Dollar Shave Club
Redesigning the Ratings & Reviews System
The Problem
Dollar Shave Club's ratings and reviews were nearly invisible to shoppers—buried at the bottom of product pages with limited features—making it difficult for first-time buyers to build confidence and make informed purchasing decisions.
The Solution
A redesigned ratings & reviews system that prominently displays ratings on product pages, enables photo uploads for credibility, and provides sorting/filtering tools to help customers quickly find relevant feedback.
Impact & Results
Role
UX Designer
Focus
Ratings & Reviews System
Methods
UX Audit, Competitive Analysis, User Testing
Scope
Research, Wireframing, Prototyping, User Testing
Timeline
3 Weeks
Key Research Insights
Reviews Hidden & Inaccessible
Only a select few DSC products had ratings and reviews available, and they were buried at the bottom of product pages—making them nearly invisible to first-time shoppers.
"During UX audit, ratings placement was at bottom of page, unlike competitors who displayed them prominently below product."
Design Response:
Display ratings prominently on both product catalog and detail pages
Competitor Feature Gap
Competitive analysis revealed DSC lacked critical features present in Gillette and Amazon: search/sort/filter options, photo uploads, and rating distribution.
"Comparison table showed DSC scored 'No' on 6 out of 7 key review features vs. competitors."
Design Response:
Implemented sorting, filtering, photo uploads, and verified purchase indicators
Trust & Authenticity Concerns
Customer sentiment varied wildly across platforms (Trustpilot: 1.4★, Amazon: 4★, ThingTesting: 3.4★), indicating concerns about review authenticity and product quality post-acquisition.
"Several customers raised concerns regarding product quality after Unilever acquisition."
Design Response:
Added verified purchase badges and helpful voting to surface authentic reviews
User Validation
I conducted interviews with 4 users from the target market to validate the redesigned ratings and reviews system.
Ratings Drive Decisions
All users confirmed that ratings and reviews play a vital role in their product selection. Every participant observed the ratings and clicked to read the reviews.
100% of users engaged with ratings
Seamless Access
None of the users faced any challenges accessing ratings and reviews, validating that the improved visibility and placement effectively solved the original accessibility issue.
Zero access challenges reported
Feature Suggestions Incorporated
Users suggested a "sort by date" feature to check recent reviews, and a like/dislike option for review authenticity. Both suggestions were incorporated into the final design.
User feedback shaped final design
High-Fidelity Prototype
The redesigned ratings and reviews system addresses key pain points and enhances the user experience.
Customer reviews page with rating distribution, verified purchases, photo uploads, and sorting options
Prominent Ratings
Ratings are now prominently displayed on both product catalog and detail pages
Sort & Filter
Users can now sort and filter reviews by date, rating, and helpfulness
Visual Reviews
Customers can now upload photos with their reviews for increased credibility
Additional Improvements
Rating Distribution
Visual breakdown of ratings across all star levels
Verified Purchases
Clear indication of reviews from verified purchasers
Review Search
Search within reviews for specific keywords or topics
Helpful Voting
Users can mark reviews as helpful to surface the best feedback