COMPANY
Auctane
PROJECT TYPE
New Feature
TIMELINE
Summer 2025
ROLE
Product Design Intern
01 THE PROBLEM
ShipStation users are losing money on their unused USPS shipping labels
Unlike other carriers who charge customers for the shipping label when a package enters the mail stream, USPS charges when the label is purchased/printed
USPS labels must be voided within 30 days of original print to recover the cost
Due to a manual refund process through the USPS website, ShipStation users are not voiding labels that they do not plan to use
$37,000,000
IN UNUSED USPS LABELS IN 2024
47,ooo+
USERS WITH > 12 UNSHIPPED USPS
LABELS IN THE PAST YEAR
02 THE GOALS
1
Proactively ID unused USPS labels to minimize user effort and oversight
2
Simplify the refund process through automation and intuitive UI/UX
3
Increase user awareness of unused label recovery via in-app alerts and emails.
4
Enhance customer satisfaction by providing tangible, recurring cost savings.
03 THE SOLUTION
Refund Assist: a scalable, automated system to streamline USPS label refunds
ShipStation will automatically identify all unused USPS labels approaching expiration and request refunds on behalf of the customer, minus a 30% convenience fee.
The new design introduced a dedicated Refund Assist grid, simplified onboarding and settings, and clarified refund statuses within shipment details.
This reduced confusion and manual effort for users while fitting seamlessly into ShipStation’s existing workflows.
SETTINGS AND ONBAORDING
Simplified toggle for enabling across all USPS accounts.
Cohort-based rollout strategy (FTU, high-volume, low-volume users)
Clear opt-in/out pathways with onboarding and notifications
REFUND ASSIST GRID
Created a dedicated grid (instead of burying it under Shipments).
Added new columns (Refund Request Date, Status, Credited Amount, etc.).
Filter and status tracking to support different user needs.
REFUND FLOW AND SHIPMENT DETAILS
Defined clear statuses: Scheduled → Pending → Processed → Excluded.
Updated modal to display refund + shipment statuses.
Added transparency with email notifications and tooltips.
VOIDED GRID
Added “Void Type” column to differentiate Refund Assist vs manual voids.
Ensured refund history was discoverable without cluttering main flows.
04 THE REFLECTION
CONSTRAINTS AND CHALLENGES
Faced technical constraints such as respecting existing Shipment Status framework.
Had to balance automation with user control (exclude, opt-out).
Cohort strategy ensured adoption without overwhelming all users.
LEARNINGS & KEY TAKEAWAYS
Designing within constraints → I learned how to adapt design solutions around engineering limitations while still advocating for the user experience.
Clarity over complexity → I saw the value of simplifying workflows and information architecture so users can easily understand a complex process like refunds.
Cross-team collaboration → I learned how to incorporate feedback from engineering, product managers, and experience reviews to refine designs.