Amazon continues to make huge moves in every direction. Almost immediately following their recent acquisition of Whole Foods, Amazon began advertising for yet another service: Prime Wardrobe. Prime Wardrobe allows you to order clothes from their site, try them on, and then return the ones you do not want, for free.
Try Before You Buy
Allowing customers to try on clothes eliminates one of the biggest issues with online shopping. People go to stores to make sure certain items fit, but this new feature removes the hassle of going to the store. Trying clothes on in the comfort of one’s home, where the lighting is preferable and there is more privacy, is hard to beat. To combat this new online trend, stores can renovate their changing rooms to make them more enjoyable for a customer. Retailers should focus on the personalization they can offer their customers.
Return Process
Amazon has made the return process so incredibly easy that it begs the question: why was this never introduced before? A pre-paid return slip is included and the box the clothes come in can easily be re-closed with a sticky strip already attached to the box. Instead of going back to the store to return the item, the customer just has to place the package on their doorstep. An added bonus: if a box is stolen, Amazon fronts the bill. Retailers can easily incorporate this into online sites by including a pre-paid return slip on shipped orders.
Bonuses
Prime Wardrobe already has big fashion brands such as Adidas, Calvin Klein, Levi’s and Hugo Boss signed on. This service is also included in an Amazon Prime membership at no extra cost. They plan to offer a 20% discount on the entire purchase if the customer keeps 5 or more items and a 10% discount if 3 to 4 items are kept. This sale tactic could also easily be introduced in a retail store. Instead of having certain items on sale, offer 10% off a purchase of $30 or more. Sale items may not please every customer, but having a set discount on a certain amount of money the shopper spends, may motivate shoppers to buy more to get the discount.
Brick & Mortar Competition
Retailers should not fear Prime Wardrobe, but think of ways to compete with this new development and improve their stores. Retail stores need to attract customers by offering personalized products and experiences that make the shopping experience more enjoyable and convenient for their customers. Amazon may offer clothes, but they lack the advice of a retail worker who can help pick out outfits and provide their honest opinion about what looks good and what items the shopper could do without. Retail stores need to focus on the main reason customers come through their doors and how to enhance and personalize that experience by offering stellar customer service. Prime Wardrobe is not something to be afraid of, but something from which to learn.