BAD UX OR BUSINESS DECISION

A few days back, I saw a post on LinkedIn about bad UX. It was about the Dettol bottle. Why doesn’t the company clearly mention how much to pour? Users sometimes pour more and sometimes less, and there is no way to pour it back into the bottle in case of overpouring. The company should mention the measurement on the label so that users can pour the exact amount of liquid. There should be a measurement guide or something to control the flow of liquid.

As UX designers, we have been thinking only from the user’s perspective. We should also think about why companies don’t do it. What is the reason behind it? It’s not a single-sided view. As UX designers, we need to understand both sides.

Companies try to solve user problems while also generating revenue. If a company is not making profits, it will not survive in the market for a long time.

When it comes to the Dettol bottle, companies don’t always specify exact usage so that people can use the product freely without feeling restricted. When there’s no clear measurement, people often end up using more than needed, often without realizing it, which increases repeat purchase frequency, even if it doesn’t align with their actual needs.

However, companies do provide precise usage instructions where it’s critical, such as with medicines and syrups, where incorrect usage can have serious consequences. This isn’t a design flaw; it’s a deliberate business decision.

If you look back a few years, Colgate made changes in the bottle design to increase purchase frequency. At the time when Colgate launched its toothpaste, the company realized that people were not buying it very frequently, which led to lower sales.

They found that the nozzle diameter was too small, so very little toothpaste came out. Then they increased the nozzle diameter so that people would use more, which helped increase sales. They also started advertisements showing that you had to use more Colgate to make your teeth strong. That’s how they increased sales.

But at the same time, this also raises an important question for us as UX designers: Is it the right way to increase revenue by influencing users to consume more than they actually need?

Understanding business goals is important, but intentionally designing experiences that manipulate user behavior for short-term revenue can slowly break user trust. There is a difference between solving business problems and exploiting user psychology.

ux #businessdecision #Colgate #Dettol #Casestudy