Paris trip for Hermes

[papertiger]

Please try to stay on topic. I realise because of the complexity of some of the posts members may veer off but in answer do not 'go there'.

For info and questions on US customs please post on the thread below: post https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/us-customs-discussion-airports-importing.905560/

Detaxing (to US from Europe) https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/best-way-to-detax-after-h-in-europe.178302/

or non-US destinations: https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/does-h-store-paris-wants-to-ship.605014/page-3

For questions relating to prices https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/reference-hermes-current-prices.102567/page-357

For traveling with boxes https://forum.purseblog.com/threads...me-hermes-boxes-when-traveling.1044553/page-5



I will leave this reminder as a sticky because tthis is often a thread that new members (or new Hermès lovers) post on - hopefully temporarily.

 

[sbelle]

I just came back from fsh with the worst H experience in my life. After my 4th rejection on appointment, I decided to go straight to the store today to ask for appointment cancellation/replacement and also to browse for my wishlist on slg and shoes. Upon arriving, I headed straight to the leather section but I was rejected politely (I knew the chances of cancellation will be low as tomorrow is PH and everyone obviously wouldn’t cancel a H appointment). I then went upstairs to look for shoes. Found one that I was keen to buy, waited few minutes to see if there was any SA available, none. I walked around the whole shoe department to find someone to assist me but every SA was tied up with something. DH and I then seated at the sofa while glazing around to check if we could catch any SA to assist on the sizing. After few minutes of waiting, we saw a SA walked by (we were aware that she was assisting a client). DH suggested that maybe I could ask her for the sizing and if she’s not available to help she can refer us to anyone else from the department, or at least know that we are waiting so she can attend to us once she’s done. So I walked up to the SA and asked. To our surprise, the SA replied me “Did you see that I’m with a client?” in a cold dead tone. We were shocked by her rudeness! She looked away immediately after saying that. I told DH that I don’t want the shoes anymore and we headed downstairs. (At this point, please tell us if we were being insensitive for bothering her while she’s with a client.)

This is not our first time in fsh but definitely our worst encounter. DH was so disappointed and kept complaining about how the service has deteriorated. I told him maybe it was just that particular SA. We went to the leather department (the appointment counter) and told the SA what happened. We were surprised, again, that she didn’t even want to hear us out but kept telling us that we should wait. IMO it’s not about the waiting time, it’s about the attitude and service. Honestly who here doesn’t wait to purchase a H? Though the whole conversation was short, but it was rude enough to turn me off.

Nothing excuses rudeness, but in my experience it seems like the approach to customer service in France is slightly different . In the US, even if all the SA’s are busy , we expect someone to acknowledge that we have been seen and indicate that a SA will be with us when one frees up. It appears that in Paris (again based on my experience ) the approach is slightly different . They believe that the best customer service is to give the client they are waiting on their undivided attention, and it is understood that they will get to you when they can.

 

[popikna]

HELLO EVERYONE, I WANT TO SHARE MY UNBELIEVABLE EXPERIENCE AT FSH LAST WEEK. BOTH MY HUSBAND AND I MADE 2 APPOINTMENTS EACH, BUT WERE REJECTED. LAST MONDAY WE WERE WALKING ON RUE. FSH AND DECIDED TO STOP BY HERMES TO PURCHASE A TIE FOR OUR SON. WHILE THERE, MY HUSBAND INSISTED I ASK LEATHER HOSTESS FOR POSSIBLE APPOINTMENT. I DID SO, RELUCTANTLY. I TOLD HER THAT WE BOTH TRIED BUT WERE REJECTED. TO MY SURPRISE SHE TOLD ME TO WAIT FEW MINUTES FOR A SALESPERSON. I WAS SO NERVOUS. I WAS AFRAID THAT I'D BE OFFERED A BAG THAT WAS NOT WHAT I REALLY WANTED. LONG STORY SHORT, I GOT EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED: KELLY SELLIER 28 IN NOIR WITH GHW. I WANTED TO PINCH MYSELF. WOW!! MIRACLES DO HAPPEN.

 

[sarahfl]

Um... I am Asian.... and during my past 8.5 years working in Europe, I learned not to interrupt and I always wait until I am called upon.....(no matter how much time I have already spent waiting.. and for the record, I have waited for more than 1.5 hours just to be served in Sevres at the SLG department and my patience was WELL paid off). This is nothing personal...... and to think of it the other way, if I am with a SA, and people keep coming up to ask my SA for assistance, I would be a bit annoyed too.... Full attention from my SA would be very much expected for luxury brand experiences. And imagine, that 10 mins time the client had with the SA could be his or her 7th try with the appointment system....

and that's why I don't bring my hubby nor friends... I always go alone...
but then my time cost is very low... so if waiting could get me what I desire, it's well worth it... lol....

Cheer up!! ^^

Completely agree with you. Our first H visit (years ago at FSH) was terrible, and we even swore not to buy from H ever in my life. Well, I am lucky that my sis purchases lots of other non leather goods and has a SA that she makes an appt with prior to our visits. Even so, I still will not bring my hubby with me for the whole time. We always stay in the hotel just across the street from the H store, so that hubby can rest in the hotel while me and sis shop for other things. I would then call him over to help me select the specifics for my SOs and to pay. I understand that this is not the ideal way to shop for most people, but it works for us perfectly in the past 2-3 years. In the end, I think it's just a bag, do what one feels comfortable. Relax and enjoy the beautiful Paris, which is way more than a bag.

 

[fabuleux]

Nothing excuses rudeness, but in my experience it seems like the approach to customer service in France is slightly different . In the US, even if all the SA’s are busy , we expect someone to acknowledge that we have been seen and indicate that a SA will be with us when one frees up. It appears that in Paris (again based on my experience ) the approach is slightly different . They believe that the best customer service is to give the client they are waiting on their undivided attention, and it is understood that they will get to you when they can.

I think that's pretty accurate.

 

[lynne_ross]

Nothing excuses rudeness, but in my experience it seems like the approach to customer service in France is slightly different . In the US, even if all the SA’s are busy , we expect someone to acknowledge that we have been seen and indicate that a SA will be with us when one frees up. It appears that in Paris (again based on my experience ) the approach is slightly different . They believe that the best customer service is to give the client they are waiting on their undivided attention, and it is understood that they will get to you when they can.

I agree with this.

In 2017 and 2018 I waited at least 20 mins in the shoe area of fsh before my DH got tired of waiting or I was called for bag appointment. Not a single SA acknowledged me and when I went to the desk the SA said I needed to just wait. So I gave up. This past trip I was determined to get shoes so I went to sevres for them and a SA noticed me right away and said she would help me next, I then wait 15 mins fir her to be free. In FSh I waited again 20 mins for an SA to help me and this was after my bag appointment - the leather SA said he could not help me with shoes. Since the shoe SA was the last to assist me she took me and my husband down to the check out and stayed with us the entire time, right up to us leaving the store. So I can understand why everyone waits so long for assistance.

A lot of people are trying to get the SAs attention so I can imagine that gets tiring. You need to be patient shopping at FSH and expect to wait a long time. Otherwise better to try the other 2 stores which are not as busy.

 

[chkpfbeliever]

Um... I am Asian.... and during my past 8.5 years working in Europe, I learned not to interrupt and I always wait until I am called upon.....(no matter how much time I have already spent waiting.. and for the record, I have waited for more than 1.5 hours just to be served in Sevres at the SLG department and my patience was WELL paid off). This is nothing personal...... and to think of it the other way, if I am with a SA, and people keep coming up to ask my SA for assistance, I would be a bit annoyed too.... Full attention from my SA would be very much expected for luxury brand experiences. And imagine, that 10 mins time the client had with the SA could be his or her 7th try with the appointment system....

and that's why I don't bring my hubby nor friends... I always go alone...
but then my time cost is very low... so if waiting could get me what I desire, it's well worth it... lol....

Cheer up!! ^^

Trust me I know not to interrupt when a SA is helping others but I find that when it is my turn to be helped, the SAs tend to be willing to multi-task and divide their attention with other customers, be it someone that just popped in for a question or need more help. I'm not referring to FSH SAs but to slightly derail this thread about general customer service experience. This has happened to me in high and low end stores so I think that it is only the individual that needs to go back to more training. I don't think that having a bad day is a good excuse. Many of us are in the wrong force and just because we're overwhelmed with work doesn't mean that we can be rude to our boss. We could be fired for that behavior. I can totally relate to you and would turn me off from spending money.

I find that lot of brands spend money on marketing and social media nowadays but perhaps they can go back to square one and take time to re-train and remind their employees about customer service. I like the idea of secret shopper and not sure if retailers are doing this anymore.

Ok, enough of my 2 cents. Back to topic.

 

[chkpfbeliever]

I agree with this.

In 2017 and 2018 I waited at least 20 mins in the shoe area of fsh before my DH got tired of waiting or I was called for bag appointment. Not a single SA acknowledged me and when I went to the desk the SA said I needed to just wait. So I gave up. This past trip I was determined to get shoes so I went to sevres for them and a SA noticed me right away and said she would help me next, I then wait 15 mins fir her to be free. In FSh I waited again 20 mins for an SA to help me and this was after my bag appointment - the leather SA said he could not help me with shoes. Since the shoe SA was the last to assist me she took me and my husband down to the check out and stayed with us the entire time, right up to us leaving the store. So I can understand why everyone waits so long for assistance.

A lot of people are trying to get the SAs attention so I can imagine that gets tiring. You need to be patient shopping at FSH and expect to wait a long time. Otherwise better to try the other 2 stores which are not as busy.

I guess FSH is the only retailer in the world that has no worries about their Brick and mortar business, especially in Paris. Why not hire more SAs to make the luxury shopping experience a better one? I don't think that the labor market is tight in France. Unemployment rate is 8.8% as of February this year.

 

[lynne_ross]

I guess FSH is the only retailer in the world that has no worries about their Brick and mortar business, especially in Paris. Why not hire more SAs to make the luxury shopping experience a better one? I don't think that the labor market is tight in France. Unemployment rate is 8.8% as of February this year.

My guess is they do not have to and they do not feel it will make a difference to their sales. I agree it would be nice to not wait so long! But I bought the shoes regardless of the wait...I have come to accept it in Paris.
I have had SAs be rude to me (once an SA made my 5 year old daughter stand after she sat on a chair in the shoe area - as though she was going to somehow destroy the chair) but I have had other great ones. So I try not to react to the brand based off one SA unless it is consistent at a certain store.

 

[papertiger]

My guess is they do not have to and they do not feel it will make a difference to their sales. I agree it would be nice to not wait so long! But I bought the shoes regardless of the wait...I have come to accept it in Paris.
I have had SAs be rude to me (once an SA made my 5 year old daughter stand after she sat on a chair in the shoe area - as though she was going to somehow destroy the chair) but I have had other great ones. So I try not to react to the brand based off one SA unless it is consistent at a certain store.

Trust me I know not to interrupt when a SA is helping others but I find that when it is my turn to be helped, the SAs tend to be willing to multi-task and divide their attention with other customers, be it someone that just popped in for a question or need more help. I'm not referring to FSH SAs but to slightly derail this thread about general customer service experience. This has happened to me in high and low end stores so I think that it is only the individual that needs to go back to more training. I don't think that having a bad day is a good excuse. Many of us are in the wrong force and just because we're overwhelmed with work doesn't mean that we can be rude to our boss. We could be fired for that behavior. I can totally relate to you and would turn me off from spending money.

I find that lot of brands spend money on marketing and social media nowadays but perhaps they can go back to square one and take time to re-train and remind their employees about customer service. I like the idea of secret shopper and not sure if retailers are doing this anymore.

Ok, enough of my 2 cents. Back to topic.

Back to topic indeed. thank you

 

[vcc1]

Nothing excuses rudeness, but in my experience it seems like the approach to customer service in France is slightly different . In the US, even if all the SA’s are busy , we expect someone to acknowledge that we have been seen and indicate that a SA will be with us when one frees up. It appears that in Paris (again based on my experience ) the approach is slightly different . They believe that the best customer service is to give the client they are waiting on their undivided attention, and it is understood that they will get to you when they can.

You are right, this is just a question of culture. Just don't take it personally !

 

[eagle1002us]

I'm asian too and never had that kind of experience in FSH or other store. I think nationality shouldn't be brought up as a main factor for bad service.. We should put it this way maybe its a long day for the SA and they are doing the same thing over and over again. Sometimes as customer we might also ask them many things and in the end we didn't buy.. It may cause them having a bad day. And I know its their job and is not an excuse for that SA behaviour.

I agree with the comments about nationality. I wouldn't go for that explanation of her rudeness -- o/w you may be setting yourself up for looking for signs of discourtesy and that would make for a miserable trip. Perhaps apologizing to the SA when she said she was with someone might have made her reconsider and lead to a different outcome. (Of course, anyone would be startled by her reaction and it's hard to think of a satisfactory comeback when that happens). I agree with others that she just may have been run ragged with customers on a public holiday and so snapped at you. My point is if you leave the store you won't get a bag from the store. Hang in there.

 

[jmc3007]

I just came back from fsh with the worst H experience in my life. After my 4th rejection on appointment, I decided to go straight to the store today to ask for appointment cancellation/replacement and also to browse for my wishlist on slg and shoes. Upon arriving, I headed straight to the leather section but I was rejected politely (I knew the chances of cancellation will be low as tomorrow is PH and everyone obviously wouldn’t cancel a H appointment). I then went upstairs to look for shoes. Found one that I was keen to buy, waited few minutes to see if there was any SA available, none. I walked around the whole shoe department to find someone to assist me but every SA was tied up with something. DH and I then seated at the sofa while glazing around to check if we could catch any SA to assist on the sizing. After few minutes of waiting, we saw a SA walked by (we were aware that she was assisting a client). DH suggested that maybe I could ask her for the sizing and if she’s not available to help she can refer us to anyone else from the department, or at least know that we are waiting so she can attend to us once she’s done. So I walked up to the SA and asked. To our surprise, the SA replied me “Did you see that I’m with a client?” in a cold dead tone. We were shocked by her rudeness! She looked away immediately after saying that. I told DH that I don’t want the shoes anymore and we headed downstairs. (At this point, please tell us if we were being insensitive for bothering her while she’s with a client.)

This is not our first time in fsh but definitely our worst encounter. DH was so disappointed and kept complaining about how the service has deteriorated. I told him maybe it was just that particular SA. We went to the leather department (the appointment counter) and told the SA what happened. We were surprised, again, that she didn’t even want to hear us out but kept telling us that we should wait. IMO it’s not about the waiting time, it’s about the attitude and service. Honestly who here doesn’t wait to purchase a H? Though the whole conversation was short, but it was rude enough to turn me off.

It’s a cultural difference - that’s the French retail way, and mostly European way too. They do not multitask while attending to one and acknowledging another. They never have and never will. Salespeople give undivided attention to whomever they happen to be assisting. Last month in Paris, the cheesemonger waited on me for a good 20 minutes while other customers came and went and came back. I used to live in Paris and am familiar with their ways, it doesn’t drive me mad. In the US I detest calling and someone answers with a need to to put you on hold, why bother to pickup instead of letting it go to voicemail?

When occupied with another client, a French SA hates being interrupted or approached by someone else, this is their equivalent of picking up the phone and putting the other end on hold. During my April visit to FSH, I had almost 90 min to kill but never approached any SA other than the hostess, my shoes weren’t quite broken in yet, I was looking to chill and look around, but only made it to the shoes area, about 10min in before I got a text that a SA was ready. During our meeting, we had to move around a couple of times when the first dressing room wasn’t available, my SA was mortified but I just rolled with it. When someone is attending, he/she will give you all the undivided attention you need, wait for as long as needed to retrieve and show you as many items and colors, they’re not looking to the next sale. That’s the fundamental cultural difference between US and Europe retail scene, no judgment, just what it is.

 

[periogirl28]

It’s a cultural difference - that’s the French retail way, and mostly European way too. They do not multitask while attending to one and acknowledging another. They never have and never will. Salespeople give undivided attention to whomever they happen to be assisting. Last month in Paris, the cheesemonger waited on me for a good 20 minutes while other customers came and went and came back. I used to live in Paris and am familiar with their ways, it doesn’t drive me mad. In the US I detest calling and someone answers with a need to to put you on hold, why bother to pickup instead of letting it go to voicemail?

When occupied with another client, a French SA hates being interrupted or approached by someone else, this is their equivalent of picking up the phone and putting the other end on hold. During my April visit to FSH, I had almost 90 min to kill but never approached any SA other than the hostess, my shoes weren’t quite broken in yet, I was looking to chill and look around, but only made it to the shoes area, about 10min in before I got a text that a SA was ready. During our meeting, we had to move around a couple of times when the first dressing room wasn’t available, my SA was mortified but I just rolled with it. When someone is attending, he/she will give you all the undivided attention you need, wait for as long as needed to retrieve and show you as many items and colors, they’re not looking to the next sale. That’s the fundamental cultural difference between US and Europe retail scene, no judgment, just what it is.

I have been told this by my French SAs. They say, "The appointment time is yours and I will stay with you until you finish." I have also gotten used to it by now. Thank you for sharing.

 

[zen1965]

It’s a cultural difference - that’s the French retail way, and mostly European way too. They do not multitask while attending to one and acknowledging another. They never have and never will. Salespeople give undivided attention to whomever they happen to be assisting. Last month in Paris, the cheesemonger waited on me for a good 20 minutes while other customers came and went and came back. I used to live in Paris and am familiar with their ways, it doesn’t drive me mad. In the US I detest calling and someone answers with a need to to put you on hold, why bother to pickup instead of letting it go to voicemail?

When occupied with another client, a French SA hates being interrupted or approached by someone else, this is their equivalent of picking up the phone and putting the other end on hold. During my April visit to FSH, I had almost 90 min to kill but never approached any SA other than the hostess, my shoes weren’t quite broken in yet, I was looking to chill and look around, but only made it to the shoes area, about 10min in before I got a text that a SA was ready. During our meeting, we had to move around a couple of times when the first dressing room wasn’t available, my SA was mortified but I just rolled with it. When someone is attending, he/she will give you all the undivided attention you need, wait for as long as needed to retrieve and show you as many items and colors, they’re not looking to the next sale. That’s the fundamental cultural difference between US and Europe retail scene, no judgment, just what it is.

This 100%. I am European, and in fact I would consider it very rude if another customer approached a sales assistant attending me at the time.

 

[Summerof89]

HELLO EVERYONE, I WANT TO SHARE MY UNBELIEVABLE EXPERIENCE AT FSH LAST WEEK. BOTH MY HUSBAND AND I MADE 2 APPOINTMENTS EACH, BUT WERE REJECTED. LAST MONDAY WE WERE WALKING ON RUE. FSH AND DECIDED TO STOP BY HERMES TO PURCHASE A TIE FOR OUR SON. WHILE THERE, MY HUSBAND INSISTED I ASK LEATHER HOSTESS FOR POSSIBLE APPOINTMENT. I DID SO, RELUCTANTLY. I TOLD HER THAT WE BOTH TRIED BUT WERE REJECTED. TO MY SURPRISE SHE TOLD ME TO WAIT FEW MINUTES FOR A SALESPERSON. I WAS SO NERVOUS. I WAS AFRAID THAT I'D BE OFFERED A BAG THAT WAS NOT WHAT I REALLY WANTED. LONG STORY SHORT, I GOT EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED: KELLY SELLIER 28 IN NOIR WITH GHW. I WANTED TO PINCH MYSELF. WOW!! MIRACLES DO HAPPEN.

SHOWWWWWWWW USSSSSSSSS!!!!!
that was very lucky congratulations