Paris trip for Hermes

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#29,204
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.
 
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#27,451
zen1965 said:
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.
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Couldn’t agree more! I find it extremely rude when people try to interrupt my SA when she/he is assisting me. I would never do it myself as I consider it very rude. Happened to me a few times at various Hermes stores around the world and I am always very grateful when my SA points out to the other customer that she/he is busy assisting me and that they need to be patient and wait for another assistant.
 
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#27,455
So now that we are in this cultural discussion - I have been very fortunate to be able to go to Paris quite a few times in the last several years thanks to my work. I haven’t been able to figure out how to (not) scream F off to those line cutters.

I have my leather appointment. I get to that area and more often than not the SA is helping someone. I’m standing at a comfortable distance from that patron being served. My focal point had always been at the SA / counter - you cant mistake me for just someone browsing. EVERY TIME someone would just go ahead of me and stand next to that patron and the SA would go ahead and serve that xxx next. There had been times when I was being cut twice. I said to myself, I’m not as desperate as those folks. But in the end it’s a huge waste of my emotional strength and time.

What is the French way of dealing with this situation? In the US the SA (not just Hermes, even local butcher and cheese mongers) keeps tab on who’s next and flat out ignore the line-cutter.
 
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#27,456
mcmug17 said:
So now that we are in this cultural discussion - I have been very fortunate to be able to go to Paris quite a few times in the last several years thanks to my work. I haven’t been able to figure out how to (not) scream F off to those line cutters.

I have my leather appointment. I get to that area and more often than not the SA is helping someone. I’m standing at a comfortable distance from that patron being served. My focal point had always been at the SA / counter - you cant mistake me for just someone browsing. EVERY TIME someone would just go ahead of me and stand next to that patron and the SA would go ahead and serve that xxx next. There had been times when I was being cut twice. I said to myself, I’m not as desperate as those folks. But in the end it’s a huge waste of my emotional strength and time.

What is the French way of dealing with this situation? In the US the SA (not just Hermes, even local butcher and cheese mongers) keeps tab on who’s next and flat out ignore the line-cutter.
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Hope we don't go too off topic and I cannot speak for my French neighbours, but what you encountered is nothing unusual for Europe. Doesn't necessarily have to do with a bad intent or lack of proper education on how to deal with these types of situations, but from trying to remain polite and a potential fear of confrontation. Has happened to me all across Europe (have lived in several places and in some countries people are more up front and make themselves heard versus other countries where people are less inclined to confront others with their misbehaviour) and line cutters usually get ignored both by SAs and most people waiting in line (there may be a disdainful look but that is it). You can be right, this might be a cultural thing, although there are always exceptions to the rule. I understand this can be bothersome and I usually politely but directly approach the respective SA and ask to please stick to the order of the line which usually causes some sort of reaction, but again, this behaviour does not stem from complete ignorance but in my opinion has always been a way to avoid uncomfortable situations and aggressive reactions. Of course, there will always be people who simply don't care, but let's assume that's the minority.
 
#27,457
mcmug17 said:
So now that we are in this cultural discussion - I have been very fortunate to be able to go to Paris quite a few times in the last several years thanks to my work. I haven’t been able to figure out how to (not) scream F off to those line cutters.

I have my leather appointment. I get to that area and more often than not the SA is helping someone. I’m standing at a comfortable distance from that patron being served. My focal point had always been at the SA / counter - you cant mistake me for just someone browsing. EVERY TIME someone would just go ahead of me and stand next to that patron and the SA would go ahead and serve that xxx next. There had been times when I was being cut twice. I said to myself, I’m not as desperate as those folks. But in the end it’s a huge waste of my emotional strength and time.

What is the French way of dealing with this situation? In the US the SA (not just Hermes, even local butcher and cheese mongers) keeps tab on who’s next and flat out ignore the line-cutter.
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you are talking about at FSH correct? that’s odd that you need to wait when you go up. every time when it’s my appointment and i go upstairs the SA is always waiting for me. otherwise they won’t ask you to go up and meet your SA. i’ve been to at least 5 appointments at FSH to give context.
 
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#27,458
cherylc said:
you are talking about at FSH correct? that’s odd that you need to wait when you go up. every time when it’s my appointment and i go upstairs the SA is always waiting for me. otherwise they won’t ask you to go up and meet your SA. i’ve been to at least 5 appointments at FSH to give context.
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I also had to wait at FSH when it was my appointment time. You still have to check in and there are multiple people with the same appointment time.
 
#27,459
classybags4ever said:
I also had to wait at FSH when it was my appointment time. You still have to check in and there are multiple people with the same appointment time.
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^^ This. During check in. Other appointment hopefuls simply jump ahead of me without even bother checking if there are people also waiting.

At least I would ask “Are you in line?” I guess they may not in their right state of mind.

I wouldn’t mind if they are quick. But they are not. The SAs also spend time on giving them business cards of George V or Sevrés.
 
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#27,460
Sorry I should clarify and maybe I’m confused. Are you talking about when you check in saying you have an appointment for the day? On the main floor? Then yes I can see how people try to cut in with the hostess though it hasn’t happened to me yet. I was just specifically saying that once a SA is assigned to you upstairs or wherever they ask you to meet them, I haven’t had issues with line cutting etc. I think I misunderstood which point of “checking in” you were referring to. lol.
 
#27,461
cherylc said:
Sorry I should clarify and maybe I’m confused. Are you talking about when you check in saying you have an appointment for the day? On the main floor? Then yes I can see how people try to cut in with the hostess though it hasn’t happened to me yet. I was just specifically saying that once a SA is assigned to you upstairs or wherever they ask you to meet them, I haven’t had issues with line cutting etc. I think I misunderstood which point of “checking in” you were referring to. lol.
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For a sec I thought I was about to learn something new!
 
#27,463
cherylc said:
yes it is survival of the fittest at FSH. lol. definitely need to keep hawk eyes and position yourself so that no one cuts in front.
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So that comes back to my original question - how to deal with line cutters.

When the SA is helping someone, I want to give them space, both for the patron and the SA. I don't want to hear their conversation, because I don't want mine heard either. And in my mind it's a globally understood manner - think of the yellow line in front of a bank teller or passport control. Those line cutters go right up to the glass case and hang out there! That's something I'd never do. In where I live, most sales associates (as I mentioned even fishmongers and butchers) keep track on the often non-existing line. The display case is wide, patrons get there from all directions, there's just no line to speak of. It depends on the courtesy of the patrons and the fishmonger. At my local H, if my SA is helping someone, I just need to get her eye contact from a distance. but that also means she's always on the look out, unlike what's being discussed so far.

I actually have empathy for the SAs for having to deal with the same crowd _every_single_day_ - can you imagine what it is like to turn down tens if not hundreds of people coming in desperately trying different ways to buy a B/K, and the number of times you have to tell them to go to the other two stores, and they are never satisfied? At the end of the day, I have the appointment, the line cutters don't. But I'm wasting precious vacation time.

I would hate to switch to grocery/survival mode at FSH because... while as much as I want to get a purse I want, this is supposed to be a luxury experience and I'd feel stupid afterwards for having to treat it like buying a piece of meat! The question is why should I have to? Unless someone tells me it's the French way.

Now that I'm reading about "undivided attention to the current customer", I was thinking if there's a chance they may not even have a visual of my presence - Should I have thrown myself in front of the SA so that I can get his/her next attention? What is the "correct" distance from the previous patron? What should have been said if the SA acknowledges the line-cutter first instead of me? How do the French deal with line cutters.
 
#27,464
mcmug17 said:
So that comes back to my original question - how to deal with line cutters.

When the SA is helping someone, I want to give them space, both for the patron and the SA. I don't want to hear their conversation, because I don't want mine heard either. And in my mind it's a globally understood manner - think of the yellow line in front of a bank teller or passport control. Those line cutters go right up to the glass case and hang out there! That's something I'd never do. In where I live, most sales associates (as I mentioned even fishmongers and butchers) keep track on the often non-existing line. The display case is wide, patrons get there from all directions, there's just no line to speak of. It depends on the courtesy of the patrons and the fishmonger. At my local H, if my SA is helping someone, I just need to get her eye contact from a distance. but that also means she's always on the look out, unlike what's being discussed so far.

I actually have empathy for the SAs for having to deal with the same crowd _every_single_day_ - can you imagine what it is like to turn down tens if not hundreds of people coming in desperately trying different ways to buy a B/K, and the number of times you have to tell them to go to the other two stores, and they are never satisfied? At the end of the day, I have the appointment, the line cutters don't. But I'm wasting precious vacation time.

I would hate to switch to grocery/survival mode at FSH because... while as much as I want to get a purse I want, this is supposed to be a luxury experience and I'd feel stupid afterwards for having to treat it like buying a piece of meat! The question is why should I have to? Unless someone tells me it's the French way.

Now that I'm reading about "undivided attention to the current customer", I was thinking if there's a chance they may not even have a visual of my presence - Should I have thrown myself in front of the SA so that I can get his/her next attention? What is the "correct" distance from the previous patron? What should have been said if the SA acknowledges the line-cutter first instead of me? How do the French deal with line cutters.
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Are you serious? What would you do if you were in another store like a grocery and someone cut in front of you? You'd say pardon/excuse me/sorry but I think I was next...? No need to obsess to such detail as to what distance or where you should position yourself from the SA or client it's down to your discretion. At the end of the day you have to be assertive this isnt being confrontational you're just standing up for yourself otherwise you'll be there all day with people cutting in left and right!
 
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#27,465
I don’t understand. You have an appointment, you’ve checked in and you have been sent to leathers? And these people don’t have any appointment? I thought the SA keep track of who has been sent up? I mean, I can understand them answering a quick question or two as they are moving to start helping you but do they go off and help the person and just leave you there?
 
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