Can 'Try Before You Buy' Work Online?

by: Owen

Many large retail corporations have liberal return policies. Zappos.com has their own try and return policies, and they work well for them. They pay for shipping both ways. I have returned shoes from them a couple of times when the fit wasn't right.

They can afford to absorb such high costs. Small sellers cannot, which is why liberal return policies cause such angst. Small sellers cannot compete with huge corporations.

by: Owen

And, by the way, I'm not really good with buying a garment which one or even several other people have worn for 10 or more days at a time. Might just as well go to the Salvation Army on sale day, where you know that your garment has been worn, and you can then take it home and disinfect it. Could save you a ton of money.

Too many skin diseases and other diseases floating around that can linger in the seams of clothing. And if you are going to return it, you will not be allowed to wash it, before wearing it.

by: pace306

Big deal, this is eBays model already. Nothing new here.

I wouldn't join anything like this. Those manufacturers listed can afford the losses aka the gambling on what the customer will keep.

by: Ming the Merciless

This will buyers of the kind that ebay has trained so well.

I predict and hope for the quick failure of try.com.

by: pace306

Hmm shouldnt it be steal.com, rent.com, eBay.com, abusesellers.com or something similar?

How about we do it with food? I wouldnt mind taking home 6 steaks, making them, eating most of each of them - then returning the bones with just abit of meat left on each one! LMAO!

by: Tiffee Jasso

As they say "There is one born every minute." I am sure some savvy investors just jumped at the bit for this pitch.  

by: Bloggo

What could possibly go wrong?

by: The End

Can 'Try Before You Buy' Work Online?
No.
What a HOAX.
The insanity never ends.
Who is MORON that came up with this idea ?

by: LasVagueness

There is no such thing as "free shipping." "Free shipping" both ways is built into the price tag in tiny little code you are pretending not to see or notice. What a colossal waste in fossil fuels and wear-and-tear on vehicles. If you need clothes, go shopping. If there are no stores near you make a day of it and drive to one.  

by: LasVagueness

By "drive" of course I mean stock up. Another colossal waste if you drive for a solitary shirt.  

by: Chicago48

Ditto - what could possibly go wrong?

by: ignatz

Betcha after someone "tries" 10 or 15 items and doesn't buy anything, the little "Try" pop up will stop popping up for them!

by: ignatz

Okay, just tried "Try".  You need a code to sign up - it's by "invite only", a la the moribund 11main.com.

Entered my email address, zip. It said - now get this:

"We'll be in touch when we launch in your city."

WTF???

Thought this was for online sales???

Guess what, azzhats - my city already has this thing called a "Post Office", which actually brings stuff to my house!

by: Volvo351

At the Two-Headed Monster [feeBay/PayPig] it's ALREADY "try before you [really] buy!" How could it be considered otherwise, with a ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DAY RETURN policy implemented by Devil Wingnut's chief seller leg [dare I say "ball?"] -breaker, PayPig?

by: Volvo351

@pace306

eBay scammers wouldn't return the bones..they'd return the steaks after they're passed through their digestive systems.

by: baconsdozen

Ebay already have a similar system. Its called "Buy,try,return,refund". Its like hiring but it's free.

by: Rexford

Will eBay sue them for intellectual property infringement?  Isn't this eBay's business model? LOL

by: Basset

From the article I take it is designed to be a tool for major retailers or larger sellers of new clothing, based on the examples of who it using it?  

Sounds like it could be used for them to get a handle on their returns.  May make the buyer return an item does not work for them quicker instead of holding on to it.  

Five items at a time is a limit in itself.  

''Clothes that are worn, damaged, or have tags removed will be charged to your account.'' - Those words are only as good as their enforcement! (ahem, eBay)

Sounds like as long as there is tracking, if USPS is slow and their account gets charged they will be refunded when the item arrives.  


Not something I would use, but it would be interesting to follow up with the retailers to see how it goes for them.

by: Basset

To address the worry about skin diseases - at a younger age I worked in a high end big name department store.  You just do not want to know just what is found in the dressing rooms in the form of ''biologicals'' of all kinds.  In most cases, those clothes go back out on the rack.  The room gets a quick clean up by the store's cleaning staff and a temporary ''out of order'' while it dries. A ''try on'' has its risks everywhere.  

Point: whether buying used or new clothing, assume the unseen.  Even if item is still sealed in the manufacturer's bag, you should always launder the clothing well before you wear it.

by: toolguy

@Ming

Why would "hope" that a new start up "fails" and goes out of business?