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It varies significantly between sectors. I for one have the unfortunate problem that my clothing size is somewhere between M and L. Whenever I buy from a new m

It varies significantly between sectors. I for one have the unfortunate problem that my clothing size is somewhere between M and L. Whenever I buy from a new manufacturer, I basically have to flip a coin if I pick the right one. So for some clothing products, I would definitely hit 50%.

medmunds 6y ago
And unlike many clothing stores, Amazon doesn't allow directly exchanging an item to change size. Instead, they treat an exchange as a refund followed by a new purchase (at the then-current price). When something is on sale, the discount may no longer apply by the time you go to exchange it—so if you're at all uncertain about the size you're better off ordering one of each up front, and then returning the ones that don't fit.
Freak_NL 6y ago
This is a well know problem with online clothes shopping by now. In the Netherlands 13% of all online purposes is returned, and between 30% and 60% (shoes) of clothing. I have the same problem with my 200cm and slim posture. I have a handful of brands I can order blindly, but jeans in particular are a chore to get the right fit. I strongly prefer brick and mortar shops, but size availability varies. People used to think that returned goods would just be freshened up and sold again — just like clothing you try on in a brick and mortar store — but the reality of the system is slowly getting understood thanks to investigative journalism worldwide. A Dutch television program in this category concluded that returned clothes that are in good condition are often bound for for markets in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, where there is a demand for brand goods below or at the price of lower quality Chinese imports. Some brands don't want this because of brand dilution and fear of their products hitting the black market, so those items are simply destroyed instead. Suggested solutions include charging a fee for returns, but that will have to be mandatory because people will just shop where the returns are free if left optional. Personally I would like to see high street shops offer the option of trying on clothing ordered online at their shop for free (or others even if a good business model can be found), and have them handle the returns instead of this grossly unsustainable system we have now. By eliminating the risk of people abusing the system, the need to remove those items from the chain is diminished significantly; just like regular clothes shopping, but with the benefit of a much larger catalogue.
- GekkePrutser 6y ago
  > Suggested solutions include charging a fee for returns, but that will have to be mandatory because people will just shop where the returns are free if left optional. And the EU actually mandates a free 2-week return window based on the fact that you can't see the product before you buy.

medmunds 6y ago

And unlike many clothing stores, Amazon doesn't allow directly exchanging an item to change size. Instead, they treat an exchange as a refund followed by a new purchase (at the then-current price). When something is on sale, the discount may no longer apply by the time you go to exchange it—so if you're at all uncertain about the size you're better off ordering one of each up front, and then returning the ones that don't fit.

Freak_NL 6y ago

This is a well know problem with online clothes shopping by now. In the Netherlands 13% of all online purposes is returned, and between 30% and 60% (shoes) of clothing. I have the same problem with my 200cm and slim posture. I have a handful of brands I can order blindly, but jeans in particular are a chore to get the right fit. I strongly prefer brick and mortar shops, but size availability varies. People used to think that returned goods would just be freshened up and sold again — just like clothing you try on in a brick and mortar store — but the reality of the system is slowly getting understood thanks to investigative journalism worldwide. A Dutch television program in this category concluded that returned clothes that are in good condition are often bound for for markets in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, where there is a demand for brand goods below or at the price of lower quality Chinese imports. Some brands don't want this because of brand dilution and fear of their products hitting the black market, so those items are simply destroyed instead. Suggested solutions include charging a fee for returns, but that will have to be mandatory because people will just shop where the returns are free if left optional. Personally I would like to see high street shops offer the option of trying on clothing ordered online at their shop for free (or others even if a good business model can be found), and have them handle the returns instead of this grossly unsustainable system we have now. By eliminating the risk of people abusing the system, the need to remove those items from the chain is diminished significantly; just like regular clothes shopping, but with the benefit of a much larger catalogue.

GekkePrutser 6y ago
> Suggested solutions include charging a fee for returns, but that will have to be mandatory because people will just shop where the returns are free if left optional. And the EU actually mandates a free 2-week return window based on the fact that you can't see the product before you buy.