@bags4nicole
I am looking to start my Hermes journey after many years of buying Chanel. I love to shop when I travel, both domestically and abroad and some may think that I am inpatient when it comes to being a consumer. If I would like to buy an item, I should be able to, right? All jokes aside here is where I am at.
$$ spend in Vegas 2019, $$$’s spend in Austin 2022 (close to 1:1 ratio in Austin)
History:
Vegas Bellagio. Nice trip, SA was nice, I would not say we had a real strong chemistry, but some was her personality. At] the end of my shopping trip, the SA provided me with her cell and told me to text when I was looking for something. I text a couple of times for items, on one occasion she told me she would order my item and would send me a link to pay, the link never arrived and other texts/requests went unanswered. I was not used to this type of service or some may say lack of, so I stopped texting.
Austin: The SA in Austin was really nice, but she knew I was from out of state and traveling on business, no contact information was exchanged.
Today:
I would like to establish a regular store and relationship with a SA for my desired items to ultimately be offered a quota bag. I am also planning a trip to Paris this Spring/Summer. What would you suggest for my future journey, back to Austin, Vegas or a new store? I am located in the SE and willing to have a store out of State for day trips if needed and I am in Vegas several times per year already.
Happy Hermes Shoppers: Where should I start my journey, what store has friendly SA’s for new shoppers?
Every store has friendly SAs for new shoppers depending on the circumstances. If you like H products across the board and are not interested in a BKC, you can shop anywhere. If you want to start a relationship with a particular SA, I would recommend shopping close to home, so you can visit a store frequently and gage for yourself whether you and an SA have any chemistry. By that, I don’t mean you have to be friends; rather, they have to understand and respect your aesthetic; your style; your shopping rhythm; and, your budget). And, I mean this seriously, vice versa. Your relationship will be better if you don’t treat your SA like a short order waitress, and get a dialogue of style recommendations flowing.
I don’t recommend buying anything from an SA you don’t like, or trying to ‘test’ a SA as some members here do. Even if it means forgoing specific product. SAs at Hermes prioritize in store shoppers, and they need to sell in store merchandise. They are not the best at electronic communication. In fact, at least until they know you, they famously go radio silent if they cannot source your request (like your experience above).*
This is because the average SA has to field hundreds of requests daily, and they often have no time to respond or take breaks. I started out trying to respect my SA’s time, and i limited initial texts to scheduling in person appts. Not asking for product that may or may not be in the store. New remote shoppers may also have a higher likelihood of returning merchandise, which is an additional headache. An SA will definitely prefer a client think about a purchase over several visits rather than buy hastily and then return.
I would read the Vegas, Austin, and Paris threads carefully. It’s my understanding that US stores, even vacation destinations like Vegas, are prioritizing local clientele. part of that might be that since Covid, supply of BKC dwindled and demand sky rocketed. It was not unheard of to spend 3X-5X (excluding popular leather) before obtaining a coveted bag offer. And, an SA has to get approval to offer the bag from his SM. That won’t happen unless he can convince his SM that you are a strong candidate over other similarly situated clients. So, unless you enjoy other products at the boutique, it may be best to go reseller. There isn’t a magic formula to developing an SA relationship. Except perhaps to visit regularly; spend generously; be polite, patient, and low maintenance. And, good things will eventually happen.
You should also read this thread, and any posts by
@acrowcounted, including #7003
Please focus on the title of this thread rather than each other, TY If you find it very hard to ignore certain people, please feel free in adding them to your 'Ignore' list. For advice on how to obtain a B/K/C please go to the reading room in the Reading Room The Newbie's HOW DO I GET A BIRKIN...
forum.purseblog.com
And, post 2506 (although it’s the San Fran thread, her advice is applicable throughout the US)
I think we are at a disadvantage working in the SF boutique, but I know someone who spent less than 1:1 and got a B30 offer back in April (togo, neutral color in GHW too)... I don't know if that was a one-off instance and she got really lucky, but I do think it's important to be patient! FWIW...
forum.purseblog.com
Within the US, I only shop with one SA in one boutique. As per his preference, he will also order items on line for me. The bulk of my purchases are coursed through him bc I prefer to get his opinion on my purchases. He has no problem with my shopping when I am abroad, but other TPFers who are more focused on BKC prefer to stick to one SA, one boutique. My main focus is RTW, as I have sufficient bags already. If you are fortunate enough to obtain a lottery appt at FSH, no prespend is required. But, there is no guarantee, even with an appt, that you will be offered a BKC.
*you mentioned that you are not used to this lack of electronic response to requests. At least until you develop a strong individual relationship, it tends to be the norm rather than the exception, so I would not take it personally.
), will delay offering of the next bag. How can it not. Assuming all else being equal (spend, ec.), a bag matching yours and someone else's specs come in, you've just got a quasi-QB recently and this other person hasn't had a bag offer in a year, who do you think the bag is going to? Unless your specs come in and no one else wants it, but highly unlikely in this day and age.
