This may be the wrong thread, but….how is a newer client supposed to establish a consistent profile while spending appropriately when the boutiques are low on inventory across all departments? RTW and shoes - sizes not available; tableware- not available; fine jewelry selection/sizes - not available (in my price range). Any advice?
What to Spend Money On When There's Nothing to Buy?
- Thread starter bags4nicole
- Start date
Expand your interests.
Kidding, kind of. We are all in this same situation so just buy what you love, ask for items you love even if you don’t see them in the store (SAs can sometimes source them for you), and be open to suggestions and new categories.you will find out very soon that shopping at hermes is also a lot about luck...
It’s a fair comment and also applicable to more established clients who already have large or near-complete collections of the things they love. It’s one of the many reasons why I wish they’d introduce more innovation and variety in departments like shoes and home. Very hard to build or maintain your profile (pre-spend) if there’s nothing to buy.
Keep an eye on the website, when you go into store ask for your SA to order the items you like that are available off the website if they are not available in store. I do this sparingly though since they do prefer buying from in-stock inventory.
Totally! It is looking like slow and steady will win the race. Maybe I need that custom saddle JK, I am not in a rush. The good thing is my SA is amazing and very patient.Expand your interests.
I am realizing this! I would love to waltz in and purchase a Vday gift for myself and bring it home same day…..a girl can dream
There is always such difficulty shopping at Hermes. Try to go in at the start of the calendar month. If they like you, they will make the items available to you.
Stores get deliveries multiple times a week and aren’t holding inventory for the start of the new month. Also, most of these “no stock” responses for non-bag items are genuinely out of stock items. “Liking” the client has nothing to do with it. They can’t make available an item that is sold out no matter how much ”they like you”. Let’s not turn bait item sold-out status into a judgement on the client…
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Yes they do! I also text my SA a few weeks before i intend to come in with a small list of items i’m looking for and hope to purchase at the appt. I tell him what week i will be coming in and then we narrow down the day and time later. (I don’t live very close to the boutique.)
I find this really increases the probability that i will walk out with at least one thing i am looking for because he has a chance to check current inventory and hold it for me, or keep an eye out for them when new shipments come in!
Then why is the customer being polite and nice always one of the advices being dished out at the other thread to maintain a relationship with the sales associate? Isn’t it to be well liked and not a nuisance so that a customer gets offered what he/she wants?
Anyway, things can be sold out. But whether SAs go the extra mile to source for an item a customer want or offer close alternatives is depending on how well liked the customer is to hold the long term relationship. Thought that’s the H philosophy.
Because that's literally just basic human decency and while it shouldn't need to be spelled out, I'm routinely shocked at how many people can't figure that out.
I mean, yeah, if you want to make it purely transactional. But honestly? You should just be polite and considerate because you're dealing with another person, whether that's your SA at H or the guy cleaning the street outside the store or an anonymous person on a message board.
Of course it’s a benefit in all things in life to be well liked. However, your post’s implication was that folks are being lied to about stock levels of basic items like RTW sizes, homeware items, etc because they aren’t favored clients. My point was that these non-bag items are genuinely famously sold out across the board in many cases and the client’s reputation has no bearing on that factual sold-out status.
I will add though that when I was a new customer, when I asked for more popular items often it was an “out of stock “ response. Now as I’ve been with my SA for longer, it’s become “let me check the stock in the back.” They definitely keep more sought after items in the back, often already spoken for by existing client. I suspect also to reduce resale. As a new client they don’t know what your intentions are. I don’t think it’s nefarious. And like @acrowcounted said, often times it is truly out of stock. But also, as an evolving brand, they want their customers to try new things too other than the popular items.
Shopping at Hermes is about having the money, the time, the relationship and also the luck.
Shopping at Hermes is about having the money, the time, the relationship and also the luck.