ASOS has come under renewed scrutiny after several shoppers reported being banned from the site due to repeated returns. The retailer introduced a revised ‘fair use’ policy last September, which now charges customers £3.95 for returns if they keep less than £40 of their order. While the aim is to cut down on serial returning, the policy has led to some accounts being deactivated entirely leaving many long-time shoppers feeling penalised for trying to find clothes that fit.
As someone who’s 5’10, I’ve always leaned on ASOS for fashion that suits my proportions. I can’t walk into most high street stores and find jeans that work for my height so online shopping is less a preference and more a necessity. ASOS’s tall section has long been a go-to, offering cuts and inseams that mainstream retailers often overlook. But with inconsistent sizing across styles, I usually need to order more than one size to figure out what actually works. I don't return things because I want to, it's because I have to.
The policy shift becomes even more difficult to navigate when your body doesn't fit the industry's standard sizing model. It’s something that shopper Tskenya-Sarah Frazer, 31, voiced in a video on TikTok. She says she’s spent over £10,000 with ASOS, but was recently banned from the platform entirely due to her return habits. As a tall, plus-size woman, she often buys multiple versions of the same item just to land on the right fit. ‘There’ve been times where I’ve ordered a size 16 and 18, the 16 was too loose, and the 18 was too tight,’ she explains.
From a business and, most notably, a sustainability standpoint, the new return policy makes sense. Upon a request, an ASOS spokesperson noted that 'we recently closed the accounts of a small group of customers whose shopping activity has consistently fallen outside our Fair Use policy. This helps us maintain our commitment to offering free returns to all customers across all core markets.' What if fails to do, however, is to recognise the negative impact it might have on shoppers that don't just fit sample size. In fact, it exposes and ongoing issue in fashion: the lack of size consistency and inclusive fit. For shoppers like Tskenya, and me who sit at the edges of standard sizing, these policies can feel like an added barrier to accessing clothes that work for us.
In all fairness, ASOS has also launched ASOS.WORLD, a new loyalty scheme rewarding shoppers who spend more frequently, with perks like discounts and early access. It’s a step in the right direction for building community around the brand but only if the shopping experience remains accessible to everyone.
Frustrated, Frazer has launched a campaign to raise awareness about how these return policies are harming those who already struggle to shop online due to limited size options and inconsistent fits. It’s important to note these issues are not just limited to ASOS. Until brands solve the root issue - size inconsistency and exclusion - policies like these will continue to alienate the very customers who need flexibility the most.
Renee Washington, Grazia's digital fashion and beauty writer, lives online. With a penchant for wispy lashes and streetwear, she writes about the worlds of fashion and beauty from the viewpoint of the modern fashion girlie..