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DoorDash·Product Manager·Onsite - Product Sense / Strategy·Senior

Senior
Jun 2026

Summary

DoorDash PM interview with a classic strategy case that sounds like a business school warmup but actually has some teeth to it once you get past the obvious answers.

Questions Asked (1)

Q1

How would you triple Craigslist's revenue over the next five years?

Product StrategyPricing & MonetizationGo-to-Market (GTM)
Author's notes

I spent the first minute just trying to remember how Craigslist even makes money right now, which is not a great look.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Start by clarifying the goal and constraints, then structure your answer around Craigslist's core revenue streams (job postings, housing, services) and identify high-leverage opportunities to expand monetization without alienating users. Prioritize initiatives by impact and feasibility, and tie them back to DoorDash's strengths in local commerce and logistics.

Pro tip: Acknowledge Craigslist's unique position as a low-cost, no-frills platform and emphasize that any monetization strategy must preserve its core user experience to avoid driving users away. Show that you understand the trade-offs between revenue growth and user trust.

1. Clarify and Scope

Ask clarifying questions about Craigslist's current revenue, cost structure, and strategic priorities. Confirm whether the goal is net revenue or gross, and whether there are constraints on user experience or brand.

2. Analyze Current Revenue Streams

Break down Craigslist's revenue by category (e.g., job postings, apartment listings, services) and geography. Identify which streams are under-monetized and have the highest potential for growth.

3. Identify Growth Levers

Brainstorm levers such as increasing prices, expanding paid categories, introducing new ad formats, offering premium features, or partnering with local businesses. Consider both organic and inorganic options.

4. Prioritize and Roadmap

Evaluate each lever based on impact, effort, and risk. Create a phased 5-year roadmap with quick wins and long-term bets, ensuring alignment with Craigslist's brand and user base.

5. Measure and Iterate

Define success metrics (e.g., revenue per user, take rate, user retention) and propose an experimentation framework to test and scale initiatives, adjusting based on feedback.

Key Points to Mention

  • Craigslist's current monetization model: paid job postings in select cities, apartment listings, and some services; most categories are free.
  • Opportunity to expand paid categories (e.g., gig services, local delivery) by leveraging DoorDash's logistics network.
  • Potential to introduce premium features for power users (e.g., promoted listings, verified badges) without disrupting the free tier.
  • Geographic expansion of existing paid categories to new cities and countries.
  • Partnerships with local businesses for advertising or transaction fees.
  • Risk of alienating users with aggressive monetization; need to balance revenue growth with user experience.

AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.