ASOS

Summary

ASOS operates as an online fashion retailer and offers apparel, accessories and beauty products.

History

ASOS was established on 3 June 2000 by Nick Robertson, Andrew Regan and Quentin Griffiths as a fashion e-retailer. The following year it was admitted into the Alternative Investment Market on London Stock Exchange. The growth trajectory was fast and ASOS shortly introduced its own label of womenswear. While Asos sells its own brand it also has partnered with other retailers so that ASOS can be positioned as a one-stop e-retail shop for young adults to find all the brands they desire.

Sadly- in 2005- the Buncefield Fuel Depot explosion led to the closure of the business for six weeks and reportedly £5m worth of stock was lost. Recovering from the losses.. in 2008 ASOS debuted kidswear on its website however the branded market experienced a decline at the expense of fast-growing unbranded kidswear so in 2010 ASOS announced it would no longer offer kidswear and concentrate solely on its core young adult consumer base.

Per WWD: “What one buys shouldn’t be dictated by where one lives. That is the laser-like focus that has fueled the growth of global online retailer Asos.com according to Nick Robertson- its chief executive officer and cofounder. Robertson told the audience that his site has more than 20 million unique visits a day with more than 30 percent of those visits from a mobile device. The company- which also does Twitter campaigns- boasts 260,000 social media contacts and has fielded 4.2 million customer service e-mails since launching in June 2000.”

In the final quarter of 2010 ASOS launched online shops in France, Germany and the US followed by Australia, Italy and Spain the following year. In 2012 ASOS opened its first international office in Sydney- Australia and then an office in New York. In 2013 ASOS opened an office in Birmingham followed by ASOS Russia and China. In 2015 ASOS was billed as the UK’s largest independent online fashion and beauty retailer. Their recognition and fame was unprecedented and during the 2014 Formula1 season ASOS sponsored the McLaren Formula1 team.

The worldwide Coronavirus pandemic took a toll on retailers and in October 2020 ASOS Marketplace announced that it would not be charging commission rates on small business transactions to provide support. Post- pandemic the company went into expansion mode and acquired Topshop- Topman- Miss Selfridge and HIIT – from Philip Green’s Arcadia Group – as wholly owned subsidiaries of ASOS including the absorption of three hundred head-office staff from Arcadia and Topshop- Topman Limited. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 ASOS suspended operations in Russia.

Digitalisation was the next step forward. ASOS launched a campaign on Instagram encouraging users to upload videos of their ASOS products. It was a huge success! Reportedly three million people interacted with videos in the UK alone. ASOS uses the #AsSeenOnMe hashtag and any use of the hashtag adds the photos onto an ASOS online database. A good marketing move. “At ASOS we never settle. We have an always testing “always in beta” philosophy, constantly improving to make it all just that bit better every day. From free delivery and returns to innovative visual search tech if it hasn’t been done before we find a way to do it anyway”: per the official website.

The socially conscious e-tailer partnered with a delivery firm to encourage consumers to donate unwanted apparel to charity. Their campaign “Fashion with Integrity” drives ASOS to be a company that cares for people while working to reduce its impact on the planet. As the next step in its sustainability mission the team is working towards four 2030 goals under two pillars: Planet and People. “We have achieved some important successes over the last year: from being recognised as the top-ranked UK fashion brand in the Fashion Transparency Index, to launching our second circular design collection. Plus, we know that collaboration is essential to achieving our own goals and wider industry change – which is why this year we made it mandatory for all our new partner brands to commit to joining The Transparency Pledge” explains CEO José Antonio Ramos Calamonte.

Mission Statement

ASOS has built its business on an inclusive culture which encourages passion, enthusiasm and development. “We have a curious and adventurous spirit – it’s who we are and runs through everything we do. We balance leadership with learning, by being comfortable as an innovator and when following in the footsteps of others. Our products and platform are fuelled by creative passion and a deep understanding of our customers, allowing us to empower millions of people around the world.”

Vision

ASOS envisions being the world’s leading e-retailer for style-conscious young adults and this vision is rooted in its commitment to retailing products that empower this demographic to authentically express their individuality while staying at the forefront of contemporary fashion trends. The brand aspires to be the ultimate destination where young adults can effortlessly discover and curate their unique style, reflecting the ever-evolving landscape of their tastes and preferences.

Per the official website: “We believe in a world where you have the freedom to explore and express yourself without judgement… no matter who you are or where you’re from…” ASOS also aspires to do everything it can to help consumers find their fit. The company offers ASOS Brands in more than thirty sizes and is committed to providing all the sizes at the same price – so consumers can be confident it has got the perfect thing for them.

Products and Services

ASOS provides apparel and accessories for men and women in addition to beauty products.

Key Team

José Antonio Ramos Calamonte (CEO)
Jørgen Lindemann (CEO)
Mai Fyfield (Senior Independent Non-executive Director)
William Barker ( Non-executive Director)
Emma Whyte ( General Counsel and Company Secretary)
Natasja Laheij (Indépendant Non-executive Director)
Jose Manuel Martínez Gutiérrez (Independant Non-executive Director)
Nick Robertson (Founder And Non-executive Director)

References

• Official website ASOS
• The timeline of ASOS.com The Telegraph
• Asos.com’s Nick Robertson Looks to the Future WWD
• Facebook page of ASOS Facebook
• Asos buys Topshop and Miss Selfridge for £330m The Guardian
• Twitter page of ASOS Twitter
• Asos expects £14m hit from halting trade in Russia The Guardian
• LinkedIn page of ASOS  LinkedIn
• Asos on why digital must be a balance between mass reach and targeting Marketing Week
• Instagram page of ASOS  Instagram
• Darling of the dotcoms was a born survivor The Times
• Wiki page of ASOS  Wikipedia
• ASOS on Instagram Stories Creative Review
• Youtube channel of ASOS YouTube
• LUSH X ASOS LUSH
• Board Of Directors ASOS
• The real cost of ASOS’ fast fashion BuzzFeed
• Fashion With Integrity ASOS
• ASOS office fit for ‘Millennials’ wins office awards Watford Observor