ASOS Shopping. Credit: T. Schneider, Shutterstock
Online fashion retailer ASOS is facing a fierce backlash after banning UK customers for returning too many items.
The move, implemented under the Fair Use Policy, raised questions about consumer rights, inconsistent sizing, and how much electricity retailers should have over shoppers.
“We have recently closed accounts for a small group of customers whose shopping activities are consistently out of the scope of our fair use policy. This will help us maintain our commitment to providing free returns to all customers in all core markets,” ASOS said. BBC.
Last fiscal year, ASOS shipped 67.2 million orders worldwide.
ASOS customers are furious at account closure without warning
Shoppers say they were blinded by the sudden ban.
Lucy Britnell, Teesside’s self-proclaimed “Shopaholic”, has been using and paying for ASOS Premier since 2018 (ASOS Premier is offered unlimited the following day, offering £9.95 (Euro 11.72) on orders for £15 (Euro 17.65) (Euro 17.65) and £15+ (Euro 15) for £588.50 (Euro 11.72) for £588.50 (Euro 11.72) for £588.50 (Euro 11.72) for £15+ (Euro all other standard delivery) for £588.50 (Euro 11.72) for closing email from the company.
“In most cases, you need to order two sizes. Then you return a size that doesn’t fit. ASOS sizing, especially the own brand, is very unpredictable,” Britnel told the BBC.
Her frustration deepened when ASOS contacted her via Instagram on the same day her account was banned. “It was a real slap on the face. I thought it was a joke at first.”
ASOS Customer Service accused him of “robots” and “no use”
Other banned shoppers say there is virtually no appeal process.
Louise Gowley, 27, from Glasgow, tried to challenge the ban through the ASOS live chat system, but was repeatedly blocked.
“They told me the decision was final – and then they cut me off again for no reason,” she told the BBC.
Frankie Allen, a 32-year-old PR director from London, also fell into this line despite his 20 years of loyalty. Like many others, she regularly orders two sizes and returns the size that does not fit.
Retail experts say the cost of online returns is becoming increasingly unsustainable.
“Managing large quantities of returns is not simply a sustainable model,” says Medi Parry-Williams. “In many cases, a restocking fee of £3.95 (4.63 euros) is not close to covering these costs.”
ASOS first warned in 2019 that it could shut down your account with excessive returns. Last year in the UK, ASOS began charging £3.95 to frequent returnees and those who hold less than £40 on orders. However, returns will remain free on the ASOS Ireland site. businessplus.ie.
This is not the only Assos. This answers a difficult question. Just after adding a restocking fee of £1.99 (2.33 Euro) last year, a pretty small first fashion brand disabled their account last year for similar reasons.
Returns have become a nightmare of logistics and environmental issues in the fashion industry. Data from Statista shows that three of the four returned clothing are dumped in landfills or burned due to processing costs.
With some high street stores disappearing and online fashion dominating, many shoppers rely on returning the flexibility to get sizing right. Are retailers fair to police returns or should they invest in consistent sizing and better customer support?
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