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Shopping Experience
Legitimacy
Both SSENSE and Farfetch reliably supply authentic luxury goods from various prestigious brands like Balenciaga, Y/Project, Wales Bonner, Givenchy, Valentino, Gucci, Burberry, Bottega Veneta, and Off-White, among others.
Products are well-packaged in original boxes, come with brand tags, branded pouches, special documents, and other proofs that the items are authentic. However, in both stores, you might receive items missing certain authenticity indicators, which can be misleading—for instance, instead of a Versace brand tag, there might be a tag from the store itself.
SSENSE stands out for slashing prices up to 70% on luxury items from notable designers such as Rick Owens and Raf Simons. However, during peak sale times, SSENSE sometimes struggles with customer service issues like delayed responses and non-specific support feedback.
Product Selection and Availability
It’s paramount to highlight that SSENSE distinguishes itself with a curated selection of avant-garde and luxury streetwear. This draws individuals who are on the lookout for unique fashion items rarely encountered elsewhere.
SSENSE offers significant discounts on branded products, which means their inventory runs out quickly. After placing an order on the website, you may be able to process it, but ultimately you might not receive it. If you try to add enough items to qualify for free shipping, you might not succeed due to frequent cancellations of the order or individual items by the store itself or due to issues with the delivery services they use.
Conversely, Farfetch throws a wider net, capturing a vast diversity of choices ranging from emerging designers to well-established luxury labels. This broad approach caters to an extensive variety of fashion preferences and budgets. A major advantage of this store is that you can find unique branded items that have long been sold out on the designer’s own website.
Product Quality and Resolution Practices
Occasionally, products such as a designer tie arrive from SSENSE bearing stains or showing signs of wear, suggesting they might have been previously handled or used. When these issues arise, SSENSE actively works to rectify the situation by issuing partial refunds or offering full refunds coupled with discounts on future purchases to mend the customer relationship.
Also, items shipped by SSENSE may arrive wrinkled, which can dampen your mood and impression after the first purchase, but generally, this can be remedied with an iron or steamer. The boxes may also arrive damaged, which is not very pleasant if you bought the item as a gift.
Navigation and Design
It should be noted, and emphasized once more, that SSENSE champions a minimalist aesthetic, effectively simplifying user interaction. This approach is manifested through high-quality visuals and a clutter-free layout, markedly improving product discovery and navigation.
On the other hand, Farfetch, with its extensive brand assortment, introduces detailed filters. These filters are a boon for shoppers, enabling them to swiftly isolate their sought-after items based on precise attributes like size, color, designer, and price.
Brand Selection
Farfetch provides an extensive array of brands, surpassing SSENSE in variety. It includes well-established luxury names and emerging designers, offering a broader spectrum for exploration and purchase.
For example, on SSENSE you will not find products from P.A.R.O.S.H., an Italian brand founded by Paolo Rossello, a designer known for his passion for vintage items. Another brand whose creations you will find on Farfetch but not on SSENSE is EÉRA with its unique jewelry and original bags, as well as Eleventy—a brand founded in Milan that produces luxurious, elegant, yet understated clothing for the whole family.
Farfetch provides a more extensive list of designers and their products.
Price and Sales
SSENSE’s aggressive discounting strategy includes substantial markdowns that make luxury more accessible. Farfetch also promotes continual sales throughout the year, though the depth of discounts varies, with SSENSE often leading in deeper price reductions.
While both platforms offer a range of luxury goods, pricing comparisons reveal that Farfetch frequently undercuts SSENSE by approximately 10-15% across various designer items. For instance, the Valentino Garavani Mini VLogo Signature leather bucket bag is more affordable on Farfetch by 16%, and the Alexander McQueen The Harness logo backpack also sees a 15% price reduction compared to SSENSE.
Conversely, products like the Gucci Mac80 sneakers and Isabel Marant Tan Astana shearling coat maintain identical pricing on both sites, indicating that staple luxury items often carry a uniform cost regardless of the retailer. This pricing trend underscores Farfetch’s strategy of leveraging frequent sales and discounts to attract consumers looking for high-end products at reduced prices.
Shipping
SSENSE demonstrates fast delivery capabilities, notably shipping items like Gucci sandals from Canada to the US within three days. However, larger orders might experience delays, such as a mixed product order taking up to 13 days for delivery. There have been cases of waiting for goods up to a month. While SSENSE provides free shipping on orders over $100 on full-priced items, conditions differ based on location and sale items.
At SSENSE, shipping products is like a lottery. You might receive your item even faster than the store promises, or you might not receive it at all, and even temporarily lose tracking information in the system. There have been instances where the delivery service returned the package without the buyer’s involvement.
You might be left in the dark for a week or even two, not knowing where your item is or where your money went. Fortunately, their returns process is efficient, but a bad taste can remain, as you might not receive the expected shoes or dress in time for a specific event, or you might not receive the item at all, spending time and energy waiting.
Farfetch’s shipping process can be unpredictable, as delivery times largely depend on whether items are shipped directly by the designers or their associated boutiques. Each product on the Farfetch platform has an estimated delivery time listed under the “add to bag” option, but these predictions are not always reliable. It is crucial for customers to be present to sign for their deliveries, as Farfetch ships items like these with FedEx which requires a signature.
Farfetch’s overall shipping reliability varies, and while shipping is free on orders over $200, the inconsistency in delivery times can affect planning, especially for international orders.
Returns
Returning items to SSENSE is straightforward and cost-free. The return involves printing a shipping label, repackaging the products, and sending them back with a note stating “return of Canadian merchandise.” The entire process, from shipping to refund issuance, typically completes within a week, reflecting efficiency in handling international returns. SSENSE has a longer 30 day window.
Farfetch, on the other hand, stipulates a shorter return window of 14 days compared to some competitors but also processes returns and refunds swiftly, although refund visibility in bank accounts can take up to 14 days.
