Amazon Prime Wardrobe: Everything you need to know about the fashion service

There is probably nothing more annoying than ordering an outfit online only to find out when trying it on a few days later that it doesn't fit. To compete with successful personalized shopping programs like Trunk Club, Outfittery and Stitch Fix, Amazon launched its own Prime Wardrobe program. We know personalized shopping is a tried and tested concept - but how will Prime customers react? Can we expect the same enthusiasm?

So let's dive in together to find out more about Amazon's latest fashion service!

ContentWhat is Prime Wardrobe and how does it work? Does it cost something? What's available on Prime Wardrobe? The process in detail 1. Select suitable items 2. Try on your items 3. Return unwanted items Why Prime Wardrobe is a great shopping hack Amazon's underlying principle

What is Prime Wardrobe and how does it work?

Prime Wardrobe is a program for Prime members to try on clothes before they buy them in the comfort of their own home.

The items offered include women's, men's, children's and baby's clothing, shoes and accessories. You simply choose what you want to try on (available items are marked with a Prime Wardrobe logo). Once your box arrives, you have seven days to try on and return any items you don't want to buy. You can try up to six items at a time and there is no minimum amount.

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Before the seven-day trial period is over, simply check out and indicate which items you would like to keep and which items you would like to return. You have until the end of the fitting period to return your item using the return label provided. For the forgetful among us, Amazon sends reminders along the way to make sure you don't get charged prematurely.

Does it cost anything?

Apart from the Prime membership, there are no additional fees for Prime Wardrobe - both shipping and returns are free. You will only be charged for what you actually keep. And if you later decide you want to return something you kept and bought, you still have a 30-day return window from the last day of the try-on period. The service is free for Prime members and there is no minimum order value.

What's available on Prime Wardrobe?

Prime Wardrobe features both lesser-known brands and international names like Levi's, Calvin Klein, AIX Armani, Adidas, J Brand and Theory. You can choose from women's, men's, children's and baby's clothing, shoes and accessories. There are affordable products as well as designer pieces - and everything in between.

Prime Wardrobe competes with similar services from companies like Nordstrom's Trunk Club and resourceful startups like Rent the Runway and Stitch Fix, except that you don't have to pay a fee for every box you receive or spend extra money to become a member of the service must (assuming you already have Prime). But if you need someone to find the right clothes for you, you can pay just under 5 euros a month for a curated styling version of Prime Wardrobe called Personal Shopper.

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The process in detail

1. Select Eligible Items

Go to Amazon and look for Prime Wardrobe eligible items (they have a "Prime Wardrobe" icon). You can select up to six items of clothing. There are over a million clothing options from hundreds of brands to choose from.

2. Try on your items

Once you've selected everything, Amazon will ship your selections to you in a resealable return box with a prepaid shipping label. From the time your package arrives, you have 7 days to try everything on and decide what you want to keep and what you'd rather return.

3. Returning unwanted items

Put the items you don't want to keep in the resealable return box and send it back using the desired return method. The items you don't want to keep must be in their original packaging and have the tags attached.

Why Prime Wardrobe is a great shopping hack

Prime Wardrobe simplifies online shopping by allowing you to try on clothes and shoes before you have to commit - all at no extra cost. What looks great in 2D doesn't always look that great in real life. And return processes can be awkward or difficult to complete. Yet many of us continue to shop online en masse because the in-person shopping experience is often so lengthy.

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To make shopping online convenient, there are a growing number of services with a try-before-buy policy and subscription services to help reduce the anxiety to take before updating the wardrobe. Amazon Wardrobe is no different, and unlike many alternatives, Prime membership doesn't come with an additional cost.

Amazon's underlying principle

The Amazon Prime loyalty program is the best way to illustrate how the momentum of Amazon Wardrobe will play out. What used to be a small bonus for customers through a slightly better shipping plan has evolved into an all-encompassing exclusivity, offering an increasingly popular collection of services like music and video streaming and more.

By luring Amazon with an all-round offer that can hardly be surpassed, it binds its customers in the long term, so that it is no longer a question of whether to order from Amazon, but how often and when. Amazon Wardrobe may not be very lucrative at first. But it will give Amazon greater market share by enrolling more and more customers into its own programs. The result is more supply and more sales for other products and services.

Photo: amazon.de