What it does
FARFETCH is a luxury e-commerce platform that acts as a global marketplace for high-end fashion. The app provides access to a vast catalog of clothing, shoes, bags, and accessories from hundreds of designer brands and independent boutiques. Users can browse new arrivals, shop curated edits, filter extensively to find specific items, and manage a personalized account with a wishlist and loyalty rewards.
Where it shines
FARFETCH excels at creating a premium shopping experience that caters to both discovery-oriented browsers and high-intent, specific shoppers. The post-registration flow immediately introduces a tiered loyalty program (00:48), making users feel like insiders from the start. Its filtering capabilities are exceptionally robust (01:32), allowing users to slice and dice a massive catalog by brand, color, size, and even specific sale discounts. The 'Complete the look' feature on product pages (04:26) is another highlight, offering genuine styling inspiration while effectively encouraging larger basket sizes.
UX highlights
- Comprehensive Filtering: The 'Refine' menu offers an impressive number of filters, including multi-select for colors and brands, which is essential for navigating a large inventory.
- Loyalty-First Onboarding: At 00:48, the app immediately welcomes new users into its tiered rewards program, framing the entire experience around progress and status.
- Contextual Actions: On the product detail page, an 'Add to Bag' animation at 03:48 provides satisfying feedback, with the button morphing into a bag icon that travels towards the top of the screen.
- Wishlist as a Hub: The wishlist isn't just a static list. Users can add items directly to their bag from the wishlist page (09:54), streamlining the path to purchase for saved items.
- Clear Size Guidance: The app provides detailed size conversion charts (03:24) and distinguishes between different regional sizing standards, reducing uncertainty for international shoppers.
Monetization & growth
The app's monetization is straightforward e-commerce. No subscription paywalls were visible in this flow. Growth and retention are heavily driven by the 'Access' loyalty program, introduced at 00:48. It creates a clear incentive structure: the more you spend, the more benefits you unlock, such as private sales and exclusive rewards. The app also heavily promotes sales, with a banner visible on the welcome screen (00:07) and dedicated sale filters, driving purchases through discounts.
Who it’s for
FARFETCH is designed for fashion-conscious consumers who are comfortable shopping for luxury goods online. It serves two main user types. First, the brand-loyalist who knows exactly what they want and uses the powerful search and filtering tools to find it quickly. Second, the fashion explorer who browses curated edits like 'Party of the Year' (05:14) and 'New in' sections for inspiration and discovery. The global nature of its inventory appeals to shoppers looking for items that may not be available in their local market.
Notes & opportunities
While the experience is polished, the mandatory sign-up at 00:15 creates a significant point of friction. Allowing users to browse the catalog before requiring an account could improve initial engagement and reduce drop-off. Additionally, while the checkout process is clear, the address form at 05:50 could be streamlined by using location services to suggest city and state based on the postal code entry. The app also presents a location change pop-up (01:10) after the user has already onboarded, which feels slightly disruptive and could perhaps be handled earlier in the setup process.