Maintaining an H relationship

[papertiger]

Please focus on the title of this thread rather than each other, TY

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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.

 

[Limelightlane]

For best chances at a quota bag, don’t make returns. It’s not going to automatically ”disqualify” you but I’m reading three returns in the past few months which doesn’t look great and if I’m a store manager, I’m starting to see you as a fickle purchaser (no offense). Also, if you do attempt to return the boots, make sure they are absolutely spotless or else drama could ensue.

So exchanges are still considered returns even if you spent more money on the newer item? The boots indeed would be a 3rd “exchange” I am not good with surprises hence I may seem fickle. Ok thanks for the advice maybe if I am hesitant about something, I should just not buy it. I have a good relationship with the store manager as well but I see where you are coming from.

 

[acrowcounted]

So exchanges are still considered returns even if you spent more money on the newer item? The boots would be a 3rd “exchange” I am not good with surprises hence I may seem fickle. Ok thanks for the advice maybe if I am hesitant about something, I should just not buy it. I have a good relationship with the store manager as well but I see where you are coming from.

They sold an item and are now taking it back into their inventory and having to resell it. If you really wanted the new item, you’d have bought it outright regardless so they dont see the new item purchased with the store credit as a bonus. Under the covers exchanges are just refunds for store credit and then purchases made with the store credit. (Exchanges for size issues may be seen a tad bit more leniently.) The metrics that flow up to corporate will say the SM’s store had X returns for Y value. If one’s top priority is keeping a squeaky clean profile for easiest bag acquisition, IMO, you should never buy something at Hermes unless you are 100% committed to keeping it (or at least, not returning it…)

 

[acrowcounted]

Does this count for online purchases as well, or just in store?

I think web returns just make you look like a flighty client and don’t directly affect qualification for bag offers but at the same time, you shouldn’t be shopping online either (for SA/store loyalty reasons) so it’s not great. I can’t remember the full circumstances of the story but I can remember my SA complaining to me once that they had to “explain to the SM why my client was making all these purchases from the online store and then returning them”. I got the vibe that the SM attitude was kind of “why are we even bothering with this person” (kind of the difference between “my boyfriend cheated on me” - awful vs “I know my boyfriend has cheated on every girlfriend before me” - still pretty not great)

 

[FaubourgTropical]

I hope this is still on topic but I fear the 'strict' non-return policy is actually encourage reselling. I am very careful with what I buy because I hate returns in general but with low stock, the trend is to buy now and (possibly) return later.

 

[acrowcounted]

I hope this is still on topic but I fear the 'strict' non-return policy is actually encourage reselling. I am very careful with what I buy because I hate returns in general but with low stock, the trend is to buy now and (possibly) return later.

Eh I’m sure it doesn’t help but is by far the minority. And most sales to avoid a return are priced to break even or even okay with losing a few dollars. Make no mistake that the “closet cleanout” sales of 20 brand new items with a receipt from yesterday were never items purchased in good faith.

 

[WingNut]

Eh I’m sure it doesn’t help but is by far the minority. And most sales to avoid a return are priced to break even or even okay with losing a few dollars. Make no mistake that the “closet cleanout” sales of 20 brand new items with a receipt from yesterday were never items purchased in good faith.

This, x 1000!

 

[acrowcounted]

Thank you! A follow up question… I would assume then that the touted 1:1 or 2:1 purchase history for a qb offer would be store specific purchases/stock?
I would hope not as my SA has always expressed I should buy what I love/use and not just items to build sales history but some inside clarity would definitely help this newby understand ; )

(Answering here since we are now off topic for NYC) The charge send purchase still helps your profile, just not as much as having bought it from your store’s stock. So for example, let’s say you are considering a pair of sandals and you love both the white ones and the black ones and really can’t decide. Your store currently has the white ones in your size but the black ones would have to be charge sent from another store or from the website. If your highest priority is to enhance your profile, your best course of action in descending order is
1) buy the white ones from your SA in stock at your store
2) decide to get the black ones instead and order them through your SA from the Hermes website
3) decide to get the black ones instead and charge send them through your SA from the other store that has them
4) don’t buy either
5) buy the black ones directly from the Hermes website yourself
6) go to the other store and buy the black ones from a random SA there
Your SM will look at your total profile when deciding on bag offers. The SM cares most about the sales numbers for their store but they also care about the sales numbers from their SAs. What they don’t want to see is their clients making purchases completely outside of their store/SA realm.

 

[npmd]

(Answering here since we are now off topic for NYC) The charge send purchase still helps your profile, just not as much as having bought it from your store’s stock. So for example, let’s say you are considering a pair of sandals and you love both the white ones and the black ones and really can’t decide. Your store currently has the white ones in your size but the black ones would have to be charge sent from another store or from the website. If your highest priority is to enhance your profile, your best course of action in descending order is
1) buy the white ones from your SA in stock at your store
2) decide to get the black ones instead and order them through your SA from the Hermes website
3) decide to get the black ones instead and charge send them through your SA from the other store that has them
4) don’t buy either
5) buy the black ones directly from the Hermes website yourself
6) go to the other store and buy the black ones from a random SA there
Your SM will look at your total profile when deciding on bag offers. The SM cares most about the sales numbers for their store but they also care about the sales numbers from their SAs. What they don’t want to see is their clients making purchases completely outside of their store/SA realm.

Very helpful. Thanks so much for this!

 

[acrowcounted]

Excellent explanation ( as always, @acrowcounted)
Also note- when your SA "sources" something from another location, your store usually ( but not always) must give that one an item(s) of comparable worth, to balance out the budgets. Worth is not always in a dollar amount, but in "what is salable in this locale" as well, and therefore is calculated and approved by the SM.
So in theory, your store not only loses credit for the sale in their monthly budget, but also may have had to give something for it.

This is true for “transfers” but those have mostly been outlawed over the past year in favor of just straight charge sends. In a charge send, no item is swapped. Home SA gets credit but sending store gets credit instead of home store.

 

[Luxe888]

(Answering here since we are now off topic for NYC) The charge send purchase still helps your profile, just not as much as having bought it from your store’s stock. So for example, let’s say you are considering a pair of sandals and you love both the white ones and the black ones and really can’t decide. Your store currently has the white ones in your size but the black ones would have to be charge sent from another store or from the website. If your highest priority is to enhance your profile, your best course of action in descending order is
1) buy the white ones from your SA in stock at your store
2) decide to get the black ones instead and order them through your SA from the Hermes website
3) decide to get the black ones instead and charge send them through your SA from the other store that has them
4) don’t buy either
5) buy the black ones directly from the Hermes website yourself
6) go to the other store and buy the black ones from a random SA there
Your SM will look at your total profile when deciding on bag offers. The SM cares most about the sales numbers for their store but they also care about the sales numbers from their SAs. What they don’t want to see is their clients making purchases completely outside of their store/SA realm.

Wow this sounds like the SA would not like us buying bags or popular shoes like Chypre from the site then? There has to be some understanding there given how difficult some items are to get from the store!

 

[Bentley1]

Oh wow I had no idea regarding the charge send being less helpful to our profiles than purchasing directly from the home store.
That’s too bad as my SA has had to do several charge sends for me actually Bc of their stock being so incredibly awful for just about everything.
I mean how can we buy stock that isn’t there. I can understand the reasoning behind it, but it’s pretty unfair of them to show less favor to charge sends given the stock issue with Hermes & how little most boutiques have on hand & how long it takes to wait on “orders” that many times never come. It’s not like we want to have the item sent from another boutique.
And when they do get anything good it probably goes to vip/long tenured clients first anyway.

 

[GloWW0rM]

(Answering here since we are now off topic for NYC) The charge send purchase still helps your profile, just not as much as having bought it from your store’s stock. So for example, let’s say you are considering a pair of sandals and you love both the white ones and the black ones and really can’t decide. Your store currently has the white ones in your size but the black ones would have to be charge sent from another store or from the website. If your highest priority is to enhance your profile, your best course of action in descending order is
1) buy the white ones from your SA in stock at your store
2) decide to get the black ones instead and order them through your SA from the Hermes website
3) decide to get the black ones instead and charge send them through your SA from the other store that has them
4) don’t buy either
5) buy the black ones directly from the Hermes website yourself
6) go to the other store and buy the black ones from a random SA there
Your SM will look at your total profile when deciding on bag offers. The SM cares most about the sales numbers for their store but they also care about the sales numbers from their SAs. What they don’t want to see is their clients making purchases completely outside of their store/SA realm.

I get this, but in 8 months I haven’t received a single bag offer, even non-quota bags outside of my wish despite me expressing interest in a few so when I saw a bag I wanted online I did end up getting it. It does feel disheartening to not get any offers after spending almost 1:1 (I’m in UK).

 

[maxroxxherhandbags]

I get this, but in 8 months I haven’t received a single bag offer, even non-quota bags outside of my wish despite me expressing interest in a few so when I saw a bag I wanted online I did end up getting it. It does feel disheartening to not get any offers after spending almost 1:1 (I’m in UK).

Bear in mind that stock levels have been extremely challenging...I am also UK based.

 

[GloWW0rM]

Bear in mind that stock levels have been extremely challenging...I am also UK based.

Absolutely. I’m not at all upset at my SA but equally I would hope she wouldn’t be if she saw from my profile that I’ve purchased a bag from the website.

 

[maxroxxherhandbags]

Absolutely. I’m not at all upset at my SA but equally I would hope she wouldn’t be if she saw from my profile that I’ve purchased a bag from the website.

If she is a good SA she will understand the reasons why.
If my clients reach out to me and ask for something I do not have in stock how can I be upset with them if they buy it from net-a-porter?