January 26, 2026
Feature Requests vs. Bug Reports: How to Separate Signal from Noise
Customer feedback comes in messy. Users mix bugs, feature requests, and product opinions in the same message. If you treat everything the same, you lose focus and slow shipping.
The simplest classification model
Use three buckets and keep them consistent:
- Bug report: something is broken or incorrect
- Feature request: a new capability or workflow
- Friction point: something is confusing or slow
Most messages can be labeled with one of these. If a note does not fit, treat it as a friction point first.
Why this matters for prioritization
Bug reports are about trust. Feature requests are about growth. Friction points are about retention. When you separate these, you can decide what to fix this week versus what to plan next month.
A fast triage routine
For teams without a dedicated support queue, try this:
- Reply to the user within 24 hours
- Add a single label in your email client
- Capture the top three issues in a weekly note
This keeps feedback moving without a full ticketing system.
Helpful examples
- “The checkout button does not work” is a bug report
- “Can you add Stripe billing” is a feature request
- “I got lost in the setup flow” is a friction point
Tools and templates to reference
If you want a light framework, this guide is solid: https://www.intercom.com/blog/feature-requests/