Could Asos be scrapping free returns?

An email sent out to Asos customers last week has people wondering if the British e-tailer will be joining its slew of fast fashion peers in scrapping free returns in the UK.

Online speculation arose upon the release of an email to the retailer’s “regular” customers, which read that it would be updating its “Fair Use Policy in relation to returns” but that changes would only impact a “small group of customers”.

Premier Asos customers, on the other hand, received a similar email, with a further comment on the “great perks” they receive from their membership, including “free returns on all orders” and “free next day delivery on all orders over 15 pounds”.

If implemented, it would follow a similar move Asos made in the US last year, where a change of policy included the introduction of a 4.99 dollar return fee for customers whose actions were deemed “unsustainable” by the brand. It must be noted that the details of UK policy changes have not yet been published.

Commenting on the case to FashionUnited, Corin Camenisch, POS product marketing lead at payment expert SumUp, said there were both opportunities and disadvantages for brands implementing such strategies.

While customers could feel less inclined to shop with Asos, policies with a case-by-case basis may only directly impact “serial refunders” and therefore normal customers may not notice the difference, Camenisch said.

Such a strategy mirrors similar policy changes recently implemented at PrettyLittleThing and Oh Polly, both of which introduced return fees within the last few months in a bid to deter such “serial refunders”.

These policies look to address the typically expensive and inefficient online returns process that, according to a survey by SumUp, causes UK retailers to lose around 5.2 billion pounds a year.