Use Case in Delivery

How and why to use the useCase field in the Delivery request

The use case is a field in the Delivery request. Its purpose is to signal to Promoted which surface or interface the content is being served on.

Promoted's models use useCase as a feature to better customize predictions for each surface. The most common use cases are SEARCH, FEED, and DISCOVER, and some marketplaces may have additional surfaces that serve content to the user. Each of these surfaces should be mapped to a corresponding useCase that most closely matches the function of the surface.

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There is no special logic to each useCase value. The purpose is to serve as a unique label to Promoted's models, as well as a human-readable reference.

Although there are no strict mapping rules, it is recommended to choose the use case most applicable to the surface. Guidance on enum mapping is below. For any special or unlisted use cases, please contact Promoted for additional guidance.

The CUSTOM useCase field is meant for the following scenarios:

  • A surface is significantly different from the existing fields
  • Mapping the surface to an existing field may create confusion (e.g., due to terminology)
  • All other relevant fields are already in use
  • Multiple surfaces are related to a single field (e.g., using custom fields for SEARCH_RELATED_CONTENT and FEED_RELATED_CONTENT if there is related content for both search and feed)

The UNKNOWN_USE_CASE is recommended for use as a default, to prevent data from new surfaces from mixing with other use cases until the new surface is labeled properly.

Enum values and examples

The useCase is an enum that includes the following fields:

Enum ValueExample of interface
SEARCHSearch results (most common use case)
SEARCH_SUGGESTIONSSuggested searches that show up in a different view from standard results
FEEDCustom feed, such as a homepage feed
RELATED_CONTENTRelated items suggested on a product page
CLOSE_UP
CATEGORY_CONTENTItems in a common category or page, like "trending" or "home page"
MY_CONTENTGeneral recommendations
MY_SAVED_CONTENTSaved wishlist recommendations
SELLER_CONTENTOrder confirmation page
DISCOVERResults during browsing or discovery
UNRECOGNIZED
UNKNOWN_USE_CASEA signal for new use cases in testing or debugging, to prevent unknowingly mixing data from different surfaces. Not to be used long term.
CUSTOMCustom use case not able to be mapped to other fields

See the delivery proto for more details on the use_case field.

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This document is a work in progress