The thing is, if I spend $12,000 at a Four Seasons hotel or on a first class flight- I'd be treated very well. If I went to Cartier with thousands of dollars, they'd be happy to sell to me. These are 'exclusive' brands that don't act like jerks.
A Birkin / Kelly does not cost $12,000. It costs $12,000 PLUS all the scarves, leather goods, belts, weird things that you wouldn't have bought if you weren't interested in the B K. It's a classic trick called 'upselling' except at Hermes its done in a weird, insulting way. A reseller will sell you a B K for extra thousands- but to me, it sounds worth it. You get to pick the colour and shape. You don't have all this random crap around your house. You don't have to beg or convince someone.
For me, there is no way the experience is 'worth it'. It sounds very stressful and boring, to be honest. Sounds like begging. Idk about everyone else, but I don't feel 'exclusive' when I beg.
Your choice at the end of the day- but to act as if Hermes aren't a bit snotty is strange. You are paying a premium, so you do deserve fantastic customer service.
I so agree with all of this. I have exactly zero interest in buying current Birkins, Kellys, or Constances-- my preference is simply for vintage bags, for many reasons-- but I find it incredibly distasteful simply
knowing that Hermes expects certain clients at certain boutiques to genuflect for a handbag. I still end up shopping there, but I buy according to my own tastes and desires, and there is nothing Hermes can give me or withhold from me that will alter my behavior. I will never
need anything they have, and I've walked out of boutiques carefree and without regret when they've tried to game me or simply failed to provide adequate service.
IMO it's completely reasonable for someone who does want the modern bags to feel frustrated, thwarted, disgusted, and any number of other things. It's certainly economically feasible for Hermes right now to say (as many on this thread have said), "We don't care about you if you don't like our games; go shop elsewhere," but the key is: RIGHT NOW they can say that. I, too, remember the days of walking in to a boutique and seeing BBKs sitting on the shelves for weeks. Those days
will come again, and Hermes better hope they are sitting on so many billions that they don't need to care when some other status symbol comes along to ***** the Birkin. I don't say that because I think their bags are
only status symbols. I do believe in the craftsmanship and inherent value of the bags I own. I say it because at the end of the day, quality and service is what keeps clients loyal after fashion and conspicuous consumption have hopped on to something else-- as they always do, by their nature. And it's not clear to me that Hermes is offering the appropriate level of quality and service these days.
And I also agree with the point that
@jmen made subtly, which is that this kind of corporate policy opens the door to all kinds of racism and other types of bigotry, when you get to choose who "deserves" your bags. I've benefited from that bigotry in the past. It doesn't make me feel like I accomplished anything.
