Amazon's quest to be a big player in almost every industry it operates is well known. In a new development, the company announced that it is going to introduce a new service called Amazon Wardrobe that would come with a feature that could truly be a Game Changer. Amazon announced today that the new service will allow Prime members the opportunity to try out clothes before they actually pay for them.
A true game changer
The new feature is truly simple yet brilliant. Amazon Prime users can choose a certain number of clothes they wish to buy and then once they have been shipped, they can try them on to see if they fit well.
The ones they do not want can be shipped back within a one week window at no extra cost.
Additionally, Prime members will have access to Prime Wardrobe at no extra cost. A member would have to order at least three items in order to be eligible for this offer. On the other hand, the upper limit as of now stands at 15 items. Although some of the premium brands like Hugo Boss, J Brand and Theory among others would be available on Amazon Wardrobe, Amazon's own brands like Lark & Ro will also be offered to members. The company probably believes that the option to return items within a week might make otherwise reluctant members order products made by Amazon's in-house brands.
Killing competition slowly
Departmental stores like Macy's and J. C. Penney, among others, have enjoyed a stranglehold over the years, however, their sales figures are declining. This new push from Amazon could finally push them over the edge. On the other hand, Walmart has ramped up their presence in the segment by making smart acquisitions of online clothing stores and this move by Amazon helps them capture an already captive market of Amazon Prime members.
According to data published by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, a market intelligence company, the total number of Amazon Prime members stood at 80 million in the United States. The figure represented a 38% jump in the number of Prime Members from 2016. That ever increasing user base gives Amazon a captive market and considering the $99 yearly subscription, Prime Members are going to rise as the company offers a package that is simply too good to turn down.
Currently, Amazon has a rather modest 6.6% share of the wardrobe market in the United States but according to a study conducted by Cowen & Co, the company is going to command 16.2% of the market if everything goes according to plan.
