low engagement might justify new features to boost interaction.

• How does Marketplace currently contribute to Facebook's revenue?

• Why it matters: Aligns feature with business goals and revenue strategy.
• Hypothetical answer: Marketplace contributes 5% of Facebook's ad revenue.
• Impact: Higher revenue contribution could prioritize this feature.

• What user segments are most active on Marketplace?

• Why it matters: Identifies target audience for the new feature.
• Hypothetical answer: Millennials and Gen X are most active, primarily for second-hand goods.
• Impact: Feature design should cater to these segments' preferences.

• What's our current recommendation system's accuracy for user preferences?

• Why it matters: Assesses technical feasibility and potential effectiveness.
• Hypothetical answer: 70% accuracy in predicting user interests across Facebook.
• Impact: Higher accuracy could increase confidence in feature success.

• Is there a specific timeline or resource constraint for this project?

• Why it matters: Helps prioritize and scope the feature appropriately.
• Hypothetical answer: 3-month timeline with a dedicated team of 5 engineers.
• Impact: Tight constraints might necessitate a phased approach or MVP.