This sounds straightforward until you're actually sitting there and realize there are like six different dimensions pulling in different directions.
Start by framing the decision as a strategic choice tied to eBay's business goals, not just a cost comparison. Walk through a structured evaluation that weighs user needs, competitive differentiation, total cost of ownership, and speed to market. Conclude with a recommendation that balances short-term delivery with long-term scalability and innovation.
Pro tip: Emphasize that 'build vs. buy' is rarely binary—consider hybrid approaches like buying a core platform and building proprietary extensions on top. Also, quantify the opportunity cost of engineering time in terms of delayed roadmap items, not just dollars.
Define the specific user problem and how solving it aligns with eBay's strategic priorities (e.g., buyer/seller experience, trust, scalability). Determine if the capability is core to eBay's competitive advantage or a supporting function.
Assess whether eBay has the engineering talent, time, and infrastructure to build and maintain the solution. Quantify the opportunity cost of diverting resources from other high-impact roadmap items.
Research available vendors, their maturity, integration effort, and long-term costs (licensing, customization, support). Consider risks like vendor lock-in, data security, and roadmap misalignment.
Compare time-to-market, potential for competitive differentiation, and ability to iterate quickly. Buying may accelerate delivery but limit customization; building offers control but requires significant investment.
Synthesize findings into a clear recommendation, often proposing a hybrid approach (e.g., buy core, build extensions). Define success metrics and a plan to revisit the decision as conditions change.
AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.