context
One evening, I tried to get a refund through ALDI’s grocery online and hit a dead end.
I clicked around, unsure where to go. The order had glitched, my curbside order was never received by the store, and I was left bouncing between help center pages that buried support links that weren't easy to distinguish from plain text. I was so frustrated, I did what any designer might do in that moment: I redesigned the experience myself.
the problem
I started where I thought any user would look for help and it wasn’t helpful.
The “My Orders” page was the first place I checked when I needed to get a refund. Even though my order failed, it was marked as complete, with no clear path to support. That disconnect is what sparked this redesign.
the solution
I added the info I wish I’d seen when I was frustrated and confused.
Here’s what I changed to make support more visible and useful:
Added a “Having a problem?” section directly to the order page.
Moved the store name and added a “Call Store” button.
Created a new alert state for orders that glitched or didn’t go through.
Made important info like order status and support buttons easier to find.
constraints #1
I moved fast and kept things realistic by using ALDI’s existing design style.
This was a quick, self-initiated project, just two days from frustration to final mockups. I didn’t reinvent the brand. I focused on small, practical changes that could actually be implemented.
constraint #2
If I had more time, I’d dig into the root problem and test my solution.
Some ideas I’d explore with a real team:
Look into how often this kind of order failure happens.
Ask customer support how many users get confused or ask for refunds.
Run usability tests to see if this redesign actually helps.
final thoughts
A single bad moment was all it took to lose my trust.
Design can’t fix every error, but it can make recovering from one a lot easier. A clearer path to support might have kept me from walking away.
It only takes one mistake to completely lose a customer’s trust.
ALDI lost mine and for now, I’m shopping somewhere else.
