Heh, I would've made her climb the ladder, try it on, and then buy it at another shop. IMO, there's no point in giving your cash/commission to a rude SA when there are designer boutiques and more deserving SAs all over the place.I really hate when SA do the "once up and down" look which clearly means "can you afford to buy here or not". Although not Hermes related, I remember being on holiday in Banff a number of years ago as part of a bus tour. I had seen a lovely Cowichan cardigan on a website and popped into the store to see if they had it...
I found it at the back of the shop attached to the wall (on display)..it looked fabulous and I wanted to try it on. So, went looking for a SA. All were Japanese (I'm a pale wee Scottish Lassie) and the LOOK they gave me when I asked for some assistance was pure evil...the conversation went along the lines
"excuse me...I'd like to try on the cardigan on the wall please" (me smiling sweetly)
"It's VERY expensive" (SA)
"Yes, I'm sure it is, but I'd still like to try it on" (me)
"Mmmm" followed by the LOOK then "I don't have another one available"
"OK..so can I try on THAT one " (me pointing and getting slightly annoyed at this stage)
"I'd need to get a stepladder..." (SA not budging as she said this)
"You do that" (I'm starting to loose patience)
"hurrumfph" and she slowly wanders off to get the ladder..even more slowly climbs up it to lift the cardigan down and basically throws it towards me.
I then try it on with hubby saying "oh, it looks really nice" he then looks towards the SA and whispers "can you afford it?" but I see the look of distaste in her face as if to say "I know you can't so get it off your back so I can go back to being beautfiul" She even snorted at this point.
So...I says
"I take it your shop does accept travellers cheques"
She almost choked at this point
"Um...so...you want to BUY it?!" she stammers.
"Of course" I respond
Well, after that she could not have been nicer
"Can I gift wrap it for you madam"..."would you like ribbon" etc..
I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt as it was about 100 degrees outside, carrying a small canvas handbag that had my camera etc in it. OK, not the most glam look I agree but I had been sitting on a bus for most of the day and was going white water rafting later that day so unlikely to be wearing a Chanel suit etc!!
Thing is, I knew I was earning probably 10 times more than she was getting but she deemed me worthless and that made me
As for Hermes SA, the lady in Glasgow (Scotland) is lovely. I bought my first scarf about a month ago and she showed me how to tie it etc. Popped in about a week ago and she remembered me and asked how I was getting on tying it. I said my Mum thought the little book was brilliant so she went into the drawer and handed me one "here, give this to your Mum..Shhh!" she said and grinned. I did buy a scarf and spent a good 20 minutes looking at Agendas etc and she never once made me feel inferior..though I was wearing a suit that time!
I guess there are good and bad SA out there (like there are good and bad police officers, tax inspectors, hairdressers etc). Don't let one bad experience put you off though...
are all Hermes SAs super rude?
- Thread starter lilpicotin
- Start date
That's very gracious of you.thanks for all the replies, guys! i don't want to publicly "out" a particular SA by saying exactly which store i went to this weekend.... but i *would* love a referral for a good SA at madison avenue ...
Really, no matter if you go into a shop wearing a WHAM! t-shirt and wedges, cracking gum, no one should ever be rude. The manager of that particular shop should know. If one of my girls treated a client that way, it would be possible grounds for dismissal. The world is full of too much rudeness.
I would report it to the store also...I've never been to an H store but have called several stores with questions, etc. I've received great help each time.
Alidoll...that incident reminds me of the Rodeo Drive one in Pretty Woman!!!!!!!!!!!
Alidoll...that incident reminds me of the Rodeo Drive one in Pretty Woman!!!!!!!!!!!
I really hate when SA do the "once up and down" look which clearly means "can you afford to buy here or not". Although not Hermes related, I remember being on holiday in Banff a number of years ago as part of a bus tour. I had seen a lovely Cowichan cardigan on a website and popped into the store to see if they had it...
I found it at the back of the shop attached to the wall (on display)..it looked fabulous and I wanted to try it on. So, went looking for a SA. All were Japanese (I'm a pale wee Scottish Lassie) and the LOOK they gave me when I asked for some assistance was pure evil...the conversation went along the lines
"excuse me...I'd like to try on the cardigan on the wall please" (me smiling sweetly)
"It's VERY expensive" (SA)
"Yes, I'm sure it is, but I'd still like to try it on" (me)
"Mmmm" followed by the LOOK then "I don't have another one available"
"OK..so can I try on THAT one " (me pointing and getting slightly annoyed at this stage)
"I'd need to get a stepladder..." (SA not budging as she said this)
"You do that" (I'm starting to loose patience)
"hurrumfph" and she slowly wanders off to get the ladder..even more slowly climbs up it to lift the cardigan down and basically throws it towards me.
I then try it on with hubby saying "oh, it looks really nice" he then looks towards the SA and whispers "can you afford it?" but I see the look of distaste in her face as if to say "I know you can't so get it off your back so I can go back to being beautfiul" She even snorted at this point.
So...I says
"I take it your shop does accept travellers cheques"
She almost choked at this point
"Um...so...you want to BUY it?!" she stammers.
"Of course" I respond
Well, after that she could not have been nicer
"Can I gift wrap it for you madam"..."would you like ribbon" etc..
I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt as it was about 100 degrees outside, carrying a small canvas handbag that had my camera etc in it. OK, not the most glam look I agree but I had been sitting on a bus for most of the day and was going white water rafting later that day so unlikely to be wearing a Chanel suit etc!!
Thing is, I knew I was earning probably 10 times more than she was getting but she deemed me worthless and that made me
As for Hermes SA, the lady in Glasgow (Scotland) is lovely. I bought my first scarf about a month ago and she showed me how to tie it etc. Popped in about a week ago and she remembered me and asked how I was getting on tying it. I said my Mum thought the little book was brilliant so she went into the drawer and handed me one "here, give this to your Mum..Shhh!" she said and grinned. I did buy a scarf and spent a good 20 minutes looking at Agendas etc and she never once made me feel inferior..though I was wearing a suit that time!
I guess there are good and bad SA out there (like there are good and bad police officers, tax inspectors, hairdressers etc). Don't let one bad experience put you off though...
Alidoll, thanks for sharing! I burst into laughter reading your story, but totally understand your frustration... My mom and I spent half an hour plotting ways to get some not-too-destructive revenge (e.g., walk back into the store, announce we wanted to buy like 10 scarves, and then publicly emphasize that we didn't want to work with that evil, evil SA!).
Seriously, there's a reason why shopping can be "retail therapy"... we do it to make ourselves happy, not to get snapped at/judged/made miserable!
I recently had a great experience in Van Cleef & Arpels wearing an old t-shirt and jeans. SA even sent me a thank-you card a few days later even though I probably bought the least expensive item in the shop.
i was at madison a few weeks ago and i was intimidated for sure! i was kind of expecting to be ignored (i was wearing sneakers, capris, you know, touristy stuff). the SAs were very pleasant and i was happy with my service.
i hope your next time will be more fruitful...what a fabulous store!!!!!
i hope your next time will be more fruitful...what a fabulous store!!!!!
All of my Hermes boutique experiences have been miserable because of the nasty SA's. I wish I didn't want a new Plume so badly. We've wondered before if the Hermes SA's are on commission. Maybe these commissions are based upon how many sales a SA can PREVENT--versus how many she/he can facillitate. "Well, let's tally up your results for March. Ah, you chased off 25 customers, eight of which ran off in tears. And best of all, you started the month's inventory with 7 Birkins, we received no shipments from the factor, and now we have 11 Birkins in stock, mostly from rejcted/dejected customers who dropped the Birks they were carrying when they came into the store and don't have the gall to come back for them. HA HA HA!"
I suppose I've been very lucky. I have only been treated with courtesy and most SA's were very helpful (if not very informed). But that is a different matter altogether - I think we at TPF tend to know much more about the brand than many of the employees.
