For Saks OFF 5TH's online platform, should resources be allocated to improving mobile app functionality or enhancing the desktop shopping experience to drive e-commerce sales?

Introduction

For Saks OFF 5TH's online platform, we're faced with a critical resource allocation decision: should we focus on improving mobile app functionality or enhancing the desktop shopping experience to drive e-commerce sales? This trade-off involves balancing user preferences, technological advancements, and potential revenue impacts across different platforms.

I'll approach this analysis by:

1. Asking clarifying questions
2. Identifying the trade-off type
3. Understanding the product ecosystem
4. Formulating a hypothesis
5. Defining key metrics
6. Designing an experiment
7. Planning data analysis
8. Creating a decision framework
9. Providing a recommendation with next steps

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Context: I'm thinking about the current split between mobile and desktop traffic. Could you share the current breakdown of traffic and conversions between mobile app, mobile web, and desktop?

Why it matters: Helps understand where users are already engaging most Expected answer: Mobile traffic higher, but desktop conversions stronger Impact on approach: Would influence where to focus optimization efforts

• Business Context: Based on Saks OFF 5TH's positioning, I assume there's a focus on both value and brand perception. How does this balance play out in the current e-commerce strategy?

Why it matters: Informs design decisions and feature prioritization Expected answer: Emphasis on deals, but maintaining a premium feel Impact on approach: Would guide UX decisions to balance functionality and aesthetics

• User Impact: I'm curious about the user demographics. Can you tell me about the age distribution and shopping behaviors of our core customer segments?

Why it matters: Different age groups may prefer mobile or desktop Expected answer: Mix of younger mobile-first and older desktop users Impact on approach: Would help tailor features to each platform's primary users

• Technical: Regarding our current tech stack, how integrated are our mobile app and desktop platforms?

Why it matters: Affects the feasibility of cross-platform improvements Expected answer: Separate codebases with some shared backend services Impact on approach: Would influence the scope and timeline of potential changes

• Resource: What's our current team composition in terms of mobile vs. web developers?

Why it matters: Impacts our ability to execute on either platform Expected answer: Slightly more web developers than mobile Impact on approach: Might need to consider team reallocation or hiring