Article: How Hermes Fights Discounts with Fire

beaumonde

beaumonde

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May 17, 2006
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#1
How Hermes Fights Discounts with Fire

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200901/200901230014.html

Hermes Korea burns some of its luxury goods every summer and winter.
Sample clothes, shoes and scarves worn for fashion shows, photo shoots, and sponsorship as well as unsold items face the bitter fate, all to preserve the luxury image rather than suffer the indignity of being sold at a bargain price. "If we sell unsold items cheap, it could damage our brand image and reputation. That's why we burn these items," a Hermes staffer said.

Hermes has a "no sale" policy, in contrast to other luxury brands that flog samples and unsold items at 30 to 50 percent discounts.

How Hermes deals with unsold items can vary from one country to another, but a majority of Hermes overseas branches choose to burn them. "Burning unsold items is a highly sophisticated way of marketing to preserve and maintain a luxury brand image," a professional associated with luxury brands claimed.

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#8
H also destroys sale items that do not sell. i forget what the discount percentage is, but if it doesn't sell at xxx% off, it goes to NY to be destroyed. this is what the BH H said at last season's sale. very sad.
 
#9
I'd love to see the person who holds that job. And the one who does body checks to make sure no one walks off with a few sweet stowaways....
 
#10
i think this is revolting. why cant they cut out the labels and donate the items to the organizations that outfit woman trying to get into the job market from drug recovery and prison programs? or something else similar...
 
#12
But I thought Hermes DID have sale items? :confused1:

I did wonder about that - since even though H does have a few sales, they're not as big on them as other luxury brands. They definitely don't go the outlet route. But it's so wasteful. :sad:
 
#13
I agree with Hermesaholic. I feel this crosses the line between exclusivity/luxury and into senseless wastefulness. I find that really distasteful, TBH.

Especially in times like these... I have never, and will never, be made to feel guilty in buying and enjoying my H items because of the financial problems of others, but to think that these items are being thrown away and burned to protect a brand's identity when people are going hungry is really disturbing.
 
#14
Wow. I'm at a loss for words. I can kind of see where they're coming from to maintain their luxury image, but the waste...oh, the waste...:confused1: Surely there are better and more economical ways to do so?
 
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