1593973 - Sponsored cards are no longer displayed when setting the `browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.discoverystream.config` preference to any of the experiments value

Status: VERIFIED FIXED

(Shield :: Shield Study, defect)

Description

[Andreea Cupsa [:acupsa], Experiments QA]

Attachment: No Sponsored cards.PNG

[Affected versions]:

• Firefox Release 70.0.1, Build ID: 20191030021342
• Firefox Beta 71.0b6, Build ID: 20191031113544
• Firefox Nightly 72.0a1, Build ID: 20191031095309

[Affected Platforms]:

• All Windows
• All Mac
• All Linux

[Prerequisites]:

• Have the following preferences set:
• browser.search.region to US
• browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.discoverystream.config to
  {"api_key_pref":"extensions.pocket.oAuthConsumerKey","collapsible":true,"enabled":true,"show_spocs":true,"hardcoded_layout":false,"personalized":false,"layout_endpoint":"https://getpocket.cdn.mozilla.net/v3/newtab/layout?version=1&consumer_key=$apiKey&layout_variant=direct-response-variant-b"}

[Steps to reproduce]:

1. Open the browser with the profile from the prerequisites.
2. Open a new tab.
3. Observe the third card from the first row of the Recommended by Pocket section.

[Expected result]:

• A Sponsored card is displayed.

[Actual result]:

• A simple Recommended by Pocket card is displayed.

[Notes]:

• This issue is reproducible with all of the experiments branches.
• This issue might be on the server side as it was not reproducible Yesterday (11/04/2019), and we encountered a similar situation with the Sponsored cards not being displayed in the past.
• Attached a screenshot with the issue.

@Scott, could you please take a look at this?

Comment 1

[Jessilyn Davis]

Problem has been identified as Inventory from Adzerk to point to the experiment branch on Release. (https://mozilla.slack.com/archives/CEZEF1AHX/p1572965752024300)

@lillian/@laura, can you help us make sure that Babble is loaded in and pointed to Production on these experiment endpoints?

Flag: I'm unsure if something special needs to happen so that this inventory is only shown in the experiment branches, or if it's okay showing to everyone in Release, and we'll monitor the special behavior across the 3 experiment branches. We'll need to make sure that there's inventory enough to do the experiment when it launches on 11/12, and passes QA testing this week. Tawanda, can you chime in on expected behavior and what's ok?

Comment 2

[Jessilyn Davis]

This bug blocks QA signoff, and the Experiment's ability to go live on 11/12 (Bug 1593002).

Comment 3

[Tawanda Kanhema]

This is working now :cmuresan :jdavis

Comment 4

[Jessilyn Davis]

Confirmed on slack all is well \o/

Comment 5

[Andreea Cupsa [:acupsa], Experiments QA]

This was fixed on the server-side and it required no code change. I have verified the issue and is no longer reproducible in Firefox Release 70.0.1 (Build ID: 20191030021342) Firefox Beta 71.0b7 (Build ID: 20191104135555) Firefox Nightly 72.0a1 (Build ID: 20191106215426) on Windows 10 x64, Mac 10.15 and Debian 9.