Bridging the offline-online gap.. Home Trial rooms

Despite the gigantic leaps by major e-commerce players, customers’ need to feel and touch products before purchasing them was still a gap that could not be fulfilled. Although lenient and efficient return policies and virtual trial rooms (enabling customers to explore products through an interactive webcam) have been introduced by some shopping portals, these have not been completely comfortable for them.

Now e-railers seem to be bent on bridging the offline-online gap with the provision to try out products in the comforts of customers’ homes before deciding to purchase them. Clothes are shown to customers at their doorsteps so they can try and pick. Sofa and other furniture can be placed in their intended rooms to check if they fit the requirement.

Major e-commerce players seem to favour homes becoming trial rooms as they feel it could prove to be the inflection point in online shopping, especially fashion and apparel.

Home Trial room successes so far

• Flipkart has launched a pilot project in Bangalore recently to test the benefits of providing this service to customers. They can order products of various sizes to try at home before they decide on the purchase. While the delivery person will wait outside while customers check out the products, after trial they can either purchase one item, buy all or even return everything! So far its been a success with customers buying more than they would have otherwise, claims Flipkart.
• Online jewellery store Bluestone launched ‘Home Try’on’ concept in 2013 in the top metros. Customers can choose several and these, in addition to similar options sent by Bluestone team based on customer preferences, are sent to their homes. This brings 50-100 requests every day, 80% of which translates into final purchases with average bill of Rs 50,000.
• Urban Ladder, furniture portal, send high-value sofas and certain other furniture to customers’ homes for trials so they can see how products look inside their homes. With conversion rates as much as 70%, it is provided free of cost and fabric swatches are also sent so customers can decide on the required colour as well.

Is it a sensible option?

Although it adds to cost, returns also add to cost. A study shows that one out of every four products bought by Indian customers are returned. Home trial rooms are a way of e-railers to reduce returns and so far it seems to be faring well.

Should an Indian Online Seller facilitate Home Trial room service to customers?

Still a new and under-trial service, it could be a win-win for both e-railers and customers. Customers get to try the options before deciding on the final purchase which in turn would help to reduce returns, in effect helping e-tailers.

Products like jewellery, apparel, accessories etc. are things which customers like to feel and touch before buying If funds allow, you could try implementing this service on a small scale to regions immediate to your location and depending on the success, you could think of extending it further.