Is SSENSE Legit? My Review Of This Luxury Brand Platform

SSense is a Canada-based online luxury fashion store for men and women that offers more than just clothes and accessories. They also sell gaming items and wearable tech, which sets them apart from other fashion marketplaces.

But is SSense legit and safe to shop from? Do they offer free shipping, and are their products authentic?

In this SSense review, I’ll discuss the pros and cons of shopping there, break down their policies, and suggest SSense alternatives if you don’t like their products.

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What Is SSense?

SSense is an online luxury fashion retail platform that offers 70,000 products from over 700 global brands, such as Jacquemus and Prada.

The platform was established in 2003 by three brothers, Rami, Bassel, and Firas Atallah, with its headquarters in Montreal, Canada. Most orders are shipped from their warehouse in Laval, Canada.

SSense’s extensive collection includes clothing, shoes, bags, accessories, and self-care items from high-end labels.

Overall, SSense is a popular online destination that brings the latest in luxury products to customers across 114 countries.

Is SSense Legit?

SSense is a legitimate company accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) that’s been offering high end luxury products since 2003. They have ratings of 4.3/5 on Trustpilot and 3.1/5 on Sitejabber which suggests that customers are happy with their purchases overall.

SSense has also won awards from prestigious institutions for their contributions to fashion and entrepreneurship.

In 2018, SSense opened a five-story flagship retail store in Montreal, featuring an art space and a personal-shopper-guided online-offline hybrid, available by appointment only.

Moreover, SSense has received investment from Sequoia Capital, a multi-billion dollar American venture capital firm. This investment raised SSense’s valuation to $4 billion, thereby strengthening the company’s credibility.

Is SSense Safe?

Buying from SSense is 100% safe because they offer free returns for orders from Canada, Japan, and the US. SSense offers a generous return policy that allows you to initiate a return within 30 days of delivery.

This differs from competitors like Farfetch, which only allows returns within 14 days of order delivery.

SSense takes your security seriously. They use SSL encryption to safeguard your personal and payment information. Moreover, they do not retain your information after processing your order.

In addition, SSense provides estimated processing and shipping times, and you’ll receive a tracking number once your order is shipped.

What Products Does SSense Sell?

SSense offers 70,000 products for both men and women from well-known brands like Alexander Wang and Balenciaga through their online store.

Here are a few of the items you’ll find on SSense:

Accessories
Art & Collectibles
Audio & Headphones
Bags
Beanie
Bed & Bath
Bodysuits
Books & Magazines
Cameras & Accessories
Candles & Fragrances
Cell Phones & Accessories
Coat
Computers
Corset
Dresses
Furniture
Gaming
Glassware & Barware
Home Decor
Home Tech
Jackets
Kitchenware
Makeup
Pet products
Self-care products
Shirts
Shoes
Skirts
Stationery
Sweater
Tableware
Tops
Trousers
Watches

Besides clothing and homeware, SSense also sells computers, wearable tech, headphones, cameras, and gaming accessories from premium brands.

Positive feedback from customers speaks to the high quality and authenticity of SSense’s products. However, most individual products lack customer reviews.

In addition, the product catalog pages have limited filters, making it time consuming to sift through the many products that SSense offers. However, there is a search bar at the top to directly search for a specific product.

In short, SSense has a diverse product range that sets it apart, even though there’s room for improvement in their website design.

How SSense Works for Buyers

SSense provides shoppers access to upscale fashion brands and processes most orders within one to three business days.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to shopping on SSense:

Open An Account

To create a SSense account, go to their homepage and click “Login” at the top right corner. Provide your email, choose whether you want to receive promotions via email, and click “Create an account.”

After registering, you’ll receive an account activation link for verification.

Shop On SSense

While shopping on SSense without an account is possible, there are benefits to having one.

You can book an appointment at their Montreal store for personalized assistance from a stylist who offers expert advice on your selections.

You can also modify your order even after placing it. In addition, you can save favorite items to a wish list, and items in your shopping cart are retained, allowing more time before finalizing your order.

Ssense Shipping

SSense delivers orders within 3 to 10 days depending on where you live.

During checkout, SSense offers estimated shipping times for each product. You’ll be provided at least one of these shipping options based on your location: standard, express, or priority.

For certain countries, SSense provides free standard and express shipping options if your order meets a specific value threshold. However, priority shipping orders are charged a shipping fee, regardless of the order amount.

Here are the minimum order values to be eligible for free shipping:

US: Orders above $100 qualify for free express shipping.
Canada: Orders above 100 CAD qualify for free standard shipping.
Japan: Orders above ¥35,000 qualify for free express shipping.
China: Orders above $350 qualify for free express shipping.
Hong Kong: Orders above $1500 HKD qualify for free express shipping.
UK: Orders above £200 qualify for free express shipping.
Australia: Orders above $450 AUD qualify for free express shipping.
New Zealand: Orders above $350 qualify for free express shipping.
Europe: Orders above €250 qualify for free express shipping.
Most other countries: Orders above $500 qualify for free express shipping.

To be eligible for next day morning shipping, place orders before 11:00 am Eastern Time.

What Is SSense’s Return Policy?

SSense’s return policy allows you to submit a return request for any item within 30 days of receiving the order.

Customers in Canada, Japan, and the US receive free shipping labels from SSense. If you’re located outside of these countries, you’re responsible for covering the cost of return shipping and coordinating the return through your local post.

For Canada, Japan, and US customers:

Log in to your SSense account and access “Order History.”
Request a prepaid return label (PPL).
Receive the PPL and return instructions via email.
Print the label and carefully follow the provided instructions.

For other international orders:

Log in to your SSense account and navigate to “Order History.”
Request a return authorization (RA). You’ll receive an RA number and return instructions via email.
Follow the instructions in the email and send the package using standard shipping.

Multiple orders must be returned separately, each with its own return request, and in separate boxes.

Once SSense checks and approves the returned item’s quality, they will refund the original payment method and send you a confirmation email. This process might take up to 5 business days.

If you made your order as a guest, you’ll need to create an SSense account to manage the return yourself. However, if you prefer not to create an account, you can reach out to the customer care team for assistance.

What Payment Methods Does SSense Accept?

SSense only accepts payments made with MasterCard, PayPal, and Visa. Alipay is also accepted, except for customers shopping from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, and Japan.

Customers from Britain, Canada, Europe, and the US seeking to use Klarna for payment should contact the customer care team.

Why Is SSense Cheap?

SSense maintains competitive pricing because they don’t own the products they sell or run physical stores.

In addition, they receive thousands of orders per day which allows them to receive bulk discounts from the brands they carry. This allows SSense to pass on the cost savings to consumers.

Operating mainly online reduces overhead costs compared to traditional stores, resulting in lower prices than retail.

Besides established luxury brands, SSense supports emerging designers, offering unique fashion at accessible prices.

All in all, SSense is ideal for shoppers seeking designer labels at affordable prices.

How To Earn Money From SSense?

You can earn money through SSense by participating in their affiliate marketing program.

Affiliate marketing involves earning a commission for promoting products using special affiliate links.

Here’s how you can earn from SSense’s affiliate marketing program:

Join SSense’s affiliate program on their official website.
Add unique affiliate links to products and promote them.
Once a user clicks your link and completes a purchase within 30 days, you’ll receive your commission after 60 days.

SSense Pros and Cons

SSense offers an extensive range of luxury products for men and women at competitive prices, along with a generous return window, a clothing calculator, and responsive customer support.

However, there are some downsides to SSense, including limited filtering options and the absence of product reviews on the website.

Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons of SSense:

SSense Pros

Generous return window: You can request a return within 30 days of the delivery date.
Fit predictor: SSense features a fit predictor that calculates your size based on a fitting designer. For example, if you have a perfectly fitting piece from a specific designer, add the details, and the predictor will recommend your size for any brand.
Affordable pricing: SSense offers competitive pricing on all of their selection.
Customer service: SSense’s customer support is responsive and reachable through email, phone, and live chat.

SSense Cons

Limited filters: The product catalog pages have restricted filtering options, making searches less efficient.
No product reviews: Without customer reviews on product pages, you might struggle to make better purchasing decisions.
No free returns on all orders: Orders placed outside the US, Canada, and Japan are not eligible for free returns from SSense. You’re responsible for shipping the products back to the provided address.

The Truth About SSense Reviews

SSense’s review score stands at 4.3 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot and 3.1 out of 5 stars on Sitejabber. However, customers have voiced concerns about costly returns, slow shipping, and refund rejections.

Let’s look into common SSense reviews found online, along with tips to tackle these challenges:

SSense Review #1: Expensive Returns

SSense’s return policy provides free shipping labels exclusively for orders placed in Canada, Japan, and the US. Customers from other countries need to manage their own return shipping.

Sending items back to SSense’s Canada warehouse can incur significant costs based on your location. In addition, navigating your country’s customs and laws becomes your responsibility.

That’s why customers residing in countries without free returns should consider Mytheresa or Farfetch, which offers free returns for all countries.

SSense Review #2: Slow Shipping

When it comes to shipping, SSense typically takes one to three days to dispatch orders, with delivery taking three to 10 days, depending on the destination country.

Several customers have expressed frustration over receiving their orders later than expected, even after selecting express or priority shipping options for an added fee.

As a result, you must plan your shopping well in advance and avoid placing orders just a few days before important events.

SSense Review #3: No Refunds

SSense’s return policy states that the approval or denial of refunds depends on the condition of the returned items they receive.

SSense customers have complained of not receiving refunds for damaged items they returned due to pre-existing damage.

To navigate this issue, take photographs of any order issues and promptly contact SSense’s customer service as soon as you identify a problem.

Instead of using an automated return request, provide detailed information about the issue to customer service so that there’s concrete evidence of the damaged merchandise.

In addition, place orders using a credit card so you can file for chargebacks when you face similar issues.

SSense Alternatives

If SSense doesn’t meet your expectations, here are other SSense alternatives to consider:

Mytheresa

Established in 1987 and online since 2006, Mytheresa provides clothing, shoes, bags, and accessories across luxury brands for all genders and ages.

Mytheresa’s credibility is reinforced by its listing on the NYSE and an impressive annual revenue of €800 million.

With 24/7 support in 13 languages, a 30-day return policy, and free return shipping, Mytheresa is an excellent SSense alternative.

Farfetch

Farfetch is an online luxury fashion platform that links you to 700+ boutiques and 3500+ brands worldwide.

Like Mytheresa, Farfetch is an NYSE-listed company that achieved $1 billion in revenue shortly after its IPO.

If you’re looking for 90-minute, same-day, or next-day deliveries from some of the world’s best-known fashion boutiques and brands, then Farfetch is a great choice.

TheRealReal

TheRealReal is an online and retail marketplace for pre-owned designer jewelry, clothing, shoes, and accessories.

They have an in-house team of experts, including gemologists and luxury fashion authenticators, who are dedicated to authenticating items and assessing their value.

This allows TheRealReal to offer goods at significantly lower prices compared to their retail counterparts.

Should You Buy From SSense?

SSense is popular among Gen Z and millennials because they offer competitive prices on designer items and sell a diverse range of high-quality products.

However, there are some factors you should consider before purchasing from SSense. For example, free return shipping isn’t extended to customers outside the US, Canada, and Japan.

Moreover, SSense’s shipping can be inconsistent, ranging from one or two days for some orders and up to two weeks for others.

Despite these concerns, SSense boasts over 18 million monthly visits. For improved shipping options, you might want to explore other brands like Mytheresa and Farfetch.

FAQs

Who is SSense target demographic?

SSense target demographic is primarily within the age range of 18 to 40.

Does SSense have a physical store?

SSense has a physical store in Montreal, Canada, offering a cafe, art space, and a floor dedicated to personalized shopping assistance that blends online and offline elements. A personal shopper oversees this service, and appointments are required.

Is SSense high end?

Yes, SSense is a high-end online fashion store featuring brands such as Prada, Gucci, Dior, and Maison Margiela.

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