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 haven't ordered from asos in 13 months, my last order I ordered £350 and returned £250 because apparently their size 18 didn't fit me despite measuring myself before. Not my fault their measurements don't line up..

Me too, with a £40 keep rate.

I've just deleted my account with me, they have shit quality clothes anyway so I'll just stick with m&s

Yeah I plan on deleting my account once they refund my subscription costs. The live chat adviser was being funny about giving a refund and apparently a specialist team need to look into it, although they clearly offered a pro-rata refund in the initial email.

Me too! I have used asos for years, much less so in the last 4-5 years.

I think it’s an algorithm, I wonder if it’s really “a few”. I don’t order much these days, but usually several sizes as it’s so random, also stuff on the website often looks much better than in real life. Plus their customer service is utter crap these days. I still have one order I didn’t get, that has not been refunded. I’ll have to get on it again and be driven mad by the bot.

Quite annoying, considering all I money I spent over the years, especially when I was younger.

F-um, I’ll take my returns elsewhere ! 😆

Mine is a £15 keep rate. I'll probably cancel my subscription as well, everything has been below par lately anyway. Not my fault their sizing is bonkers! Last order I got, all the size 12s were totally different measurements, the Tall trousers were dragging on the floor when usually they are the perfect length for me. Tops not listed or shown as being shrunken/cropped were, and a few items were just the wrong item or faulty. Bit annoying if I stop shopping with them as I need Tall stuff and wide shoes and asos are one of the few places left doing those.

@creepywoman my email doesn't mention the cancelling thing, what did yours say please?

I also think it will lead to unscrupulous people deliberately damaging an item just to list it as 'faulty' and get a free return. It may end up costing them more in the long run.

I know New Look do free returns for faulty, but other companies I've used still charge a returns fee even if something is faulty or incorrect which I find very unfair. I think it was Yours or Long Tall Sally which you pay delivery postage for anyway, then they take £1.99 return postage cost off you even if the error is theirs.

@brimfulofpacha here is what the email and live chat states. However the live chat adviser was useless and seemed none the wiser

Thank you @creepywoman I'd missed that bit on my email. I need to check when I renewed my subscription as the refund probably wouldn't be worth much for me anyway, think it was ages ago. I might just let it run out.

I do understand they need to make things more profitable for them (or 'sustainable' as they seem to be pretending the reason is!) but it's annoying when their quality control and sizing is so poor.

I've not used ASOS but surely Internet clothing firms have to expect a large % of returns? If it was the high street you'd try the garments on and only if your happy with the fit and look do you buy it,. You can't do this online! Especially with the variety of sizing these days.

I’m going to ask for the refund of the subscription regardless. It will probably only be a few quid, but it’s the principle as it is not what I signed up for. They’ve changed the terms in that they offer free standard delivery as the default now, you only get free next day delivery once you meet a threshold.@brimfulofpacha

Especially with Asos. They have a quantity over quality approach. You’ll find 1000s of pairs of trousers for example so it’s hard to narrow it down, especially if you’re browsing on your phone. All the black trousers look the same for example. It’s not a curated collection.

I got one too , I return about 50% of what I order so took it as face valve and it don't include me

And me. I hadn't renewed my subscription anyway. I've only ordered three times since Christmas and kept most of it. So I just won't bother now.

The things I bought were more expensive - like Birks and New Balance trainers. It's not unreasonable to buy two sizes of shoes at £65 each then send one back.

I got the email saying I'm in the small group of people flagged as frequent returners so will need to keep £40 minimum for free returns. I used to have ASOS premium but not for a while. Like others here, I will own that when I used asos I returned 50% odd but that's because the quality was often terrible or didn't look like the photo or just didn't fit!!

Added to insult as I haven't ordered with asos in over 18 months! I've promptly deleted my account with them.

@TrixieOlives might be easier if ASOS offered correct size guides and followed them consistently 🤷🏼‍♀️

Anyone else feel like doing an order and return a day until October, or just me whos feeling petty? (JOKE!)

But this is Mumsnet, so every poster who shops like this will have a big tragic backstory about how they literally have no alternative other than to buy a stack of plasticky clothes every few weeks.

Since 29 December I've ordered two pairs of birks for size - sent one back; two pairs of trainers for size - sent one back; two skirts for DD - kept both. I still got the £40 email.

@Ineffable23 This is me - and where you do you buy from?
In my case I have a narrow back so 30H a size 12-14 waist and size 16 hips and thighs. I can't wear trousers so I live in skirts and dresses but everything has to have a waist and I have to be careful with tops too.

None of my local towns within a 45 mile radius have many clothes shops - all are small with small ranges and few sizes. I can't actually "go shopping" to find clothes - that would mean going to London. Being disabled that's not a great option.

Online shopping has allowed me to find clothes that fit and that I want to wear. I don't think it's wrong to want to buy clothes you like and fit. I don't perceive that as a luxury.
I don't buy vast amounts and I have a good idea of what works - one brand I use makes me pay for returns, I don't mind that. I send back the first 2 dresses and then bought 4 over another 2 orders.

I’m not sure how to respond to this. If something arrives that looks nothing like it did online, are we just supposed to keep it? Distance selling regulations allow you to return items purchased online because you cannot inspect the goods like you can in person. If you think legal rights are just “taking the piss”, then there’s simply no hope for you.

Not if only 30% of it matches the description/is the right size surely?

Their sizing is all over the place so you have to order more than one size/style to have half a chance of getting something that fits.

What is wrong with you? Why are you so angry about this? Is everything okay at home?

I don’t see how that is “taking the fucking piss” considering the law allows you to return 100%. Plus there’s people on the thread who have returned less and received the same email.

perhaps you should leave the thread as it’s seemingly raising your blood pressure.

The fact is their sizings are bonkers so we do need to return a lot.

Also on more that one occasion (my most recent return!) I received the wrong top in the wrong size.

It's also worth bearing in mind many people don't bother returning clothes that they don't like/don't suit them because they just can't be bothered, I have lots of friends like this... so ASOS do well from customers like this!

The high street where I live is dead, we have one Primark and a New Look and literally nowhere to buy anything nice, leaving online as the viable option, if ASOS focused more on quality over quantity then their returns rates would be lower.

I'll be cancelling my premium subscription too.

It would help if they put the actual measurements of the clothes on the page too. I'm quite short and it's really difficult to know whether a top will be too long, so need to order a few similar looking things in the hope one will be the right length.

It's impossible to tell from the pictures and the size guides are meaningless. If i knew a top was 25 inches long, I'd know it would be too long for me. I guess it's just too much effort to do this though.

I think this from the Gruniad, nails it. The quality has gone right down. There is far too much choice, it’s overwhelming, I’d rather have less choice and more quality. I have some lovely clothes that I had for years from asos, the last thing I bought that is really good design , was a Summer dress in 2021. They have lost both their younger and older customers.

“‘Alongside the ongoing inflationary pressures, the retailer has seen its Gen Z customers shift towards more agile and affordable competitors like Shein, while its designs have become too youthful for the millennials that grew up with it,” she said.”