Asos battles backlash with launch of UK loyalty scheme

Online fast fashion giant Asos is aiming to defuse the row over its decision to close some customer accounts over excessive returns by launching a new UK loyalty club offering “exclusive benefits and experiences”.

Asos World will be offered to customers in four tiers: Stylist, free to join; Curator, for customers with a £100 annual spend; Icon, for customers with a £350 annual spend; and A-Lister, for customers with a £750 annual spend.

Those who sign up will be offered a range of benefits, including early access to collections and edits, priority back-in-stock alerts, invites to events and early access to sales.

Asos insists the launch reflects its commitment to customer experience and long-term engagement; as well as rewarding existing customers, it hopes to attract new shoppers with the scheme.

Asos head of loyalty Macy Hong said: “Our customers want to engage with us in a way that goes beyond just shopping. Asos World creates opportunities for them to connect with the brand, discover new fashion and gain access to exclusive experiences.

“It’s a programme designed to reward loyalty while staying true to what makes Asos exciting and relevant – a dynamic fashion mix of our own brands and curated selection of partner brands.”

Asos added that the programme will evolve in response to customer feedback to ensure it “stays aligned with how our shoppers want to engage with fashion”.

Last week, some Asos customers received emails informing them they were banned for allegedly breaching the online fashion giant’s fair use policy.

It came after the company began charging a controversial £3.95 fee if customers make frequent returns and keep less than £40 worth of items in an order.

In a statement, Asos told the BBC: “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.”

Asos has been an early adopter of AI, delivering personalised shopping experiences through AI fashion stylists for nearly three years, while in 2020 it launched an augmented reality app to help customers see how garments will fit their body type before they buy.