ASOS “fair use returns policy”

[creepywoman]

Did anyone else get this email from ASOS? Aibu to wonder whether they sent it to a select group of people?

I have the ASOS next day delivery service which has led to me ordering a lot from them. I’d say recently I’ve placed a few returns including a faulty item, so I wonder if I’ve flagged up.

I shop with Asos once in a blue moon, generally don’t return anything, and I got this email today.

It literally says that it doesn't affect you!

I suspect the people it applies to will be e.g. influencers who order hauls to try on, film and profit from then return it all for free.

It just has me thinking if I fall foul. In the last year I have placed 10 orders and have kept around 30%. There’s only been 1 full order I’ve kept too, I’ve returned at least 1 thing in the other 9 orders.

I had a look at their current fair use policy and they do mention returning a lot being a flag for them.

not sure. ASOS gives influencers free things, so it’s likely what influencers show on social media is gifted. They usually sell the promo stuff they don’t want afterwards, essentially double profiting!

I think their policy definitely clamps down on people who wear things and then return them - which I don’t do. That is fair enough, I used to work in clothing retail and people “renting” clothes was a problem back then!

That's probably why they sent you the DONT WORRY email. They'll have a record that you return a lot but they'll be happy with your reasons for returns and you're keeping a lot of what you order.

The wider context is I gained/lost weight so am between sizes/return what doesn’t fit

Hope so! It does seem a bit like a heads up

But you are keeping some things, including a full order. That doesn’t sound like the profile of someone deliberately taking the piss. There will be people ordering weekly and returning everything.

I got this email. I have ordered 19 items in the past 12 months and only returned 1. I took it at face value that it did not apply to me.

Now I’m curious what their new policy is! I assume it will be a bit broader.

I’ve only ever ordered once off asos (last Christmas) and received the email. I think all companies are doing the same, no idea what their criteria is though as my dd has been refunded her annual shipping fee by PLT and told she can’t order any more due to her returns … she orders very regularly and keeps 75-80% of her orders 🤷🏻‍♀️

I got this email too. I’ve ordered two things from ASOS ever and kept both, never returned anything so it’s unsurprising that I’m not affected!

Hopefully they will make it more clear what an acceptable returns percentage is.

It says it doesn’t apply to you so don’t worry. I think it’s to discourage the people who film hauls or wear things once then return most purchases

Oh that’s interesting! I wonder what flagged for her. I also have the PLT next day for a year thing but never use it.

Successful and established influencers, perhaps, but that isn’t who I was meaning.

It would be because she very regularly returns 20-25% of her orders

It must be this … but she spends a LOT with them 🤷🏻‍♀️

Yes so her volume of returns will be high

But her purchase volume even higher. If online retailers are only looking at returns and not the account as a whole then they’re going to go out of business very soon 🤷🏻‍♀️

This whole culture of ordering and returning seems to me to be very decadent. I don't use that word lightly but it's the height of making something convenient for yourself while increasing entropy and work and burning more and more of the planet's resources.

In the olden days clothes are made they go to a shop and are sold. Yes, by ordering piece by piece, each with its own journey, we are reducing the number of shop fronts and associated energy costs, and our own journey to the shop, but that only works as an energy saving if we just buy something broadly in our size and wear it. Ordering ten things and returning them seems mad to me.

Processing returns is relatively expensive and time consuming for retailers to do, more so if the clothing is cheap like on sites like PLT, so returns are often scrapped and written off - they go to bulk resellers, for recycling or just end up in landfill. Clamping down on returns protects their bottom line - and retailers are generally struggling.

(Not that I in any way wish to defend the fast fashion model and am personally very happy to see it fail)

This has been quite a common trend.

Amazon have been cancelling a lot of accounts from people who return lots of items. It costs a lot of money to process returns so they changed their model.

For ASOS this is probably targeted at people who return huge quantities.

Sure but they will have worked out the level they are comfortable with and will be hoping to reduce returns. Perhaps stop people ordering more than one size and reading the measurements provided. Ordering two tops at a time to decide which one. Its much better to order one and then if you don't like that one return it and order the other.