Asos to Charge for Returns on Certain Orders: A Sign of Changing Times
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New Returns Policy Met with Customer Anger
Asos customers have erupted in fury over a fresh rule where they will now be charged for returns if they fail to keep a certain amount of their order. Over the weekend, some patrons received an email indicating their identification as having a "frequently high return rate."
This group will now face a charge of £3.95 deducted from their refund if they return items worth less than £40. Although Asos has not explicitly defined what a high return rate constitutes, it insists "nothing’s changed" for most of its customers.
"We’re making this change to continue offering free returns to all our customers," the company relayed to the BBC. For a specific group of UK customers whose shopping habits prompt frequent returns, the new policy aims to remain sustainable. Customers can still enjoy free returns when they keep items worth £40 or more.
Reaction from the Customers
Sowda, a regular customer from London, expressed that the change would "definitely" deter her from shopping at Asos. The essence of online shopping, she mentioned, is the ability to claim full refunds if dissatisfied.
Even though £3.95 may seem modest, she argues that it could accumulate over the year, becoming a significant expense. Sowda also underscored the notorious inconsistency in Asos’s sizing. It once took her ordering the same jeans thrice to secure the right fit, an effort she wouldn’t have made had the £3.95 fee been in place.
Another dissatisfied customer, Charlotte, voiced her displeasure on X (formerly Twitter). She attributed the high return rates to the poor fitting and quality of Asos’s products and vowed to take her business elsewhere.
The Impact of Influencers on Shopping Habits
Kayley Cornelius, a media analyst, suggested that the popularity of Asos among influencers might play a substantial role in the company’s decision to charge for returns. Influencers often indulge in massive ‘hauls’, splurging on numerous items and then deciding what to keep or return on camera.
These habits are likely emulated by regular shoppers, leading to a surge in returns post-purchase. Such trends might have pressed Asos to recalibrate its return policy, pushing customers to deliberate more before making purchases.
A Trend Among Online Retailers
The new policy is not Asos’s first step in this direction. Earlier this year, they initiated the threshold for free returns in France, Germany, and the US.
Additionally, Asos Premier customers will still receive free returns if they keep items worth at least £15.
Industry-Wide Changes
Online-only clothing shops, like Asos, are grappling with challenges from the normalisation of high return rates, stiff competition from ultra-fast fashion brands such as Shein, and the squeeze on customer budgets due to the rising cost of living.
Earlier this year, PrettyLittleThing (PLT) faced backlash for deactivating accounts with frequent returns. Soon after, PLT instituted a £1.99 return fee, even for its "royalty" service members.
Last year, fashion giant H&M rolled back on a similar policy following criticism source.
Asos’s Response and Future Moves
In a trading update last week, Asos announced enhancements to sizing and how clothing and accessories appear on its product pages. Furthermore, the retailer revealed its decision to sell most of its stake in the Topshop and Topman brands for £135m.
Conclusion
Asos’s new returns policy has undoubtedly stirred the pot among customers. While the intention is to sustain free returns for the majority, the decision reflects a broader trend in the retail world, driven by economic pressures and evolving consumer habits.
