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Modernizing the FedEx
Returns Technology Experience
TL;DR
Over the summer of 2023, I worked at IA Collaborative, where I contributed to the redesign of FedEx's Returns Experience. The project aimed to enhance the experience for merchants, consumers, and internal teams, resulting in an increase in efficiency and reduced return processing time.
My Role
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Facilitated design sprints with cross-functional product partners and created comprehensive workflow documentation leading to a seamless handoff to the FedEx engineering team.​
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Identified and addressed areas for usability enhancement that surfaced during evaluations
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Created new reusable components and patterns that were used across multiple screens.
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Designed a new navigation system and a tracking dashboard experience for merchants by optimizing information architecture & user flows.
Status
The design recommendations were launched in September 2023.
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This project is under NDA. Contact me for the full case study.
Till then, take a look at the summary of the project and also browse some of the other projects below :)
CONTEXT
FedEx's Returns Technology is a comprehensive system designed to facilitate and manage the return process for businesses and customers.
From generating return labels and tracking shipments to handling return authorizations and processing refunds, FedEx's Returns Technology ensures a seamless and organized experience.
With FedEx Returns Technology integrated into more than 1,700 participating FedEx Office locations across the U.S.,
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We have an amazing opportunity to build a seamless and hassle-free experience for merchants and retailers.
USERS
The Returns Experience involves three user groups; Consumers, Merchants, and FedEx Retailers. The project focussed on redesigning the experience for Merchants and Retailers.
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Consumers
Consumers create a return request on the Merchant website.
Merchants (eg: Nike)
Merchants then create an RMA and provides a QR code via email or a return label for the customer to print and place on their package.
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FedEx Employees
A team member will scan the QR code, print the label, offer your customers packaging options, and ship the return for them.
Project Scope
PROBLEM SPACE
The existing design is confusing and unorganized, and lacks accessibility, and a sense of craft as a modern returns experience, hindering the return process for both consumers and businesses.
Several problem discovery sessions with the FedEx team, thorough heuristic evaluation, and competitive analysis, uncovered the following pain points.
Hidden Information
The main tasks, eg: searching an RMA is hidden within pages with too many steps, making the return process slow and inefficient.
The merchants can’t easily track the number of recent return requests created or view the status of a return.
Complex & Inconsistent Patterns
Excessive corporate jargon and hidden information leads to inefficiencies and increased the need for manual support.
The interface is outdated, inconsistent with the design system, and violates several heuristics.
Multiple Accounts for Returns
Merchants have to create a separate account for each return type or return program, leading to increased complexity and administrative burden.
GOAL
Processing and tracking returns is a routine task for FedEx Retail employees and Merchants. By solving existing usability issues, the goal is to ensure a seamless experience, so that users can complete tasks with minimal friction.
For Merchants, this means spending less time navigating the system and more time focusing on their core business. For FedEx, it translates to fewer support requests and a smoother overall process, leading to cost savings and enhanced service delivery. Ultimately, by ensuring task efficiency, fewer errors, and less need for support, we want drive higher adoption rates and customer satisfaction.
Improve usability
Solve the experience’s usability issues, ensuring seamless integration with existing functionality.
Modernize experience
Enhance the visual language of the experience to align with Fedx’s new design system - DDT.
Increase task efficiency
Optimizing the Information Architecture of the experience to reduce task completion time and increase work efficiency.
APPROACH & TIMELINE
We redesigned the entire experience for Merchants and Retailers with better accessibility, visual hierarchy, and craft, implemented across four sprints.
SOLUTION
Overall, we reorganized the information architecture and created a new navigation system and dashboard experience for merchants to keep track of product returns and shipments to streamline the return process for businesses and customers.
Improve usability
Solution: Redesigned Navigation system
OLD SIDE NAVIGATION
REDESIGNED NAVIGATION
Modernize experience
Solution: Implemented FedEx's new design system and created new reusable components and patterns.
Increase task efficiency
Solution: Designed tasks to be simple and easy to understand while also reducing the number of steps to finish routine tasks.
EVALUATION & IMPACT
It wasn't long until we saw the metrics change for the better. Merchants and FedEx retailers appreciated the straightforward experience of creating new RMAs and tracking return shipments.
6 mins
Less time spent on Processing Returns for FedEx Retail Employees
20%
Increase in Task Efficiency for all users
50%
Reduction in Shipment Tracking Time for FedEx's Partner Companies
LEARNINGS
Know the Business of the Business
I was thrown into this project, and I had to quickly learn about the intricacies of the logistics of FedEx and the journey of Returns. I soon realized how important is to understand the operations of any business you are designing for.
Own the Impact
Everyone is empowered and expected to 
ask questions, surface challenges and build on each other’s ideas to make the work stronger. Everyone is responsible for delivering groundbreaking work that delivers results, and everyone is accountable for team success.
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