Maintaining an H relationship

[papertiger]

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 (or other bag) Reading Room

For advice on how to shop at your local store please do a search in Hermes Shopping sub-forum and look for your store/region/country.

 

[RitaLA]

Not too sure how it is like in your store.
I have met several instances where SAs “ignore” their customers because they don’t have the items that their customers want to sell.

In fact, sometimes SAs tell their customers to stop spending if they don’t have the bags available for the customer. I even heard of cases where SA up front tell a customer that no matter how much she spend, she is not gonna get the bag she wanted. This just their way to prevent any building up of expectations.

this is very interesting because my SA told me to put a hold on my purchases. She said she wants to make sure she can give me a bag so she asked me to wait. I personally think it’s very honorable that she did that.

 

[Justlikewhatilike]

this is very interesting because my SA told me to put a hold on my purchases. She said she wants to make sure she can give me a bag so she asked me to wait. I personally think it’s very honorable that she did that.

Yups. Also, some may pace out the customers on their purchases to show the customer is “regular”. Something to buy monthly, quarterly, etc.

 

[RitaLA]

Yups. Also, some may pace out the customers on their purchases to show the customer is “regular”. Something to buy monthly, quarterly, etc.

Exactly!!!! She was pacing me out and slowing me down.

 

[Itinerantd]

Do stores talk to each other, in case one customer decides to switch stores? I am currently starting to suspect my SA may see me as a money tree, in which case I'm thinking about bailing and perhaps come back at a later time to another store in the area.

Here is what happened: I gave a list of items I was interested in to my SA which included a 5k watch I really did like (but of course if it would help my profile that's great), and some time later he/she suggested a 9k watch instead. Again, I do like the 9k watch too (how it looks, etc.) but this whole thing just feels not quite right to me. Also for personal reasons, I feel it is not quite the best time to delve so hard into the H journey. By the way, I've already spent 1:1 in non-leather goods at this store, and I started shopping in November 2021. I asked for a B30 my second visit.

Options: Get the 9k watch and ask for a pause. Refuse the watch and end the journey at that store (I think it'd be too awkward to continue shopping there in this option).

Edit: forgot to mention I already said yes to the 9k watch, and if I go back on my word it'd be a definite end to my journey at this store haha

 

[leechiyong]

Do stores talk to each other, in case one customer decides to switch stores? I am currently starting to suspect my SA may see me as a money tree, in which case I'm thinking about bailing and perhaps come back at a later time to another store in the area.

Here is what happened: I gave a list of items I was interested in to my SA which included a 5k watch I really did like (but of course if it would help my profile that's great), and some time later he/she suggested a 9k watch instead. Again, I do like the 9k watch too (how it looks, etc.) but this whole thing just feels not quite right to me. Also for personal reasons, I feel it is not quite the best time to delve so hard into the H journey. By the way, I've already spent 1:1 in non-leather goods at this store, and I started shopping in November 2021. I asked for a B30 my second visit.

Options: Get the 9k watch and ask for a pause. Refuse the watch and end the journey at that store (I think it'd be too awkward to continue shopping there in this option).

They can see your purchase history and they may interact at trainings or what not.

Personally, I wouldn't switch stores after only a month. Your SA offered you something you didn't want. I wouldn't want to switch stores every time I declined something. It's their job to sell items and there's limited availability right now, so he thought you might like it instead. You can tell him you appreciate the thought, but you prefer the watch you requested and see how he responds. Ideally, he'll help you get the items you want and feel free to take a pause (it make take a few months for items to come in) to see if he does.

 

[acrowcounted]

Do stores talk to each other, in case one customer decides to switch stores? I am currently starting to suspect my SA may see me as a money tree, in which case I'm thinking about bailing and perhaps come back at a later time to another store in the area.

Here is what happened: I gave a list of items I was interested in to my SA which included a 5k watch I really did like (but of course if it would help my profile that's great), and some time later he/she suggested a 9k watch instead. Again, I do like the 9k watch too (how it looks, etc.) but this whole thing just feels not quite right to me. Also for personal reasons, I feel it is not quite the best time to delve so hard into the H journey. By the way, I've already spent 1:1 in non-leather goods at this store, and I started shopping in November 2021. I asked for a B30 my second visit.

Options: Get the 9k watch and ask for a pause. Refuse the watch and end the journey at that store (I think it'd be too awkward to continue shopping there in this option).

Edit: forgot to mention I already said yes to the 9k watch, and if I go back on my word it'd be a definite end to my journey at this store haha

It’s the SAs job to make suggestions of items that they think their client may be interested in. If you asked for a watch, perhaps she didn’t have that exact model available but did have the more expensive one and was trying to make a client happy by getting a beautiful watch (many H clients surprisingly don’t see much difference between 5k and 9k). I wouldn’t necessarily take this as nefarious. If you’ve only been shopping for a month or two, in arguably the lowest inventory availability in H history, I would argue your expectations for a quota bag are entirely too high and you will need to learn a whole lot of patience if you intend to have a happy Hermes experience. By all means, walk away from your SA and go to another store if you wish but you will only be shooting yourself in the foot by having to start from scratch and then likely waiting months more for a bag anyway. Stocks should be replenishing over the next few months so my advice is to hang tight. If you dont want the more expensive watch, for whatever reason, simply tell your SA “wow that certainly is a beautiful watch but I really had my heart set on the other one. I appreciate the recommendation to view this one but is there any availability for the model I mentioned previously?” I just saw your update that you already said yes to the watch. If you regret that, you can simply say “you know, I thought more about it and i think I really would prefer the other model. Is it available?”

 

[Itinerantd]

Thank you all for the very wise advice. I forgot to mention too that the 5k watch I asked for was actually seen in the store by me a few days before I sent him/her the list of items. But I guess it may have quickly sold in that time period.

Of course I am not so entitled as to expect a bag to be produced immediately. The reason for switching is not because there is no bag yet! It's because I feel awkward for saying no now. Also getting the feeling that my spending limit is being tested and a feeling that perhaps it is not worth this SA's time to spend at the level I'm spending, that it is too low and not worth their time. With my current finances I cannot spend at the level he/she seems to want. It might be more prudent to save up a little and go somewhere else.

 

[880]

forgot to mention I already said yes to the 9k watch, and if I go back on my word it'd be a definite end to my journey at this store haha

Agree with @acrowcounted. I also think you may be overthinking how much your SA thinks about one new clients motivation. No reason to feel awkward. People change their minds all the time. This is not a contract set into stone. Big spenders also say no all the time, not a big deal. IMO my SA appreciates honesty and discernment. He can always sell the watch to someone else. By the way, if you want to pause the relationship, that’s fine too. Go at whatever pace makes you happy.

ps in this time of stock shortages, it’s perfectly acceptable to slow the spend (just realized this is a variation on what @leechiyong said above

 

[leechiyong]

Thank you all for the very wise advice. I forgot to mention too that the 5k watch I asked for was actually seen in the store by me a few days before I sent him/her the list of items. But I guess it may have quickly sold in that time period.

Of course I am not so entitled as to expect a bag to be produced immediately. The reason for switching is not because there is no bag yet! It's because I feel awkward for saying no now. Also getting the feeling that my spending limit is being tested and a feeling that perhaps it is not worth this SA's time to spend at the level I'm spending, that it is too low and not worth their time. With my current finances I cannot spend at the level he/she seems to want. It might be more prudent to save up a little and go somewhere else.

It probably did sell. Things probably went fast right before the holidays.

I just wouldn't overanalyze it before you have more information. You can say something like, I really can't get the other watch out of my head and would prefer that one (so long as you are 100% sure you'll buy that one) instead. There's two general outcomes: they decide you're not worth the time and don't help you find things you want (give it a month or two with inventory as it is) or they don't care and they focus on getting the items you do want to buy. Do not spend money on items you don't want with an SA you haven't established enough of a relationship with to feel comfortable saying no, but let them have the opportunity to show you they're worth your time and money.

 

[880]

Do not spend money on items you don't want with an SA you haven't established enough of a relationship with to feel comfortable saying no, but let them have the opportunity to show you they're worth your time and money.

This!

 

[Itinerantd]

Another thought, more from inexperience. The list of things I sent of stuff I'm interested in. They were just ideas. The total value of the items I sent is probably more than 100k. SA said he/she was working on the list/would do their best, suggested the 9k watch and asked my size on one type of item. What do I do if they have ordered in a ton of stuff but I'm not able to buy it all in one visit? No discussion of our next appointment yet, for context.

 

[Nahreen]

Another thought, more from inexperience. The list of things I sent of stuff I'm interested in. They were just ideas. The total value of the items I sent is probably more than 100k. SA said he/she was working on the list/would do their best, suggested the 9k watch and asked my size on one type of item. What do I do if they have ordered in a ton of stuff but I'm not able to buy it all in one visit? No discussion of our next appointment yet, for context.

Based on what you wrote here, my interpretation is that your SA is now working to locate all items for you. If you were not interested in purchasing ALL, you should have said so (like, I am interested in A or B). You need to be more precise when you communicate with your SA. I also have a list (kept to myself) but I only ask for items from that list when I am ready to purchase them. If there is something I am not sure about I am direct in my communication.


My perception is that you have in about a months time already spent quite a sum, then asked for a list of items worth 100k. Your SA could have gotten the impression that a 9k watch was not a big deal pricewise and therefore suggested it.

Edited to add based on your earlier posts. I don`t think it is your SA pushing or testing your spending ability. It is you yourself with asking for items and purchasing a lot in a short period of time.

 

[Justlikewhatilike]

Another thought, more from inexperience. The list of things I sent of stuff I'm interested in. They were just ideas. The total value of the items I sent is probably more than 100k. SA said he/she was working on the list/would do their best, suggested the 9k watch and asked my size on one type of item. What do I do if they have ordered in a ton of stuff but I'm not able to buy it all in one visit? No discussion of our next appointment yet, for context.

It takes a lot of work for SA to source things for their clients. I’m not sure how it is for your store, but for some stores, 20 or 30 SAs could be fighting over a handful of the same things which their clients wanted. Just an example.

I always take the items I requested for. Just to make sure the SA knows I am not wasting her time. Just recently, there is a shawl I wanted, my SA checked and found that only 1 piece will be arriving at the store. She quickly told me to put in a deposit, otherwise she is not confident she could get it for me. Usually no deposit required, she just wants to make sure I get what I wanted.

 

[Itinerantd]

Ok that’s shocking haha. The reason I did not seriously think all those items would actually for me was because I had sent a smaller list before during a visit that he/she asked me to send the photos of, but there was no response or specific thing said about them from the SA. I thought perhaps they’re not available. So a few days later I sent the huge list hoping some would be available. The highest price item on there was 7k but added all together it’d be 100kish. I highly doubt everything can be sourced in my size etc.

maybe I should let them know I’ll pick up the watch and anything else already ordered and pause? Or just be honest that not all at once lol?

 

[Nahreen]

Ok that’s shocking haha. The reason I did not seriously think all those items would actually for me was because I had sent a smaller list before during a visit that he/she asked me to send the photos of, but there was no response or specific thing said about them from the SA. I thought perhaps they’re not available. So a few days later I sent the huge list hoping some would be available. The highest price item on there was 7k but added all together it’d be 100kish. I highly doubt everything can be sourced in my size etc.

maybe I should let them know I’ll pick up the watch and anything else already ordered and pause? Or just be honest that not all at once lol?

I think not all at once is too vague. Either you want them to buy now or you don`t. Then when you are ready to buy something more, you send a request for that item. The SA don`t have time to keep your list and somehow guess when you are ready. Note, that even when you are ready you still might have to wait a long time. I have had to wait between 3-6 months for porcelain, watches, jewlery and scarves for example (even long before any covid inventory issues).

You need to think about what you really want and prioritse on your list. Also remember that a lot of items are seasonal and will not be available once all are sold. Other items are more readily available over seasons unless H decides to discontinue that line (porcelain, some watches and jewlery) or come in a similar verion (orans, calvis).