Why is ASOS so expensive? (10 reasons)
Due to the high cost of living, many retailers are constantly reviewing and raising product prices. That being said, if you’ve been shopping on ASOS over the years, you’ve probably noticed that some items are getting more expensive.
So why exactly is ASOS so expensive? If you want to know, keep reading this article for more useful facts on the subject!
Why is ASOS so expensive in 2022?
1. International shipping costs are high
Since 2020, the cost of international shipping has continued to rise, leading to an increase in other costs.
These costs have been increasing due to increased demand, saturated ports, container shortages and too few ships.
Additionally, ASOS uses couriers affected by rising fuel and transportation costs.
So the overall cost of shipping went up and they had to pass it on to their customers.
2. Increased fuel surcharge
In the UK, ASOS has been using DPD to ship items for over a decade, and the partnership runs until September 2024.
On the other hand, in the US, ASOS uses UPS; therefore, customers can use this service to receive their orders.
Also, ASOS ships to other countries internationally and they use different couriers depending on the destination.
These couriers have been hit by a fuel surge that has increased to more than $4 a gallon in 2022, compared to $1.93 a gallon in 2020.
With fuel prices rising, couriers have had to increase the cost of all shipments.
For example, UPS has a fleet of more than 100,000 trucks and about 300 private jets.
They use these to ship things around the world; therefore, a lot of money is spent on fuel. This cost is then passed on to ASOS, making these items more expensive.
3. Supply chain delays
Statistics show that as of 2021, the majority of ASOS factories are located in China, which equates to about 231 locations.
Most Chinese cities remain in lockdown in 2022 due to the coronavirus pandemic, affecting ASOS’ supply chain.
When retailers don’t receive items as they normally do, it affects their ability to make money because they don’t sell as fast.
Delays affect a company’s overall cost, which affects shipping companies and ultimately customers.
4. If you are shipping to a residential area
Your costs will increase if you ship ASOS items to a residential, home or apartment address.
Courier companies such as UPS often add extra accommodation charges for such shipments.
These personal delivery options are expensive for shipping companies; therefore, you need to consider this element when adding addresses.
5. Send to rural areas
When shipping to rural areas, shipping costs are higher because these areas are farther from courier facilities.
ASOS uses companies with regions to organize targeted packages.
So, if you are far from a densely populated area, your shipping costs will be much higher due to shipping zone pricing.
If you are in a rural area, this is something to keep in mind when shopping at ASOS.
6. Packing size
ASOS can get expensive if you ship large packages. Most courier services through ASOS use package size to determine shipping costs.
Note that this is in addition to the distance the package needs to travel and the speed at which the item needs to be delivered.
These shipping companies use dimensional weight to calculate shipping costs.
Therefore, if your package is too heavy or oversized, you will have to pay more when shopping at ASOS.
7. Choice of delivery service
ASOS has different delivery methods, including:
- Standard Shipping
- next day delivery
- Delivery on designated day
- next night
- click and collect
- ASOS Instant
Note that all of these methods have different prices. For example, next day delivery may cost more than standard delivery because it needs to be faster.
So if your shipping is time sensitive or you want it to arrive in less time, you will pay more for shipping.
8. Shopping through the app
According to some customers, the prices on the ASOS app are much higher than the prices on the website.
Also, customers share that if you change your country on the website, the price is not the same.
Therefore, you may get different prices when using the desktop version and when using the app. If you want to save money, you can compare prices while shopping.
9. Changes in the business environment
ASOS costs are affected by issues such as Brexit and supply chain issues. When a company’s costs increase, this affects the price of its goods.
Therefore, if you shop frequently at ASOS, you may be spending more on merchandise due to global and regional issues that affect operating costs.
10. Customer needs
Some ASOS projects raise prices if demand is high.
While ASOS manufactures apparel in bulk, costs can rise if demand for a particular item is high.
Such price increases are updated based on ASOS’ overall manufacturing and shipping costs.
To learn more, you can also read our post on ASOS Marketplace, which is ASOS in the US, and ASOS price matching.
in conclusion
ASOS is expensive for a number of reasons, including fees, supply chain issues, and shipping costs.
You may find it more expensive to shop at ASOS, depending on your delivery destination, delivery peaks, the delivery service you use, and the size of your package.
In addition, global transportation costs and fuel bills have increased, leading to higher prices. ASOS uses different courier companies that are affected by fuel prices. So this will affect the total price you pay for an item.
