Every product journey begins with excitement — an idea sparked, a market need spotted, and the rush of building something new. But not every product (or feature) is meant to last forever.

Just like seasons change, so must our products. Managing product obsolescence — knowing when and how to retire something — is a crucial, often overlooked skill in the craft of product management.

Here’s a story that shows why.

At a fast-growing startup called Crescendo, the product team had once launched a small feature nicknamed Willow. It was simple: Willow helped users personalize their dashboards with colorful themes and motivational quotes.

At launch, it was a hit. Users loved showing off their "Willowized" screens. Engagement metrics ticked up.
The internal team proudly wore "Team Willow" badges to celebrate.

But as years passed, things changed:

Crescendo shifted from a B2C app to an enterprise SaaS platform.
Customers cared more about security, integrations, and speed — not dashboard decorations.
Willow’s codebase became fragile, slowing down development.
Fewer than 2% of users interacted with it anymore.

Still, no one wanted to talk about it. It felt disloyal to the feature that had once brought them so much success. Until one product leader, Maya, spoke up at a team offsite:
"Maybe loving Willow now means letting her go."

When It’s Time to Let Go

Here’s the thing:
Products and features aren’t sacred. They’re tools we create to solve real needs. When the needs evolve, clinging to old tools holds us back. Maya led a small task force to manage Willow’s sunset. They decided to treat it not as a deletion, but as a retirement party — honoring its past, while moving boldly into the future.

The Blueprint for a Graceful Sunset

The Crescendo team followed a simple but powerful approach:

1. Analyze and Align

Before making any public announcements, they gathered data:

Usage metrics
Impact on system performance
Customer feedback

They made sure internal teams — sales, support, engineering — were aligned that sunsetting Willow was the right move.

2. Communicate with Transparency

They didn’t hide it in release notes. They emailed users months ahead, explaining:

Why Willow was being retired
When exactly it would happen
What alternatives (if any) were available

They thanked users for their creativity and engagement over the years.

3. Provide Time and Tools

Crescendo gave users 90 days' notice. For power users, they created a simple export tool to save their dashboard themes and quotes if they wanted to keep them.

4. Honor the History

On the final day, the app displayed a small tribute:
"Thank you for growing with Willow."

Internally, the team hosted a small celebration, sharing favorite memories of Willow’s early days.
It was cathartic — a chance to close a chapter, not erase it.

Why Graceful Endings Matter

Handled poorly, a product sunset can feel like betrayal:

Users feel abandoned.
Teams feel demoralized.
Reputations take a hit.

Handled well, sunsetting can:

Reinforce trust with users.
Free up resources for more important work.
Make room for innovation.
Strengthen team culture around adaptation and progress.

Remember:
A sunset isn’t a failure. It’s a sign that you’re paying attention.

Final Thoughts

If you build products, you will eventually have to retire them — or parts of them. It’s not a question of "if," but "how." The best product teams love their creations without clinging to them. They know that saying goodbye with grace is part of building with integrity.

Because in the world of product management, knowing when to let go is just as important as knowing when to push forward.

Saying Goodbye Gracefully: The Art of Sunsetting Products and Features