Amazon’s ‘Try Before You Buy’ program which allowed people to try on clothing items for free will be shut down this month, six years after it was first launched.
Through the scheme, people can choose up to six items to try on within a seven-day period. They are then only charged for the clothing pieces they decide to keep, and the return process is free.
The change has been announced through the program’s page on Amazon, with the service shutting down for good on January 31. That date marks the last day Prime customers can place orders.
The program spanned a number of categories on the e-commerce site including clothing for women, men, kids and baby, as well as shoes, jewelry, and accessories.
It was previously named ‘Prime Wardrobe,’ with the first testing of the trial starting in 2017. A year later, in 2018, the program was officially launched and became a benefit for those who pay for the Seattle-based brand’s subscription service.
Amazon Try Before You Buy to leave the site at end of the month
“Given the combination of Try Before You Buy only scaling to a limited number of items and customers increasingly using our new AI-powered features like virtual try-on, personalized size recommendations, review highlights, and improved size charts to make sure they find the right fit, we’re phasing out the Try Before You Buy option, effective January 31, 2025,” an Amazon spokesperson told Fortune.
The change comes after the company and its CEO Andy Jassy has announced a series of cost cutting measures, including phasing out its telehealth service.
It also comes at a time when brands worldwide are aiming to adopt AI practices, with a number of companies taking on the virtual try-on approach.
Chanel, MAC Cosmetics and L’Oreal are just three makeup brands which offer the augmented reality try on service online, while clothing brands like Prada and Farfetch also offer a similar tool.
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