Introducing Prime Wardrobe. Look what Idiscovered on my “other” site this morning?

[mirror-in-the-attic]

Fellow clothing sellers, what are your thoughts?

[nobody*s_perfect]

I think it's baloney. Most of the clothing sold thru Az Prime has free returns anyway.  It's A's feeble attempt to imitate some of the new online wardrobe sites. Reminds me of eBay's feeble attempts to imitate some of A's features, including free returns. If I was an eBay clothing seller I wouldn't expect any impact at all.

[tunicaslot]

Now it does say that you need an invite to try it - so hopefully they vet these buyers to make sure they don't do too many returns before accepting them for this offer! I don't see any posts yet on the seller's forum regarding this and am unsure if this is only for clothing Amazon itself owns or if it's applicable to all merchandise including that sold by 3rd party sellers.

And clothing sellers thought they had problems here!! 

[retrose1]

Back in the day high end B&M stores allowed purchases 'on approval' where the store sends what the buyer wants home with them and then will charge the buyer for what didn't get brought or shipped back. 

In theory it's a great idea for stores because it counts on the buyers not getting the items back in time so it means more sales to lazy buyers.  But in reality the stores got rid of the program because of 'rental' use, and the basic scam problems that happen today, wrong items returned, buyers switching mint items for bad and other abuses.

Personally A's program is great for clothing sellers in one aspect in that it drops returns from as long as paypal will allow them to 7 days.  Also since Amazon might be the primary seller on some of those items - and therefore might take the loss in case of buyer abuse/scam,  they will pay close attention to abuses and the seller will not be paying for scams forever.

But to be honest, I'm glad I am not selling new clothes as something like that will not only entitle buyer abuse, but soon ebay will probably be following suit with something even easier to scam with.  But I think ebay had a similar program recently they beta tested.

ETA - it says drop off the return box at UPS, does Prime not use USPS?

[chrysylys]

Announced a year ago (almost):  https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/20/15837656/amazon-prime-wardrobe-try-clothes-before-you-buy

[mirror-in-the-attic]

They use both USPS and UPS...and a prime member and buyer of all manner of goods, I can say that with certainty.   However, the only items I have returned have been a pair of shoes and some slacks for my husband, both of which I had to return to a UPS store.  (Which is my local Staples). It was free return.   I think it matters if the items is FBA (fulfilled by Amazon) or not...going back to their warehouses I suspect they use UPS.   

[tunicaslot]

I do know UPS has a big contract with them as my son works for UPS.

[mirror-in-the-attic]

If it is only FBA clothing, its fine because they are inspecting the clothes and, if they are worn or abused in some way, most certainly rejected and not refunded.

On EBAY, we do not have that protection.   If it has return tracking, be it a rock or a peach, (from what I have read on these boards) we, as the seller are considered to be made whole by the return of our “item” and the case is closed.

[mirror-in-the-attic]

Yes it was in Beta but it has now officially launched.  

[mirror-in-the-attic]

Some more helpful tidbits:  It does appear they are only doing this with their clothing....wether that is FBA clothing or just Amazons clothing, I am not certain.

If I am spamming and annoying, let me know:

[retrose1]

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@mirror-in-the-attic wrote:

They use both USPS and UPS...and a prime member and buyer of all manner of goods, I can say that with certainty.   However, the only items I have returned have been a pair of shoes and some slacks for my husband, both of which I had to return to a UPS store.  (Which is my local Staples). It was free return.   I think it matters if the items is FBA (fulfilled by Amazon) or not...going back to their warehouses I suspect they use UPS.   

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I have a sneaky suspicion that might be a problem in the future since the Staples store in the busy high end shopping area here just disappeared in the middle of the night about a month ago.  I went in a month ago and bought some shipping supplies and I went back a week ago and it's gone.  The closest Staples to me now is over a 30 minute drive for me across the city.  But there are drop off UPS stores in other shops.

[mirror-in-the-attic]

The only time I have ever entered that Staples store was to return those 2 orders.   Each time, there were hardly any customers in the store.  So, your prediction might be spot on.  However, If I keep shopping on Amazon, and supporting the domination of retail space to the detriment of all others and especially b&M stores, It will be worse than Staples.

As a consumer, I am pledging to be much more conscientious about where I spend my money.   We all MUST push to bring back manufacturing to USA and stop our reliance on cheap foreign labor.    Don’t you miss all the nice little mom and pops in small town USA?   Ok.  Tourist towns aren’t lacking in Mommas Bakery type stores, but midwestern towns have very few of them any more.   The town I grew up in had small business ONLY.   Not even a McDonalds until late 80’s.   NOW, the bakery, after over 100 years is gone, replaced by Walmart **bleep**.   The local florist and pharmacy is GONE.  Replaced by Walmart.   It’s a virus that we all saw coming but is now extending to online retailers and even worse DIRECTLY from China, circumventing Amazon and Walmart.    Pretty soon, 300 socks from CHINA because there are no other alternatives to us.

[vintagemoth12]

I was excited to see this when I got it in my email but after shopping, I realize that the selection is limited. 

I always shop with free shipping and returns (Prime) anyway.

I would hate to be on the selling end of this little trainwreck.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

I've been seeing it pop up on my Amazon clothing and shoe purchases for a while. I don't use it. I like things to be simple.

[gracieallen01]

Sort of reminds me of the song with the line, "Anything you can do, I can do better".