ASOS Implements Lifetime Bans on Customers Over Excessive Returns

London, UK – Online fashion retailer ASOS has recently taken stringent measures, implementing lifetime bans on a number of its customers. The company states these actions are a result of users consistently breaching its 'Fair Use Policy' through unusual shopping and return behaviours. Customers affected by the ban have expressed shock and confusion. One customer, Tskenya-Sarah, stated, "I woke up this morning to find that I was banned from using ASOS." Another, Lucy Britnell, who received an Instagram request from ASOS to repost a photo of her wearing an ASOS outfit on the same day she was banned, described the experience as "a real slap in the face." ASOS's policy, first warned about in 2019, allows the company to close accounts exhibiting suspicious activity, including unusual return patterns or items returned in a worn condition. This comes after the introduction of a controversial £3.95 fee for frequent returns. Industry insiders have largely supported ASOS's decision, pointing out the substantial costs involved in processing, inspecting, and re-stocking returned items. Inflation and freight issues have further exacerbated these costs for fashion companies. In a statement to the BBC, ASOS confirmed, "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."