<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, the survey shows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s simple. A customer (or personal stylist) chooses items online, gets them, tries them on, and returns what they didn\u2019t like. The retailer then only charges the customer for what they keep. Many companies further incentivize customers by offering free shipping and returns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trunk Club<\/a> was one of the first online companies to adopt the try before you buy model. The company initially started as Trunk Club Men\u2019s Outfitters in Chicago in 2009. A couple of guys wanted to make shopping simpler for men who don\u2019t like shopping. Nordstroms then acquired the company in 2014. Today it has expanded to offer both men\u2019s and women\u2019s trunks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The company\u2019s website uses videos, images, and text to clearly explain how the try before you buy process works. Here is an example of the first two steps in the process:<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n A customer creates a style profile and chat with a stylist. Then a stylist sends a digital preview to the customer. The customer then has 48 hours to approve or change the contents of the trunk. Once it\u2019s approved, the customer receives their trunk from UPS in 4-6 business days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shipping is free, and trunks ship anywhere in the contiguous United States. Once the trunk arrives, the customer has five days to decide what they want to keep and what they\u2019ll return. A $25 styling fee (waived for Nordstrom cardholders) is credited towards the purchase. Returns are free, simply ship it back with the included return label. Customers can order occasionally or can set up monthly or seasonal trunk deliveries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trunk Club also provides additional information to common questions, such as costs, styles, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Warby Parker<\/a> is another great example of an online company using the try before you buy model. As Mashable<\/a> points out, The company offers affordable designer glasses. Two Wharton School students founded the company in 2010. They found out that most of the “designer” glasses are simply licensed to a few giant eyewear companies and sold in bulk to optical shops. They cut out the middleman by designing their own glasses. By also selling them online, they were able to offer designer eyeglasses at or a much lower price. Warby Parker also follows the TOMS shoes one-for-one giving model\u2014with every pair of glasses they sell, Warby Parker donate a pair to someone in need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Warby Parker offers online tools, quizzes, and phone calls with stylists to help customers choose glasses. Then customers are sent 5 sample frames that they choose between. This is perhaps why they’re one of the most well known try before they buy company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Payment options are key to implementing try before you buy on ecommerce websites. Several companies offer this technology to online companies of all sizes. They include Klarna<\/a> and Try<\/a>. Klarna is integrated with top e-commerce platforms, such as Shopify and WooCommerce. Try works with individual retailer websites to add the buy, now pay later option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you sell online apparel or accessories, consider implementing the try before you buy option. Consumers love it, and there is a growing trend of companies who successfully use this payment option. It might make the difference between good and great sales and profits!<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n We will discuss the pros and and cons of implementing a try before you buy option in your online store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s look at the factors leading to this interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n More and more customers are purchasing more items than they plan on keeping. Depending on your returns policy, you could end up losing money on a purchase. Below is a recent report from Brightpearl<\/a> that shows the trends of different age groups and what percentage that submit partial returns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n In Brightpearl\u2019s survey of online shoppers, a large portion of U.S. respondents said that they have bought multiple items with the intention of sending some back. (Younger shoppers tending to create partial returns at more than twice the rate of Americans 55 and older.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ecommerce returns are growing rapidly. They have increased 94.8% over the most recently measured five-year period, according to a recent Shopify report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Post-purchase solutions provider Narvar<\/a> offers additional insight from its survey findings:<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The try before you buy option allows online shoppers to duplicate the brick and mortar experience of trying on items before buying. There are strong cases for implementing try before you buy. For one, shopping online is incredibly convenient. There has been an increase in consumers buying multiple items with the intent to return some. There is an increase in online returns, as well as dissatisfaction in many return policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n With so many reasons to implement a try before you buy option, why wouldn\u2019t you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to a recent report<\/a> released by Brightpearl<\/a>, the main reason is the potential cost to your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Brightpearl study, which includes the opinions of 200 retailers and 4,000 consumers in the United States and UK, shows that the growing trend of try before you buy (TBYB) will have a major impact on both purchase behavior and returns:<\/p>\n\n\n\n These are scary statistics. A ray of hope is offered by Gareth Austin Jones, of footwear brand Cocorose London<\/a>. \u201cFor retailers to capitalize on Try Before You Buy without cannibalizing margins, they need the right systems in place to optimize the returns process and ensure end-to-end visibility over factors such as available cash flow and inventory in the system\u2014all of which could cause major pain points. If they don’t prepare now, the impact on return rates could devastate online retailers that are already seeing their margins considerably squeezed.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Brightpearl recommends using technology and automation to prevent the \u201ctsunami of returns\u201d from crippling businesses, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another potential issue? Getting paid. In a brick and mortar store, shoppers try on items and pay before they leave the store. For online retailers, it\u2019s risky to send things to shoppers without paying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Technology again helps make this process easier. Payment options such as Klarna<\/a> allow retailers to get paid when items are ordered. Shoppers are also protected. Klarna\u2019s Buyer Protection Policy promises customers they will only pay for items they purchased. They will always receive their money back if their purchase doesn\u2019t arrive, they receive items they didn\u2019t order, or if items are defective, damaged, or do not meet the merchant\u2019s description.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The try before you buy option is a growing trend among e-commerce companies. Shoppers love it, but online sellers need to carefully consider the ramifications of implementing it. The increase in sales is great, but you must have systems in place to handle the additional returns, without breaking the bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Try](\"https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2018\/12\/Screen-Shot-2018-12-20-at-12.19.41-PM-1024x529.png.webp\")
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How the Try Before You Buy Model Works Online<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Examples of Online Companies Offering Try Before You Buy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Trunk Club<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"Try](\"https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2018\/12\/Screen-Shot-2018-12-20-at-12.24.05-PM.png.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWarby Parker<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"Try](\"https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2018\/12\/Screen-Shot-2018-12-20-at-12.24.45-PM.png.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nTry Before You Buy Technology<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Next Steps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Pros and Cons of Implementing a “Try Before You Buy Option”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
PROS<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The growing trend of buying multiple items with the plan to return some<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"Try](\"https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2018\/12\/Screen-Shot-2018-12-20-at-3.25.57-PM.png.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe continued increase in the number of online returns<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Online shoppers\u2019 attitudes about Returns<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Consider Implementing a Try Before You Buy Option<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
CONS<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How Will Try Before You Buy Cost Your Business<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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How to Minimize Returns<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Next Steps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Deliver](\"https:\/\/no-cache.hubspot.com\/cta\/default\/1746827\/312920d4-9b42-4858-8dfa-808fbad1b1f7.png\")
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