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A root cause analysis question from a product manager interview, set at Haatly, a fictional value e-commerce marketplace company.

The question

Skills this case tests

A starting metric tree

Add-to-carts = sessions × product page views per session × add-to-cart rate per product view

How to approach this case

Confirm whether the metric counts events or users, whether tracking changed, and whether this was a one-time step or a gradual slide. If sessions are flat, the tree tells you the problem is inside the session. Split add-to-carts by where they start (search, home feed or category browse), because each entry point is owned by a different team and breaks in different ways. Inside the weakest entry point, look at how buyers interact with the results and whether every kind of buyer and query behaves the same. Keep in mind that most Haatly buyers are in Tier-2 and Tier-3 India and may not shop in English. A strong close weighs the NMV lost against any gains elsewhere, offers a same-day fix and a proper fix, and names guardrails for buyers and advertisers.

The full method for root cause analysis questions · A worked example answer

After the mock interview you get scores on five skills, what to fix with quotes from your answers, and the ideal path for this case.