PrettyLittleThing.com: The most common complaints

Last month, fashion giant PrettyLittleThing.com ranked as the third most complained-about retailer on Resolver, with 1,273 customer complaints logged over the past year alone.

While the brand has built a loyal following among Gen Z shoppers thanks to its influencer partnerships, flashy social media presence, and ultra-affordable trends, rising consumer dissatisfaction is painting a less-than-glamorous picture.

In this article we do a deep dive into the issues that Resolver users have experienced when buying their wardrobes.

The Rise (and Fall?) of PrettyLittleThing

Founded in 2012 by brothers Umar and Adam Kamani, PrettyLittleThing (PLT) rapidly grew from a niche accessories site into one of the UK’s most recognisable fast fashion brands. Its explosive growth was fuelled by celebrity endorsements, social media savvy, and a business model that promised runway trends at throwaway prices.

In 2020, PLT was acquired by Boohoo Group – a retail group that also owns Boohoo, Nasty Gal, and MissPap. In recent years, the brand’s reputation has come under pressure due to customer dissatisfaction and broader criticisms of fast fashion.

From returns policies to product quality, as PrettyLittleThing continues to evolve, questions are being raised about its business practices. There are also doubts about whether its model is sustainable in the long run, for both consumers and the business itself.

The Most Common Issues Raised by PLT Customers

Refunds and returns

By far the biggest source of frustration for PLT’s customers relates to refunds and returns, which accounted for over 64% of complaints in the past 12 months with 820 cases raised.

This is no surprise – as one of the most contentious changes to PLT’s businesses practices came in February of this year, when PLT halved the returns period, from 28 days to just 14.

Return window

The change to the return window was a cost-cutting strategy aimed at reducing “wardrobing” – a practice in which customers wear items once or twice with the tags hidden, and then return them. This behaviour and increase in serial refunding is tied to the use of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services, which encourage over-ordering with no upfront cost.

While it may have made sense for the business, this move sparked backlash from customers who felt blindsided, especially as many of them shop with the assumption that returns will be quick, easy, and free.

Yet the fact is that even with the policy change, UK consumer rights law still entitles shoppers to notify the retailer of a return within 14 days of receiving goods, with an additional 14 days to return them. This means that, in practice, customers still have a 28-day window. Yet we frequently hear from people who run in to trouble when trying to make a return.

Return fees

Another issue that may be behind the high levels of issues with returns and refunds is charges. In June 2023, PLT introduced a £1.99 return fee for non-loyalty customers. By September 2024, this was scrapped, following the return of founder Umar Kamani to the business.

However, return charges still apply unless you’re subscribed to the PLT Royalty loyalty programme (£10.99/year), which offers unlimited free delivery and returns. For budget-conscious shoppers, the added return fee adds insult to injury – especially if you’re returning multiple items due to sizing inconsistencies.

Delivery problems

The second most common complaint, with 208 cases raised, involves delivery issues: missing parcels, wrong addresses, and packages being left in inappropriate locations.

While this may seem to be the fault of the delivery company, the fact is that when it comes to delivery issues responsibility for rectifying the issue always lies with the retailer, not the courier.

Legally, if an item isn’t delivered correctly, it’s up to PrettyLittleThing’s customer service to resolve the issue, not the likes of Evri, Yodel, or Royal Mail. But many customers say they’ve struggled to get responses, refunds, or replacements from PLT – with them passing the buck to the courier and therefore not fulfilling their legal duty.

Customer service

In third place are customer service issues, with 67 complaints lodged via Resolver last year. We know that getting in touch with PrettyLittleThing can be a major hurdle, as the company has moved largely away from traditional customer service methods like phone support.

Instead, PLT relies heavily on:

A self-serve help centre
Email-only support
Limited social media responses

We know that these portals can make customers who have already experienced a problem with an order feel even more frustrated – or downright fobbed off. Unfortunately many users report slow response times, template replies, or no resolution at all.

Want to get in touch with PrettyLittleThing.com? Use Resolver to raise your complaint for free – our users report that using Resolver can trigger a meaningful response to a complaint that had previously been ignored.

Make a PrettyLittleThing complaint

Product quality

As the fourth most common issue type for PLT complaints, product quality is a recurring concern among consumers.

Famous for its ultra-low prices, including Black Friday sales where items cost as little as 5p, PLT has long been associated with “disposable fashion”. It should come as no surprise that many customers report that items don’t match the pictures on the website, the materials feel cheap or flimsy and clothing often arrives damaged or ill-fitting.

This reflects a broader issue in the fast fashion industry, where garments are produced rapidly and cheaply to chase trends — often at the expense of durability, fit, and ethical production standards.

The bigger picture: Is fast fashion hitting a wall?

The problems facing PrettyLittleThing are far from unique. They reflect a growing tension between the fast fashion business model which thrives on overconsumption and a consumer base that is becoming more conscious, more demanding, and less tolerant of poor service.

Environmental concerns

Fast fashion is one of the largest polluters globally. Overproduction and vast quantities of waste are an essential part of their business model. Many returned items can’t be resold due to cost or damage, and often end up in landfill.

These environmental concerns are increasingly important to consumers – who are learning to see through the false claims or promises of mitigating their impact.

For tips on spotting greenwashing and better understanding the ecological impact of your purchase check out our article on sustainable consumption.

Financial pressure

One of the biggest trends in online shopping in recent years is the use of ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ credit (BNPL). Companies like Klarna and Clearpay allow consumers to purchase an item immediately even if they don’t have the funds by breaking up the cost and distributing payments over several weeks or months.

BNPL has been an essential part of the rise of fast fashion companies like PLT – as consumers are put under pressure to buy new items more frequently than ever before, at the same time as they have less expendable income. But the end of Buy now pay later is nigh! Experts predict that growing levels of debt and further financial pressure spells the end of this practice.

For our breakdown of the pitfalls of BNPL see our article on how these credit agreements put you at risk.

Compulsive consumption

In their push to make us buy more than we can afford or items we may not even wish to keep, sites like PLT rely on aggressive and, at times, straight-up manipulative marketing tactics to get people scrolling the site to fill their basket.

The compulsive consumption that is being normalised by e-commerce sites is beginning to take on a bitter taste – and a toll on mental well-being. More conscious forms of consumption are making a come back – and people are seeking to step away from or resist fast fashion marketing traps.

For tips on controlling your consumption and avoiding marketing traps check out our piece on online shopping and compulsive consumption.

E-commerce disillusionment

E-commerce may have been exponentially growing but is now slowing. With other giants like Temu and Shein we have seen so many people who have experienced first hand how items arrive damaged or not as described.

Whether they are hilariously small or immediately fall apart, in most cases the euphoria of impulse purchasing quickly turns stale – and many people say they are done for good.

For our take on e-commerce platforms see our article on whether its safe to buy from Temu, Shein and other e-commerce platforms.

Final Thoughts: Should you still shop at PrettyLittleThing?

PrettyLittleThing offers affordable, on-trend fashion, and for many consumers, that’s enough. But for those who value easy returns, quality service, and long-lasting products, the brand increasingly falls short.

With over 1,200 complaints in a single year — and 820 of those focused on returns — it’s clear that customer dissatisfaction is mounting. The pressure is now on PrettyLittleThing to either fix these ongoing issues or risk losing the loyalty of its core audience.

Know your rights:

If you’re having issues with a PrettyLittleThing order:

You have 14 days to notify them of a return after receiving your item.
You then have another 14 days to return it.
They must refund you within 14 days of receiving the item back.

And if you’re struggling to get in touch with PLT or not getting the service you deserve, Resolver can help you raise a free case.

Make a PrettyLittleThing complaint

Have you got a story of serious issues while buying from PrettyLittleThing.com? Let us know via Resolver Stories – where we shine a light on real experiences of people fighting for fairness and their consumer rights.