Hermès Exchange and Return Policy

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#151
charchar888 said:
So I bought some items at Ala Moana. I didn’t receive the proper customer service. It was below expectations. I ended up going to Waikiki where I received exceptional customer service and really connected with the SA. I liked the SA so much I asked if I can return the items I purchased from Ala Moana and repurchase from Waikiki. The Waikiki store manager said store policy doesn’t allow you to return and rebuy the same items. I did not understand that policy. Also new to me, are Hermes returns are only for Hermes store credit. Most luxury brands I have worked with allow returns back to original method of payment. Hermes says store credit only. I guess it’s a smart policy that pads their revenues but not great from a customer perspective. Suffice to say I did buy a Cape Cod watch which I love.
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Chanel and Dior have the same policies in my country - Chanel having the harshest compared to Hermes. If you don’t like dealing with the SA, don’t buy from them.

Different Hermes stores stock different items, hence it kind of complicates things when you really want an item immediately.
 
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#152
charchar888 said:
Most luxury brands I have worked with allow returns back to original method of payment. Hermes says store credit only
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I would never buy anything from an SA who failed to provide courteous and efficient service. I actually don’t care how coveted the item. I also almost never return. But, if I recall correctly, it’s been many years that a free standing premier luxury boutique (chanel, brunello, dior, Dolce, not leased dept store) credited your cc for a return, perhaps to discourage buyers remorse returns (at least in NYC). I believe Gucci does credit back to the original cc, bc my stepbrother made a return this year, and so do major department stores with leased or hybrid space for these brands). I am glad however that you did find a nice SA going forward. :smile:
 
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#156
acrowcounted said:
Buying items at H with the hope of being offered a bag immediately afterwards and then returning said items when it doesn’t happen is an age old time-waster that H tries to prevent by disallowing refunds for returns. If you didn’t like the service, it’d have been better to pass on purchasing the items, and after that point, your option is to just not return to that SA/store. Once an SA successfully assists you in making a purchase, it is unethical, imo, to try to “steal her labor” by returning and repurchasing such that another SA gets the commission. I’m assuming the Waikiki SM feels the same way (as well as playing nicely between stores to keep peace) as the AM store would have easily been able to see the return/repurchase. Congrats on the watch! Feel free to share pics!
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I wasn’t hoping for any bags at the moment. I was more curious as to where all their handbags were since none were on the floor. However, I did want to decorate my home with some pieces I had in mind. I waited for someone to help me and with all the SA around no one did. So I flagged one down since I want to purchase my wishlist items. Never once did the SA at Ala Moana ask if I was interested in anything else, or wanted to try on anything. Next day we went to the Waikiki store to see if they had different inventory. A nice SA approach me and let me know if there’s anything I want to try on to let her know. I did, try on some watches and saw this amazing cape cod. The SA there was so sweet, and told us to take a day to think about it. She wasn’t pushy at all. She is a gem to be so considerate. Needless to say we came back and got my gorgeous watch! As I am learning, I will now stick with this SA that took her time to provide the best service I’ve had with Hermès.

C420590E-777A-4941-84E9-34463BF0D9A8.jpeg
 
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#157
charchar888 said:
I wasn’t hoping for any bags at the moment. I was more curious as to where all their handbags were since none were on the floor. However, I did want to decorate my home with some pieces I had in mind. I waited for someone to help me and with all the SA around no one did. So I flagged one down since I want to purchase my wishlist items. Never once did the SA at Ala Moana ask if I was interested in anything else, or wanted to try on anything. Next day we went to the Waikiki store to see if they had different inventory. A nice SA approach me and let me know if there’s anything I want to try on to let her know. I did, try on some watches and saw this amazing cape cod. The SA there was so sweet, and told us to take a day to think about it. She wasn’t pushy at all. She is a gem to be so considerate. Needless to say we came back and got my gorgeous watch! As I am learning, I will now stick with this SA that took her time to provide the best service I’ve had with Hermès.

View attachment 5650838
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Ooooohhhhh - I absolutely love this watch. Congratulations, you got a real beauty!!
 
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#159
charchar888 said:
I wasn’t hoping for any bags at the moment. I was more curious as to where all their handbags were since none were on the floor. However, I did want to decorate my home with some pieces I had in mind. I waited for someone to help me and with all the SA around no one did. So I flagged one down since I want to purchase my wishlist items. Never once did the SA at Ala Moana ask if I was interested in anything else, or wanted to try on anything. Next day we went to the Waikiki store to see if they had different inventory. A nice SA approach me and let me know if there’s anything I want to try on to let her know. I did, try on some watches and saw this amazing cape cod. The SA there was so sweet, and told us to take a day to think about it. She wasn’t pushy at all. She is a gem to be so considerate. Needless to say we came back and got my gorgeous watch! As I am learning, I will now stick with this SA that took her time to provide the best service I’ve had with Hermès.

View attachment 5650838
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Beautiful watch!!
 
#160
Two days before Christmas I purchased some fine jewelry at an Hermes boutique in Paris. After further consideration, I’ve decided to return this piece and keep looking for the H jewelry item I was originally seeking.

I know it‘s possible to return to my local boutique an item purchased abroad because I once returned an H wallet I purchased in a London H boutique to my local boutique. I think they gave me a boutique credit that I used to purchased a similar item better suited to me from my local boutique. Since then, my local H SA was promoted, then later left H, so I can no longer ask him H policy on returning a purchase made abroad to my local H boutique.

I‘m hoping someone here will know.
 
#161
Per the back of a US receipt, international purchases are only available for exchange and only within 30 days. Not sure if this means like for like exchange (ie trade a size small for the exact same item but size medium) or if it means store credit. Regardless, I would 1) check your receipt to see if there is more info and 2) stop by an Hermes store ASAP as it sounds like you are already very close to the thirty day limit and only the store will be able to tell you with absolute certainty how to proceed. Good luck. ETA - Hermes can also choose to extend this return timeline and/or ignore it completely but that typically happens moreso for known, long time clients so I def wouldn’t count on it if you don’t even have a current home SA.
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#162
acrowcounted said:
Per the back of a US receipt, international purchases are only available for exchange and only within 30 days. Not sure if this means like for like exchange (ie trade a size small for the exact same item but size medium) or if it means store credit. Regardless, I would 1) check your receipt to see if there is more info and 2) stop by an Hermes store ASAP as it sounds like you are already very close to the thirty day limit and only the store will be able to tell you with absolute certainty how to proceed. Good luck. ETA - Hermes can also choose to extend this return timeline and/or ignore it completely but that typically happens moreso for known, long time clients so I def wouldn’t count on it if you don’t even have a current home SA.
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Thank you @arrowcounted. You are spot-on about the 30 days quickly approaching! I just returned from three trips in a row and have yet to unpack my valise. Since the back of the receipt you so kindly posted applies only to purchases made in the US or on Hermes.com, it doesn’t really apply to my query. I wish my memory (or documentation) was stronger since I’ve experienced a very similar situation previously, albeit for a purchase from an H boutique in a different EU country (which is no longer in the EU). That said, H has changed its return policy previously; remember when boutique returns for merchandise credit were for fewer days than granted by Hermes.com? Back in the day, I think boutiques would only give 7 or 10 days as compared to H.com’s 30 days.

I will dig out my receipts, but was hoping with the wealth of experience of tPFers here I might find someone who has recently had a comparable experience and might know the current H policy on returns involving different countries.
 
#163
stillfabulous said:
Thank you @arrowcounted. You are spot-on about the 30 days quickly approaching! I just returned from three trips in a row and have yet to unpack my valise. Since the back of the receipt you so kindly posted applies only to purchases made in the US or on Hermes.com, it doesn’t really apply to my query. I wish my memory (or documentation) was stronger since I’ve experienced a very similar situation previously, albeit for a purchase from an H boutique in a different EU country (which is no longer in the EU). That said, H has changed its return policy previously; remember when boutique returns for merchandise credit were for fewer days than granted by Hermes.com? Back in the day, I think boutiques would only give 7 or 10 days as compared to H.com’s 30 days.

I will dig out my receipts, but was hoping with the wealth of experience of tPFers here I might find someone who has recently had a comparable experience and might know the current H policy on returns involving different countries.
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The second paragraph clearly says “Items purchased abroad…” so I would take that to mean your situation. Either way, I’d try to get to the store immediately, like today. The fewer ”rules” they need to “break” to give you your desired outcome, the easier it will be to get what you want. Oh and if the item you are returning is the silver bracelet you posted about last month, that’s from the silver category, not fine jewelry, which may make the return easier as it’s a “lesser” category. H tends to do whatever they want so even if someone else had an easier time having “exceptions” made, I wouldn’t bank on those being made again for anyone else and would try to get this done as well within the policy guideline as possible (ie expect exchange only and having to be within 30 days).
 
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#164
acrowcounted said:
The second paragraph clearly says “Items purchased abroad…” so I would take that to mean your situation. Either way, I’d try to get to the store immediately, like today. The fewer ”rules” they need to “break” to give you your desired outcome, the easier it will be to get what you want. Oh and if the item you are returning is the silver bracelet you posted about last month, that’s from the silver category, not fine jewelry, which may make the return easier as it’s a “lesser” category. H tends to do whatever they want so even if someone else had an easier time having “exceptions” made, I wouldn’t bank on those being made again for anyone else and would try to get this done as well within the policy guideline as possible (ie expect exchange only and having to be within 30 days).
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I totally missed that “items purchased abroad” phrase. Thank you for pointing it out to me. All good advice, @arrowcounted. I’m on it :)
 
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