ASOS: delivery, discount codes and returns. The complete shopping guide

ASOS: delivery, discount codes and returns. The complete shopping guide

One change at ASOS overturns what most shoppers remember from years past. Returns are no longer free, and the fee is deducted automatically from your refund. Alongside that sits Premier Delivery, a subscription that changes the maths entirely for regular buyers. Below are all the answers.

• Premier Delivery costs £9.95 for a year of free unlimited next-day delivery

• Returns carry a fee, deducted automatically from the refund

• 28 days to return from the date of delivery

• Returns processed in up to 15 calendar days at the warehouse

• No physical stores, so neither collection nor in-store returns are possible

• ASOS ships to all 196 countries from fulfilment centres in the UK, US and Europe

Delivery and shipping

Worth knowing who you are dealing with first. ASOS is a British online retailer founded in London in 2000, carrying over 850 brands alongside its own lines and shipping to all 196 countries from fulfilment centres in the UK, the United States and Europe.

That structure affects delivery directly, because your parcel may leave from different warehouses depending on stock.

What is the free delivery threshold at ASOS?

ASOS applies a spend threshold on standard delivery, but the figure moves over time and varies by market, since the retailer updates it alongside promotional campaigns.

The number that counts is always the one shown in your basket before checkout, where ASOS displays both the cost and how much more you need to remove it.

There is a second route entirely independent of any threshold. Premier Delivery covers unlimited deliveries for a full year, with no minimum spend required on each order.

How much does delivery cost at ASOS?

The price list runs from standard delivery to next-day, and the gap between cheapest and dearest is several times over.

Exact rates appear in the basket once you enter an address, since they depend on destination and method. Compare the options rather than taking the first on the list.

The practical point: Premier Delivery at £9.95 covers a whole year of unlimited next-day delivery. If you order from ASOS more than a couple of times a year, that pays for itself quickly and removes the question of topping up the basket to reach a threshold.

How long does delivery take at ASOS?

Standard delivery within the UK typically takes a few working days.

Next-day delivery is available as a separate paid option, and comes at no extra cost within Premier Delivery.

Add warehouse processing to the transit time. Orders placed late in the evening or on non-working days go into fulfilment the following working day.

Which courier does ASOS use?

The carrier is shown when you choose your delivery method, and the options depend on your address and country.

Worth knowing the operators handling returns, where ASOS is more specific: a network of drop-off points running to 44,000 locations across its markets, including parcel lockers and convenience stores.

Does ASOS offer express delivery?

Yes. Next-day delivery is a standard part of the offer, available as a paid option on a single order.

It works out best within Premier Delivery, which gives free unlimited next-day delivery for a whole year at £9.95. For anyone ordering regularly, that is far cheaper than paying for express on each purchase.

Can I have my order delivered to a locker or collection point?

Collection points and parcel lockers form part of the offer, and availability depends on country and delivery address, so the options appear in the basket.

If you are rarely at home, check locker availability while placing the order, since it removes the missed-delivery problem entirely.

Can I collect my order in store?

No. ASOS operates online only and has no physical stores, so in-person collection is not possible.

The closest equivalent is a collection point or parcel locker, where you decide when to pick the parcel up.

Is there a free delivery code for ASOS?

ASOS runs promotional campaigns unusually intensively, and offers covering delivery costs appear cyclically, often around larger sales.

We collect current codes in our promotions section.

Remember the general rule: a percentage code reduces the value of the goods, not the postage. If a discount takes you below the free delivery threshold, the charge returns.

Can I track my parcel?

Yes. After dispatch you receive a message with the tracking number and link, and the same information sits in My Account.

Returns are fully tracked too, which has real value when sending a parcel back, since you can see when it reaches the warehouse.

What happens if I am not at home when delivery arrives?

The approach depends on the carrier and usually involves a further delivery attempt or the parcel being left at a collection point, with the option to reschedule through the operator's own site.

With a parcel locker the problem disappears, since the parcel waits several days at any hour.

Why was I charged for delivery when I met the threshold?

Four causes account for nearly every case.

A discount code took the basket below the threshold. The threshold applies to the post-discount total, and since ASOS runs promotions so frequently, this happens here more often than elsewhere.

Express delivery was selected. The free delivery threshold applies to the standard option; next-day carries its own price.

The threshold changed between visits. ASOS updates its terms alongside campaigns, so a figure from last month may no longer apply.

Some items ship from a different warehouse. With fulfilment across three regions, an order can be split.

If none of these fits, screenshot the basket and contact customer care before completing the order.

Discount codes and promotions

ASOS runs one of the busiest promotional calendars in the sector, which works in the shopper's favour provided you know the rules.

Is there a discount code for new customers at ASOS?

The retailer regularly runs welcome campaigns tied to creating an account, with terms changing between campaigns.

Use them deliberately. Since ASOS discounts can run very deep and cover large parts of the range, it often pays to wait for a stronger campaign rather than spending a welcome code on a small order.

Will I get a discount for signing up to the newsletter?

The newsletter and app notifications are the main channels for announcing offers, and at ASOS those are short and frequent.

Beyond the discount itself, the newsletter has practical value: with a calendar this busy, it is easy to miss the best campaign. The gap between an ordinary and a peak discount can be substantial.

Does ASOS offer a birthday discount?

ASOS does not run a conventional loyalty scheme with a birthday discount in the high-street sense.

Its model rests on something else: Premier Delivery plus very frequent discount campaigns, including dedicated student offers. The advantage comes not from account status but from holding the subscription and tracking the promotional calendar.

How to stack the savings

On a single order you can collect up to four layers:

• The markdown shown on the product

• A discount code from the current campaign

• Delivery through Premier, if you hold the subscription

• Cashback through Soleback

Returns

Here comes the most important change, and one many shoppers have yet to register.

Are returns free at ASOS?

No. A fee applies to sending a return, and it is deducted automatically from the amount refunded for the order.

That is a significant shift from what ASOS offered previously, and from what its older reviews praised. Exceptions may apply in some cases, so check the current returns policy on the site before sending anything back.

The practical conclusion: ordering deliberately now matters more than it used to. The strategy of taking three sizes and returning two is no longer cost-free.

How long do I have to return something?

28 days from delivery.

The whole process runs online with no paper form:

1. Sign in and go to My Account.

2. Select the items to return and give a reason.

3. Take the parcel to a drop-off point. The network runs to 44,000 locations, including parcel lockers and convenience stores.

4. Wait for the refund.

Processing at the fulfilment centre takes up to 15 calendar days, and funds return to the original payment method within 14 days of the parcel reaching the warehouse. Depending on your bank, clearing may take a few days more.

What cannot be returned

Worth knowing before buying, since the exclusions are specific and stem from hygiene reasons:

Face and body care products, if opened, used or with protective packaging broken.

Underwear and swimwear once the hygiene seal is broken.

Jewellery with damaged packaging.

Items must come back unworn, with tags attached and in original condition, under the original condition and fair use policies.

Can I return an online order in store?

No, because ASOS has no physical stores. Returns run solely through your account and one of the drop-off points.

Cashback and how to activate it

On top of the routes above comes one more, independent of the retailer.

Check the current rate on the ASOS page at Soleback. Cashback does not clash with discount codes or markdowns, since the rebate is calculated on the amount actually paid.

How to activate it:

1. Sign in to Soleback or create a free account.

2. Open the shop page and check the rate.

3. Click the link through to ASOS. That click has to be the last one before the shop.

4. Shop as normal, using current markdowns and codes.

5. Wait for the amount to be confirmed once the returns window closes.

One thing to note at ASOS: with 28 days to return and up to 15 days of warehouse processing, confirmation takes longer than at retailers with shorter windows.

To make sure it tracks, turn off your ad blocker while shopping, accept cookies, and do not open other tabs with discount codes along the way.

In summary

With ASOS it comes down to two decisions.

The first concerns delivery. If you order regularly, Premier Delivery at £9.95 for a year of unlimited next-day works out cheaper than paying per order, and it removes the need to top up a basket to reach a threshold.

The second concerns returns, and this is what changed most. The return fee is deducted from your refund, so ordering several sizes on spec is no longer cost-free. Checking the size guides carefully pays off more than it used to.

And the simplest point, most often overlooked: a discount code can push the basket below the free delivery threshold, and with promotions as frequent as ASOS runs them, that happens especially easily.