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.

Order the one most likely to fit. If it doesn't then order the other size and return the one that doesn't fit. Your second order will then have no returns in it.

Why? Just order one. Try it on. If it doesn't fit then return and order the other

Seems absolutely fair enough

Often you need to compare which one is better. I assume most things 'won't fit' perfectly so I'm choosing which fits the best of two or three sizes (can vary that widely). And surely it's better for everyone if you reduce the number of deliveries and returns that need processing?

I have ordered literally the same sizes of the same jeans before from the same brand (not on ASOS) and they were two inches longer than the ones I had so there is literally no way of knowing what the size will be like even if you are ordering a 'duplicate' of an item you already had.

By the time you’ve done that they may have sold out of the size you need, though.

If sizes were actually standardised within brands it wouldn’t be so much of an issue - retailers only have themselves to blame for people ordering multiple sizes.

Things go out of stock quite quickly. So by the time you have returned one, you might not get the other size. And many stores charge for delivery now. So that’s lots of extra delivery charges.

They will have less chance of going out of stock if they didn't have to process so many returns.

Do you do much clothes shopping out of interest?

Yes exactly so you go for your best guess. If that's right then well done you only need one delivery and 2 returns aren't processed/thrown away

A fair bit. But mostly from next and m&s. Sometimes h&m.

Do you buy online or in store?

I would struggle buying one size at a time. I am an unusual shape so it’s very difficult to find clothes to fit me.

Fast Fashion, what an environmental disaster … from production to disposal, a huge threat to the sustainability of the planet.

if that email stops one person from ordering, it will be fantastic

I didn't get the email and it's not in my junk and I actually have two asos parcels in my boot ready to be returned 😂

I wouldn't mind the fair use return policy tbh, I buy a fair amount but also do return a fair amount - I find the sizes (even with a guide!) are horrifically inaccurate and change so much. Same for the quality, even when reading the descriptions for materials etc sometimes items come and they're just not nice quality, or the pattern is messed up or other issues.

I'll keep an eye out for the email about it if one comes through!

They'll have emailed everyone. By law they have to make a fair attempt to notify their customers of any change to their t's and C's. Easiest way to do that is a global email. They'll likely send a more detailed one to the few customers that are affected.

What haha. You can’t be an online shop and get pissed when people return stuff. It’s not like there’s any other way to try stuff on.

Honestly the world is just going to hell in a hand basket. These online stores killing our high streets and taking all the trade then turning round and saying no we aren’t making enough money. Well why couldn’t you have said that 10 years ago before you fucked everything up!!

Honestly I despair. Where will we buy clothes? Sainsbury’s?

Online one size at a time.

Whereas if (really, 'when') you mischoose the size, you need multiple deliveries. If you estimate the chance of your initial selection being potentially incorrect as high (because you know that, for example, you have broad shoulders and so the size you might select going by the frequently useless bust:waist:hip sizing may be too small, or if you're tall and they've only given a 'size M: X length' measurement), it's rational to order multiple sizes.

Retailers may reduce the number of returns by giving more detailed and correct information about the item. The actual dimensions of the garment, including its length, not the imagined dimensions of the wearer. It's far more useful for me to learn that the item is X pit-to-pit than to try to figure out if it's another retailer who thinks that someone with a 34 inch bust will magically fit into a top that is 16 inches across (which gives 32 inches all around by itself, which is already too little before we've taken into account that the body needs some space within the garment). The only retailer I can think of which gives fairly comprehensive measurements is Uniqlo. There will still be some returns because you find that the item just doesn't lie so well on you or it's not comfortable or flattering for whatever reason. But where retailers make you guess at sizes, it's rational for a customer to order more than one size to see which fits better.

I got the email earlier today. I haven't ordered from ASOS in over a year so it's clearly a mass notification to all their customers!

ASOS are on the bones of their arse, I believe - as are many of the similar online retailers such as Boohoo, PLT etc
Fashion retailer Asos predicts sales dip in 2024 as losses balloon (ft.com)
Asos reports smaller loss before tax and improved gross margin (retail-insight-network.com)

I used to be a regular user however I can't remember the last time I seen something I liked on their website (personal opinion). Also, they hardly ever have discount codes anymore whereas it used to be a different one every week. Another sign that they are struggling, perhaps?

If they want to reduce returns they should improve the quality of their goods and standardise sizing. If people have their accounts closed, they will shop elsewhere and soon realise how shoddy ASOS & co. have actually been in recent years. I shop(ped) at ASOS as it was easy and quick; sometimes that efficiency was worth the drop in quality but if the efficiency goes, so will the incentive.

I am going to give up shopping full stop.

We moved to online shopping when loads of shops closed down / moved to smaller premises / moved to online models. And now online shopping is brutally painful as its costly and time consuming to sort out returns. I've had issues with both Next and George recently. Not only did I pay delivery and return postage but George fucked up the refund and I had to spend 40 minutes on the phone to get it sorted and Next couldn't process my return request online (system error) so I had to call them too.

Fucking nightmare.

Never mind the end of the high street, welcome to the demise of shopping full stop.

Soon we'll be ordering everything from big Amazon-esque warehouses.

I have next day delivery but haven't ordered in ages and got this email, I think it was inevitable cos of influencers. I know one who would order about 40 items a fortnight at least and return all but maybe one, it's not sustainable. I don't get this trying things on culture either. For smart wear or something like a jumpsuit yes but for casuals surely people know what size they are?

for casuals surely people know what size they are?

Well, I would know if sizes were actually consistent. I have casual clothes from the same retailer in 4 different sizes. All fit me. Two of the different sizes are joggers that are meant to be identical except colour…

I also received this email and felt exactly as you do.

Glad that I’m not going to be affected.

How would going for my best guess allow me to compare items? I mean literally compare them next to each other or compare the fit.

By your logic, I order one, it looks 85% ok but could have a bit more room around the middle. I send it back, the larger size is fine around the middle but falling down on the shoulders, so the first one is better (or neither).

Tbh I have heard of people ordering huge numbers of things to essentially recreate a boutique in their bedroom, try on at leisure then return nearly everything. I assume this is the sort of person they want to stop, not someone ordering two sizes of one top.