I went straight to feature ideas and kind of skipped over properly defining who these new merchants actually are.
Start by clarifying the problem scope and segmenting new merchants based on their goals and constraints. Then propose a prioritized set of solutions that leverage Shopify's ecosystem, focusing on quick wins and long-term differentiation. Structure your answer around user needs, business impact, and feasibility.
Pro tip: Anchor your answer in Shopify's mission to make commerce better for everyone, and emphasize how helping merchants find products increases their success and retention, directly impacting Shopify's bottom line.
Ask clarifying questions to understand the target user (e.g., new merchants with no product ideas, those with some ideas but unsure, etc.) and define success metrics.
Map the merchant journey to pinpoint where they struggle: ideation, validation, sourcing, or differentiation. Prioritize the most impactful pain points.
Generate a range of solutions, from quick wins (e.g., curated product lists) to strategic bets (e.g., AI-powered product recommendations, supplier integrations).
Use a framework like RICE or Impact/Effort to prioritize solutions, and outline a phased roadmap with clear milestones.
Define metrics to track success (e.g., time to first product, merchant activation rate) and plan for iterative improvements based on feedback.
AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.