Amazon’s move is part of a shopping trend

When I was a child, I would watch my grandmother try on dresses and coats she had brought home on “appro” (or approbation) from Mrs. Downey’s boutique in Dungarvan, Ireland: deciding, at her leisure, what to buy and what to return. Who knew that, decades later, “appro,” aka “try on,” would become the way to shop?

And not just at Amazon, which recently announced such a service for its Prime members, who are not charged while they mull up to 15 items for a week.

In December, Debora LaBudde started Memo, which lets online shoppers try fine jewelry by established and emerging designers for a three-day period.

“The practice of allowing a client to take merchandise home prior to making a purchase has long been a tradition in the jewelry industry, but it’s most often reserved for VIP clientele,” LaBudde said. But she said she believed “every client should enjoy the same luxury experience.” Prices range from $350 to $15,000, and insured return shipping is included with delivery.

Colleen McKinnie helped found Lyon & Post (tagline: “Say farewell to fitting rooms”), which sells casual clothing, including active wear and swimwear.

“There’s no checkout process,” McKinnie said. Members add items to Netflix-style queues by clicking “Try …read more