ASOS Fair Use Policy - How are we all doing?

[Foxblue]

Lighthearted - but 2 months on from when I received the email from ASOS saying they'd now charge you if you didn't keep anything from an order, I'm curious if it's changed anyone else's order habits!

A little context here:

• Been using ASOS since it's inception, Premier customer, would estimate that 80% of wardrobe was bought via ASOS even if it wasn't ASOS brand.
• I have lost weight over the last couple of years, so am trying to slowly replace essentially an entire wardrobe, and am big of bust and long of torso... anyone similar will know the pain!
• Im trying to be really strict on what pieces I bring into my wardrobe and keep after years of overconsumption.
• My preference is to shop Vinted, but after a few too many misses on sizing, there's certain items where it makes more financial sense to buy new, so im not losing ££ over the postage costs (even if i do resell the item).

This meant I was ordering a LOT from ASOS. Probably weekly. And as we know, sizing consistency and quality has taken a real plunge.

So I've gone from an order a week, to 1 order in two months. Which, great, given that I absolutely hold my hands up that I was probably only keeping 1 in every 5 items due to sizing/quality issues. It's better for the planet that I'm not putting in constant orders, it's better for ASOS that they aren't paying out on delivery for me not to keep anything, better for my wallet, as I've spent less - but I'm guessing that last one might be something that may become a problem for ASOS if its the same for lots of people?

So I'm curious - has it brought about any change for anyone else?

I've only ordered twice since fair use policy ... two dresses same design different sizes ... 10&12 both very very small !

Been charged for the return .

Hardly order anything now as sizing is so out and do not want to pay £4 for something that is out of my control .

Shame really as I used to buy something from nearly every order .

As I say, I wear a size 14 elsewhere. Currently wearing a pair of size 14 trousers.
ASOS say a medium is a size 12-14, a large is a 16-18.
They don't provide individual measurements for each item.
A size large trousers has been too small for me from ASOS before, the medium wouldn't even fasten, yet I would be expected to pay for that return.

I have a pair of size 32 waist jeans from them. Other size 34 jeans won't even fasten. My waist is 32/33 inches depending on the day. I should have absolutely no issue fastening that pair of jeans. But they don't. So I have to pay for a return. And I'm not a premier customer, so it's £40 of items I need to keep for no return postage.

It's shit customer service, and I hope they have lost a whole load of sales because of it.

I was buying something every week, but yes I was returning the majority of orders because the sizing and quality is inconsistent, and i dont want to waste money on something thats not right or i'll just never wear it. I wasnt ordering stuff just to try on, if that makes sense - i actually need the clothes! I do think what they've done is fair enough, I was just curious what impact it's had on shopping habits.

I also haven't ordered anything since having the email and don't think I will bother again. I paid for premier for a reason knowing how unreliable their sizing is and then they go and start charging anyway

If you know the sizing and quality is inconsistent why continue to shop there?
Asos is and always has been overpriced primark.
Most online retailers are charging for returns now due to the ridiculous hauls/return cost to the business.

I don’t think that’s quite true or fair. Asos is like a catalogue and you can buy 100’s of brands on there. A huge amount of brands are inconsistent with their sizing, it’s not just asos own brands.

Because sometimes I get hits among the misses! Primark is overpriced Primark now as well, can't believe the prices they are charging.

I've had this email, I really don't order that much (definitely nothing like a large 'haul') and definitely do keep some things, so I was pretty surprised. I'd have to really be keen on something to order from them now.

I haven't ordered anything since the email and actually deleted my ASOS account.

I barely returned anything... the occasional dress if I'd ordered it in two sizes (because the sizing is so off), so it really annoyed me.

I mainly shop at H&M and NEXT now.

Not ordered from them this year I think. Still browse occasionally but have found it harder and harder to get the search filters to actually show what I want and there is too much trash to wade through.

I’m disabled and I used asos for 98% of my shopping.

I cannot return items to shops and so I just return them online.

I spent about £900 a month on asos and so the only thing it does is their loss. But it would cost me about £100 per month for returns only because they send it often in multiple parcels from lots of different places.

shame as I loved the ease of asps but I can’t afford it now.

I’ve spent years working in retail and have never heard this before

weve never once said we can’t sell something that is returned. Who on earth would do this?

yes if it’s stained. But not if it’s tried on and sent back.

@Cerealkiller4U
£100pm on returns? that would suggest you're returning 20/25 separate parcels as average cost is £3/5 per return.
If you consider the costs of shipping an order out; warehouse staff to pick and pack, logistics to transport to the carrier (evri, dpd etc) the carrier then has staff costs to cover in their own warehouse and then out to a courier, then the reverse to return it, do you think free returns should still be allowed ? The company makes no money from this , only a loss

I had this email. I commented at the time. Haven’t used ASOS since, they can forget my custom, I’ve gone elsewhere.

Sure. But the company also has to do their bit and accurately describe the products they are selling, including sizing and quality.

Otherwise, you are essentially encouraging customers to over order in the hope something fits. And this is a model that companies like Asos encouraged for years as it has meant that they could save money on quality and quality control procedures. Only that has turned out to be a poor long term business model, hence them trying to claw back money in returns.

Yes. Totally agree.

I ordered a pair of Calvin Kline jeans in my normal size.

got them and they were massive. Like so big the fell to my feet

the sizing on asos is dubious at the best of times for sure.

Basically stopped ordering. It’s not my fault their sizing is wildly inconsistent and they have no stores for me to try on?!?

I used to order (& keep) loads from ASOS but the quality went down so I stopped ordering.

The last thing I ordered before I told them to ram it was a gorgeous crochet maxi from topshop. Got it in a 8 (I’m a 6-8). I couldn’t breathe. It came into stock in a 12 and I thought, fuck it, give it a bash. Fits perfectly. Their sizing is horrific.

I haven't ordered since the email.
I would buy a lot, keep a lot and return a lot. Mostly because of the size- I'm 5ft and sometimes fit petite and sometimes regular. Some things I have a size 6 and others in a 12. It's very tricky, their sizing is hard or just the wrong shape- jeans fit the hips but huge around the waistband. Bodices sometimes ridiculously long on normal dresses. You just don't know until you see them and try them on.

Boots will never do up around my calf and their own brand shoes I have in size 2, 3 and 4.

The idea that you see something you like, buy it and it fits you is unbelievable to me. It doesn't work like that when you're not standard sized. If everything I ordered fit me, then I'd keep it all.

I get that some people have no real-life shopping where they can try things on, but surely the solution to this is not "buy ASOS stuff," given that ASOS is known for horrible quality and wildly inconsistent sizing.

I stick to one or two retailers where I can trust the quality and sizing, when it comes to online clothes shopping. I don't have a large clothes budget at all, I just try to be really careful about only getting stuff I'll be happy to wear long-term rather than fads/impulse shopping.

Until the rise of fast fashion in the 21st century, it was not considered normal to shop for clothes monthly, let alone weekly.

@GreenTeaLikesMe i think the problem is that a huge retailer, which has supported other brands, is essentially cutting off its nose to spite it's face.
I don't want to stop buying ASOS! When the get something right, they have some really good stuff. And how many other retailers offer stock in petite, tall, maternity, curve, hourglass and whatever other options I've missed? What is needed is for them to up their game and provide individual item measurements, but instead we'll probably hear of them having a great drop in revenue once the Christmas boom is over and struggling to survive.

And great for you, that you are happy to just choose items you are going to be wearing long term. It doesn't mean people are wrong buying the occasional fashion item. Coming on to style and beauty to judge others for doing so doesn't seem a great idea though.

@GreenTeaLikesMe Also, I don't know of a single high street retailer that offers consistent sizing. The other 2 large ones, next and m&s have both got massive inconsistencies in sizing.

agaisnt my better judgement I ordered from them. Parcel should have been here next day. It wasn’t. I’ve now been on to customer service for over 20 minutes and they seem totally incapable of basic comprehension or of just issuing a free returns label seeing as the parcel arrived too late for me to wear the items. Never, EVER, again.