Online shopping has revolutionized the retail industry over the past two decades, offering consumers 24/7 access to an endless aisle of products, competitive prices, and unprecedented convenience. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, e-commerce sales have more than quadrupled since 2010, reaching over $870 billion in 2021, and now represent more than 14% of total retail sales.[^1]
While categories like books, electronics, and home goods have thrived in the digital realm, apparel and footwear have faced some unique challenges. Clothing and shoes are highly personal purchases where fit, feel, and appearance matter immensely. Unlike a blender or bluetooth speaker, you can‘t always predict comfort and sizing based on a product description and photo alone.
[^1]: U.S. Department of Commerce. (2022). Quarterly Retail E-Commerce Sales: 4th Quarter 2021. https://www.census.gov/retail/mrts/www/data/pdf/ec_current.pdfIndustry studies have found that between 30-40% of online fashion purchases are returned, compared to just 8-10% of in-store buys.[^2] Bracketing, or buying multiple sizes or colors with the intent of returning some items, has become common practice for many shoppers, creating logistical hassles and environmental waste.
[^2]: Orendorff, A. (2019). The Plague of Ecommerce Return Rates and How to Maintain Profitability. Shopify. https://www.shopify.com/enterprise/ecommerce-returnsAmazon, the world‘s largest online retailer, has been investing heavily in its fashion business over the past several years in an attempt to capture more of the $500 billion global apparel market.[^3] From launching in-house brands to sponsoring high-profile events like the Met Gala, Amazon is determined to become a destination for clothing and accessories, not just books and batteries.
[^3]: Howland, D. (2021). Amazon‘s U.S. sales grow 39% in Q2. Retail Dive. https://www.retaildive.com/news/amazons-us-sales-grow-39-in-q2/603875/One of the company‘s most promising efforts to improve the online fashion shopping experience is Prime Try Before You Buy. Launched in 2018, this program allows Prime members to choose up to six eligible items, try them on at home for seven days, and only pay for what they keep, with free returns on the rest.
How Prime Try Before You Buy Works
The process is straightforward:
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Find items: Browse the dedicated Try Before You Buy store on Amazon, which features eligible clothing, shoes, and accessories for women, men, kids, and babies from Amazon‘s own brands as well as hundreds of other popular labels. Items marked with "Prime Try Before You Buy" also appear in regular Amazon search and product pages.
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Add to your trial order: Select up to six Try Before You Buy items in your desired size and color and add them to your cart. During checkout, you‘ll see the estimated delivery date and that you won‘t be charged until after your seven-day try-on period.
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Receive and try on: Typically within 4-6 days, a box with your selections will arrive. You have seven days from when the last item is delivered to try on pieces at home and decide what to keep or return. Consider fit, fabric, quality, and versatility.
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Complete checkout: Before 11:59pm PT on the seventh day, log into your Amazon account and go to "Your Orders" to finalize checkout. Select which items you‘re keeping and which you‘re returning. You‘ll be charged for kept items and see a $0.00 price for returned pieces.
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Return what doesn‘t work: Place any items you‘re not keeping in the resealable box or bag your order came in, affix the prepaid return label, and drop off at UPS, Kohl‘s, or an Amazon Hub Locker or Counter location. As long as your return is initiated by the end of the try-on period, you won‘t be charged, even if it takes a few extra days for the package to be received by Amazon.
Note that a $4.99 per box styling fee applies if you return all items. Amazon also reserves the right to charge a restocking fee for excessively worn or damaged pieces. Most items are eligible for free returns, but some personal care and intimate apparel have a limited return window or may be non-returnable if opened.
Inside Amazon‘s Fashion Ambitions
Try Before You Buy is just one part of Amazon‘s multipronged strategy to become a go-to style destination and capture more market share from established apparel retailers and brands. While the company has not disclosed the total number of Try Before You Buy users or participating brands, there are some clues that suggest the program is resonating with shoppers and sellers alike.
Since 2018, Amazon has steadily expanded the selection of eligible items from a focus on women‘s contemporary styles to also include men‘s and kids‘ clothing, shoes, and accessories at a variety of price points. There are currently tens of thousands of Try Before You Buy products available from Amazon‘s in-house labels like Amazon Essentials, Lark & Ro, and Goodthreads, as well as familiar national brands like Adidas, Calvin Klein, Levi‘s, and Theory.
Retail analysts see Try Before You Buy as a savvy way for Amazon to drive higher average order values, reduce return rates, and gather valuable data on customer preferences and shopping habits. "Prime Try Before You Buy is a great example of Amazon‘s test-and-learn culture," said Sucharita Kodali, VP and principal analyst at Forrester Research. "It‘s a relatively low-cost way for Amazon to mitigate sizing and fit challenges, reduce returns, and build affinity for its fashion offerings."
The program also provides a risk-free avenue for brands and sellers to connect with Amazon‘s over 200 million Prime members worldwide.[^4] "Try Before You Buy helps brands drive trial and gives customers a convenient way to touch and feel products before committing to a purchase," said an Amazon Fashion spokesperson. "It‘s a win-win-win for customers, brands, and Amazon."
[^4]: Amazon. (2021). Amazon.com Announces Financial Results and CEO Transition. [Press release]. https://press.aboutamazon.com/news-releases/news-release-details/2021/Amazon.com-Announces-Financial-Results-and-CEO-Transition/The Sustainability Question
As Amazon and other retailers expand try-before-you-buy offerings, some critics are raising concerns about the environmental impact of the industry‘s collective efforts to reduce friction in online apparel shopping. More liberal return policies and at-home trials mean more packaging waste, carbon emissions from shipping, and energy/labor to restock and resell items.
A 2021 study by the online consignment shop ThredUp estimated that returned inventory creates 5.8 billion pounds of landfill waste each year, equivalent to the amount of trash produced by 5 million Americans.[^5] And many returns don‘t end up back on shelves – a quarter of items are just thrown away by retailers.
[^5]: ThredUp. (2021). 2021 Resale Report. [Press release]. https://www.thredup.com/resale/Amazon declined to share statistics on the return and landfill rates for Try Before You Buy orders compared to regular purchases. However, the company highlighted several sustainability initiatives, including the expansion of its recycling and donation programs for returned and unsold inventory. "We‘re continually looking for ways to minimize the environmental impact of returns while maintaining a great experience for customers," said the Amazon spokesperson.
Some analysts argue that try-on services like Prime Try Before You Buy may actually reduce waste in the long run by helping shoppers make more intentional purchases and keep a higher percentage of what they order. "If the alternative to Try Before You Buy is going to the mall, buying a bunch of stuff, and returning most of it, then there may actually be a net positive sustainability impact," said Kodali. "It‘s not a zero waste model, but it could be a less waste model."
Tips for Shoppers
Whether you‘re a Prime Try Before You Buy pro or eager to test it out for the first time, here are some tips to get the most out of this flexible new way to shop:
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Make a budget and shopping list. It‘s easy to go overboard and order a dozen items when there‘s no upfront cost. To keep spending in check, set a budget for your fashion refresh before you start filling up your trial box. Aim for a mix of practical essentials and a few fun, trendy pieces.
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Read descriptions, size charts, and reviews thoroughly. While you can try pieces on at home, you‘ll have a better shot at ordering the right sizes and styles if you carefully compare your measurements to the provided size chart and scan reviews for insights on quality and fit. Some brands have additional details like a "true to size" percentage generated by customer feedback.
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Plan outfits for your lifestyle. As you browse, consider your typical weekly routine and what types of clothing and shoes would help you look and feel your best, whether working from home, at the office, running errands, or going out. Select pieces that can be easily mixed and matched to maximize cost per wear.
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Try on promptly and send back quickly. Resist the urge to let your Try Before You Buy order languish in the box. Schedule some time to try on items as soon as possible after delivery so you can make your keep vs. return decisions and initiate the return process for unwanted pieces before the deadline.
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Leave reviews and share feedback. Brands and sellers appreciate hearing how their products look and perform in real life. Whether you loved or didn‘t love a particular item, consider writing a brief review describing material, quality, size, and fit to help guide other shoppers.
By taking full advantage of Prime Try Before You Buy, you can refresh your wardrobe each season with a lot less risk and a lot more confidence. Say goodbye to surprising size discrepancies and disappointing quality, and hello to pieces you‘ll be excited to wear again and again.
Looking Ahead
Amazon may have been one of the first major retailers to launch a try before you buy offering, but it certainly isn‘t the last. In recent years, competitors like Walmart, Nordstrom, ASOS, and Warby Parker have all introduced similar programs to keep pace with evolving consumer expectations.
Even as regular brick-and-mortar shopping rebounds post-pandemic, many industry watchers expect try-on services to become a permanent and popular e-commerce feature, especially for fashion and home categories where fit and feel are paramount. A 2021 survey by Brightpearl found that 76% of retailers planned to implement "Try Before You Buy‘‘ services within the next 12 months.[^6] [^6]: Brightpearl. (2021). Over 75% of Retailers Plan to Adopt ‘Try Before You Buy‘ to Compete Against Amazon. [Press release]. https://www.brightpearl.com/press/over-75-of-retailers-to-adopt-try-before-you-buy-to-compete-with-amazon
As more shoppers get a taste of the convenience and optionality of at-home try-ons, Amazon and others will likely continue to expand eligible products, speed up deliveries, and hone the overall user experience. We may see variations that combine personalized styling and home try-on, à la Amazon‘s $4.99/month Personal Shopper service, or models that reward frequent shoppers with incentives or waived fees.
There are also opportunities to marry high-tech and high-touch with features like virtual try-on, product recommendations based on previous Try Before You Buy orders, and in-home stylist consultations. While minimizing costs and environmental impact will be key, the possibilities to delight digital shoppers and better serve their needs feel endless.
For Amazon, Try Before You Buy is not only a tactic to boost fashion sales and Prime loyalty, but also a testament to the company‘s enduring obsession with innovating on behalf of customers. As founder and executive chairman Jeff Bezos wrote in his 2020 letter to shareholders, "If you want to be successful in business (in life, actually), you have to create more than you consume. Your goal should be to create value for everyone you interact with."[^7] [^7]: Amazon. (2020). 2020 Letter to Shareholders. https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/2020-letter-to-shareholders
Prime Try Before You Buy is a valuable addition to the e-commerce landscape that puts a bit of the fitting room magic back into the online apparel shopping experience. The freedom to touch, feel, and live with prospective wardrobe upgrades before clicking "Buy" is an important innovation in giving digital shoppers more confidence and control. The next time you‘re in the market for a closet refresh, consider giving it a whirl. With so many great options to choose from and an easy return process, you really can‘t go wrong.
