50 Crappy Designs To Prove That Manufacturers Or Designers Can Be Daft
"Nothing comes before profit, especially not the consumer."
Some designs are so bad they feel almost personal, like someone looked at common sense and decided to ignore it completely. From confusing apps to sneaky packaging and frustrating store displays, these little failures can turn everyday tasks into a headache.
This roundup pulls together 50 of the crappiest design choices people have spotted in the wild, many of them shared on Reddit. Some are annoying, some are misleading, and a few are just plain ridiculous, which is probably why they keep getting called out online.
Scroll through the worst offenders and see how many would drive you up the wall too.
1. Appstore For You
reddit.com2. Pinterest
Your content fills up and pollutes the search engine results, yet people can’t even view your bulls**t user-submitted content without signing up for a damn account. I'm going to add you to my personal blocklist so you don’t appear in my searches and waste my time anymore.
ZYn9Po4u3. Station Design
masteromatic
Design failures often reflect a disconnect between user needs and designer intentions. When manufacturers overlook the end-user perspective, it can lead to frustration and dissatisfaction, demonstrating the importance of user-centered design principles.
4. Taxes
MayoBoy69, twitter.com
5. Brand New Protein Powder, Not Even Filled Half With Whey
Furious_Flames
6. Cashing In On That *cough*
paris_christine, twitter.com
That kind of frustration tends to stick with people long after the product is gone.
7. This is Trashy
Smartix04, twitter.com
8. Felt Like This Sub Would Appreciate This Statement
the_gaming_princess, twitter.com
9. Hellofresh. If I Don’t Need To Call To Make Orders, I Shouldn’t Need To Call To Unsubscribe
goldollazz
It is the kind of thing that makes a bad experience feel even worse.
10. I Chose The Bottle Because A Tube Wasn't Enough! This Trojan Trickery Is An Abuse Coming From A Brand With Recognition
PoorGeno
11. This Design Pisses Me Off Every Single Day
tazzzzzzzz0
12. Interesting
EveningBluebird
And once people notice it, they usually never forget it.
13. Bought These Sticky Notes Because I Thought The Gold Border Was Nice
KarmasDoll
14. It's All A Lie
Droyk
15. I Want My Money Back
PPIIKKAACCHHUU
That is exactly the sort of thing people love to call out online.
16. Natural Is A Trademark
yaserafriend
17. This McDonald's Menu
SkepticHQ, twitter.com
This chaos is in the same spirit as the photos that make your brain need a restart.
18. Amazon Prime Video Doesn't Tell You If A Show Is Unavailable In Your Country Until After You Subscribe To Amazon Prime
Iescaunare
19. YouTuber Gets Every Single Video On His Channel Copyright Claimed Despite Having The Rights To All The Music In His Videos
coolethanps2, twitter.com
20. Disney Leaves The Inside Of Their $6 Ice Cream Hollow
ThatTheoGuy
21. Cup Design That Makes The Drink Look Like It Has Actual Fruit
St-Paerikus
22. Both Weigh 500g But The Green One Is In A 30% "Bigger Bag More To Share"
AApickleAA
23. Dislikes Helped You Know If A Video Was A Scam, Misleading, Or Had False Information
LeuxD
24. Literal Hell For Budget Flyers - Standing Seats
DistinctScene0
25. Spending $175 On A Textbook Only To Receive A 2-Inch Stack Of Unbound Papers. Binder Sold Separately!
FrenchiToasti
26. Unremovable Ads On My $2,500 Samsung Smart TV
BrownLandlord
27. The Sticker Was A Lie
Doophie
28. The Fact That You Can't Uninstall Facebook On Certain Phones
Dark_Inferno98
29. Hey, This Hotel Room Is Only $99 A Night—Great Deal!!!
TheNatureLover
30. They Replaced Half The Mirrors In My Local Shopping Mall's Bathroom With Advertising Boards!
BradleyZ17
31. My Chinese "Smart TV" Plays A 15-Second Chevrolet Commercial Every Time I Turn It On
MuayThai1985
32. Perfectly Fine Lighters With No Way To Refuel Them... Planned Obsolescence Is Asshole Design And Terrible For The Environment
redditUserError404
33. My Workplace’s ‘Low Plastic, Recyclable Eco-Pens’ Have A Secret At Their Core
dwarvencrap
34. Heard We Are Having A Rigged Democracy Binge
twitch870
35. My Age Preferences Are There For A Reason, Tinder
AppleSlize
36. Weird School System Charging Kids For Lunch And Then Blaming Parents
quazziwazzi
37. Keurig Sensor Blocks Your Brew Unless It's "K-Cup Compatible," Aka Has Scannable Foil. Slap On An Old Foil To A Third-Party Cup And Suddenly No Issue
OfficialUNESCO
38. They Decided To Completely Cover Their Tenants' Windows With Ads Because Who Needs Natural Light And Fresh Air?
jadondrew
39. What A Great Deal!
Guevarra25
40. My Printer Just Did A Firmware Update And No Longer Recognizes My Third-Party Ink
sumofty
41. Food Delivery Service That Tells You, “Someone Is At The Door! Okay, We Lied”
kmartshoppr
42. Shrinkflation Used By Cadbury To Literally Cut Corners. The Bottom Chocolate Bar Is More Than 8 Percent Smaller
Flying_Dutchmen_13
43. $5 Pen Size vs. Ink
deleted-mayham
44. 8% Alcohol Or
CucumberWizard
45. Facebook, I'm Beyond Words
Pinoy_Bro
46. Designed For Dissuading The Homeless. Literally Just Uncomfortable For Everyone Else
Machdame
47. I Wish My Professors Graded Like This
I_POST_ON_THE_DONALD
48. Vegas Editing Software
Examotate
49. Press Dismiss To Update This Printer
disintegore, twitter.com
50. Tenerife Airport Shows Ads On The Flight Information Screens Every Few Minutes (For At Least A Minute), So If You're Unlucky, You Have To Wait Before Knowing Which Gate To Go To
RealTechnician
The worst designs are the ones that make everyday life harder for no good reason.
We know you hate these crappy designs. So let us know your reactions in the comments.
The exploration of design flaws in this article highlights a critical oversight in the manufacturing and design industries: a lack of empathy for the user experience. The examples showcased serve as a reminder that designs must prioritize user-friendliness and common sense. When manufacturers dismiss these elements, they not only alienate potential customers but also risk brand loyalty. Continuous feedback loops and iterative design are essential strategies that can help avert such missteps. Ultimately, products that resonate with users are those that consider their needs and experiences from the outset.
Want practical upgrades for daily headaches, like the tricks in Practical Fixes That Make Ordinary Situations Easier To Handle?
