Overview
Summary: I designed OfficeSupply's first online returns feature, transforming a multi-day manual process into a streamlined digital flow. This reduced operational burden on customer service teams while strengthening the company's position in the competitive e-commerce market.
Role: Sole UX/UI Designer, UX Researcher, Content Writer
Timeline: May 2024
Project Status: Live
A Competitive Disadvantage
Despite being a leading office supply e-commerce company for over 20 years, OfficeSupply.com lacked a streamlined online returns process. Customers had to initiate returns by submitting their email and order number through a form, then wait for a customer service representative to contact them with further instructions. This outdated process often took 2-3 days and was placing the company at a competitive disadvantage as other retailers offered instant, self-service returns.
The old returns process
Navigating Complexity
When I began exploring what a modern returns flow would look like for OfficeSupply, I quickly discovered why this hadn't been tackled before. The company's infrastructure introduced several interconnected challenges:
Diverse User Base: OfficeSupply caters to both B2C and B2B customers, each with potentially different return needs and expectations.
Direct-to-Consumer Shipping: The company's dropshipping model requires dynamic return addresses depending on the purchased item.
Refund Calculations: OfficeSupply's intricate discount and coupon system requires careful consideration for accurate refund calculations.
Product Variety: An extensive product range, from small items like pencils to bulky furniture, necessitates considering return feasibility for each category.
MVP Requirements
Given OfficeSupply's complex customer base and order types, we adopted a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) approach. This allowed us to prioritize essential functionality while creating a foundation for future improvements. The key requirements for the design included:
Happy Path User Flow: Design a user flow that guides the customer through the ideal return process, ending with receiving a return label and instructions.
Flexible Label Options: Provide users with the choice between a prepaid label (with shipping cost deducted from their refund) or covering the shipping cost themselves
Crush Feature: For low-value items (typically under a few dollars), offer a simplified "crush" option where the company absorbs the cost of the item (either by refund or free replacement)
Edge Case Management: For more complex return scenarios, inform users that a CSR will be in touch within 24 hours with personalized instructions.
Understanding the problem landscape
To gain a comprehensive understanding of the problem space and inform design decisions, I conducted a multi-faceted research approach:
Internal Research: I mapped existing workflows and collaborated with stakeholders to understand technical constraints, backend integrations, and current CSR processes. This revealed specific pain points and opportunities for automation within the current returns system.
Secondary Research & Industry Benchmarks: Although usability testing would have been the preferred research method for this project, it was unavailable due to budget and timeline constraints. Instead, I conducted secondary research using industry benchmarks from the Baymard Institute, a leading authority on e-commerce UX. Key insights that shaped the design:
Transparency in Return Costs: Customers appreciate clear, upfront information about return expenses.
Streamlined User Journey: Reducing the number of steps and using context-aware defaults enhance the overall user experience.
Effective Communication: Clear and concise messaging, button labels, and tooltips help minimize user confusion.
Competitive Analysis: I analyzed competitor return flows to identify best practices and pinpoint opportunities for differentiation through a superior user experience.
Mapping the user flows
The design process began with mapping user flows. I explored multiple scenarios, carefully considering how to divide steps across screens to balance usability with development feasibility.
Initially, I considered a single-page layout with collapsible sections. However, given the volume of information and potential development complexity, I opted for a multi-page flow. This approach offered a clearer, more focused experience and was easier to implement.
I identified three main return pathways based on item type:
Crush – The company absorbs the cost; no return required.
No Crush – A standard return.
Customer Service Assistance – A CSR follows up via email.
From there, users could choose a refund or replacement, and whether to use a prepaid label or cover shipping themselves. This flexible, multi-path structure supported various return scenarios while keeping the experience intuitive and streamlined.
Wireframes & Content Refinement
The design process began by translating user flows into tangible concepts, starting with low-fidelity sketches and progressing to mid-fidelity wireframes. This iterative approach allowed for quick exploration of design ideas, focusing on the hierarchy of information, overall layout, and ensuring critical elements were prioritized for user visibility.
These mid-fidelity wireframes then served as a foundation for critical stakeholder discussions. I communicated closely with the customer service team and developers to gather feedback, particularly regarding language clarity and technical feasibility.
One of the biggest challenges in designing the return flows was ensuring clear and concise communication. While the customer service team wanted detailed warnings and disclaimers, I advocated for minimizing cognitive load to avoid overwhelming users.
Through these discussions, I convinced stakeholders to limit information on the initial return screens and instead provide detailed instructions through confirmation emails and downloadable return forms. I then refined the copy iteratively, analyzing competitor return flows for inspiration and using AI to explore more concise, user-friendly communication.
High-Fidelity Mockups
In creating the high-fidelity wireframes, I prioritized clarity and conciseness to effectively communicate a substantial amount of information without overwhelming users. This was especially challenging on the final 'confirmation' screen, which needed to present various elements such as the confirmation message, next steps, refund summary, "print label" button, and warnings.
To ensure a positive user experience and minimize customer frustration, I focused on the following things:Our key mobile optimization strategies included:
Maintaining a Clean Aesthetic: Ensuring the visual design aligned seamlessly with the existing brand guidelines.
Information Prioritization & Digestibility: Breaking down information-heavy pages into digestible sections using clear headings, bullet points, and a consistent layout.
Enhancing Transparency & Control: Incorporating a progress tracker to provide users with a clear understanding of their journey and a sense of control.
Impact: Operational Efficiency and Customer Satisfaction
The redesigned returns flow significantly transformed both operational efficiency and the customer experience, delivering measurable improvements and enabling better resource allocation across the business.
Process Transformation: We dramatically reduced the return initiation time from 2-3 days to under 5 minutes. This eliminated manual processing for most standard returns, leading to a substantial reduction in CSR workload. Furthermore, the "Crush" feature optimized costs by saving processing and shipping expenses for low-value items where costs exceed product value.
Enhanced User Experience: Customers now benefit from a more intuitive and transparent process. Upfront cost information eliminates surprise charges, and the new self-service capability empowers customers to complete returns without requiring human intervention, leading to higher satisfaction.
Delivering Business Value: The project achieved competitive parity by providing an industry-standard return experience. Crucially, this allowed for valuable resource reallocation, enabling the customer service team to focus their expertise on complex issues that truly require human intervention.
