Asos introduces 'try before you buy' so you only pay for what you keep

From today, customers with the Asos app will be able to order products to their home, try them, and then only pay for what they keep – at no extra cost.

Previously, shoppers who wanted to try several different items before deciding which to keep had to shell out for all of them and return the unwanted items to get a refund – so the new system will mean shoppers don't have cash missing from their account while they wait for a return to be processed.

See our Cheap Online Shopping guide and Fashion Deals for more tips.

How does the system work?

Asos's free app is available on Apple and Android, and all products are included in the 'try before you buy' offer. Here's how it works:

1. After ordering the items you would like to try, you'll receive an email from Klarna – a payment services company which Asos is using – with payment instructions.

2. Your goods are delivered to you, and you choose which you would like to keep.

3. You then return the items you don't want using one of Asos's return options, including Collect Plus – where you drop your parcel at a shop to be collected.

4. You have 30 days from when your order was dispatched to pay for your goods on Klarna's website. You can pay via credit or debit card.

5. To pay, you need to be 18 years old and have a mobile number, email address and UK residential address.

Usually with Asos you have 28 days to return goods from the date you received them, but if you're using the 'try before you buy' scheme you need to remember you have 30 days from the date of dispatch to pay for the goods.

Don't be late paying – it could affect your credit score

Klarna says on its website that if you fail to make a payment in full by the due date, you will be sent a late payment reminder.

However, it also adds that late payments may be shared with credit reference agencies, so a late payment could damage your credit score. See MSE's Credit Club for more information and to check your credit score for free.

It's also worth noting that Klarna's Pay Later scheme is not regulated under the Consumer Credit Act, so Section 75 protection, which applies to credit card purchases of between £100 and £30,000, won't apply to payments you make to it.

However, it does have its own buyer protection policy.