Empty states and errors deserve care

Dear founder,

Everyone designs the happy path. Fewer people design the moments when things don't go to plan: no search results, a declined card, an out-of-stock product. Yet those unglamorous screens often decide whether a frustrated customer stays or leaves.

Moments worth designing

• Empty search: suggest alternatives, don't just say "no results"
• Out of stock: offer a notify-me, or point to similar products
• Payment errors: say clearly what to try next, without blame
• Empty cart: nudge gently back to browsing

Each is a small fork in the road. Handled well, the customer carries on. Handled carelessly, they close the tab.

A dead end is a lost sale. A helpful detour is a second chance.

Turn friction into a hand up

The difference is usually a sentence of guidance and a next step. "We're out of this, here's when it's back and three you might like instead" keeps someone in the store. "No results" sends them to a competitor.

Design the bad moments as carefully as the good ones. They happen more often than you'd think, and they're where goodwill is quietly won or lost.