Very entertaining stories! I must say I'm also secretly entertained by the thought that some forum users might even recognize themselves from somebody else's story or have overheard the same situation 
Overheard Hermès
- Thread starter hermesgeek
- Start date
While I was at the flagship store today, I overheard a couple asking for quota bags. The SA politely mentioned that the only bags available was Herbag and Halzan....
And after some long conversation which I did not really overhear as my own SA was showing me a wallet....
Then, when my SA went off to find another color of my wallet....I overhead this:
----------Husband of the lady beside me said 'IS THIS EVEN A STORE???? Why are there so many bags my wife wants but nothing is for sale????'
-----------I was trying not to laugh when I noticed his wife grabbed his hand to calm him down. hee hee. Seems like he did not see 'not for sale' signs on all those gorgeous Kelly bags beside them, tempting them.
And after some long conversation which I did not really overhear as my own SA was showing me a wallet....
Then, when my SA went off to find another color of my wallet....I overhead this:
----------Husband of the lady beside me said 'IS THIS EVEN A STORE???? Why are there so many bags my wife wants but nothing is for sale????'
-----------I was trying not to laugh when I noticed his wife grabbed his hand to calm him down. hee hee. Seems like he did not see 'not for sale' signs on all those gorgeous Kelly bags beside them, tempting them.
I really do miss the good old days of the sales at Soiffer Haskin... I managed to snag two bags one year.OMG the sales….so much grabbing.
So many regrets, I remember a shelf of vibrato bags….
This isn't overheard, but a funny story from a September sale there many years ago. My friend works over on Madison Avenue and stopped in on her lunch hour to check out the scarves. I passed her on the stairwell - she was exiting with a small bag as I was just getting in and we exchanged pleasantries. About an hour later, I saw her rushing back in with her bag as she headed to the payment desk. Apparently she had picked up a scarf from a counter, purchased it, and got all the way back to work only to discover no tag, and a strong odor of perfume. So when she returned it, she learned she had purchased one of the sales associates' personal scarves that had somehow been left on the counter...
I wonder if Soiffer Haskin will come back. I went once but shoulda bought a ton more had I known it wouldn't be back.
My husband and I were sitting down waiting for our purchase to cash out.
Customer: How much is this belt?
SA: <Price>
Customer: How much is this belt?
SA: <Price>
Customer: How about this one?
SA: <Price>
Customer: Is there a cheaper one?
SA: Perhaps, you can share what style you are looking for and I can assist you.
Customer: I want to buy a Birkin.
SA: I am sorry. It is a wish list item.
Customer: I want that one (points to my bag which I had sitting on the ledge).
SA: That is a Birkin 25 but it belongs to the customer.
Customer: How long do I have to wait?
SA: It is a while.
Customer: 6 months?
SA: Perhaps. I cannot say.
I wish I could listen longer but I had to go pay. The SA was very patient.
Customer: How much is this belt?
SA: <Price>
Customer: How much is this belt?
SA: <Price>
Customer: How about this one?
SA: <Price>
Customer: Is there a cheaper one?
SA: Perhaps, you can share what style you are looking for and I can assist you.
Customer: I want to buy a Birkin.
SA: I am sorry. It is a wish list item.
Customer: I want that one (points to my bag which I had sitting on the ledge).
SA: That is a Birkin 25 but it belongs to the customer.
Customer: How long do I have to wait?
SA: It is a while.
Customer: 6 months?
SA: Perhaps. I cannot say.
I wish I could listen longer but I had to go pay. The SA was very patient.
A story I was told by an SA working at Faubourg :
A client from another country came to the boutique to buy a B30. She was lucky enough to be offered one and bought the bag right away.
A few days later the client sent an email to the boutique complaining that they have sold her a B25 instead of B30 and that she is mad that she had to pay more for the smaller bag.
The email was forwarded to the SA who sold her the bag and was asked to resolve the issue with the client. The SA was sure that the bag was a B30 because it fitted perfectly inside the box that had a B30 sticker written on it.
She replied back to the client saying how did she figure out that her bag was size 25 which she replied back saying that she measured the bag using a measuring tape.
After some hard thinking the SA sent a picture of her measuring a B30 using a measuring tape and requested that the client send her a picture.
It turned out that she was measuring it from its side and not the front.
A client from another country came to the boutique to buy a B30. She was lucky enough to be offered one and bought the bag right away.
A few days later the client sent an email to the boutique complaining that they have sold her a B25 instead of B30 and that she is mad that she had to pay more for the smaller bag.
The email was forwarded to the SA who sold her the bag and was asked to resolve the issue with the client. The SA was sure that the bag was a B30 because it fitted perfectly inside the box that had a B30 sticker written on it.
She replied back to the client saying how did she figure out that her bag was size 25 which she replied back saying that she measured the bag using a measuring tape.
After some hard thinking the SA sent a picture of her measuring a B30 using a measuring tape and requested that the client send her a picture.
It turned out that she was measuring it from its side and not the front.
Overheard in store while waiting to be served by my SA.
Client: So do you have any mini kelly?
SA: Unfortunately we do not have any available right now.
Client: When will you have them available?
SA: I cannot give an exact timeframe.
Client: Typically how long would I have to wait for one?
SA: That depends on a number of factors. Some colours take longer because they are very popular.
Client: So how long overall?
SA: I really cannot say.
Client leaves without purchasing anything.
I mean at that point in time I really wanted to tell her read between the lines!! It's not just about how long you sit around waiting on some magical non-existent "Waitlist".
Client: So do you have any mini kelly?
SA: Unfortunately we do not have any available right now.
Client: When will you have them available?
SA: I cannot give an exact timeframe.
Client: Typically how long would I have to wait for one?
SA: That depends on a number of factors. Some colours take longer because they are very popular.
Client: So how long overall?
SA: I really cannot say.
Client leaves without purchasing anything.
I mean at that point in time I really wanted to tell her read between the lines!! It's not just about how long you sit around waiting on some magical non-existent "Waitlist".
This experience was several years ago in the Barcelona store (before the remodel) at a time when getting offered a quota bag was much easier:
A couple had accumulated a large shopping haul that day. I saw the woman just swiftly trying on scarves against her body and saying she'll take this and that. The total came out to 22,000 EUR and she was asking the saleswoman to convert the euro amount into her home currency which the kind and patient saleswoman immediately obliged. I left the area and ended up walking pass them again and I assumed the woman popped the question regarding bags since the saleswoman had said this was all they could offer her which was a dark brown Garden Party...in toile! I saw the woman's face turn blank and was silent. Maybe it was her dream bag? I was not present to know how the conversation transpired after that. I mean, I didn't want to be too nosy
Wish I could of told her to hop over to Lyon, Aix en Provence, Bordeaux, ect and spend 3K to 5K on anything and get offered a QB easily as a walk-in customer (this was the case years ago- not so much presently
A couple had accumulated a large shopping haul that day. I saw the woman just swiftly trying on scarves against her body and saying she'll take this and that. The total came out to 22,000 EUR and she was asking the saleswoman to convert the euro amount into her home currency which the kind and patient saleswoman immediately obliged. I left the area and ended up walking pass them again and I assumed the woman popped the question regarding bags since the saleswoman had said this was all they could offer her which was a dark brown Garden Party...in toile! I saw the woman's face turn blank and was silent. Maybe it was her dream bag? I was not present to know how the conversation transpired after that. I mean, I didn't want to be too nosy
Wish I could of told her to hop over to Lyon, Aix en Provence, Bordeaux, ect and spend 3K to 5K on anything and get offered a QB easily as a walk-in customer (this was the case years ago- not so much presently
I'll bet she wasn't silent for longThis experience was several years ago in the Barcelona store (before the remodel) at a time when getting offered a quota bag was much easier:
A couple had accumulated a large shopping haul that day. I saw the woman just swiftly trying on scarves against her body and saying she'll take this and that. The total came out to 22,000 EUR and she was asking the saleswoman to convert the euro amount into her home currency which the kind and patient saleswoman immediately obliged. I left the area and ended up walking pass them again and I assumed the woman popped the question regarding bags since the saleswoman had said this was all they could offer her which was a dark brown Garden Party...in toile! I saw the woman's face turn blank and was silent. Maybe it was her dream bag? I was not present to know how the conversation transpired after that. I mean, I didn't want to be too nosy
Wish I could of told her to hop over to Lyon, Aix en Provence, Bordeaux, ect and spend 3K to 5K on anything and get offered a QB easily as a walk-in customer (this was the case years ago- not so much presently
Not overheard but directed at me:
Me a couple years ago asking for a Calvi in the Berlin KaDeWe store. The SA looked at me blank asking what a „KaDeWe card case“ was.
Me today asking for a Calvi Duo (there is a scheme
). The SA did not have any, neither did she have any „Barrista coin purses“.
Me a couple years ago asking for a Calvi in the Berlin KaDeWe store. The SA looked at me blank asking what a „KaDeWe card case“ was.
Me today asking for a Calvi Duo (there is a scheme
). The SA did not have any, neither did she have any „Barrista coin purses“.
A few years ago I was looking at ties at the Madison men’s store with my husband. A woman raced in, saw the sales associate who was working with us, and interrupted to say: “Thank God you’re here - I MUST spend $3000 today.”
Still trying to figure out
1. Why
2. Why $3k
Still trying to figure out
1. Why
2. Why $3k
Maybe its like a credit card offer, like spend $x in the first 90 days and get $x back on your next statement?
That may have been my wife. Her beast comes out and just HAS to spend some money to feed it
Before someone shares my embarrassing attempt- from my perspective:
Me: Hey I've been here for an hour, I was trying too look for a Constance? I'm not really sure who to ask.
SA: It's alright, have you been with us before? I can help you set up a profile (or something like that)
Me: Thank you but I don't need one, I'm looking for a Constance not a Birkin or anything especially unique. I'm really looking for the pink or caramel ones. Its color is like a Starbucks latte. I think there's one called Chai but its actually a touch darker.
SA: ...
SA: *literally just walked away*
Me: Oh sorry. Did you have them in stock?
Me: ...
Me: *realizes she's started talking to to someone else*
Me: *just kinda walks out the store*
ugh embarrassing
Me: Hey I've been here for an hour, I was trying too look for a Constance? I'm not really sure who to ask.
SA: It's alright, have you been with us before? I can help you set up a profile (or something like that)
Me: Thank you but I don't need one, I'm looking for a Constance not a Birkin or anything especially unique. I'm really looking for the pink or caramel ones. Its color is like a Starbucks latte. I think there's one called Chai but its actually a touch darker.
SA: ...
SA: *literally just walked away*
Me: Oh sorry. Did you have them in stock?
Me: ...
Me: *realizes she's started talking to to someone else*
Me: *just kinda walks out the store*
ugh embarrassing