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.

 

[typicalbaglover]

Hi cuties… I have a question I don’t know what to do, would really appreciate some expert advice…

So I have been spending 11k since February on non-bag items, and another 3k for a Picotin at my home store. I told my SA my goal of anything Birkin Kelly or Constance. Waited for a few months and no response. So I decided to buy a few more items and also see if there’s any updates. Went to the store and she didn’t remember me (or appeared not to). And told me nothing she could do and told me to buy shoes elsewhere.
It was pretty rude so I contacted the manager through email last week (not to make my SA feel bad, simply to look for a solution to buy those pairs of shoes and inquire on the bag situation, because I think it’s not right to just switch to another SA?). The manager also doesn’t respond anymore.

I’m moving to another city now, but don’t know if I could still hope for a quota bag with my 14k prespend at the first store? Or I should just let it go… regardless, if I still want those pairs of shoes, should I shop with the previous store? If so, how to actually get in touch with the manager or my SA, since they are not responsive. Or should I shop at the store in the new city that I’m moving to? If so, with a brand new profile? Or continue using the same profile? I worry that the previous store might see I switched store and never offer me any quota bag in the future (which maybe at this point, is already never gonna happen?)

Thanks so much for any advice…

 

[880]

sounds like the SA was being honest. If shoes or other merchandise aren’t available, an SA will often tell a client to snap them up on H.com or elsewhere. With respect to the shoes specifically, my own SA informed me that many don’t make it to the floor bc shoe SAs immediately reserve them for their regular clients.

With respect to bags, you might be considered lucky to have gotten a picotin as a new client of four months standing with a 1:1 spend. To be honest, 1:1 level of spend within four months would be considered low in my US flagship boutique, and an SA might prefer to drop clients with these expectations. A manager might not be able to produce a bag update even for clients of longer standing and significantly higher spend.

If I were a client who wanted a bag quickly without hassle, I would purchase reseller. I do not think you will have significantly different outcomes in another store given post-Covid leather competition. No matter the spend, unfortunately a client is not entitled to a bag offer.

ETA: I don’t think you can count on a bag offer with any boutique under such circumstances, but that is JMO only

 

[haute okole]

I agree with @880. Start new at your new store. If your one and only communication with the SM was to communicate your dissatisfaction with anything, your SA, product unavailability in that particular store, etc., you have done a great disservice to your ability towards getting a QB or any desired Hermes product at that store or from that SM.

 

[birkin778]

If your SA offered you a bag with different options color by text would it be possible if we request to see maybe 2 colors when we visit the store?

 

[acrowcounted]

If your SA offered you a bag with different options color by text would it be possible if we request to see maybe 2 colors when we visit the store?

If it’s a quota bag, probably not. For non quota bags it’s probably ok. The only person who can truly answer this for your specific case is your SA so just ask them. Good luck.

 

[birkin778]

If it’s a quota bag, probably not. For non quota bags it’s probably ok. The only person who can truly answer this for your specific case is your SA so just ask them. Good luck.

thank you!

 

[justdennis84]

That’s all you need. You can just say maybe someday you will want a QB but you re not ready now.
take your time; buy only what you love; the QB will happen when it’s right. Just make sure your SA knows your general taste. Even if your SA leaves, after several years, you will get to know the SM. your SA will also set you up with some one nice to work with. Another TPFer told me that she got her QB shortly after her SA left that store, and she credits him with laying the groundwork with the new SA. Essentially setting it up.

I agree with @hollyhoquee. This isn’t a life or death, it’s shopping; if my SA is running late with someone I try to be understanding (and other clients have been very gracious to me when I am the cause of the delay)

I also agree with @lulilu that the SAs wait to allow you to browse and let you approach them. At madison, they are relatively reticent. you may be the client of another SA Or what, some SAs at Hermes, chanel and brunello call museum clients. Those just want to browse and don’t need or want help. How an SA approaches a prospective client or museum client can be in part the culture of that store. If I am lucky, at Hermes Madison, there is perhaps a greeting at the door (no SA ever wants door duty), and then I go find my SA.

It’s my own observation that the contact varies by department. On the first floor, and seocnd floor jewelry, or for any item in a glass vitrine, the SAs wait to be approached. On the second floor RTW, the SAs will approach you. On the third floor, you say hi at the cashier and ask for help. ive never had luck in shoes if my SA isn’t there; it’s like flagging down a taxi at rush hour.

the one time I visited MP, during Covid, they said, you can come in, but there is no SA free to help you as you didn’t make an appt. (I said no worries, my home store is Madison and I just wanted to see what MP looks like. So literally no one spoke to us at all lol.

at dior, the bouncer and the SAs at the door tell me oh my SA is in the back, downstairs, or by the jewelry; let me text him for you.
at brunello, the doorman says hello And he thinks my SA is by the bar (store center) or on the mens side. He leaves the door and gets my SA personally.

at chanel, the bouncer (once he got to know me) would say SA called him and she says to meet her on 3.

i think it’s part of the stores rhythm and nothing to take personally

Hey @880 sorry to bring up a post from 2022 . I am curious about the part in the beginning where you said that over time you will know your SM.

I haven’t met nor do I know who the SM of my local store is. How did you get to know yours?

 

[880]

Hey @880 sorry to bring up a post from 2022 . I am curious about the part in the beginning where you said that over time you will know your SM.

I haven’t met nor do I know who the SM of my local store is. How did you get to know yours?

I found that as DH and I spent time at our store, either our SA would see someone and introduce us or they would proactively come up to introduce themselves. Mainly if you are hanging out waiting to see if something is in your size or waiting for your SA etc. It wasn’t a big deal. When H Madison was split between mens and womens, mens side was a lot less formal. I got to know the mens manager well bc she and I have similar taste in clothing. Yu certainly don’t need to know your SM, but sometimes it just happens. Clearly DH and I spend a lot of time in the store lol.

 

[nat74]

Hey @880 sorry to bring up a post from 2022 . I am curious about the part in the beginning where you said that over time you will know your SM.

I haven’t met nor do I know who the SM of my local store is. How did you get to know yours?

I found that as DH and I spent time at our store, either our SA would see someone and introduce us or they would proactively come up to introduce themselves. It wasn’t a big deal. When H Madison was split between mens and womens, mens side was a lot less formal. I got to know the mens manager well bc she and I have similar taste in clothing. Yu certainly don’t need to know your SM, but sometimes it just happens. Clearly DH and I spend a lot of time in the store lol.

@880 Were right about this. Either you get introduced to them or they introduce themselves lol. Just wanted to share my experience here too. Bcuz my “local” store is out of state I’ve only shopped in person twice when I came in to pick up my QB. Between my 1st in-store experience and the 2nd one recently I was wondering to myself about this too, about how to know or meet the SM. So when I went in last month to pick up my 2nd QB, I brought 2 trays of sandwiches for them to share… only bcuz I leave far away and only come in whenever I get to pickup my bags. During my appointment that day while I was wandering around to wait for my SA the SM walked by and asked if I had been helped. At the time I didn’t know who she was. And then later my SA came out and the SM walked passed us again my SA introduced me to the SM and told her that I was the one who brought them the sandwiches. I felt good that at least she knows me now and I got to know her.

 

[justdennis84]

I found that as DH and I spent time at our store, either our SA would see someone and introduce us or they would proactively come up to introduce themselves. Mainly if you are hanging out waiting to see if something is in your size or waiting for your SA etc. It wasn’t a big deal. When H Madison was split between mens and womens, mens side was a lot less formal. I got to know the mens manager well bc she and I have similar taste in clothing. Yu certainly don’t need to know your SM, but sometimes it just happens. Clearly DH and I spend a lot of time in the store lol.

Thank you again for sharing this. I really appreciate you and your willingness to share your experience so frequently!

 

[justdennis84]

@880 Were right about this. Either you get introduced to them or they introduce themselves lol. Just wanted to share my experience here too. Bcuz my “local” store is out of state I’ve only shopped in person twice when I came to pick up my QB bag. Between my 1st in-store experience and the 2nd one recently I was wondering to myself about this too, about how to know or meet the SM. So when I went in last month go pick up my 2nd QB, I brought 2 trays of sandwiches for them to share… only bcuz I leave far away and only come in whenever I get to pickup my bags. During my appointment that day while I was wandering around to wait for my SA the SM walked by and asked if I had been helped. At the time I didn’t know who she was. And then later my SA came out and the SM walked passed us again my SA introduced me to the SM and told her that I was the one who brought them the sandwiches. I felt good that at least she knows me now and I got to know her.

Also super interesting to hear your story. Thank you for sharing!

 

[jimmyshoogirl]

My local SM has introduced himself to me more than once lol! I see him anround the store a lot. I think he’s just really a face to face type. Sometimes you will catch him ant the door greeting people if it’s “slow.” Hes even checked me out one time. I think they eventually make their way to most frequent clients for sure!

 

[justdennis84]

My local SM has introduced himself to me more than once lol! I see him anround the store a lot. I think he’s just really a face to face type. Sometimes you will catch him ant the door greeting people if it’s “slow.” Hes even checked me out one time. I think they eventually make their way to most frequent clients for sure!

That Checking you out part, is a tiny bit creepy But why not if it helps with bonding…

 

[jimmyshoogirl]

That Checking you out part, is a tiny bit creepy But why not if it helps with bonding…

It was only because my sa was busy with a client that ran over into my appointment. He was helping her out, not to bond or anything!

 

[880]

That Checking you out part, is a tiny bit creepy But why not if it helps with bonding…

Oh, I thought she meant helping @jimmyshoogirl check out or pay lol. Bc my SA always personally rings us up and doesn’t hand off to the cashier (mainly bc we are busy talking to each other) . I think managers today are very hands on. The men’s manager was always by the door greeting, and the women’s RTW manager is often on the floor.