Reducing Returns Through Better Purchase Guidance

Coolblue

My role

Product designer

The team

PMs, CX Expert, Installation Services, Dev

Duration

1 month

Product & Project Context

Coolblue offers installation services for built-in and fully integrated dishwashers. As part of the purchase journey, customers can access niche dimension guidance to determine whether a dishwasher fits their kitchen. This project explored how the product page could better support customers when evaluating niche dimensions, helping them make more informed decisions before purchase.

My contribution

As Product Designer, I led the design exploration for this initiative, working closely with the Installation Services domain, product managers, and developers. I analyzed the existing experience, identified opportunities to reduce niche-related returns, and developed concepts focused on improving customer understanding, confidence, and decision-making before purchase.

Challenge

A significant number of returns were linked to incorrect niche measurements, despite measurement guidance already being available on the product page. Many customers overlooked the guidance or underestimated its importance during the purchase journey. The challenge was to make niche dimensions more visible, understandable, and actionable before purchase, helping customers make more confident decisions and reducing avoidable returns.

Challenge

Opportunity mapping

By visualizing the current and proposed flows, I identified key moments where additional guidance, validation, or reassurance could help reduce measurement errors before purchase.

Opportunity mapping

By visualizing the current and proposed flows, I identified key moments where additional guidance, validation, or reassurance could help reduce measurement errors before purchase.

Key opportunities

Improve visibility of measurement guidance

Existing guidance could be presented more prominently to reduce the likelihood of it being overlooked.

Support customers during measurement

Additional guidance could help customers understand what needs to be measured and how measurements should be provided.

Introduce validation and reassurance

The flow revealed opportunities to help customers verify their measurements before continuing.

Increase confidence in product fit

Help customers feel certain that the selected dishwasher fits their kitchen niche.

Key opportunities

Improve visibility of measurement guidance

Existing guidance could be presented more prominently to reduce the likelihood of it being overlooked.

Support customers during measurement

Additional guidance could help customers understand what needs to be measured and how measurements should be provided.

Introduce validation and reassurance

The flow revealed opportunities to help customers verify their measurements before continuing.

Increase confidence in product fit

Help customers feel certain that the selected dishwasher fits their kitchen niche.

Concept exploration

Multiple concepts were explored to evaluate how and when niche dimension guidance should be introduced. The explorations tested different levels of guidance, validation, and customer support throughout the purchase journey.

Explored how product fit could be confirmed and communicated more clearly during the purchase process.

Mobile dashboard interface displayed on a smartphone floating against a dark background, showing key metrics, alerts, and activity summaries.

Explored a mandatory confirmation step where customers verify that their niche and panel height measurements meet the required specifications.

Explored a confirmation step that blocks progression when niche or panel height requirements are not met, helping customers avoid ordering an incompatible dishwasher.

Confirming that both niche and panel height requirements are met, enabling customers to continue with their order.

Explored how customers could enter their own niche dimensions and receive immediate feedback when measurements did not meet the product requirements.

Final concept

Introducing niche dimension validation

Following multiple explorations, the final concept introduced a dedicated niche dimensions check directly within the purchase journey. Rather than relying solely on static measurement instructions, customers were asked to actively provide and verify their niche and panel height measurements. The experience compared customer-entered dimensions against the dishwasher requirements and provided immediate feedback when measurements were incompatible. This approach increased awareness of niche dimensions, reduced uncertainty before purchase, and helped customers identify potential fit issues before completing their order.

photography of astronaut standing beside rock formation during daytime

Outcome and impact

The concept was implemented and tested on the product page, showing a positive impact on reducing returns caused by incorrect niche dimensions. By making measurements more visible, actionable, and easier to validate, customers were better supported in selecting a dishwasher that fit their kitchen niche before purchase.