Editors' Top Reads: News from ASOS, M&S, Tommy Hilfiger and more...
Here are some of this week’s news and features highlights handpicked by TheIndustry.fashion team.
ASOS rolls out first-of-its-kind returns transparency tool after introducing fees
ASOS’s returns policy has been a hot topic for a while now, so this update immediately caught my attention. After the backlash that followed the introduction of returns fees in late 2024, the retailer has just rolled out what it’s calling a first-of-its-kind returns transparency tool, and it feels like a significant shift in tone.
From this week, UK shoppers using the ASOS app can see their own personal return rate, alongside clear guidance on when fees apply and, crucially, how to avoid them. Rather than finding out at the checkout or after the fact, customers get real-time visibility, plus warnings if they’re nearing a chargeable threshold. It’s a move that puts more responsibility and control back into the hands of the shopper.
To avoid fees, shoppers are advised to keep their return rate below 70%. Go above that, and fees start to kick in, with higher returners facing additional charges. ASOS insists this only affects a small portion of its customer base, and that free returns remain the norm for most, but the transparency element is the real story here.
What makes this one of those pieces everyone’s talking about is the wider implication. Returns are one of fashion’s biggest operational and sustainability headaches. Whether shoppers embrace that visibility or feel uncomfortable being scored on returns is the big question. Either way, it marks a notable moment in how major fashion platforms are rethinking the cost of convenience.
Chloé Burney, Senior News & Features Writer.
M&S cheers record number of Christmas shoppers despite lagging fashion, home and beauty sales
Marks & Spencer has revealed its trading figures for the festive period and, while it had a record number of shoppers and bumper food sales, fashion and beauty were down.
In part, this is due to the hangover of the cyber attack that dogged the business last year, but also down to fraying consumer confidence. The autumn budget, which was supposed to be pro-growth, ended up depressing businesses and spooking shoppers.
M&S deserves for its fashion to do well. Its resilience and innovation in the face of such unprecedented challenge has been inspiring. And the product has got better.
The retailer says it's heading into the new year feeling full of ambition and laser-focused on improvement. On the assumption, it won't face something as catastrophic as a cyber attack again, this could be a great year for M&S. Let's hope so...
Lauretta Roberts, Co-founder, CEO & Editor-in-Chief.
Tommy Hilfiger announced as official global partner of Liverpool FC
Fashion and football have once again crossed over with the news this week that Tommy Hilfiger has been announced as the official global partner of Liverpool FC – set to supply head-to-toe looks for players and key backroom staff on ‘select’ match days.
There will be seasonal storytelling with campaigns featuring players in wardrobe ‘essentials’, denim pieces, the ‘New York’ dress casual collection, accessories, footwear and co-branded capsules, all presenting “a bold new expression for the beautiful game”, spanning both the men’s and women’s squads. But nothing, as yet, for the fans to buy into.
That strikes me as a bit strange. Tommy Hilfiger is a huge brand, owned by PVH Corp., formerly known as the Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation, the American clothing company which also owns Calvin Klein and licenses brands such as Kenneth Cole New York and Michael Kors. Liverpool FC is owned by heavyweight American sports investment firm Fenway Sports Group (FSG), and has a fan base that stretches far beyond the streets around its famous Anfield home. They have fans all around the globe, and no doubt a substantial following in the US.
It strikes me as too good an opportunity not to rinse. Tommy Hilfiger himself said: “For my entire career I’ve been inspired by sports icons, stories and uniforms. I am drawn to teams with deep fan heritage and value-driven storytelling, and Liverpool Football Club has an unmatched history shaped by its people — their belief, resilience and pride.
“I’m excited to work with the players and club staff who inspire a global fanbase to dream through their uncompromising pursuit of greatness.”
It surely won’t be long before there’s a dual-branded offer for that fanbase to soak up, as Americans are not usually shy of jumping on such huge commercial opportunities.
Tom Bottomley, Contributing Editor.
Claire’s too slow to compete with Temu and TikTok Shop, experts say
High street chain Claire’s has entered administration after its owner said "last-ditch" rescue measures had fallen through, putting 1,355 UK jobs at risk. I can’t say I’m surprised.
Retail experts have pointed to growing competition from online retailers as a major factor squeezing traditional high street brands, following the announcement that both Claire’s and The Original Factory Shop (TOFS) had fallen into administration.
According to Nicholas Found, Head of Commercial Content at Retail Economics, Claire’s was unable to "evolve fast enough" to compete with "nimble online platforms| such as Temu and TikTok Shop.
Temu’s ultra-low pricing, combined with TikTok Shop’s ability to seamlessly convert social media users into customers, has eroded the relevance of traditional high street retailers - particularly in fashion accessories, where impulse purchases are easily substituted. On that point, I agree. While I’m not a shopper at any of these brands/platforms, the broader trend is hard to ignore.
That said, the investment firm behind the chain also cited weak consumer confidence and persistent cost inflation as key reasons for initiating insolvency proceedings - a fair assessment given the current retail climate.
Read more about what the experts think here.
Sophie Smith, News Editor & Senior Writer.
