COMPANY
Auctane (ShipStation)
PROJECT TYPE
New Feature
TIMELINE
Summer 2025
ROLE
Product Design Intern
Auctane is a global leader in shipping and logistics software, powering brands like ShipStation and Stamps.com. With 1,400 employees, they drive $200B+ transactions and 3B orders each year
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 OPPUTUNITY
INSIGHT #1
Merchants do not already have their own method for refunding labels ($37,000,000 in unused labels in 2024)
INSIGHT #2
Users fail to submit refunds on their own because the process is invisible, manual, and time-sensitive
OPPURTUNITY
Create an automated experience that surfaces unused labels and removes the manual burden of submitting refunds
03 THE PROCESS
MAPPING OUT THE FLOW
DEFINING THE REFUND PROCESS
Refund Scheduled: When unused labels ages 21 days
Refund Pending (Sent): When labels have not been voided, scanned or excluded by day 28 an eRefund request is sent
Refund Processed: The user’s account is auto credited 70% of the approved refund amount
Excluded: The eRefund request will not be sent for that label, so users can manually void or manually send refund claims
04 THE SOLUTION
Refund Assist: a scalable, automated system to streamline USPS label refunds
ShipStation will 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
05 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)
LEARNINGS & KEY TAKEAWAYS
Designing within constraints: I learned how to adapt design solutions around engineering limitations while still advocating for the user experience
Cross-team collaboration: I learned how to incorporate feedback from engineering, product managers, and experience reviews to refine designs
Presenting and advocacy: I learned how to clearly articulate my design rationale in critiques and experience reviews, thoughtfully respond to feedback to strengthen the overall solution
POST LAUNCH
This feature launched in October 2025!
$174,000
IN REFUND ASSIST REFUNDS IN DECEMBER 2025