Prices?

[merika]

Originally Posted by sgreg

Weird enough, even though I really appreciate the customer service BE offers, I am one of those people who ideally prefers customer service to be as impersonal as possible. I don't like emailing customer service, and I will avoid calling them (often getting someone else to call on my behalf). So for me, BE's customer service is not a benefit whatsoever.

I think I tend to compare customer service of phone and internet businesses to CS at Zappos.com, and sadly no other has even come close. Ever. I know that at Zappos shipping is exceedingly prompt, products can be returned no questions asked. I've asked to make exchanges and the second item has been shipped no charge and I had two weeks to decide on which one to keep and which to return. I've had shoes sent in for repair and Zappos has footed the bill no questions asked...these are shoes they sold in their store, not shoes they manufactured.

Why I mentioned Zappos is this - funnily enough prices of some shoes and bags at Zappos are a little bit higher than the same product on other websites, but I buy from them because I know that if something is wrong with my product and I am unhappy they'll take care of it well and promptly - immediately. It's never taken more than one phone call or one email.

Nope, I'm not a Zappos rep. Just a customer.

[lovebags2]

Originally Posted by merika

I think I tend to compare customer service of phone and internet businesses to CS at Zappos.com, and sadly no other has even come close. Ever. I know that at Zappos shipping is exceedingly prompt, products can be returned no questions asked. I've asked to make exchanges and the second item has been shipped no charge and I had two weeks to decide on which one to keep and which to return. I've had shoes sent in for repair and Zappos has footed the bill no questions asked...these are shoes they sold in their store, not shoes they manufactured. Why I mentioned Zappos is this - funnily enough prices of some shoes and bags at Zappos are a little bit higher than the same product on other websites, but I buy from them because I know that if something is wrong with my product and I am unhappy they'll take care of it well and promptly - immediately. It's never taken more than one phone call or one email. Nope, I'm not a Zappos rep. Just a customer.

Ladies, your both raising very good points here.

When I order something say from LLBEAN or Lands End I really enjoy that impersonal aspect myself. When I need to make a return etc... I just call and presto. You never worry about offending or explaining.

I can see where some might not receive benefit from all the personal attention and yet other's might just LOVE it and it's just the ticket!

I suppose if you order directly thru Jackie's website then you can bypass more of the CS which is nice to have those choices depending on your own preference.

And It's still lovely to have the option available for great CS IF you should want it at some point.

Bottomline: I still LOVE my BE handbags. No question there ladies!

[TejasMama]

For me, BE is the most expensive bag I own--even on sale (with the exception of an LV my DH brought back from Paris a couple of years ago)--and I do understand the concerns regarding the increase in price with BEC and in general. I've created a few bags on the site and gone "WHOA. What I was I thinking?" Needless to say, they never made it to the shopping cart.

However, I do think part of my reason for loving BE aside from the beautiful leather is that I can relate to some of what Jackie is doing as a business owner. I know what it's like to build a small business when you're surrounded by behmoths in an industry; I know how difficult it can be to balance a customer's expectations with the realities of what I have to work with at any particular time. I know what it is to realize that some people really don't see the value in what you offer, and that's just the way it is. You search for those who do.

These aren't rationalizations, because, quite frankly, it's not the customer's job to worry about what the business owner is juggling/balancing with regards to manufacturing costs, processes and overhead. It's the customer's job to decide which product is worth her hard earned money and would she spend there again. It might be BE. It might not.

I prefer to buy BE because I like that their staff continues to take customers' questions and complaints into account. It's not all perfect but they listen and make strides. My eyes were really opened reading 'luxury slaves' on her site and learning that creating a fair wage--even for bags made in Italy--is still a difficult thing. She employs people that she wants to be paid properly for what she considers is their expertise and contribution to the craft. I appreciate that and like to support those efforts with my buying decisions (as long as I also LOVE the bag).

No buying decision is really rational anyway--they are formed from different emotional connections for each person based upon her frame of reference and field of view. This just happens to be mine.

[Odebdo]

This has been an interesting discussion...I agree we vote with our wallets...but to me, BE stands for individual attention from Jackie and her staff, and all the bags I have received have had outstanding workmanship, which I appreciate. I also like what support women owned businesses, and skilled trades versus mass production.

[merika]

Originally Posted by lovebags2

Ladies, your both raising very good points here. When I order something say from LLBEAN or Lands End I really enjoy that impersonal aspect myself. When I need to make a return etc... I just call and presto. You never worry about offending or explaining. I can see where some might not receive benefit from all the personal attention and yet other's might just LOVE it and it's just the ticket! I suppose if you order directly thru Jackie's website then you can bypass more of the CS which is nice to have those choices depending on your own preference. And It's still lovely to have the option available for great CS IF you should want it at some point. Bottomline: I still LOVE my BE handbags. No question there ladies!

Of course, though I had to have some CS dealings with jackie and her team, an issue which was resolved after several emails and phone calls.

[nomoreroom]

Very interesting discussion. For me, it always comes down to cost per wear/use -- that something is worth every penny (sometimes regardless of how many pennies) if you are going to love it and use it to the hilt.

I have one BE, a black crash full-size TME, that I paid full price for (it was just a couple weeks before the Pink Tuesday promo, which upset me a bit, but that's life.) Unfortunately my TME doesn't get a lot of love because it just isn't practical enough for my life (not enough outside pockets, closure isn't secure enough). But if this had been my "everyday" bag -- what I was hoping for when I got it -- then for me, it would have been well worth the full-price cost. In my opinion, the bag is not very special design-wise. The more drool-worthy BEs -- some of the great colors and the matte leathers -- are very tempting but I have not been able to justify their cost because I wouldn't use them enough.

[pixiechic]

This is a fascinating thread. I've seen similar discussions in other designers' forums in the past, and I think it's a healthy conversation to have. I have a wide range of bags I adore and use - BE, Hermes, Mulberry, Chloe, Balenciaga, LV, Miu Miu, Hayden-Harnett, Prada, etc. I value each of them for different reasons and occasions. We purse fanatics can be complex creatures, and our reasons for choosing certain bags are wide and vast, but ultimately, everyone values different things. From this thread alone, I've observed > two dozen different (and often conflicting) values:

1. getting noticed
2. under the radar
3. "wow" factor/compliments
4. personal customer service
5. impersonal/automated customer service
6. design input
7. well designed
8. quality construction
9. quality leather/materials
10. look expensive
11. competitive price
12. beautiful and innovative
13. resale value
14. couture/custom made
15. hand made vs. mass-produced
16. made in Italy/Europe/US vs. China
17. make me happy/smile/fun to carry
18. stand up to kids/travel
19. latest trend/"it" bag
20. uncommon/not everyone carries it
21. support local/small/independent business
22. look younger/look older
23. fair wages paid
24. cost per wear
25. smells amazing

Value is incredibly subjective, so there will never be consensus on whether something is worth a certain price. Personally I don't give a rat's a$$ if my bags impress other people - and in some situations, I'd prefer that they don't...I have felt like a target carrying LV Mono on the subway. What's more important is that the style speaks to me, makes me say "ohhhhhh" when I look at it and smile when I carry it. If I try it on and don't want to put it down, or want to take it to bed and snuggle it (yes I know I'm twisted), that's a good indicator. Sometimes I have trouble defining precisely why, and for most people, I think it's a combination of different things, all converging at a price they find reasonable at the time.

[pixiechic]

Originally Posted by melissatrv

One thing that does bother me is the resale value. I can always resell a Coach bag in good condition for at least half of what I paid, and it will sell quickly. I really bothers me when I see people in this forum all excited about a purchase, do a reveal, and then several weeks later the bag is on bonanzle or ebay. This has nothing to do with the seller, if they want to sell their bag, by all means....but I always wonder why? Why did they fall out of love so fast? Did they not like the bag to begin with...is it something to do with most purchases are sight unseen? And then the bags never fetch close to the price paid and tend to take a long time to sell.

I don't think anyone buys bags they don't like; most of us can't afford to be lemmings to that extent. I've listed a few BEs for sale, bags I was initially delighted with, so I can answer this question:

I resell bags for combination of reasons, some completely unrelated to bags (needing to raise cash for a specific purpose). But your point about buying bags sight-unseen is also a big part of it, when it comes to BE. It is not about being disappointed with BE - every bag I've ordered has wowed me with style, craftsmanship, and quality - but the styles are not always the right fit for me in a practical sense. Unfortunately this is not something I always know immediately, and sometimes I have to carry a bag for a few days or a week to figure it out. Gently-used bags (bespoke or not) can't be returned, and I can't afford to have a lot of Closet Queens, so I resell them and hope they will be adored in their new homes. It is an unfortunate reality that BEs don't have a high resale value, and I've learned to be more selective so I don't lose a lot of $$. It may just be a matter of time until the brand is more well-known, but as a small, independent designer, they may never reach cult status. Of course, that's part of what I love about BE, which makes it a bit of a catch-22.

[kicksarefortwids]

so many good points raised here! also, it's nice to see that a discussion can be had about money that doesn't devolve into a fight.

gga, fantastic point -- spot on.

sgreg, i actually agree with you! while be's customer service is amazing, i tend to make online purchases because i prefer the anonimity.

personally, i consider this price-point high enough to expect to love a bag 100%. frankly, the handmade aspect is lost on me -- i don't really care.

[sandysandiego]

Very well put Pixiechic! This is a very interesting thread - thank you for starting it LoveBags.

[TropicalGal]

I think the cost per use issue that nomoreroom brings up is what it is about for me. I paid a fortune for a certain LV bag, but I use it and love it -- so the cost was okay for me. As I said, I am cutting back my buying enormously now and simplifying my life to get down to five handbags. With two kids in college...I simply cannot justify an $800 handbag when that's one round trip airfare for one of my kids to college. (We live abroad.)

Also, good customer service is not a reason for high prices. You should get good customer service at every price point.

[chica1]

Does Belen Echandia's resale value ever prevent anyone from purchasing from BE or do you all value the fact that only a select few are currently carrying BE? I've never considered selling my bags until TPF so it was never a real option for me in the past.

I'm a pretty urban chica so I can relate to Pixiechic's comments about crime but unfortunately, I'm not much of a utiltarian so I buy only bags, clothes and shoes that make me go wow, comfort be damned.

As far as BEs prices are concerned, the market will decide the appropriate costs. If BE's prices are too high, her sales will decline and she will have to adjust accordingly to stay afloat, but if they are appropriately priced, then her sales will rise. Many of you all are friends of Jackie so you can attest to her business acumen. If she's a good business woman, I'm sure she recognizes this and based on everyone's comments here, we all seem to vote with our pocketbooks.

Since many of you have discussed BE's customer service, I shouldn't neglect to mention how great Rose is. She's a doll!

[lovebags2]

Originally Posted by sandysandiego

Very well put Pixiechic! This is a very interesting thread - thank you for starting it LoveBags.

Aah, what a nice comment!

Well, You know ladies I do agree with the poster that said this is a very healthy discussion for all of us to share. I couldn't agree more.

That said, I think I'm in the dog house now with Jackie for creating this thread. LOL I hope she doesn't think I don't love my BE handbags. That was never the issue. I just wanted to raise a couple questions for all of us to reflect upon further and share our "current" thoughts. For instance, now that the economy has changed what's our views now on BE as opposed to a few years ago? Or how do we feel about BEC and the price increases? Or how do we feel about the wow factor in a handbag? I love hearing various perspectives in life. I suppose the Psy training in me never stops.

This forum is always a great resource when it's a buying frenzy time but it was my intent to "balance" it out a little. Does that make sense?

[lovebags2]

Originally Posted by chica1

Does Belen Echandia's resale value ever prevent anyone from purchasing from BE or do you all value the fact that only a select few are currently carrying BE? I've never considered selling my bags until TPF so it was never a real option for me in the past. I'm a pretty urban chica so I can relate to Pixiechic's comments about crime but unfortunately, I'm not much of a utiltarian so I buy only bags, clothes and shoes that make me go wow, comfort be damned. As far as BEs prices are concerned, the market will decide the appropriate costs. If BE's prices are too high, her sales will decline and she will have to adjust accordingly to stay afloat, but if they are appropriately priced, then her sales will rise. Many of you all are friends of Jackie so you can attest to her business acumen. If she's a good business woman, I'm sure she recognizes this and based on everyone's comments here, we all seem to vote with our pocketbooks. Since many of you have discussed BE's customer service, I shouldn't neglect to mention how great Rose is. She's a doll!

Excellent question. I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on the resale value. It definetely is a factor for me since I enjoy trying a new style but I have the "1 in and 2 out" rule.

Yes, the BE staff is lovely. I agree!

[chica1]

Don't feel bad, Lovebags! This is a great thread! Tell Jackie that this isn't personal. I've seen similiar threads in other forums. I majored in econ so I think this thread is really interesting! I believe that Jackie has every right to price her bags at any price point just like consumers have every right purchase at appropriate prices. Capitalism at its best!

Originally Posted by lovebags2

Aah, what a nice comment! Well, You know ladies I do agree with the poster that said this is a very healthy discussion for all of us to share. I couldn't agree more. That said, I think I'm in the dog house now with Jackie for creating this thread. LOL I hope she doesn't think I don't love my BE handbags. That was never the issue. I just wanted to raise a couple questions for all of us to reflect upon further and share our "current" thoughts. For instance, now that the economy has changed what's our views now on BE as opposed to a few years ago? Or how do we feel about BEC and the price increases? Or how do we feel about the wow factor in a handbag? I love hearing various perspectives in life. I suppose the Psy training in me never stops. This forum is always a great resource when it's a buying frenzy time but it was my intent to "balance" it out a little. Does that make sense?