Returns Management System
Returns Management System
Returns Management System
Company
Gottex
Role
Project Manager Research Lead Product Designer
Team
COO
CIO
Developer
Year
2022-2024
Company
Gottex
Role
Project Manager
UX Research
Product Designer
Team
COO
CIO
Developer
Year
2022-2024
Overview
The project aimed to develop a new returns management system for Gottex’s eCommerce platform, which operates separately from the retail stores. Gottex, a fashion brand with both retail stores and an eCommerce platform, manages its online inventory through Shopify, synchronized with the company-wide Priority Software. Refunds trigger the issuance of an invoice to the customer, with inventory updates reflecting in Priority the following day.
Challenges with the previous system included managing returns across two platforms, causing delays, errors, and inefficiencies. The goal: to create a unified solution that streamlines returns, enhances efficiency, and boosts customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Challenges
- Dual-System Workflow
Synchronizing returns between Priority Software (inventory) and Shopify (online store inventory) was crucial for accurate inventory management and credit issuance.
- Refund Management
Customer service had to manage refunds across two systems – an internal returns system and Shopify leading to inefficiency, errors, and slower operations.
- Inventory and Refund Issues
Refunds tied to a single warehouse caused inventory inaccuracies, requiring multiple actions for items in different warehouses.
- Lack of Refund Alternatives
Only cash refunds were available, missing opportunities for store credit or gift cards.
- Dual-System Workflow
Synchronizing returns between Priory (inventory) and Shopify (online store) was crucial for accurate inventory management and credit issuance.
- Refund Management
Customer service had to manage refunds across two systems—an internal returns system and Shopify—leading to inefficiency, errors, and slower operations.
- Inventory and Refund Issues
Refunds tied to a single warehouse caused inventory inaccuracies, requiring multiple actions for items in different warehouses.
- Lack of Refund Alternatives
The company only allowed refunds, without offering alternatives like store credit or gift cards, which increased refund volume and limited opportunities for repeat purchases.
Manual Logging For Warehouse Staff
Warehouse staff manually log each returned item, marking them as restockable or needing special handling.
The problem: This manual process is time-consuming and error-prone, delaying restocking and return handling.
My Role
- Applied UX/UI design skills and customer service experience to address challenges in developing a returns management system.
- Participated in project meetings, reviewed summaries, and corrected inaccuracies.
- Identified pain points through customer service insights and collaborated with the developer to define goals, prioritize tasks, and create a project roadmap.
- Conducted system tests, resolved issues, and ensured the system was launch-ready.
Competitor analysis
As part of my research to improve the product, I reviewed the solutions offered by Shopify, Glassix, and Payplus. This analysis helped identify key features that could be applied to enhance the efficiency, automation, and user experience of our system.
- Automated Process Management
Integration of Payplus and Shopify streamlines processes, reducing manual tasks and improving efficiency.
- Shipment Status Tracking
Real-time tracking of shipment statuses, synced between Shopify and the delivery service, simplifying return monitoring.
- Warehouse Assignment Control
Each returned item is assigned to a virtual warehouse based on its status (damaged, intact, or missing a ticket) within Shopify, ensuring precise inventory management and better tracking of returns based on item condition.
- Refund Control
Payplus streamlines the refund process, reducing manual intervention and enabling quicker resolutions, improving efficiency and customer satisfaction.
- Streamlined Multitasking
Glassix’s split-screen interface enhances multitasking by allowing agents to view customer interactions on one side and manage internal tools or additional information on the other, reducing tab-switching.
- Automated Process Management
Integration of Payplus and Shopify streamlines processes, reducing manual tasks and improving efficiency.
- Shipment Status Tracking
Real-time tracking of shipment statuses, synced between Shopify and the delivery service, simplifying return monitoring.
- Warehouse Assignment Control
Each returned item is linked to a virtual warehouse based on its status (damaged, intact, or missing a ticket) within Payplus, ensuring accurate inventory management.
- Refund Control
- Streamlined Multitasking
Glassix’s split-screen interface enhances multitasking by allowing agents to view customer interactions on one side and manage internal tools or additional information on the other, reducing tab-switching.
Solution
To improve efficiency, a single platform was developed to consolidate returns tracking and refund processing, eliminating the need for two separate systems. This integration allowed for faster, more accurate processing by automatically linking the status of returned items to appropriate actions. Refunds could also be issued immediately to gift cards, reducing refunds and increasing customer loyalty. Additionally, the system provided real-time tracking of pickup statuses, improving internal communication and speeding up the process.
User Flow
Process
- Research & Planning
The project started with a meeting involving the development team, in-house developer, and VP of Development to outline goals, customer service needs, and pain points. We set priorities and created a roadmap for progress.
- Design & Prototyping
We defined system requirements and created interactive prototypes, focusing on customer service functionality. The interface was divided into four main tabs: returns created, awaiting refunds, completed refunds, and all returns. Prototypes were refined based on user feedback.
- Development & Implementation
During development, we faced challenges integrating Shopify with existing systems, such as issues with refunds, invoices, and inventory syncing. Through testing, we resolved these issues, ensuring smooth communication between systems.
- Testing & Optimization
We conducted extensive testing, focusing on refund processes and verifying proper integration with virtual warehouses. The design was refined based on feedback, adding necessary adjustments to handle a variety of scenarios effectively.
- Research & Planning
The project started with a meeting involving the development team, in-house developer, and VP of Development to outline goals, customer service needs, and pain points. We set priorities and created a roadmap for progress.
- Design & Prototyping
Collaborating with design and development teams, we defined system requirements and created interactive prototypes, focusing on customer service functionality. The interface was divided into four main tabs: returns created, awaiting refunds, completed refunds, and all returns. Prototypes were refined based on user feedback.
- Development & Implementation
During development, we faced challenges integrating Shopify with existing systems, such as issues with refunds, invoices, and inventory syncing. Through testing, we resolved these issues, ensuring smooth communication between systems.
- Testing & Optimization
We conducted extensive testing, focusing on refund processes and verifying proper integration with virtual warehouses. The design was refined based on feedback, adding necessary adjustments to handle a variety of scenarios effectively.
Wireframe
Based on the research I conducted, we created wireframes to focus on a smooth and efficient user experience, as the process is repetitive yet critical, involving financial refunds that require attention to specific details. The design emphasizes easy access to elements and simplifies complex processes.
Deshboard Page
Returns Pages
Returns Pages
Refund Order Page
Design
The design process focused on creating a clean and user-friendly interface. Blue buttons were chosen to maintain continuity with the previous system, ensuring a seamless transition for users. The clean design also allowed for the strategic use of colors to highlight important elements effectively. Key features included filtering and sorting options, as well as the ability to add or remove columns for a customizable experience.
Deshboard Page
All Returns Page
Offers a comprehensive view of all active returns. Each return is assigned a status that reflects its current stage in the process. Additionally, there is a specific status for pickups, allowing users to track the progress of the collection stage.
When there is an issue during the refund process, the row will appear in red with the reason as a floating note when hovering over the row.
Created Returns Page
This page displays all return requests that have been created. Using the tracking feature, users can view the current status of the pickup and identify any delays or late pickups in real time.
Pending Returns Page
This page displays returns that have been received and processed by the warehouse, recorded in the returns system, and transferred to customer service for issuing refunds to customers.
To improve accessibility, the “edit columns” button allows users to customize table columns, ensuring they fit the table’s context. This feature prevents overcrowding and avoids creating overly wide tables that extend beyond the page, eliminating the need for horizontal scrolling to view the entire table – a problem present in the previous system.
Refunded Page
Refung Order Page
