Some of the above comments remind me of something my grandma used to say when I was younger. I'm sure there's something similar in most cultures. Two wrongs don't make a right.
Lining up for Hermes - thoughts, rants, raves
- Thread starter mistikat
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I'm pleased to see that Hermes has stepped up and handled it so well (along with the Paris police who have my full respect.) They went the extra mile to provide security in the morning hours before the store opens to continue to serve their customers. I think they handled a situation that was unexpectedly and rapidly growing out of control quite well. So I hope we can give them credit for doing so and stop blaming them for a situation that I'm absolutely certain they did not welcome or predict.
What is considered a reasonable time to line up though? And if it is 8am for example, how will they keep people from lining up before? How will they keep people from congregating waiting to line up?
Sorry, but I don't see this solving the problem that Hermes created for itself. There is a first come first serve queue now. People want these coveted bags, want to get them on their trip to Paris, and have heard there is better luck getting an H or K if you are early in line. This problem simply will not go away. Keep in mind we're talking about a brand that is known for having the most expensive bags sold at auction, and other auctioned/resale bags going well over double retail.
I am surprised by some reactions in this thread as well. Just because Hermes is high end and exclusive does not mean that its above other people attempting to profit in some way. I mean how about the reseller market for Hermes, the bag flippers? I just really don't see how when a brand like Hermes starts a line system, anyone expects this will just be some sort of easy answer.
Sorry, but I don't see this solving the problem that Hermes created for itself. There is a first come first serve queue now. People want these coveted bags, want to get them on their trip to Paris, and have heard there is better luck getting an H or K if you are early in line. This problem simply will not go away. Keep in mind we're talking about a brand that is known for having the most expensive bags sold at auction, and other auctioned/resale bags going well over double retail.
I am surprised by some reactions in this thread as well. Just because Hermes is high end and exclusive does not mean that its above other people attempting to profit in some way. I mean how about the reseller market for Hermes, the bag flippers? I just really don't see how when a brand like Hermes starts a line system, anyone expects this will just be some sort of easy answer.
I guess we will have to see in the coming days whether the Paris police continue to tell people to move along and not loiter or camp out. If they stop them from congregating before 8 am when security is available to supervise the line the problem will be much improved. Perhaps with the addition of a velvet rope to keep the line contained.
As I said, this won't stop the resellers. That's a much more difficult and separate issue. But I hope it will help level the playing field a bit. And it will avoid the public safety issues which are quite real. I don't have any problem with people making a buck as long as they aren't hurting others.
The only alternative is to stop selling bags to walk ins without a purchase history, and many people think that would be a shame.
As I said, this won't stop the resellers. That's a much more difficult and separate issue. But I hope it will help level the playing field a bit. And it will avoid the public safety issues which are quite real. I don't have any problem with people making a buck as long as they aren't hurting others.
The only alternative is to stop selling bags to walk ins without a purchase history, and many people think that would be a shame.
But how do you think a civil 8 am line up will happen? That's my question here. Let's say they set the time at 8am : but you want to be the first one at 8am so you arrive at 7 just to be sure. They tell you you can't line up yet (that's going off of someone being there). So you wander but stay close. How many people will have the same mentality? At 8 am it's a rush to the front?
Excellent question. I guess we will have to see. If that happens they will clearly have to react and I predict they will stop selling to walkins. I agree with you that might very well be what happens. But it would be a shame to see a few people who can't behave well ruin it for everyone else. But can you think of any other solution?
Honestly, having shopped and interacted with people at FSH for several years now I can tell you that they didn't welcome this. They honestly thought they were doing a good thing by implementing the new system so people were not forced to spend the whole day in line and customers who wanted to buy other things could have access, and they have been concerned as the problem grew.
Indeed i had that concern as well. When no line can be formed before 8, people will probably just wander around an hour before and run up when the clock strikes. If this situation taught me anything, it is how animalistic people can become in these situations. :/
In all cases i suppose when line sitters do come back (worst case scenario if police stop monitoring) and start selling 1 for 1, to be honest, i can't say they are dealing unfairly, as they were before when they were selling 1 spot 10 times over. In the end then they would at that point be fairly selling their own time spent there. It is not an illegal business whatsover.
Now that i am thinking about it, they would surely be smarter then me (me? I? Excuse me, English is not my first language hehe), considering they are then making money waiting, while i spent hours waiting to please be allowed to spend mine. Lol. Lets hope it won't come to that again.
As for the reseller situation,
I find it a bit funny (not in a disrespectful way) when i see the remarks pop up about no longer selling to walk ins solving the problem (for as far as that can even be called a problem)
I think many people don't realize proffesional resell companies have enormous buying power and know How H works better than any of us, as it is their business to know. They have employees and personal shoppers buy H accesoiries from shoes, scarves to key chains to even clothing on a large scale, which they then sell for a relatively small profit to resellers in Asia. On top that gets them vip status on multiple passports/names. I know because i used to be a personal shopper and i worked with many resellers when i had to obtain an impossible to get B's or K's for my clients.
I was talking to an ex collegue who now works in Paris on behalf of a London based luxury concierge company, and she said they let her spend plus min 5000 every 2 to 3 weeks on scarves, shoes and such, just to maintain her vip status. Ofcourse these items are not hers to keep and get resold. They have multiple employees who do the same for them.
Professional reseller Companies, i assure you, would in fact rather have a system where B's and K's are no longer sold to walk in clients. That would make them florish even more, as it eliminates the small scale competition (people buying a few bags per year to make an extra buck) as well as actual H fans/clients hoping to score a bag while on vacation.
In all cases i suppose when line sitters do come back (worst case scenario if police stop monitoring) and start selling 1 for 1, to be honest, i can't say they are dealing unfairly, as they were before when they were selling 1 spot 10 times over. In the end then they would at that point be fairly selling their own time spent there. It is not an illegal business whatsover.
Now that i am thinking about it, they would surely be smarter then me (me? I? Excuse me, English is not my first language hehe), considering they are then making money waiting, while i spent hours waiting to please be allowed to spend mine. Lol. Lets hope it won't come to that again.
As for the reseller situation,
I find it a bit funny (not in a disrespectful way) when i see the remarks pop up about no longer selling to walk ins solving the problem (for as far as that can even be called a problem)
I think many people don't realize proffesional resell companies have enormous buying power and know How H works better than any of us, as it is their business to know. They have employees and personal shoppers buy H accesoiries from shoes, scarves to key chains to even clothing on a large scale, which they then sell for a relatively small profit to resellers in Asia. On top that gets them vip status on multiple passports/names. I know because i used to be a personal shopper and i worked with many resellers when i had to obtain an impossible to get B's or K's for my clients.
I was talking to an ex collegue who now works in Paris on behalf of a London based luxury concierge company, and she said they let her spend plus min 5000 every 2 to 3 weeks on scarves, shoes and such, just to maintain her vip status. Ofcourse these items are not hers to keep and get resold. They have multiple employees who do the same for them.
Professional reseller Companies, i assure you, would in fact rather have a system where B's and K's are no longer sold to walk in clients. That would make them florish even more, as it eliminates the small scale competition (people buying a few bags per year to make an extra buck) as well as actual H fans/clients hoping to score a bag while on vacation.
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You misunderstand. I do not think that if they stop selling to walkins they will stop the reseller problem. As I said, that's a completely different issue and not an easy one to solve. I believe everything you are saying about reselling networks.
What I think it will solve is the physical mess that is the line, the commotion, the chance for arguments and violence and yes access to the store for those of us who want to shop for other things peacefully.
I have no problem with the concept of selling a spot in the line for a 1-1 swap peacefully without making a commotion but that isn't what was happening here. So the line sellers ruined it for themselves. Having heard the descriptions and seen the photos of what was going on I personally would never have stood in that line nor paid a line sitter because I would be contributing to a difficult situation.
What I think it will solve is the physical mess that is the line, the commotion, the chance for arguments and violence and yes access to the store for those of us who want to shop for other things peacefully.
I have no problem with the concept of selling a spot in the line for a 1-1 swap peacefully without making a commotion but that isn't what was happening here. So the line sellers ruined it for themselves. Having heard the descriptions and seen the photos of what was going on I personally would never have stood in that line nor paid a line sitter because I would be contributing to a difficult situation.
Megs I just want to point out again in case you didn't see my previous post. They didn't just start the line. They had it for years. It got out of control because of the increased demand and declining euro. But it's not new.
I agree with you. 
The system being as it is now isn't working. At all. I'm also quite surprised people living in the street and the city of Paris are not objecting tbh.
My humble opinion is that they should look into how Louis Vuitton manages their queue when there is a limited edition bag or pop up event. They walk past the queue right before opening, to let everyone physically register on the company ipads and then they just draw an x number of people from the queue to get appointed an SA.
Ofcourse that system too has it's flaws and disadvantages, as well as room for improvement, but it would eliminate line sitters, it would not give resellers a head start, and it would basically give everyone a fair shot. Everything evened out. No more chaos.
The one thing i personally think will happen if they will only sell to people with store history / vip status, is for that system to be completely hijacked within a few months by the large reseller companies who will send dozens of people each to build a history/vips status. As a genuine customer you would not even know of this happening, other than that the bags would become more and more scarsely available in the store and you would sooner be told "no bags" even if you were to buy a fair share of other items, as the resellers would be setting the standards much higher. They will be selling the items again anyway.
Just my thoughts on this, but i suppose time will tell
The system being as it is now isn't working. At all. I'm also quite surprised people living in the street and the city of Paris are not objecting tbh.
My humble opinion is that they should look into how Louis Vuitton manages their queue when there is a limited edition bag or pop up event. They walk past the queue right before opening, to let everyone physically register on the company ipads and then they just draw an x number of people from the queue to get appointed an SA.
Ofcourse that system too has it's flaws and disadvantages, as well as room for improvement, but it would eliminate line sitters, it would not give resellers a head start, and it would basically give everyone a fair shot. Everything evened out. No more chaos.
The one thing i personally think will happen if they will only sell to people with store history / vip status, is for that system to be completely hijacked within a few months by the large reseller companies who will send dozens of people each to build a history/vips status. As a genuine customer you would not even know of this happening, other than that the bags would become more and more scarsely available in the store and you would sooner be told "no bags" even if you were to buy a fair share of other items, as the resellers would be setting the standards much higher. They will be selling the items again anyway.
Just my thoughts on this, but i suppose time will tell
I don't think security at 8AM solves the problem at all. Security manned the line from 9AM previously. Although they did allow swaps in line most of the line sellers sold their spots before 9AM, now that will simply occur before 8AM.
It won't if the police don't keep chasing away those who are camping out earlier. But of course the police have been working very hard to keep paris safe in the past few years. They have more important jobs to do than deal with this nonsense. So shame on anyone contributing the commotion for distracting them from their more important work.
i share the same sentiment. and even worst that these name calling posts are accepted and condoned
What would be the outcome if H would fully stock its boutiques all over the world? What exactly is behind this absolute refusal to fully stock any of their own stores except FSH? From a business perspective, I have a hard time getting my head around these decisions. Why would you not want to stock your own boutiques? And therefore create this utter mess in Paris? What am I missing? Is this simply nationalism? Lol! Or Parisianism?
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The structure of how H operates the business is a bit more complicated than that. Someone can probably explain better than I do. But basically each store has different budget based on their previous performance. And each store determines what they want to / can order/ stock based on their budget. And what they can order for each category is determined by which tier they are in for that category. That goes back to their previous performance.