By 2021, Etsy's global marketplace was struggling with a fundamental trust issue: 40% of listings had inaccurate delivery dates and unclear returns policies, creating frustrated buyers and eroding marketplace credibility. With 70M+ listings across the platform, this delivery accuracy problem was directly impacting growth.

The CEO needed high-leverage fulfillment improvements that could rebuild buyer confidence while supporting Etsy's ambitious growth targets. The challenge was complex: improve accuracy across millions of diverse sellers while maintaining the platform's unique artisan marketplace character.

My Approach: As Director of Product, I led 4 cross-functional teams to completely overhaul delivery and returns systems across Etsy's marketplace. Here's how we transformed marketplace trust:

• Rebuilt data foundation with ML-powered predictions: Completely reconstructed the delivery date prediction engine with improved machine learning transit models, integrating new signals from shipping carriers and historical performance data to create reliable delivery windows.
• Systematic speed optimization through data insights: Identified critical bottlenecks in fulfillment workflows and created quick wins for delivery speed through data-driven improvements, reducing average delivery times by 2 days across the platform.
• Launched geo-matching features for local commerce: Built features that intelligently matched buyers with geographically closer sellers, validated with demand badges and local shopping initiatives that drove $20M in first-cycle GMS.
• Revolutionized returns experience across 70M+ listings: Increased return approval rates from 7% to 40% through a phased investment strategy, while reducing post-launch support tickets by 90%+ through clearer policies and automated workflows.
• Secured executive buy-in for ML team expansion: Built business case and secured funding for dedicated machine learning team, directly reporting strategic advancements to the COO and board level.
• Cross-functional team leadership: Coordinated product, engineering, data science, and operations teams to execute complex multi-year strategy while maintaining day-to-day marketplace operations.
• Market analysis and strategic planning: Developed comprehensive multi-year product strategy informed by detailed market analysis, competitive positioning, and customer insights across global markets.

Within 3 years, we transformed Etsy's delivery and returns experience into a competitive advantage:

🎯 Improved delivery accuracy from 60% to 98% through AI-powered prediction systems
💰 Generated $180M in annual Gross Merchandise Sales through improved buyer confidence
📦 Launched local shopping initiatives driving $20M in first-cycle GMS
↩️ Revolutionized returns: increased approval rates from 7% to 40% across 70M+ listings
⚡ Reduced average delivery times by 2 days through systematic optimization
🤖 Built and funded dedicated ML team for continuous prediction improvements
📊 Reduced post-launch support issues by 90%+ through better policies and automation

These improvements positioned Etsy as a leader in marketplace delivery reliability, directly contributing to the company's growth trajectory and competitive differentiation in the crowded ecommerce space.

What colleagues say about working with Alicia on high-impact marketplace transformation:

"I had the pleasure of working closely with Alicia during her tenure as Director of Product Management at Etsy. Alicia's exceptional collaboration skills stood out in our cross-functional high visibility projects. Her ability to seamlessly align the goals of the product team with our data science insights demonstrated a strategic mindset that greatly contributed to our achievements. Her forward-thinking approach not only fostered a dynamic work environment but also led to the development of innovative solutions that elevated our product offerings."

"Alicia was very great at aligning cross-functional teams, was an excellent people manager and had a lot of drive. She was super organized, and clear with people about expectations."