Fashion Brands Accused of Charging More for Plus-Size Clothing
Two popular fashion brands have been called out for charging its curvy customers for a nearly identical dress that’s sold in smaller sizes.
BeckyBedBug, a lifestyle and fashion blogger, was browsing ASOS.com when spotted the difference. She took to Twitter, where she has around 15,000 followers, asking why a dress, which comes in U.K. sizes 6-16 was £25 ($32), while the plus-size version — in sizes starting at 18 — was £35 ($46). “So cute when brands charge extra for the same dress in a couple of extra sizes,” she tweeted.
It sparked a furious online debate by shoppers who had spotted similar size pricing discrepancies.
“Why is your plus size version of this dress £10 more and got a longer insert??” another woman tweeted ASOS about a black mesh dress that cost £10 more in a size 16. And shoppers have since pointed out plus-size surcharges at other stores, including New Look, Forever 21, and Dorothy Perkins.
Some said the cost difference might be due to the extra material needed, but not everyone agreed with that theory.
So while they’re ignoring my email and tweets @asos have slyly dropped the price of their plus size dress pic.twitter.com/4oDtuWOVWV
— Becky Bedbug (@BeckyBedbug) July 13, 2016
“I get that more material is used — but the same argument could be used for brands manufacturing sizes 8 – 16,” one woman tweeted. “By the same logic surely petite should be cheaper. Not the case, conveniently!,” another wrote.
In the end, ASOS replied to Becky on Twitter explaining that the dresses are actually different — one has a slightly longer slip and a different neckline, and that might explain the price variation. They also pointed out that as they are not the actual manufacturers of the product, the pricing responsibility lies with Boohoo. “These are both different products so won’t follow the same price. Also these aren’t made by us, so we have no sway over them.” To which Boohoo responded: “Prices vary from time to time and are subject to change but all depends on the suppliers.”
Thankfully, it seems the backlash has sparked the bods that be into rethinking their pricing policies as both versions of the dresses now cost the same on the ASOS website. Power of the people, right?
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