Christian Laing

Work

About

Contact

Résumé

CL

Enhancing
returns

Enhancing returns

Better returns: cut costs, boost loyalty

Better returns: cut costs, boost loyalty

Returns through the call center were costly and drove low CSAT and LTSA scores, reflecting customer perception and brand loyalty. Customers preferred online returns, so execs asked us to incentivize adoption by making them easier and more accessible.

Goals

  1. Increase returns done online vs the call center (saves money)

  2. Increase Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) scores with the returns experience

  3. Improve Likelihood to Shop Again (LTSA) scores after a return

Results that speak - one year later

↑

ONLINE RETURNS

6x

Increase in returns done online vs call center. From 7% to 47%.

↑

RETURN COSTS

12%

Reduction in cost per return. From $33 to $29.

↑

CSAT SCORES

28%

Increase in customer satisfaction scores (58 to 74).

↑

LTSA SCORES

25%

Increase in likelihood to shop again scores (56 to 70).

Research & discovery

Research & discovery

I collaborated on a six-month, Slalom led research discovery effort, contributing to the insights that would later shape the designs.

I collaborated on a six-month, Slalom led research discovery effort, contributing to the insights that would later shape the designs.

17

Customer interviews

Customer interviews

Conducted PRO and DIY interviews to validate in-store pain points and uncover ideas for new innovations.

Conducted PRO and DIY interviews to validate in-store pain points and uncover ideas for new innovations.

50

Stakeholder interviews

Stakeholder interviews

Spoke with 18 internal groups to learn about pain points and solutions in progress.

Spoke with 18 internal groups to learn about pain points and solutions in progress.

28

Stores observed

Stores observed

Visited Home Depot stores nationwide to capture firsthand insights from customers.

Visited Home Depot stores nationwide to capture firsthand insights from customers.

791

Quantitative surveys

Quantitative surveys

Included 424 DIY and 367 PRO customers to validate pain points.

Included 424 DIY and 367 PRO customers to validate pain points.

29

Competitors analyzed

Competitors analyzed

Studied retail locations and digital best practices of direct competitors and leaders.

Studied retail locations and digital best practices of direct competitors and leaders.

Key insights: 6 customer pain points

Key insights: 6 customer pain points

Unclear return policy

Customers struggled to find return dates, driving call volume.

Waiting in line

Customers disliked waiting, especially for simple returns.

Lost receipts

Receipts were often lost, making purchase verification a challenge.

UPS returns

Without home printers, customers found printing labels frustrating.

Big & bulky items

Large-item returns often meant difficult store visits or customer support calls.

Limited return methods

Most items could only be returned in-store, limiting flexibility.

The market sets expectations

The market sets expectations

Testing revealed a consistent pattern: customers’ expectations were shaped by industry norms. I connected these mental models to the biggest issues in our returns experience.

⚡️ Best Buy displays a barcode for fast order lookups

🗓️ Target clearly calls out the order's return date

📦 Walmart offers multi-return methods, including large item pickup

🖨️ Amazon's QR code limits the need for printers

3

Three changes with major impact…

Three changes with major impact…

Displaying return dates for every item

Displaying return dates for every item

Unclear return information was a key customer pain point, especially around item-specific return windows. Adding item-level eligibility and deadlines to the Order Details page reduced confusion and lowered call volume.

Unclear return information was a key customer pain point, especially around item-specific return windows. Adding item-level eligibility and deadlines to the Order Details page reduced confusion and lowered call volume.

Before

After

🗓️ Item-level return dates help users understand return policy

Before

After

🗓️ Item-level return dates help users understand return policy

Faster returns with a simple barcode

Faster returns with a simple barcode

Customers wanted proof of purchase beyond paper receipts and often missed digital ones. A barcode was added to Order Details, averaging 20K scans per day and making it easier for associates to look up orders and for customers to spot it as proof of purchase.

Customers wanted proof of purchase beyond paper receipts and often missed digital ones. A barcode was added to Order Details, averaging 20K scans per day and making it easier for associates to look up orders and for customers to spot it as proof of purchase.

Customers wanted proof of purchase beyond paper receipts and often missed digital ones. We added a barcode to Order Details for quick lookup—easy to spot for customers and scan for associates. It averaged 20,000 scans a day upon release.

Before

👁️ Moving the CTA in the viewport incentivized online returns

⚡️ Instant in-store return access via barcode

After

Print-free returns

Print-free returns

Many customers no longer have printers, so collaborating with UPS to provide a scannable barcode made mailback returns easier.

Many customers no longer have printers, so collaborating with UPS to provide a scannable barcode made mailback returns easier.

Before

🗓️ Made the "return by" date prominent to support task completion

📦 80%+ of customers use UPS stores that accept the barcode — making it the priority

After

Leadership was unsure about adding UPS barcode access on the Purchase History page due to limited space, but it saved users from scrolling through Order Details.


After partnering with the Purchase History designer and agreeing on a solution, analytics proved that about 70% of customers preferred it.

Leadership was unsure about adding UPS barcode access on the Purchase History page due to limited space, but it saved users from scrolling through Order Details.


After partnering with the Purchase History designer and agreeing on a solution, analytics proved that about 70% of customers preferred it.

Before

⚡️ Quick access to the UPS barcode

🗓️ Emphasized the "return by" date instead of "initiated" date

After

Having that return date is super helpful because not everybody puts a return date. And that's very convenient that the [UPS Barcode] button is there, because without that I probably would have clicked on the actual order."
"Having that return date is super helpful because not everybody puts a return date. And that's very convenient that the [UPS Barcode] button is there, because without that I probably would have clicked on the actual order."
- Customer Feedback
- Customer Feedback

From strategy to success

From strategy to success

Improvements to the returns experience clarified policies, sped up in-store returns, reduced UPS friction, and gave customers the info they needed to return with confidence.

Improvements to the returns experience clarified policies, sped up in-store returns, reduced UPS friction, and gave customers the info they needed to return with confidence.

→

Increased customer satisfaction scores by 28%

Increased customer satisfaction scores by 28%

→

Improved likelihood to shop again scores by 25%

Improved likelihood to shop again scores by 25%

→

Reduced return costs by 12%

Reduced return costs by 12%

→

Ranked top 1% in UX Returns Performance by Baymard Institute

Ranked top 1% in UX Returns Performance by Baymard Institute

It was easy to return, and I'm not tech savy so was glad the process was easy…. Very satisfied with Home Depot. Will shop there again for sure."
"It was easy to return, and I'm not tech savy so was glad the process was easy…. Very satisfied with Home Depot. Will shop there again for sure."
- Customer Feedback
- Customer Feedback

Like what you read?

Like what you read?

Feel free to reach out with any questions or keep exploring more of my work.

Feel free to reach out with any questions or keep exploring more of my work.

Read promo project

Contact me