Introduction
Creating new products, services, or features is always an activity surrounded by uncertainty. Even experienced teams, armed with market data and deep technical knowledge, frequently fail to predict real user behavior. The greatest risk in innovation is not technology itself, but rather the lack of validation that someone truly wants what is being built.
It is precisely to reduce this risk that the concept of the MVP – Minimum Viable Product emerged. An MVP is neither an incomplete prototype nor a poorly made version of the final product. Instead, it is the smallest possible representation of an idea capable of generating validated learning through real feedback from real users.
When running MVP experiments, you will always present something that implies your product or feature is already real or coming soon. The extent to which you need to “fake” it is what determines which type of MVP you should use. In some cases, an email is enough. In others, you may need a shadow button, a “coming soon” page, a video, a landing page, a manual operation, or a combination of ready-made tools.
This article presents, in a structured and in-depth way, the main types of MVPs, explaining how they work, when to use each one, their pros and cons, and practical tips to avoid common mistakes. The types covered are:
- Email-based MVP
- Shadow Button MVP
- “Coming Soon” and 404 Page MVPs
- Explainer Video MVPs
- Landing Page & Pitch Experiment MVPs
- Concierge Service MVP
- Piecemeal MVP
- Wizard of Oz MVP
By the end, you will have a complete framework to choose the right type of MVP for each stage of your product.
1. Email-Based MVP
What It Is
The Email MVP is one of the simplest, fastest, and cheapest ways to test an idea. It consists of sending an email to real users, presenting a new feature, service, or product that does not yet exist, and observing how people react.
All you need is:
- An email client
- A contact list
- Basic writing and persuasion skills
With this MVP, you simulate a real offer and track indicators such as:
- Open rates
- Click-through rates
- Replies
- Purchase requests
- Product-related questions
If you do not yet have a user base, you can first collect emails from potential customers through forms, ads, social media, or events.
The tone of the email should be personal and human, avoiding spam-like language. The goal is not immediate sales, but interest validation.
When to Use It
The Email MVP is ideal when:
- You already have a user base
- You want to quickly validate a feature idea
- You want to test different value propositions
- You need to segment your audience
- The product does not rely heavily on visual experience
Advantages
- Extremely fast to execute
- Virtually zero cost
- Allows audience segmentation
- Ideal for early hypothesis testing
- Easy to iterate quickly
Disadvantages
- May seem unprofessional if poorly executed
- It can harm the brand if misused
- Does not validate usability
- Responses can be biased by expectations
Best Practices
- Understand what your audience expects from you
A premium brand with poorly designed emails may damage its image. - Maintain the company’s visual standards
Use consistent branding, tone, and design. - Combine it with other MVP types
Emails can direct users to landing pages, videos, or concierge tests.
2. Shadow Button MVP
What It Is
The Shadow Button MVP involves placing a button on a website or app that appears to lead to a feature that does not yet exist. The button may:
- Lead to a “coming soon” page
- Display a thank-you message
- Or even appear broken
The number of clicks becomes a direct indicator of user interest.
When to Use It
This MVP works best when:
- You already have strong traffic
- You want to validate interest in a specific feature
- You want to prioritize your roadmap with real data
- You need fast quantitative signals
Advantages
- Very easy to implement
- Generates objective data
- Measures real user intent
- Helps prioritize development
Disadvantages
- Can frustrate users
- May make your site look broken
- Can negatively impact user experience
- Does not validate the full journey
Best Practices
- Display a message after the click, such as “Thank you for your interest.”
- Limit the exposure to a small subset of users.
- Be careful with brand perception, especially for highly polished products.
3. “Coming Soon” and 404 Page MVPs
What They Are
With this approach, you simulate the existence of a new feature or product in the navigation of your website or app. When users attempt to access it, they find:
- A 404 error page, or
- A “Coming Soon” page with a signup form
Many companies use this to test demand. Amazon frequently uses this type of MVP to validate new products and categories.
When to Use It
This MVP is recommended when:
- Your core product is already live
- You want to test navigation demand
- You want to measure spontaneous access
- You want to validate new categories
Advantages
- Easy to implement
- Measures organic interest
- Can generate early leads
- Creates launch anticipation
Disadvantages
- Can lead to frustration
- Poor execution may harm the experience
- May look like a technical error
Choosing Between 404 and “Coming Soon”
The choice depends on the lesser evil for your brand:
- A 404 looks like a system failure
- A “Coming Soon” page sets expectations and signals progress
Fashion companies often use this approach to test demand for out-of-stock items.
Best Practices
- Consider user expectations
- Invest in page design
- Use specialized tools such as Launchrock and Kickoff Labs
- Make the experience playful, if possible
4. Explainer Video MVPs
What They Are
The Explainer Video MVP uses videos to demonstrate how a product or feature will work before it actually exists. There are two main formats:
- Tutorial-style videos showing simulated usage
- Sales-style videos highlighting benefits
With editing and visual effects, the product can appear fully operational.
When to Use It
This approach is ideal when:
- The product is complex
- The value proposition requires explanation
- Visual demonstration is essential
- You need to explain workflows
Advantages
- Very high conversion rates
- Extremely effective communication
- Presents the full product vision
- Ideal for large-scale experiments
Disadvantages
- Requires significant production effort
- Higher cost than other MVPs
- May not work well with older audiences
- Does not validate real usability
Best Practices
- Match your audience’s visual expectations
- Avoid overproducing if it conflicts with your brand
- Leverage existing video infrastructure whenever possible
5. Fake Landing Page & Pitch Experiment MVP
What It Is
In this model, you create a single landing page containing:
- Clear value proposition
- Key benefits
- Competitive differentiators
- A strong call to action (CTA)
You then drive traffic to that page using ads, email, SEO, or social media. User behavior is analyzed through:
- Clicks
- Sign-ups
- Conversion rates
- Bounce rates
This approach is known as a Pitch Experiment: selling the idea before building the product.
When to Use It
Recommended when:
- You do not yet have a user base
- You want to validate a new market
- You are testing value propositions
- You need statistically relevant data
Advantages
- Validates real demand
- Allows A/B testing of messaging
- Generates leads
- Much cheaper than full development
Disadvantages
- Does not validate actual usage
- May frustrate users if poorly communicated
- Requires traffic to be meaningful
6. Concierge Service MVP
What It Is
In the Concierge MVP, you do not build the technology at first. Instead, you provide the service manually and in a highly personalized way, just like a hotel concierge.
Behind the scenes, a person performs all the tasks that software would eventually automate. To the customer, however, it feels like a normal product experience.
When to Use It
Recommended when:
- You want to test real value delivery
- You need deep customer insights
- The service is highly personalized
- The initial user volume is small
Advantages
- Very low initial cost
- No technical development needed
- Direct customer interaction
- Deep behavioral insights
- Hybrid of customer development and MVP testing
Disadvantages
- Extremely time-consuming
- Very low scalability
- Heavy founder involvement
- Operational dependency
Best Practices
- Assess the true value of your time
- Use only in early stages
- Document every manual step — this becomes your future product backlog
7. Piecemeal MVP
What It Is
The Piecemeal MVP is built by assembling existing tools instead of creating custom software. You:
- Use off-the-shelf software
- Connect everything through integrations
- Simulate your full product functionality
Tools like Zapier and IFTTT are often used to orchestrate these integrations.
When to Use It
Ideal when:
- Your product needs multiple integrated functions
- The market already offers many software components
- You want to test fast without full development
- You are validating the business model, not the code
Advantages
- Very fast implementation
- Low cost
- High flexibility
- Allows full workflow testing
Disadvantages
- Integrations can be fragile
- Technical limitations of platforms
- Often lacks professional polish
- Strong third-party dependency
Best Practices
- Use automation platforms to connect tools
- Choose white-label software whenever possible
- Standardize colors, fonts, and branding
8. Wizard of Oz MVP
What It Is
With this MVP, users believe everything is automated, while behind the scenes humans do all the work manually.
Externally, the system appears fully operational. Internally, everything is human-powered.
The classic example is Zappos, which initially sold shoes online without inventory. When customers placed an order, the founders went to local stores, bought the shoes, and shipped them manually.
When to Use It
Recommended when:
- The final technology is complex
- Development costs would be high
- You want to validate the full business model
- You need to test user behavior realistically
Advantages
- Validates the complete value chain
- Delivers a real customer experience
- Avoids premature technology investment
- Generates rich behavioral insights
Disadvantages
- Heavy operational effort
- Risk of bottlenecks
- Difficult to scale
- Requires strict manual discipline
Conclusion: Choosing the Right MVP Is a Strategic Decision
There is no universally superior MVP type. Each method targets a different kind of risk:
- Market risk → Emails, landing pages, videos
- Demand risk → Shadow buttons, coming soon pages
- Value risk → Concierge and Wizard of Oz
- Technology risk → Piecemeal MVPs
The core lesson is clear: do not build before you validate. An MVP is not a shortcut — it is a structured application of the scientific method to entrepreneurship.
Companies that master MVP strategies build better products, spend less, fail less often, and learn much faster.