The SSENSE Controversy

SSENSE has changed the online fashion industry with their one-stop-shop approach combined with a hyper-focus on selling designer items for the lowest possible price. It's a retailing strategy as old as time, but this is really the first time that we are seeing this for the luxury fashion sector, who traditionally sold with an inflated high price based on exclusivity. It has, over time, left a few disgruntled small brands who feel like SSENSE undercut their price point at other retailers, reducing their stockists, while then having no trouble in stopping stocking the brand if and when they stop selling. This, naturally affects predominantly smaller brands, which is why it became a small controversy, but realistically, this is just an evolution in the democratisation of fashion that was started so many years ago.

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[MikeMyers-se]

Nothing beats end of season SSENSE sales

[eh]

Ex worker here! I was on the buying team and was part of the many rounds of laid offs. Company culture reflects the image ….. BAD and toxic Especially senior management who call themselves “Leaders”

[ShapeyFiend]

I feel like the brick and mortar independent high end fashion shops are sort of dying out as a result of all these online discounters. My main beef with it is I can't try on stuff anymore! I end up picking more conservative things because I just don't want to take a punt on things when I'm buying online.

[rachelvonwurfel]

lol i assumed it was pronounced like a snake 😅 so glad you made this video before I tried to say it out loud

[ayao]

The complaints regarding ssense are similar to how I imagine designers felt about nordstorm and department stores back in the day. Ex. Undercutting competition, dropping brands, being generally sales focused

[ROCKSTAR]

I've bought from Sssense quite a lot since 2014, but these days I mostly use it for measurements.

[katanak]

Retailers should tell their vendors whats happening. I think thats what happens in other industries; ultimately its up to the brand to decide which stockists to support.

[elenaday]

i will neeeever forgive them for buying and binning Polyvore

[brea]

Thanks for this video! it has gotten me thinking about my shopping habits with them. As a Canadian, it is much much more affordable to shop with them. Even comparing retail prices, they can be cheaper and since its being shipped to the same country, I avoid paying additional duties. I have been able to find soo many brands on SSense, and like shopping exclusives. As a stylist, I do venture out from them as well as I've come to realize different stockist often have different items from the same brands so Im always looking to see who has what. But you are right when you say SSENSE comes up the most often. It can be hard to truly see a the luxury retailers that are out there without doing a huge deep dive.

[silencenoisemachine]

Love this analysis!
I work at SSENSE and hearing this is quite interesting from an outside perspective.

[ecretbtch]

So much I could say about them as the founder of a small brand which previously sold to them (until i decided the best thing for the wellbeing of my business and myself was to stop accepting their orders). More than happy to talk if you decide to dive deeper at any point.

[nicolascote]

You NEED to do a video about what is going on inside the compagny. They are messy af down to the core and there I say... taking advantage of marginalized groups. I worked there as a makeup artist for their e-comm for 3 years on and off and they once held one of my pay checks for 8 MONTHS. Hated every part of it.

[kikiagbor]

Thanks for the shoutout & great video!! I feel like a lot of these issues arise when there's only one main player in the market without much competition. I would love to see more e-tailers emerge in the next few years and give us a different take on the online shopping experience

[gilbertkandawasvika]

To me it sounds like the low prices makes some of these item accessible to more people that historically couldn’t afford to get into luxury fashion. Almost making it less elitist

[dalejail]

i've heard truly horrific stories about how the company treats employees from people who have worked there

[lindylindylindy]

They’re great from the consumer standpoint. Going to be very very hard to beat them.

[AlexHider]

Ah, the Walmart model - undercut the competitions pricing until they are the only game in town, and then do whatever they please.

[ekaterinastacey]

I'd never heard of Ssense before they bought (and destroyed) Polyvore just for the access to the user list. I loved Polyvore in my misguided 20s. Polyvore shut down overnight and my email address was signed up to some random online store that I would never shop from. I unsubscibed immediately. I HATE this stupid company.

[gypsywoman]

The fashion system is so broken. It's a race to the bottom for everyone

[shawnadyment]

Didn't really know a lot about SSENSE before aside from it's name, had never been on their site or heard any of my friends order from them, but watching this made me curious as I am exactly the type of shopper who wants interesting small designer pieces but can't quite afford to pay full price. I used to have some luck in the thrift stores but re-sellers have made that all but impossible in recent years. Thanks for another super informative video, you seriously have one of my favourite channels on YT! (if you need a break from fashion and skincare, go watch some Stefan Milo, so funny and informative about the ancient world, my other YT fave)