What was once considered a reputable luxury e-commerce destination is now facing serious scrutiny as hundreds of customers share similar negative experiences. SSENSE, a Montreal-based online retailer specializing in high-end fashion brands, has recently seen a surge of scam-related complaints across multiple platforms, raising questions about its reliability and business practices.
The Rise and Stumble of SSENSE
Founded in 2003, SSENSE established itself as a curated luxury e-commerce platform offering designer apparel, accessories, and footwear from brands like Balenciaga, Gucci, and Off-White. The company expanded from its Canadian origins to serve customers worldwide, building what appeared to be a solid reputation in the competitive luxury e-retail space.
With a sleek website design and competitive pricing, particularly during sale seasons, SSENSE attracted a global clientele seeking designer goods. Many long-term customers report that their experiences with SSENSE were initially positive, with the company delivering authentic luxury items as promised.
However, customer sentiment has dramatically shifted in recent years. What emerges from an analysis of hundreds of reviews and formal complaints is a troubling pattern of customer service failures and questionable business practices that have left many questioning the company’s legitimacy.
The Mounting Evidence: Customer Review Analysis
Reviews of SSENSE across multiple platforms paint a concerning picture. On reviews.io, the company maintains a dismal 1.5-star rating from 76 reviews. The Better Business Bureau (BBB), where SSENSE is not accredited, shows similarly negative feedback with a 1/5 star average customer rating and 65 formal complaints filed in the past three years—49 of those within the last 12 months alone.
Reddit threads and Facebook discussions about the company reveal a similar pattern, with former customers warning others to avoid the retailer. While some positive experiences still surface, they are increasingly overshadowed by negative reports, particularly from 2024 and 2025.
What’s particularly concerning is the consistency of the complaints across different platforms and from customers in various countries. This suggests systematic issues rather than isolated incidents or disgruntled customers.
Common Complaints: What SSENSE Customers Are Reporting
1. Empty Boxes and Wrong Items
One of the most alarming complaint patterns involves customers receiving empty packages or completely different items than what they ordered. Multiple customers have reported:
- Receiving designer boxes containing nothing inside
- Being sent entirely different products than what was ordered (e.g., a customer ordered a Christian Louboutin backpack but received a Versace backpack instead)
- Getting items in different sizes, colors, or designs than what was purchased
One customer reported: “I had purchased a Prada bag from SSENSE and received Bape plates instead. Is it a scam?,” while another stated: “They sent the wrong item twice, and then said the item I purchased is no longer available, and refused a refund.”
2. The Return Nightmare
Perhaps the most consistent complaint involves SSENSE’s handling of returns. Multiple customers report the following pattern:
- Customer returns an unworn/unused item following company policies
- SSENSE claims the returned item was damaged, worn, or used
- Return is rejected, and the customer is denied a refund
- Customer service becomes unresponsive or unhelpful
A verified reviewer wrote: “I ordered a JPG dress… I tried literally once and the shoulder part was not fitting my shoulders so I returned the dress within few days and within policy, I got an email with photos that it had a stain in the back… I literally tried once! I explained multiple times that I didn’t or notice any stain in the back at all… Shame on you SSENSE.com!”
This pattern appears so frequently across reviews that many customers have begun suggesting it may be a deliberate tactic to avoid issuing refunds for high-value merchandise.
3. Delivery Issues and Missing Packages
Another major complaint category involves packages marked as delivered that customers never received:
- Packages marked as delivered to incorrect addresses
- Deliveries without required signatures (despite company policy requiring them)
- FedEx reporting deliveries that never occurred
- SSENSE refusing to take responsibility for delivery issues
One customer explained: “According to SSENSE’s terms, a personal handover with a signature is required—which did not happen. Yet SSENSE claims the package was delivered and refuses to take any further action. No package, no order, no money, and no response from SSENSE. It’s a scam.”
4. Customer Service Failures
When facing these issues, customers consistently report difficulties getting meaningful assistance from SSENSE:
- Email inquiries going unanswered for weeks
- Chat representatives providing scripted, unhelpful responses
- Investigations that consistently favor the company regardless of evidence
- Representatives telling customers to file chargebacks rather than resolving issues
A recurring theme is SSENSE’s apparent preference to direct customers to dispute charges with their credit card companies rather than resolving issues directly.
Red Flags: Is This Normal for Luxury Retail?
Several aspects of these complaints raise particular concern when compared to industry standards in luxury e-commerce:
Authenticity Concerns
Some customers have questioned the authenticity of products received, noting missing authentication features:
- Luxury items arriving without dust bags or authenticity cards
- Missing brand tags that typically accompany authentic items
- Non-functional authentication QR codes
One customer who purchased a Moncler jacket reported: “The care label features an NFC QR code that should link to the official MONCLER website to verify authenticity, but the code on my jacket could not be scanned.”
Poor Packaging for Luxury Items
Luxury retailers typically pride themselves on premium packaging. Several customers reported receiving expensive items in substandard packaging:
- An $800 designer belt arriving in “a kitchen ziplock bag thrown into a battered cardboard shipping box”
- Designer shoes without proper boxes
- Missing dust bags and protective elements
BBB Complaint Response Rate
Of the 49 complaints filed with the BBB in the past 12 months, most remain unanswered by SSENSE. In the few cases where the company did respond, they often directed customers to their financial institutions rather than offering direct solutions.
Our Verdict: Is SSENSE Legitimate Retailer or a Scam?
While SSENSE is a legitimate registered business that does successfully fulfill many orders, the evidence suggests significant operational problems and potentially questionable business practices. The company appears to be a legitimate retailer rather than an outright scam, but one with deeply concerning customer service issues and possible intentional policies that disadvantage consumers.
The pattern of similar complaints across multiple platforms from customers in different countries, combined with the company’s poor response rate to formal BBB complaints, indicates systemic problems rather than isolated incidents.
What’s particularly troubling is the apparent deterioration in service quality, with many long-term customers noting that their recent experiences differ dramatically from past positive interactions with the company.
Protecting Yourself When Shopping Online
When purchasing luxury items online, consider these protective measures:
- Pay with credit cards, not debit cards – Credit cards offer superior fraud protection and chargeback rights
- Document everything – Take photos or videos when unboxing expensive items
- Research recent reviews – Look for patterns in customer complaints, especially recent ones
- Understand return policies – Read the fine print about returns before purchasing
- Consider purchase protection – Some premium credit cards offer additional purchase protection on luxury items
- Save all correspondence – Keep emails and chat logs in case you need to dispute charges
- Buy directly from brands – When possible, purchase directly from the brand’s official website
- Purchase insurance – For very expensive items, consider additional shipping insurance
- Verify tracking details – Ensure delivery addresses are correct and monitor package tracking
- Be present for deliveries – Try to be available to receive high-value packages personally
Looking Forward
For consumers considering SSENSE, the abundance of negative reviews suggests approaching with caution, particularly for high-value purchases or items you might potentially need to return. While the company continues to operate and does successfully fulfill many orders, the consistent pattern of complaints indicates significant risk when things go wrong.
If you’ve experienced similar issues with SSENSE or other online retailers, consider filing complaints with consumer protection agencies like the BBB, the Federal Trade Commission, or your local consumer affairs department. These formal complaints create an official record and may help protect other consumers from similar experiences.
As online luxury retail continues to grow, accountability and consumer protection will remain essential considerations for shoppers navigating this marketplace.
