Shopify returns experience designed around shoppers who seek out the return policy

You are a PM at Shopify. Design a solution for returns, taking into account that most users go looking for a store's return policy. ```hint Ask why they look Work out why users seek out the policy and at what moment. That tells you whether the problem is confidence before buying, the return itself, or both, and what the merchant has to supply in each case. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Is the primary customer the merchant who writes and enforces the policy, or the shopper who reads it and sends items back? - When do users look for the policy: before buying, to decide whether to risk the purchase, or after delivery, when they want to return something? - Which merchants are in scope: small stores that handle returns by email today, or large brands that already run a dedicated returns tool? - Are exchanges and store credit in scope, or only refunds? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - How the design serves both sides: merchants who write and enforce the policy, and shoppers who read it and send items back. - What the policy-seeking behavior implies about where and when policy information should appear in the shopping journey. - The end-to-end return flow (request, eligibility, shipping, inspection, refund or exchange) and which parts make the first version. - Success metrics that weigh shopper conversion and satisfaction against merchant return costs and abuse. - Risks such as setup burden for small merchants, legal minimums, and overlap with returns apps in Shopify's app ecosystem. ### Follow-up Questions - A merchant worries that a prominent return policy will raise their return rate. How would you test whether showing it pays off? - How would you steer shoppers toward exchanges or store credit without making them feel trapped? - How does the design change for merchants who ship internationally, where return shipping can cost more than the item?