What caused the sudden 40% decrease in completed purchases on Snapdeal's fashion category last week?

Introduction

The sudden 40% decrease in completed purchases on Snapdeal's fashion category last week is a critical issue that demands immediate attention. This analysis will systematically identify, validate, and address the root cause while considering both short-term and long-term implications for the business.

I'll approach this problem by first clarifying key details, ruling out external factors, and then diving deep into internal metrics and user behavior. My goal is to pinpoint the root cause and propose actionable solutions to restore and improve purchase completion rates.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking this could be a seasonal trend. Has there been any significant change in the overall e-commerce market or fashion industry in the past week?

Why it matters: Helps distinguish between internal issues and external market forces. Expected answer: No significant market changes reported. Impact on approach: If confirmed, we'll focus more on internal factors.

• Considering the specificity of the drop, I'm wondering about recent changes. Have there been any updates to the fashion category pages, checkout process, or overall site architecture in the past 2-4 weeks?

Why it matters: Identifies potential technical or UX issues causing the drop. Expected answer: A minor update to product filtering was implemented. Impact on approach: We'll investigate this update's impact on user navigation and purchase flow.

• Given the magnitude of the decrease, I'm curious about user segments. Is this drop consistent across all user demographics, or is it more pronounced in specific groups?

Why it matters: Helps narrow down potential causes related to user behavior or preferences. Expected answer: The drop is more significant among mobile users aged 18-25. Impact on approach: We'll focus on mobile experience and young adult user preferences.

• Considering potential data anomalies, I'm wondering about our tracking systems. Have there been any changes to how we measure completed purchases or any known issues with our analytics tools?

Why it matters: Ensures we're working with accurate data and not chasing a phantom problem. Expected answer: No known issues with tracking or measurement changes. Impact on approach: We'll proceed with confidence in our data accuracy.