Amazon Ending 'Try Before You Buy' Program
Amazon has announced it will discontinue its Prime Try Before You Buy program—a subscription feature allowing members to try clothes, shoes, and accessories at home before purchasing—effective January 31, 2025. The move, confirmed by a notice on Amazon’s website, comes as part of CEO Andy Jassy’s ongoing efforts to streamline operations and cut costs across the company.
Launched in 2017 under the name Prime Wardrobe, the program allowed members of Amazon’s $139-per-year Prime subscription service to try out items from a curated mix of luxury, staple, and Amazon-owned brands. Customers had seven days to decide which items to keep and could return unwanted products at no cost, making the service a direct competitor to popular platforms like Stitch Fix, Rent the Runway, and Urban Outfitters’ Nuuly.
In a statement to CNBC, an Amazon spokesperson explained the rationale behind the decision:
“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.”
Cost-Cutting Strategy Targets Experimental Programs
The shutdown of Prime Try Before You Buy reflects Amazon’s broader push to rein in costs under Jassy’s leadership. Beginning in 2022, the e-commerce giant underwent the largest layoffs in its history, eliminating over 27,000 jobs. The company has also shuttered several experimental ventures, including a speedy brick-and-mortar delivery service, its telehealth offering, and a kid-focused video-calling device. These measures underscore Amazon’s efforts to focus on scalable, high-impact initiatives amid challenging economic conditions.
Pivot to AI-Powered Solutions
Amazon is emphasizing technology-driven solutions as an alternative to the program. The company has rolled out a suite of AI-powered features, including virtual try-on tools, personalized size recommendations, enhanced size charts, and review highlights. These tools aim to simplify the online shopping experience and reduce the need for physical try-ons, potentially offering a more scalable and cost-effective approach to fashion retail.
What’s Next for Prime Members?
For Prime members who have relied on Try Before You Buy, the announcement marks the end of a service that blended the convenience of online shopping with the tactile assurance of in-store fitting rooms. After January 31, users will need to turn to Amazon’s digital tools or explore other wardrobe subscription services to replicate the experience.
While the closure of Prime Try Before You Buy signals Amazon’s shift away from experimental services, it also underscores the company’s commitment to innovation through AI and digital transformation. Whether these changes will resonate with fashion-conscious shoppers remains to be seen, but Amazon’s focus on efficiency and adaptability suggests it’s betting on a tech-forward future.
