Hermes Hawaii

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You can not purchase goods in the duty free shop if you fly domestic since they send what you buy plane side for pickup. I should have mentioned this. I am not aware of Hermes duty free shop at HNL. Only visited the one in Waikiki. The last time was 2012. Things may have changed.
 
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Hello Hawaiian Hermes Fans :wave:

I am hopefully going to be in Hawaii in January for a stopover on my way home to Australia (after 6 years im being kicked out of Canada!). Im wondering what the pricing is like there, is it more competitive than the mainland US? I ask because last year i bought a bag from LV that was cheaper, before tax, than the USD price on their website. Im wondering if i should buy up before i leave Canada, or if it will be cheaper to buy in Hawaii (scarves, enamels etc, alas no bags for me just yet!)? Sales tax is not really the issue as i only pay 5% where i am. Im hoping to get a few nice things before i leave here as H is sooo expensive in Australia :p

Thanks in advance for your help!

I am so sorry to hear that you have to go back home! If you are stopping over at the Honolulu airport, there is a small Hermes duty free boutique inside DFS. The price is the same as every where else in US. Only difference is you don't pay tax. Do keep in mind this boutique closes early daily. Last June I had a stop over around 6pm. Was planning on shopping but the boutique had already closed even though H.com stated that the store closes later. If you compare the prices on Canada H.com and US H.com you will see that most things are cheaper in US. Without paying tax, you definitely will save money buying at the duty free. However, Canadian $ is weak now. If you are going to exchange Canadian $ to US $ for the purchase then you will have to factor in the exchange rate to see if certain items will land you any savings. I can tell you even with weak Canadian $ you will still save on CSGMs but you will pay more for 90cm silk. Another thing to keep in mind is that you won't know what the stock level is like at the duty free store. If you are stopping over for a few days then you could visit the two big H boutiques there. The stock level is normally much better than boutiques in Canada.

You are lucky that you only have to pay GST. I wish I could pay 5% instead of 12%! If there is any certain items you really want, you might want to consider whether it would be better to have the SA in your local boutique find them for you before you leave. Hope this helps.:smile1:
 
I am so sorry to hear that you have to go back home! If you are stopping over at the Honolulu airport, there is a small Hermes duty free boutique inside DFS. The price is the same as every where else in US. Only difference is you don't pay tax. Do keep in mind this boutique closes early daily. Last June I had a stop over around 6pm. Was planning on shopping but the boutique had already closed even though H.com stated that the store closes later. If you compare the prices on Canada H.com and US H.com you will see that most things are cheaper in US. Without paying tax, you definitely will save money buying at the duty free. However, Canadian $ is weak now. If you are going to exchange Canadian $ to US $ for the purchase then you will have to factor in the exchange rate to see if certain items will land you any savings. I can tell you even with weak Canadian $ you will still save on CSGMs but you will pay more for 90cm silk. Another thing to keep in mind is that you won't know what the stock level is like at the duty free store. If you are stopping over for a few days then you could visit the two big H boutiques there. The stock level is normally much better than boutiques in Canada.



You are lucky that you only have to pay GST. I wish I could pay 5% instead of 12%! If there is any certain items you really want, you might want to consider whether it would be better to have the SA in your local boutique find them for you before you leave. Hope this helps.:smile1:


Thank you so much, Snarfy! That was exactly the info I was after :) alas I guess I'll have to buy up big before I leave here, I think with the exchange rate I'll mostly be better off, though hey if a csgm should take my fancy in hawaii I'll manage I guess! I'm very sad to leave Canada (and ab's low tax haha) but I'm trying to focus on Hawaii and how nice (and hot!) it will be in jan :) thank you again, Snarfy, I really appreciate it.
 
footloose, I go to Hawaii every year. Some H items are cheaper here in Canada because the price didn't increase on some of these items early this year. 90 silks, Ulysse agenda, some silver jewelry for example. The CSGMs used to be almost $200 cheaper in the US but with the weaker Canadian dollar, the prices are only about $50 difference now so get it wherever you can find the pattern. Sorry to hear you're leaving Canada but at least it'll be very warm and sunny in Australia when we get blizzards here.
 
I was just there a week and half ago and both stores had tons of SLGS and CDCs but no great bags. I even bought some stuff (shoes, SLGs) before asking about the bags in both stores and neither had any. First for me! Usually I score in Hawaii! Part of the problem could have been that the SA at Ala Moana figured out that i have a local SA cause after that, she was definitely not as helpful. In the past I kept it pretty low key that I don't show at a particular store.

Oh and I confirmed at the duty free Hermes in the airport that I couldn't buy anything cause I was flying domestic.
 
I was just there a week and half ago and both stores had tons of SLGS and CDCs but no great bags. I even bought some stuff (shoes, SLGs) before asking about the bags in both stores and neither had any. First for me! Usually I score in Hawaii! Part of the problem could have been that the SA at Ala Moana figured out that i have a local SA cause after that, she was definitely not as helpful. In the past I kept it pretty low key that I don't show at a particular store.

Oh and I confirmed at the duty free Hermes in the airport that I couldn't buy anything cause I was flying domestic.


Looking forward to see your loot from Hawaii!! 😍😊😍
By any chance...what do you mean by the SA knew that you have a local SA (in HI also or somewhere else??) and then she's not as helpful? I wonder why, since she will get the commission. Sorry...I was just wondering 😁😁😁
 
Looking forward to see your loot from Hawaii!! 😍😊😍
By any chance...what do you mean by the SA knew that you have a local SA (in HI also or somewhere else??) and then she's not as helpful? I wonder why, since she will get the commission. Sorry...I was just wondering 😁😁😁

No problem! I meant halfway during my shopping with her, she asked about where I usually buy my Hermes stuff from since I was carrying a Kelly and wearing a CDC and I mentioned my local store in California. She then asked which SA I worked with and i gave the name. Turns out she's friends with the person! Small world...so then she stopped being as helpful. I wasn't sure if it's because she didn't want to take away from her friend or that I already have an SA so I should be just going through that person? Either way, even during payment I asked if she wanted my name to add the purchases on my account and she said no. So my receipt doesn't even have my name and customer number like normal! It's almost like she didn't want her friend to find out I've been shopping with her in Hawaii if he ever pulled my account history. Anyways, my situation was unique and in the many times I shopped in Hawaii, this has never happened.
 
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