A REUSE BUSINESS MODEL FOR DELIVERY PACKAGING
Online shopping has boomed over years, especially after the outbreak of COVID-19, creating a wave of packages and packaging. However, from daily experience, we notice a phenomenon (namely “overpackaging”) of excessive use of packaging material.
Project Details:
Design Thinking Studio Project
University of Washington (MS in Technology Innovation)
Role:
Identifying the Problem Space, Conducting Literature Research, Field Studies, Surveys, Storyboarding, Ideation, Business Model Development, Low Fidelity Prototyping and Usability Studies.
Team:
Vinitha Erusu (UX Research and Design)
Queenie Qiu (UX Research and Design)
Jessie Zhao (UX Research and Design)
Duration:
2.5 Months
September 2021- December 2021
THE PROBLEM OF OVERPACKAGING
THESE ISSUES LED US TO OUR DESIGN QUESTION
EXISTING SOLUTIONS AND THEIR DRAWBACKS
CONSIDERING THE STAKEHOLDERS OF THE PACKAGING INDUSTRY
OBSERVING THE FULFILLMENT PROCESS AT A CHINESE SHIPPING COMPANY
In our Field Study Research we observed the fulfilment process at a Chinese shipping company (GlobalOutlook) warehouse that delivers products from USA to China. This was intended to help understand opportunities in the fulfilment process that could be addressed to reduce the wastage of plastic fillings.
FINDING SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES AT THE WAREHOUSE
Our Key Observations were that an effective sustainable practice was followed in the shipping company warehouse by reusing the packaging material they received, and we also observed that customers are conscious of wasting packaging material while shipping their products.
CHANGING THE PROJECT FOCUS
Due to these unexpected but interesting observations, where customers receive a large number of packaging materials when shipping, we Changed our Project Focus to address how customers can play a role in reducing the wastage of plastic packaging.
NARROWING OUR TARGET USERS
Based on the Secondary research, we narrowed down our target to be businesses and individuals, because they are the most active participants in sending and receiving packages. Besides, we also found that plastic recycling had lots of capability limitations. So we condensed our focus on reuse.
UNDERSTANDING TARGET USERS’ REUSE ATTITUDES
We then carried out Surveys to learn about people’s attitudes about reusing packaging material. Our insights showed that three aspects mattered to the user.
GETTING A COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF USER PROBLEMS AND NEEDS
We carried out Triangulated Research from research done in Field studies, Surveys, and Secondary research.
OBSERVING 2 KEY USER PROBLEMS
We learned from our triangulated findings that package receivers accumulate excess packaging material that they don't need, while other individuals or businesses need them.
BRIDGING THE NEEDS TO SATISFY BOTH USERS
With no contact between the users, most packaging materials get wasted. Hence, we want to bridge the gap between users.
UNDERSTANDING THE NEW STAKEHOLDER LANDSCAPE
A REUSE BUSINESS MODEL FOR DELIVERY PACKAGING MATERIAL
We identified that it was the delivery agents who were the connecting link between our two users. We came up with a Business Model that allowed the delivery agents to pick up returned excess packaging material from the individual users in their residences and supply them to the business owners who required large quantities of packaging material.
A SUSTAINABLE AND PROFITABLE BUSINESS WITH LEAST ADDITIONAL EFFORT
We did so to reduce any extra effort put in by any of our stakeholders to realize our solution, making the business profitable. The individual user does not have to make any extra effort to send the packaging material for reuse nor does the business owner have to make any extra effort to obtain reuse packaging material for delivery. The service is provided to them right at their residence. The delivery agents also do not put in any extra effort as they can pick up returned packaging material at the same time that they deliver packages to the customers.
PROVIDING INCENTIVES TO MOTIVATE USERS TO USE THE SERVICE
To motivate our stakeholders to make use of the service we provide them with Incentives.
BUILDING A LOW FIDELITY MVP TO TEST THE CONCEPT AND USABILITY
We further went on to design a Prototype mobile application to test both the returning of packaging material and ordering of reused packaging material on our users. We aimed to study the initial behavior of the user in incorporating our service and test the ease of use, time taken and overall desirability to make use of our service.
KEY USABILITY INSIGHTS FROM THE STUDY
As the nature of the business model is new as compared to existing ordering service applications, it is important that the user is clearly explained what each feature in the app entails.
It was difficult for the user to understand the use of each feature.
Were unsure of what they could do with the reward points.
Were curious to know why they did not have to pay for the pickup service.
Users were unsure of what the services mentioned in the app were for, like “Order packaging material” or “Book a pick-up”
The users found the app to be straightforward and easy to use.
The users were interested in knowing more about the environmental purpose and benefits of the app and how the business model achieved to do so, apart from it being a source of buying and getting rid of packaging material.
The familiarity of the interface with similar existing interfaces made it easy to use the interface.
The users spent minimal time finishing each task and spent on average 3-5 minutes making use of a service.