I'm afraid I'm blackballed, & very sad! :-(

[djmm]

Here was a portion of her email response--

"Your request is, unfortunately, a bit of a long shot. You already well know that our supply is never enough to satisfy the demand. Just as a helpful reminder, I thought I should take the time to explain bag allocation again.
The demand for the Birkins being so high, we have to take various factors into consideration when allocating bags. A long term relationship and a well rounded client profile are a few of the elements we look at when deciding. Hermes being a complete lifestyle brand, with fourteen metiers, we strongly encourage you to look to our other product categories. Our intention is obviously not to pressure clients into useless purchases, but rather to look to us for providing practical, quality items for every aspect of their lives. We know that they will equally enjoy them.
If we were able to offer you this bag, would you be interested in adding other items to your collection? Let me know what you think would best fit your tastes and current needs."




KathyD, Hope you find the bag of your dreams and a nice SA to work with.

I'd probably just tell her to shut her BS trap and go to other boutique.

 

[KathyD]

Great news! I found a wonderful, beautiful, fantastic SA that was willing to spend time explaining things to me! Thanks to you ladies on the Purse Forum, I found a recommended SA, totally different than the one I described earlier. You were absolutely right, and I have something on hold!
Any guesses? You'll have to find out a little later in the week though.

 

[pursecrzy]

Great news! Can't wait to see your reveal!

 

[ouija board]

That's a honkin' big orange box!

 

[ueynah]

RC - in the words of Julie Roberts in Pretty Woman "Big Mistake.... Big Big Mistake..."

ITA! we all know the games some of the H store (SM and SA including) play but to actually put it in writing! Especially in this economy, are they @#^&(*%?

In Taipei, I was point blank told that given the long waitlist (if such a thing exists) that it will be 7-8 years for me to get a birkin, if I ever get one. I was politely recommended to go to France (since I go there for business there anyway) to find one (as if on a dare!?) Since then (1-2 year time), I've bought about 5-6 bags (non birkins including) as well as other items from my lovely SA in France. I couldn't be bothered to confront the SA but from a commission perspective, they are the one losing out and I actually pay better pricing in Europe anyway!

 

[perlerare]

LOL!! Love this post. Here's a recent experience that I had with a Hermes SA....
I was working with a very nice SA at my store in Alaska and over a year or two had bought lots of items, scarves, lindy, evelyne, birkin, belts, bracelets and other small items. I was looking for a particular birkin and called the store to speak to my SA but found that she had left. I'd met another SA my friend deals with and my freind suggested I contact her and gave me that SAs email. I sent a nice note letting her know that my SA had left and my friend recommended her and reminding her that we had met before. I also let her know that I was looking for a certain birkin and to please keep me in mind if she came across one.

Here was a portion of her email response--

"Your request is, unfortunately, a bit of a long shot. You already well know that our supply is never enough to satisfy the demand. Just as a helpful reminder, I thought I should take the time to explain bag allocation again.
The demand for the Birkins being so high, we have to take various factors into consideration when allocating bags. A long term relationship and a well rounded client profile are a few of the elements we look at when deciding. Hermes being a complete lifestyle brand, with fourteen metiers, we strongly encourage you to look to our other product categories. Our intention is obviously not to pressure clients into useless purchases, but rather to look to us for providing practical, quality items for every aspect of their lives. We know that they will equally enjoy them.
If we were able to offer you this bag, would you be interested in adding other items to your collection? Let me know what you think would best fit your tastes and current needs."




KathyD, Hope you find the bag of your dreams and a nice SA to work with.

After reading reactions from other members, may I make this little comment :

- No need to email any manager neither Mr Ch... because they are the ones who actually set the policies and give those intructions to the Sas.
- Some SAs are nicer than others, some act or talk more diplomatically.
But all work for H, all have to push the "metiers" that do not do so well.

I just got a very similar answer yesterday from my local store ( where I spent quite a fortune in various items and some bags in the past ten years) ... some SA gave me the RTW answer in a veiled way. Since I am not exactly a beginner buyer, I got it...but was furious because I bought a lot of those stuff from them in the past. Seems that they won't consider the past anylonger. They consider the current buying activity for each bag they release.

 

[pursemember]

After reading reactions from other members, may I make this little comment :

- No need to email any manager neither Mr Ch... because they are the ones who actually set the policies and give those intructions to the Sas.
- Some SAs are nicer than others, some act or talk more diplomatically.
But all work for H, all have to push the "metiers" that do not do so well.

exactly what i was thinking. these "rules" are not made up by anyone else than H headquarters. maybe they will react to an email and say "sorry madame etc etc" but that is talk in the end the are instructed to act this way from the highest levels. but like perle said it is just that some managers and sa´s are better at wording their guidelines

in the end it is up to you to
-either do not care about the policies because they do not affect you ,
-care about it but suck it up because you want item xy
-hate it and then just not give them your business and turn to another brand

H is what it is and as a private company they can set their rules the way they want it and they are not obliged to sell anything to you at all.

is that fair? probably not but then again is it fair that no everyone has the income or means to shop at them etc.
but in the end you can decide for yourself to support them and those tactics by giving them your money or not

 

[toujours*chic]

exactly what i was thinking. these "rules" are not made up by anyone else than H headquarters. maybe they will react to an email and say "sorry madame etc etc" but that is talk in the end the are instructed to act this way from the highest levels. but like perle said it is just that some managers and sa´s are better at wording their guidelines

in the end it is up to you to
-either do not care about the policies because they do not affect you ,
-care about it but suck it up because you want item xy
-hate it and then just not give them your business and turn to another brand

H is what it is and as a private company they can set their rules the way they want it and they are not obliged to sell anything to you at all.

is that fair? probably not but then again is it fair that no everyone has the income or means to shop at them etc.
but in the end you can decide for yourself to support them and those tactics by giving them your money or not

Well said. I completely agree with many of the points made in this thread. As a longtime customer of Hermes who has spent a small fortune on the brand, I have sadly come to the realization under the current business model that past spending is no longer the VIP metric. At current prices, I cannot afford to spend as I once did. So now I am probably regarded as the riff-raff, ie., anyone without a black AmEx card who spends less than 6 figures per year on Hermes. Hence, I have looked to other brands lately.

My feeling is that it is Hermes' loss when an educated and devoted longtime customer decides to seek greener pastures with less attitude and angst baggage. I do not like to spend money where the hired help looks down their nose at me.

I am glad that the OP has found a more agreeable SA- I hope that person makes your Hermes experience a pleasant one. At these prices, no one should be made to feel unworthy.

 

[IFFAH]

I am glad everything is well now, KathyD. Now, can't wait for the reveal. Hope the mis-experience you've had in the past will not chase you away from the orange side anymore.


A nice experience is welcomed anytime anyday. These SAs are humans and we're humans too where as the saying goes, if we don't want to be treated badly, they too should not behaved badly. Sadly, it's not a courtesy practiced by many. The only option is either to indulge into another brand or look for another SA.


Sadly, it's even sadder that these SAs do not realise that they earn their living from us, customers because Hermes profits come from customers. It's even sadder even with bad treatment and service, some customers continue to stick to the same store and SA to indulge in the fashion house on variation of reasons; no other store within the state, "close one eye" or etc. Due to this, Hermes will continue to earn profits, maybe not in the service level on a wide scale.

 

[IFFAH]

Here was a portion of her email response--

"Your request is, unfortunately, a bit of a long shot. You already well know that our supply is never enough to satisfy the demand. Just as a helpful reminder, I thought I should take the time to explain bag allocation again.
The demand for the Birkins being so high, we have to take various factors into consideration when allocating bags. A long term relationship and a well rounded client profile are a few of the elements we look at when deciding. Hermes being a complete lifestyle brand, with fourteen metiers, we strongly encourage you to look to our other product categories. Our intention is obviously not to pressure clients into useless purchases, but rather to look to us for providing practical, quality items for every aspect of their lives. We know that they will equally enjoy them.
If we were able to offer you this bag, would you be interested in adding other items to your collection? Let me know what you think would best fit your tastes and current needs."




KathyD, Hope you find the bag of your dreams and a nice SA to work with.

Poor use of words. 'Useless'? My goodness.ush: The SA don't have to be grammatically correct in English, at the very basic, use other words. Laughable.


I have to give up a though because the intention is very obvious. At least, the SA doesn't go roundabout making us go "Huh?".

 

[balenciaga-boy]

ZOMG KathyD!!

I'm so happy for you that you have finally found another SA!

Can't wait for your reveal soon...

And sorry for getting an email like that RC. It's sad when our regular SA move/transfer/leaves...

 

[GirlieShoppe]

Great news! I found a wonderful, beautiful, fantastic SA that was willing to spend time explaining things to me! Thanks to you ladies on the Purse Forum, I found a recommended SA, totally different than the one I described earlier. You were absolutely right, and I have something on hold!
Any guesses? You'll have to find out a little later in the week though.

YAY! I can't wait to see it!

 

[GirlieShoppe]

At current prices, I cannot afford to spend as I once did. So now I am probably regarded as the riff-raff, ie., anyone without a black AmEx card who spends less than 6 figures per year on Hermes. Hence, I have looked to other brands lately.

If you're regarded as riff-raff, then I am probably regarded as pond scum or gum on the bottom of a shoe!

 

[KathyD]

I am a nervous wreck right now! Could not sleep last night. This decision is so hard! I've been offered 2 Birkins so fast - almost too fast for me to "try" any out. I'm really stressing over this "large" purchase. Is this normal? Maybe I need more time. I thought I would begin my search less than a month ago, but my head is spinning with doubt on purchasing so fast! Without even trying one on.

 

[Ms_Jade]

Great news! I found a wonderful, beautiful, fantastic SA that was willing to spend time explaining things to me! Thanks to you ladies on the Purse Forum, I found a recommended SA, totally different than the one I described earlier. You were absolutely right, and I have something on hold!
Any guesses? You'll have to find out a little later in the week though.

YAAAYYYY!!!! So happy for you! Can't wait to see your reveal.

ETA: I see your above post. It's ok to take plenty of time to figure out what you want. Better to do that than have buyers remorse. Good luck with your decision. Lucky you to have two Birkins to choose from!