Asos customers are expressing frustration after having their accounts suspended for making too many returns.
Several shoppers have received emails in the past few days notifying them that they have been banned for allegedly violating the online fashion giant’s fair use policy.
This comes after the company implemented a controversial £3.95 fee for frequent returns and orders totaling less than £40 in 2019.
In a statement, Asos told the BBC: “We have recently deactivated the accounts of a small group of customers whose shopping activity consistently falls outside of our fair use policy.
“This helps us maintain our commitment to providing free returns to all customers in our core markets.”
Asos’ fair use policy states that it reserves the right to close accounts that display “unusual or suspicious activity,” including “unusual patterns of return activity” and returning items that appear to be worn.
The retailer first warned customers in 2019 that their accounts may be deactivated if they exhibit such patterns, but customers are reporting a stricter crackdown in the past week.
Lucy Britnell, a self-proclaimed “shopaholic” from Teesside, has been a premier Asos account holder since 2018, which offers free delivery to customers. However, she has now been banned.
“I probably spend at least £100 a month on Asos – my latest holiday shop [over several orders] was £500,” she says.
“Most of the time, I have to order two sizes and then return the one that doesn’t fit – and Asos’ sizing, especially their own brands, is very unpredictable.”
In an email on Thursday, Asos informed Lucy: “After reviewing your recent return activity, we have noticed that it no longer aligns with our current policy.”
They stated that her account would be deactivated in 30 days and the ban would also apply to any new accounts she opens.
On the same day, she received an Instagram request from Asos, asking for permission to repost a photo of her wearing an Asos outfit on their account.
“It was a real slap in the face – I initially thought it was a joke,” she says.
“Even if they were to reinstate my account, I would take my business elsewhere,” Lucy adds. “It has left a bad taste in my mouth.”
Asos, a UK-based company, reported shipping 67.2 million orders worldwide in the last financial year.
In addition to their own brands, they also sell hundreds of other brands, offering a wide range of products from affordable clothing and vintage fashion to Korean skincare and Sol de Janeiro.
Some customers have complained about being dismissed when attempting to appeal their account bans.
Louise Gowrie, from Glasgow, says she was “cut off” when she tried to file a complaint through Asos’ live chat feature on their website.
“I tried again and asked how to file a complaint, and they told me the decision was final – and then cut me off without explanation,” the 27-year-old tells the BBC.
Meanwhile, Frankie Allen, a 32-year-old PR director from London and a customer of Asos for 20 years, says she often orders clothes in two sizes and returns the one that doesn’t fit.
After being banned recently, she tried to explain this on the live chat, but was told that nothing could be done, according to screenshots seen by the BBC.
Frankie claims that such “robotic communication” has changed the way people view the company and “alienated many loyal customers.”
However, she says she understands why Asos is cracking down on returns.
“I have received ripped jeans and clothes with makeup on them from Asos before, so I know there are people who abuse the policy – like they wear the clothes once, keep the tags on, and then return them for a refund,” she says.
Some industry insiders also support this view, pointing out that the costs of shipping, processing, and inspecting returned items add up. Inflation and freight issues have also had a significant impact on fashion companies.
“Managing a high volume of returns is not a sustainable model,” says retail expert Medi Parry-Williams. “In many cases, a £3.95 return fee does not cover these costs.”
However, John Stevenson, retail analyst at Peel Hunt, says that closing customers’ accounts is a “fairly severe measure” and not one that Asos would have taken lightly.
Following a surge in returns during the Covid lockdowns, some retailers have implemented fees for returning items by post or collection, including Next, Zara, H&M, Uniqlo, and New Look. However, they still offer free returns in-store.
Pretty Little Thing faced backlash last year when they began deactivating accounts with high return rates. This policy was introduced shortly after they implemented a £1.99 return fee.
Asos did not respond to further requests for comment from the BBC regarding customer account deactivations. Some customers are now calling for the company to change their policies.
Broadcaster and consultant Tskenya-Sarah Frazer has started an online petition after being banned from the site, calling for an end to “charging and punishing” customers for online returns.
“As a plus-size, tall, and neurodivergent individual, online shopping is my only option,” the 31-year-old tells the BBC.
“As the high street continues to shrink and we rely more on online shopping, it is crucial that customers have the freedom to shop and return without restrictions.”