We Tried and Failed . . . Chat is Dead

We Tried and Failed . . . Chat is Dead

Joshua D.Pro Member
BiggerPockets Founder · HI · Member since 2008 · 16k+ posts · 5k+ votes

Hey Guys - 

One of the most challenging parts of running an online company is figuring out the kinds of features that your users want and will use.  Unfortunately, you'll often hear from your vocal users about a feature and assume that it is something that everyone wants or will use.  Sometimes you even decide that those features make for a better product.

Many times through the history of BiggerPockets, we've launched features that we've ultimately killed off and today marks the day we do it once again.

We launched a live chat feature on the site thinking that it would improve the interactivity of BP.  We assumed that people would be excited to connect in real time with their colleagues and we expected this feature to be a big hit.  Over the years, we've had countless requests for user to user chat and eventually launched the feature.

I believe we did a pretty solid job with it and I ended up using it daily to interact with the community.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case for the community at large. Our adoption was pretty terrible and in the end, the cost of keeping the feature for the small handful of people that actually used it was too high.

As such, I'm sorry to announce to those few people that actually found the tool handy, that we have killed off our chat feature.

We aren't chucking the code in the trash and may decide to bring it back in some other capacity in the future, but for now, we bid adieu to chat.

Thanks for the understanding, and hopefully next time we get it right!

5Reply
193 views

Most Popular Reply

Investor · Leominster, MA · Member since 2011 · 1k+ posts · 589 votes
11y

On a similar note @Joshua D.

 what about an Android app? Any plans?

See this reply in the discussion

55 Replies

Jump to latestLatest
  • Investor · San Jose, CA · Member since 2013 · 115 posts · 76 votes
    11y

    @Joshua D. will all due respect, because I love you and @Brandon Turner and what Brandon as the founder has created here.... Haha just kidding...you would likely get less requests for an Android App if you made an announcement about it like you did with with killing the chat feature.  In all seriousness, this post was very professionally and gracefully done.   Kudos. 

     How about announcing your plans, even if it's months down the road, for the android app?  I believe it may quell the angry mob.  ;-)

    Keep up the amazing work.  BP rocks!

  • Joshua D.Pro Member
    OP
    BiggerPockets Founder · HI · Member since 2008 · 16k+ posts · 5k+ votes
    11y

    In good time . . .

  • Toronto, Ontario · Member since 2014 · 615 posts · 172 votes
    11y

    chat not for me....

    @Joshua D.

    On a lighter mood, looks like you buried the chat feature after your birthday bash....:)

    No worries, you are doing an awesome job with BP...

    Keep it coming!!!

  • Lynnwood, WA · Member since 2015 · 221 posts · 157 votes
    11y

    you probably just need to upgrade chat to chatroulette, and watch the new users roll in.

Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.