Wish interview questions and how to prepare

1. Imagine Wish is experiencing a surge in fake product listings that look legitimate but are low quality. As a Software Engineer, how would you design a system to proactively identify and flag these listings before they are widely seen by users? Consider the scale of Wish's catalog and user base.

   Software EngineerSystem DesignTests: Assesses ability to design scalable systems for complex problems, considering trade-offs and real-time constraints.

2. Wish's mobile app has a feature where users can 'spin' for discounts. Sometimes, users report bugs where the spin mechanism appears broken or the discounts aren't applied correctly. Describe your debugging process to identify the root cause of such a client-side issue, assuming you have access to app logs and user reports.

   Software EngineerDebuggingTests: Evaluates systematic problem-solving and debugging skills in a mobile application context.

3. Wish uses a recommendation engine to show users products they might like. A common complaint is that the recommendations become repetitive. How would you, as a Software Engineer, modify the recommendation algorithm to introduce more diversity while still maintaining relevance and click-through rates? Consider the data available and potential model architectures.

   Software EngineerCoding/ReasoningTests: Tests understanding of algorithms, data structures, and practical application in a real-world recommendation system.

4. Wish's checkout process involves multiple steps: selecting items, entering shipping, choosing payment, and confirming. If conversion rates drop significantly at the payment step, how would you approach diagnosing the problem? What specific data would you look for, and what potential technical issues could be at play on the backend?

   Software EngineerDebugging/ReasoningTests: Probes analytical thinking and ability to connect backend systems to user-facing conversion metrics.

5. Wish operates in many international markets. A common challenge is providing accurate shipping cost estimations for a global user base with varying carriers and customs duties. Design a microservice that handles shipping cost calculation, considering factors like item weight, destination, and real-time carrier rates. How would you ensure its scalability and reliability?

   Software EngineerSystem DesignTests: Assesses understanding of distributed systems, API design, and handling external dependencies at scale.

6. Wish's search functionality is crucial. If search relevance scores suddenly decrease across many queries, leading to lower engagement, what kind of analysis would you perform to pinpoint the issue? Assume you can query search logs and modify ranking parameters.

   Software EngineerCoding/ReasoningTests: Evaluates analytical skills and ability to reason about algorithmic impact on user experience.

72+ more Wish-style questions are in the free library, each practiceable live with adaptive follow-ups and an honest scorecard. Start free.