RAKUTEN
Enhance trust in product reviews
Case overview ·
Full deck available on request
IMPACT
Usability testing (n=11, internal) showed 81.2% task completion for review submission.
PROBLEM
91% of shoppers rely on reviews to buy (PowerReviews, 2023) — yet Rakuten's system offered no way to verify them, with customer support logs confirming recurring frustration.
No trust signals — unverified reviews hurt buyers and exposed sellers to unfair ratings
High friction — fully mandatory fields dropped review completion
Fragmented UI — inconsistent components across desktop and mobile.
CONSTRAINT
User Access Barriers: Restricted end-user access due to strict Internal Security Protocols.
👉 Tactical Solution: Implemented to maintain velocity and de-risk design decisions:
Internal Maze Testing: Validated logic flows with 11 cross-functional stakeholders.
AI Validation: Used Attention Insight for eye-tracking simulation & quantitative clarity scores.
WHAT I DELIVERED
1
Building trust with a fresh review design
I designed a reusable "Text review box" component, now part of the team's design system, usable across product and shop reviews.
2
Revamped review experience with consistent design
Cross-Platform Consistency:
Integrated reusable review components, cutting design/dev debt
Contextual Side Drawer:
Replaced full-page redirects with Overlays to maintain shopping flow
Eliminated page jumps, keeping users 100% on-task
3
Enhanced decision-making with similar product reviews
Users can make informed purchase decisions by viewing reviews of similar products, even if the product itself has no reviews yet.
Want to see the full process?
