Selling custom phone cases online can be rewarding but challenging. Customers love the idea of designing their own cases, but hesitation often arises when they cannot see an accurate preview of their final product. They may worry about whether the colors will match, if the image will be placed correctly, or if the print quality will be sharp enough. This uncertainty leads to abandoned carts, lost sales, and high return rates. 

Even after purchases are made, issues continue. Many businesses in the custom phone case industry experience return rates of 20 to 25 percent because customers receive products that do not match their expectations. Since customized products cannot be resold, every return becomes a direct loss. 

Additionally, businesses that rely on manual order processing find it increasingly difficult to scale. Reviewing each order by hand, adjusting customer designs, and manually preparing print files create inefficiencies, leading to delays and costly mistakes. 

UrbanCovers, a California-based custom phone case brand, faced all these problems. However, after implementing CMSmart’s Product Builder, they completely transformed their business. This tutorial will guide you through how CMSmart’s tool can enhance customer experience, reduce returns, and automate your workflow, ultimately helping your business scale successfully. 

Common Challenges in the Custom Phone Case Industry

1. High Cart Abandonment Rates: Why Customers Leave Before Buying

Cart abandonment is one of the biggest challenges in e-commerce, especially in the custom product space. Customers start designing their case, spend time customizing it, and then—they leave without making a purchase.

Why Does This Happen? 

Lack of a Real-Time, High-Quality Product Preview 

• Customers hesitate to finalize their purchase when they cannot see a true-to-life representation of their custom case. 

• If they cannot zoom in or rotate the product, they worry about image placement, text alignment, and overall appearance. 

• If the preview does not accurately reflect colors, they fear that the final product may look different than expected. 

Concerns About Print Quality and Design Accuracy 

Customers who lack experience with design software may feel uncertain about whether their final product will look professional. 

• "Will my image be stretched or pixelated?" 
• "Is my text centered properly?" 
• "Will the colors match what I see on my screen?" 

These unanswered questions create doubt, leading customers to exit before checkout. 

No Clear Indicators of Quality Control 

Customers want assurance that they are making a smart purchase. 

• If a customization tool does not warn them about low-resolution images, they may worry about print quality. 
• If the website does not provide testimonials or real customer images, they may not trust the product quality. 

How Big Is This Problem? 

Meet our customer- UrbanCovers. UrbanCover is a California-based company specializing in custom phone cases, allowing customers to design personalized phone accessories that reflect their unique style. Founded in 2018, UrbanCovers quickly gained popularity among young professionals, students, and influencers by offering high-quality, customizable cases for personal and business use. The brand prides itself on providing a seamless and creative customization experience while ensuring top-notch quality and customer satisfaction.

For UrbanCovers, the cart abandonment rate was 58 percent, meaning that more than half of potential buyers never completed their purchase. 

This is a clear sign that customers needed a more precise and interactive design preview before feeling comfortable enough to buy. 

2. High Return Rates Due to Design Issues

(Source: Invesp)

Custom products are final sale items because they cannot be resold. This means that every return is a direct financial loss for the business. 

Why Do Customers Return Custom Phone Cases? 

Color Mismatches Between the Online Preview and the Physical Product 

Colors that appear bright and vivid on a customer’s screen may look duller or different in real life due to: 

• Screen display variations (RGB on screens vs. CMYK printing). 
• Poor calibration of the preview tool, leading to incorrect color representation. 
• Subpar printing technology, failing to replicate digital previews accurately. 

A customer who orders a neon pink phone case but receives a dull pink shade is likely to demand a refund. 

Misaligned Text or Images, Leading to an Unprofessional Look 

Some businesses lack an automatic design verification system. As a result: 

• Text is cropped or misaligned, making the product look unprofessional. 
• Images do not fit the phone case properly, cutting off important details. 
• Customers expect a flawless design execution, and any misalignment or placement issue leads to disappointment. 

Low-Resolution Images, Resulting in Poor Print Quality 

Many customers upload images without realizing they are too small or pixelated. Without a built-in image resolution detector, they may place an order only to receive a blurry, low-quality print. 

If the product builder does not alert them about these image quality issues, businesses will face: 

• A surge in refund requests. 
• Negative customer reviews that damage their reputation. 

How Big Is This Problem? 

For UrbanCovers, 23.8 percent of orders were returned due to customer dissatisfaction with print accuracy and design execution. 

This high return rate significantly impacted profitability and increased operational costs for handling refunds. 

3. Slow and Inefficient Order Processing

Many businesses underestimate the complexity of processing custom orders. Unlike standard retail, where products are pre-made and ready to ship, custom phone cases require multiple steps before fulfillment. 

Why Does Slow Order Processing Happen? 

Time-Consuming Manual Design Reviews 

• Many custom product businesses still manually verify each order before sending it to production. This includes: 
• Checking for design placement errors. 

Resizing and adjusting customer uploads 

Formatting images into print-ready files. 

This process eats up valuable time, delaying fulfillment and frustrating customers who expect fast delivery. 

Lack of Automation in Print File Preparation 

If businesses manually prepare print files, it adds days to the fulfillment timeline. Without automation, businesses must: 

• Convert customer designs into production-ready formats. 
• Manually adjust DPI, color settings, and sizing for print accuracy. 
• Double-check alignment and quality before sending files to the printer. 
• A process that could take minutes with automation can take hours—or even days—if done manually. 

Production Delays and Increased Labor Costs 

Every extra step in manual processing leads to: 

• Longer fulfillment times, causing customer frustration. 
• Higher labor costs, as employees spend time adjusting orders instead of growing the business. 

How Big Is This Problem? 

UrbanCovers' processing times were between three and five business days, delaying shipments and leading to negative customer feedback about long wait times. 

4. Low Customer Engagement During Customization

Customers want a fast, fun, and interactive customization experience. If the process is boring, confusing, or difficult, they will not complete their order. 

Why Do Customers Drop Off During Customization? 

Clunky or Unintuitive Customization Tool 

If customers struggle to use the interface, they will leave before finishing their design. Common issues include: 

• A slow-loading design tool that makes the process frustrating 
• A confusing user interface with too many unnecessary steps
• No clear guidance on how to customize their product

No AI-Powered Design Suggestions 

Many customers do not have a design background, so they need help making their case look professional. If the tool does not provide smart recommendations, they feel lost. 

AI-powered design assistance should offer: 

• Font pairing recommendations for text-based designs
• Color contrast suggestions for better readability
• Auto-align features to ensure a balanced layout 

Without these, customers give up before finishing. 

Limited Customization Options 

Modern customers want more than just basic text and image uploads. If a customization tool lacks premium features, such as: 

• Metallic or UV print options 
• Texture-based printing 
• Multi-layered design capabilities 

They may choose a competitor with better customization choices. 

How Big Is This Problem? 

UrbanCovers saw many customers abandon their designs mid-way, leading to lost sales opportunities. A better, more engaging customization process was needed. 

Conclusion: Overcoming These Challenges Is Critical for Success 

These four challenges—high cart abandonment, excessive returns, slow order processing, and low customer engagement—are preventing many custom phone case businesses from scaling successfully. 

Without the right technology in place, businesses waste time, lose revenue, and struggle to compete. 

The solution? A powerful product builder that addresses these issues head-on. 

How CMSmart’s Product Builder Solves These Challenges 

CMSmart’s Product Builder is an advanced customization tool that enhances customer experience, reduces return rates, and automates order processing. By integrating this tool into your online store, you can eliminate the common struggles of selling custom phone cases and increase sales while improving efficiency. 

Below is a step-by-step guide to implementing CMSmart’s Product Builder into your business and transforming your operations. 

Step-by-Step Guide to Implementing CMSmart’s Product Builder 

Step 1: Install and Integrate CMSmart’s Product Builder 

Why This Step Matters: 

A poorly integrated customization tool can lead to slow website performance, customer frustration, and low conversions. Seamless integration ensures a smooth experience for both customers and store owners. 

How to Implement This Step: 

• Visit CMSmart and select the Product Builder package that best fits your business. 
• Integrate it with your e-commerce platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento). 
• Customize the interface to match your brand’s colors, fonts, and design. 
• Conduct testing on desktop and mobile to ensure smooth operation. 

Expected Results: 

• A fully functional customization tool seamlessly integrated into your store. 
• A faster, more reliable user experience. 
• Increased customer satisfaction with an intuitive and easy-to-use interface. 

Step 2: Configure Real-Time 3D Preview 

Why This Step Matters: 

One of the biggest reasons customers hesitate before checking out is that they cannot accurately visualize their custom design. A real-time 3D preview eliminates uncertainty and builds trust in the product. 

How to Implement This Step: 

• Upload high-resolution templates for different phone case models. 
• Enable 3D visualization features, allowing customers to zoom, rotate, and view their design from all angles. 
• Test the preview tool to ensure design accuracy, proper alignment, and color consistency. 

Expected Results: 

• Cart abandonment rates decrease as customers gain confidence in their designs. 

• More completed purchases due to increased trust in the final product. 
• A more engaging and interactive shopping experience. 

Step 3: Set Up AI-Powered Design Assistance 

Why This Step Matters: 

Many customers unknowingly submit low-resolution images or misaligned text, leading to frustration and returns when their product arrives. AI-powered design assistance prevents these mistakes before checkout. 

How to Implement This Step: 

• Enable AI-driven image resolution detection, which alerts customers if their uploaded image is too blurry. 
• Activate automatic text alignment verification to ensure text is not cut off or misaligned. 
• Provide design guidelines and error messages to help customers create high-quality designs. 

Expected Results: 

• A 39.2 percent reduction in return rates as customers submit better designs. 

• Higher satisfaction and fewer complaints due to improved design accuracy. 
• A more streamlined design process, reducing customer frustration. 

Step 4: Automate Order Processing 

Why This Step Matters: 

Manually reviewing and adjusting customer designs wastes time, increases labor costs, and leads to errors. Automating the order processing system ensures efficiency and accuracy. 

How to Implement This Step: 

• Connect CMSmart’s Product Builder to your printing and fulfillment system. 
• Enable automatic generation of print-ready files once an order is placed. 
• Ensure orders are sent directly to production without manual intervention. 

Expected Results: 

• Processing time is cut by nearly 50 percent, allowing for faster fulfillment. 

• A smoother and error-free production process. 
• Reduced labor costs, freeing up resources for business growth. 

Step 5: Launch and Monitor Performance 

Why This Step Matters: 

Even the best tools need continuous monitoring and optimization. Tracking key performance indicators ensures that your customization experience remains efficient and user-friendly. 

How to Implement This Step: 

• Promote the new customization tool through email campaigns, social media, and influencer marketing. 
• Track key performance metrics, such as cart abandonment rate, return rate, and order processing speed. 
• Collect customer feedback and use insights to refine and optimize the product builder. 

Expected Results: 

• Higher engagement and repeat purchases from satisfied customers. 

• A steady decrease in abandoned carts and returns. 
• A well-optimized, user-friendly customization tool that continues to improve over time. 

UrbanCovers' Transformation with CMSmart’s Product Builder: A Business Revolution  

Rose Helen

Shop Owner

Rose Helen is a highly accomplished Ecommerce Project Consultant with a strong background in managing and guiding successful e-commerce projects. With her exceptional expertise and strategic mindset, she helps businesses achieve their goals in the digital marketplace.
With years of experience, Rose Helen possesses an in-depth understanding of e-commerce platforms, technologies, and best practices. She works closely with clients to analyze their needs, develop tailored strategies, and execute effective project plans that drive growth and success.
As an Ecommerce Project Consultant, Rose Helen excels at overseeing project lifecycles, from inception to completion. She ensures projects are delivered on time, within budget, and with the highest level of quality. Her exceptional project management skills enable her to effectively communicate with stakeholders, manage resources, and mitigate risks throughout the project journey.
Rose Helen is a strategic thinker who leverages her extensive knowledge to identify opportunities for improvement and innovation. She provides valuable insights and recommendations to optimize e-commerce processes, enhance user experiences, and increase online sales.
With her strong communication and collaboration skills, Rose Helen builds strong relationships with clients and key stakeholders. She fosters a collaborative environment, working closely with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless project execution and alignment with business objectives.
Beyond her technical expertise, Rose Helen is dedicated to delivering exceptional client service. She goes above and beyond to understand her clients' unique requirements and provide them with personalized solutions that drive tangible results. Her commitment to client success is evident in her approach and the long-term relationships she builds.
Rose Helen's passion for e-commerce, coupled with her extensive experience and project management skills, makes her a valuable asset for organizations looking to thrive in the digital landscape. With her guidance, businesses can navigate the complexities of e-commerce projects and achieve their objectives with confidence and success.