RETURNQUEEN
Return Queen is a revolutionary service that simplifies the hassle of online returns. With Return Queen, users can effortlessly return items without the need for packaging, printing, or driving to the post office. Simply connect your email to sync purchases with RQ and start returning.
I first worked with Return Queen back in 2017–2018 as a freelance designer, helping the founding team design their early app experience. Founded by two incredible women - both mothers who started this company after facing the headache of managing online returns themselves. Return Queen was built to remove the friction of packaging, printing, and post office trips.
After a few years working on other ventures, I was invited back in 2022, this time as a full-time designer with a mission to help Return Queen level up. Despite the time gap, they shared that the early designs I had created still remained their strongest. We kicked off with a UI refresh and brand overhaul, but more importantly, we began identifying deep-rooted friction points across the user journey.
This case study focuses on one of the most impactful design challenges I led: simplifying the manual return label process, which had been causing significant user drop-offs and operational strain. As the lead designer, I took ownership of reimagining this experience, driving a redesign that reduced complexity and increased user trust.
Year
2022
Industry
B2C Consumer App / Post-purchase Experience
Scope of work
Product Design / Branding
Timeline
7 weeks
Team
2 Product Designer, 2 Engineers
RQ Instant Label Retrieval - our game-changing solution.
By developing a sophisticated backend integration, we empowered our platform to automatically retrieve return shipping labels from users' email accounts. This revolutionary feature eliminated the need for manual label forwarding and ensured a seamless return process from start to finish. This backend advancement was paired with a thoughtfully designed UI to create a cohesive, intuitive experience.
Key UX Enhancement :
To guide users through the label retrieval process with clarity, I introduced a 4-step Pickup Progress Tracker that visually broke down the return journey:
Scheduled → Retrieving Labels → Labels Found → Complete
This gave users immediate visibility into what was happening behind the scenes especially during the initial 1–2 minute retrieval window and helped manage expectations.
✅ If labels were found instantly, the card updated within seconds to show no user action was required.
⚠️ If a label couldn’t be retrieved, the card turned red with a clear CTA prompting the user to manually upload the missing label.
This ensured that users knew exactly what was needed to complete the return, preventing drop-offs or confusion.
Before diving into design, I partnered closely with engineering to assess the technical feasibility of auto-fetching return labels from users’ inboxes. We explored key questions early on:
Can we reliably detect return confirmation emails from major retailers?
How quickly can we retrieve labels after a pickup is scheduled?
What’s the ideal wait time before showing progress updates to users?
While the concept seemed like a quick win, early backend tests revealed a key constraint: retrieving labels could take 1–2 minutes, depending on the email provider and retailer. Rather than masking the delay, we designed around it, transforming a moment of waiting into a moment of trust.
To do this, I introduced a Pickup Status Card on the the app homepage + a persistent card on their locked screen as well. This card offered users a real-time snapshot of their return progress, dynamically updating to reflect whether:
All return labels had been successfully retrieved
Some labels were still being fetched
User action was needed (e.g., forwarding a missing label)
To further support users throughout the flow, we integrated text message alerts and push notifications. These served as gentle nudges letting users know when their labels were ready, or when further steps were required to complete the return.
This combination of clear UI feedback and proactive communication helped bridge the technical delay, reducing user anxiety and ensuring they felt guided and not left waiting. It also significantly decreased support tickets related to “what’s happening with my return?”
But my work didn’t stop at the app experience. I also led the rebranding and website redesign to ensure Return Queen felt seamless and elevated across every touchpoint.
As part of the rebrand, I introduced a new primary gradient color scheme to bring a sense of modernity and visual energy to the product. I also incorporated a system of new shapes and graphic elements blending sleek lines with playful curves to reflect the brand’s personality: innovative, approachable, and user-first. Every visual choice was made to create a cohesive and engaging experience, whether a user was scheduling a pickup in the app or learning about the service on the website.
This project was a reminder that great user experiences often begin by solving operational pain points with empathy and clarity. By zooming in on one critical bottleneck - return label handling, we were able to drive meaningful improvements across the entire product experience.
From backend feasibility discussions to frontend transparency and branding, every decision was anchored in reducing friction for both users and the business. The result was not just a smoother return flow, but a more trustworthy, modern, and scalable product.
Return Queen continues to grow, and I’m proud to have contributed to a product that turns one of the most frustrating parts of online shopping into something effortless and even delightful.
(2016-25©)
