Re-envisioning returns and creating self returns
Express return is a critical product to Sam’s Club's success as what you purchase may not always be the right product.
With our no questioned asked return policy, we must get the right job done so that our customers would be able to return something quickly. Based on our survey collection service, Morning Consult, one of the main reasons people dropped their membership was the membership return experience. The wait times were too long because of the return transaction time and removing the POS would be our key objective.
This project would end up helping Sam’s Club saving 15 million dollars.
Project makeup
Method
Qualitative and quantitative research, Workshops, Competitive analysis, User journey, Site map, Whiteboard, Prototype, User testing
Qualitative and quantitative research, Workshops, Competitive analysis, User journey, Site map, Whiteboard, Prototype, User testing
Duration
7 months, revision 2.0-3.0
4 months, self checkout
7 months, revision 2.0-3.0
4 months, self checkout
Team
Two Senior designers, Content strategist, Product manager, Engineering staff
Two Senior designers, Content strategist, Product manager, Engineering staff
Intial findings
After reviewing the product's current state, we started examining all the analytical data to see all the findings. In the analytics, I saw a considerable drop from the initial inception from the usage of 78% adoptions, down 54% average across our stores, and I needed to investigate why.
Other findings
Average returns took over 10 minutes in the wait queue.
When using the legacy POS systems, it would take an average transaction time of 7 minutes.
When using the Express Return iPad app, it would take about 1 minute.
Average returns took over 10 minutes in the wait queue.
When using the legacy POS systems, it would take an average transaction time of 7 minutes.
When using the Express Return iPad app, it would take about 1 minute.
Research
My team decided to make multiple trips to different Sam's Club to get qualitative feedback. After all the courteous chats about Express Returns. We started to observe some of the transactions. We discovered that there were many complaints about how it didn't work like the POS. The app had lots of bugs, and they'd have to use the POS to complete the transaction.
Feedback
“It’s only good for simple transactions. It’s like double the work, when it doesn’t… There’s too many bugs."
“I don’t like the app. I rather use POS. It’s (doesn’t show all items) too slow add items and (it) makes mistakes. App stops in mid transactions."
“I can’t do debit and cash transactions. I can’t issue out gift cards for returns (when CC isn’t available). It crashes, when it idles too long."
“It’s only good for simple transactions. It’s like double the work, when it doesn’t… There’s too many bugs."
“I don’t like the app. I rather use POS. It’s (doesn’t show all items) too slow add items and (it) makes mistakes. App stops in mid transactions."
“I can’t do debit and cash transactions. I can’t issue out gift cards for returns (when CC isn’t available). It crashes, when it idles too long."
User journey
Key opportunity
Bug fix (Idle, selection on item, return other reason, debit transaction, etc).
Make multiple selection return smooth as possible.
Reveal feature updates and what it fixed.
Item search.
Feedback screen for complaints.
Bug fix (Idle, selection on item, return other reason, debit transaction, etc).
Make multiple selection return smooth as possible.
Reveal feature updates and what it fixed.
Item search.
Feedback screen for complaints.
Design principles
Team work makes the dream work
Once my team documented and created tickets for the list of bugs, it began a chain effect where the engineering staff did not enjoy the process of having an engaged design team. They valued the bugs that we reported, but in turn, it showed their flaw as a team.
This resulted in the engineering team being more apprehensive and working internally among themselves and designing solutions. It was not easy to start, as we need them and their trust to build a product. I had to approach a new method of how do we want to treat each other as a team and how do we make a better team organization.
Based on my recommendation, we visited our engineering team, and we decided to run a modified team building and design workshop. For team building, we look at ways how we work well together and where we could improve. Also, we looked at ways on how we could communicate better to share our vision.
The outcome was a success. The team felt whole, and they were more willing to work together. We proposed a solution to doing bi-monthly visits with the core team. We wanted to make them feel that they were part of the process and not removed.
Design goals
Bring parity to the Express Return app from the POS.
Our first focus was to build multiple selections so that the Express Return made sense for our associates.
The second was to add in a feedback system so that we could continue to gather information and feedback.
Third, start building features that enhanced the service like Item search.
Our first focus was to build multiple selections so that the Express Return made sense for our associates.
The second was to add in a feedback system so that we could continue to gather information and feedback.
Third, start building features that enhanced the service like Item search.
Sitemap
I examined our previous sitemap design to understand how to create a multiple selection flow. I envisioned how it could exist with item lookup, multiple selections, and other new features like price adjustment and Code 2/3 (items not appearing in history). I also compared it to how the POS system did it.
Whiteboarding
Getting the right design flow by selecting multiple items led us to many whiteboarding sessions to figure out the right way to approach the design. It would affect our system design in a big way on an error, and edge case flows.
Design
We made small incremental design changes to help associates select and scan receipt item or look up an item on the receipt faster.
I created an item lookup feature that would allow associates to find items with missing labels or barcodes that were difficult to be read.
Using our original design (comparison down below), I looked at ways to iterate on adding multiple items. We looked at ways to select one item to see multiple items on receipt would interlay with one another from our original design. From there, we looked at how we could interact with a new design to select multiple items.
Previous original design to add an additional item at return summary.
User testing
We tested multiple designs to figure out what would be the right solution. In turn, we would rapidly iterate the designs based on the feedback and test associates if needed.
Feedback
Second, we implemented our global feedback service into our app. This feedback would show up on our Slack channel, where we would monitor any bugs and feature problems.
Outcome
When you create a service that optimizes the experience, but users don't accept it, something is wrong. Associates needed something well put and something they could trust. Without it, it was money wasted. Only when we met their expectations and did we start seeing the shift utilizing a tool they needed. We were finally able to start phasing out our legacy POS inside the store. The time savings resulted into shorter wait times for our customers. The estimates were potentially 15 million dollars worth of savings from saving on labor, moving away from legacy devices, and retaining our customers.