Paris trip for Hermes

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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.
 
Hello everyone,
I found it interesting to read about the recent experience of the lady who had the SA who used the same script in 2 appointments within the year.
I find it interesting as I might have got her too LOL.
She came back and said 'no stock' as I have bought too much stuff? (I only got 1 QB this year... the rest are SLGs).....then, she said, it would be hard for 'her manager' to approve another bag....but after that speech, she offered me an EXOTIC bag which is NOT in the style I was looking for.
I don't mind exotic but I do have a preference in which bag...this is NOT a special bag but in exotic simply means it cost 3x MORE than the QB I asked for.
So, just funny when she said 'can't offer bag as I bought too much SLG' but at the exact same time offered me what she wanted to sell me with big commission! I would not buy something just to give her huge commission unless it is something I like. It is not like she is my usual SA, I met her for the 1st time then (That was months ago, just wanted to share my funny story).

So, hang in there, unless it is an SA you worked with which also help you reach your dreams. Some SA might be just in it to get commission without any regards to making customers happy.
My husband said it is like 'Me asking to buy a car and they offer me a bike which cost 3x more than the car' haha.
 
Hi TPFers,
I was in Paris this week and wanted to share a success story to keep your hopes alive :smile:
Thankyou to everyone on here for sharing your experiences and knowledge. It really helped contribute to my success story.
The first few days were very disheartening… I didnt go into this expecting a bag… but I also gave it the best chance I could so I was hopeful. My game plan was to buy items that I wanted and hopefully come across an SA that I clicked with and then ask for help in securing an appointment. (Because the chances of scoring an online appointment are so low).
First few days I visited both Sevres and FSH. FSH seemed way more chaotic and the shoppers seemed more hungry. It felt intimidating. I also noticed the SA dont move from department to department so its harder to build a relationship.
Sevres was a more calm environment and SA move around with you. For a few days I was going to Sevres.. buying things I needed… then asking at the leather desk for cancellations. I didnt vibe enough with any SA there to feel comfortable to ask them directly.
The first day at the leather desk the lady was smug in her response. In fact she laughed in my face and said there are never cancellations… ever. Which we know is not true. So i walked away with the little dignity I had left and a male SA followed me up the stairs asking what bag I wanted. This didnt end in success. ‘Birkin and Kelly without appointment are impossible’.
After a few days i was ready to give up. In my husband’s opinion, he felt the SA dont have much pull and it is the staff at the leather desk who assign the appointments. So he encouraged me to go that day and just go to the desk.
So I went to FSH at opening. There was a mad rush so I browsed the store for about 30mins until it calmed down. As I approached the desk I just experienced two other people get rejected. When I approached I was honest and sincere and I had let the lady know we had tried online with no luck and that tomorrow was my last day in Paris. She seemed very friendly and instantly i felt comfortable with her. She told me no cancellations but asked my name anyway. I do feel at this point she was checking my purchase history to see if I had a genuine love for the brand. She then asked me to take a seat. I couldnt believe it!
Within 5 minutes I was assigned to an SA who was just as friendly. We went upstairs and she asked me what I was after. She seemed to really care and helped me in making my decision on specs of the bag. She told me she would be back in 15-20 but that August has low inventory of bags…
She came back and asked me to come up to the next level. A box was in the room. I was thrilled. It was the bag of my dreams with all the specs I had asked for. The colour was my second preferance but I now feel it was waiting for me.
I encourage you to manifest, dont give up, and dont take the process personally. There is definitely luck involved… i wish you all the same success.
:smile:

Edited
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi TPFers,
I was in Paris this week and wanted to share a success story to keep your hopes alive :smile:
Thankyou to everyone on here for sharing your experiences and knowledge. It really helped contribute to my success story.
The first few days were very disheartening… I didnt go into this expecting a bag… but I also gave it the best chance I could so I was hopeful. My game plan was to buy items that I wanted and hopefully come across an SA that I clicked with and then ask for help in securing an appointment. (Because the chances of scoring an online appointment are so low).
First few days I visited both Sevres and FSH. FSH seemed way more chaotic and the shoppers seemed more hungry. It felt intimidating. I also noticed the SA dont move from department to department so its harder to build a relationship.
Sevres was a more calm environment and SA move around with you. For a few days I was going to Sevres.. buying things I needed… then asking at the leather desk for cancellations. I didnt vibe enough with any SA there to feel comfortable to ask them directly.
The first day at the leather desk the lady was smug in her response. In fact she laughed in my face and said there are never cancellations… ever. Which we know is not true. So i walked away with the little dignity I had left and a male SA followed me up the stairs asking what bag I wanted. This didnt end in success. ‘Birkin and Kelly without appointment are impossible’.
After a few days i was ready to give up. In my husband’s opinion, he felt the SA dont have much pull and it is the staff at the leather desk who assign the appointments. So he encouraged me to go that day and just go to the desk.
So I went to FSH at opening. There was a mad rush so I browsed the store for about 30mins until it calmed down. As I approached the desk I just experienced two other people get rejected. When I approached I was honest and sincere and I had let the lady know we had tried online with no luck and that tomorrow was my last day in Paris. She seemed very friendly and instantly i felt comfortable with her. She told me no cancellations but asked my name anyway. I do feel at this point she was checking my purchase history to see if I had a genuine love for the brand. She then asked me to take a seat. I couldnt believe it!
Within 5 minutes I was assigned to an SA who was just as friendly. We went upstairs and she asked me what I was after. She seemed to really care and helped me in making my decision on specs of the bag. She told me she would be back in 15-20 but that August has low inventory of bags…
She came back and asked me to come up to the next level. A box was in the room. I was thrilled. It was the bag of my dreams with all the specs I had asked for. The colour was my second preferance but I now feel it was waiting for me.
I encourage you to manifest, dont give up, and dont take the process personally. There is definitely luck involved… i wish you all the same success.
Congrats on the Sellier B35 Etoupe, it’s beautiful!
 
I don't usually check out unboxings on instagram, but for some reason I got curious. Excellent choice, congratulations ! Also it's the cutest unboxing out there :smile: I feel like you must have used your kids cuteness to subdue the SA :lol: .
Haha i definitely tried to use my children one day… it was so busy we didnt even get a hello. I managed to score it on my own (and more focussed?)
 
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I don't usually check out unboxings on instagram, but for some reason I got curious. Excellent choice, congratulations ! Also it's the cutest unboxing out there :smile: I feel like you must have used your kids cuteness to subdue the SA :lol: .
Haha i definitely tried to use my children one day… it was so busy we didnt even get a hello. I managed to score it on my own (and more focussed?)
the unboxing is sooo cute!!!! and i can feel the joy in your beautiful children doing the unboxing
 
Hi TPFers,
I was in Paris this week and wanted to share a success story to keep your hopes alive :smile:
Thankyou to everyone on here for sharing your experiences and knowledge. It really helped contribute to my success story.
The first few days were very disheartening… I didnt go into this expecting a bag… but I also gave it the best chance I could so I was hopeful. My game plan was to buy items that I wanted and hopefully come across an SA that I clicked with and then ask for help in securing an appointment. (Because the chances of scoring an online appointment are so low).
First few days I visited both Sevres and FSH. FSH seemed way more chaotic and the shoppers seemed more hungry. It felt intimidating. I also noticed the SA dont move from department to department so its harder to build a relationship.
Sevres was a more calm environment and SA move around with you. For a few days I was going to Sevres.. buying things I needed… then asking at the leather desk for cancellations. I didnt vibe enough with any SA there to feel comfortable to ask them directly.
The first day at the leather desk the lady was smug in her response. In fact she laughed in my face and said there are never cancellations… ever. Which we know is not true. So i walked away with the little dignity I had left and a male SA followed me up the stairs asking what bag I wanted. This didnt end in success. ‘Birkin and Kelly without appointment are impossible’.
After a few days i was ready to give up. In my husband’s opinion, he felt the SA dont have much pull and it is the staff at the leather desk who assign the appointments. So he encouraged me to go that day and just go to the desk.
So I went to FSH at opening. There was a mad rush so I browsed the store for about 30mins until it calmed down. As I approached the desk I just experienced two other people get rejected. When I approached I was honest and sincere and I had let the lady know we had tried online with no luck and that tomorrow was my last day in Paris. She seemed very friendly and instantly i felt comfortable with her. She told me no cancellations but asked my name anyway. I do feel at this point she was checking my purchase history to see if I had a genuine love for the brand. She then asked me to take a seat. I couldnt believe it!
Within 5 minutes I was assigned to an SA who was just as friendly. We went upstairs and she asked me what I was after. She seemed to really care and helped me in making my decision on specs of the bag. She told me she would be back in 15-20 but that August has low inventory of bags…
She came back and asked me to come up to the next level. A box was in the room. I was thrilled. It was the bag of my dreams with all the specs I had asked for. The colour was my second preferance but I now feel it was waiting for me.
I encourage you to manifest, dont give up, and dont take the process personally. There is definitely luck involved… i wish you all the same success.
:smile:

Edited
Congratulations! Would love to see your purchases!
 
If the bold bit is true then all H boutiques in the world, not just Paris, will be in big trouble with the law, considering how often people are told ‘no stock’ when there are bags in the back room, because they choose who to sell to. But no H boutiques are in trouble with the law, are they, or we would all hear about it. So, as frustrating as this business practice is, they can keep doing it as long as there are enough customers willing to ‘play the game’.
The key is when someone says they have no bags, they are saying they have no bags for YOU. There is nothing false or misleading about an SA telling someone that there are no bags available for that person.
 
It’s definitely unlawful to make false, misleading or deceptive claims to customers. I can promise you that. Whether it can be proven is another thing.
In the US, a business can absolutely legally refuse service to anyone for any reason other than as discrimination against a protected class (ie cannot refuse service because of a person’s race, sex, religion, or nation of origin). But if I don’t like the color of socks you are wearing today, I can legally ask you to leave my store no questions asked (and call the cops to force you to leave if you refuse AND have you put in jail if you come back). If a store isn’t allowing someone to make a purchase, they aren’t even a customer. Very few industries are regulated to the degree that you are claiming anyway. It’s often “buyer beware” and if customer has an issue they are always free to sue (with unknown outcome) but it’s not a criminal investigation. Europe does tend to have slightly stronger consumer protection laws but I doubt what H does gets anywhere near any region’s legal standards.
 
Sure that’s one argument for the defense. Its a deceptive practice and companies have been held liable for much less. And getting back to OP’s situation, the SA told her a specific story twice a few months apart - facts in particular suggesting that the SA was being deceptive (and certainly wasn’t told “no bags for you”)
I am a retired corporate defense lawyer in the US and just offered up one defense That Hermes would proffer. I don’t know the facts of that particular person’s situation and empathize with her situation. I am so nervous about how things will go for my trip next Spring with my daughter, but from what I have been reading, I am not getting my hopes up. As a lawyer, I would definitely not recommend that any individual try to sue Hermes because they felt “defrauded” by Hermes, because that individual would face a very expensive, frustrating and ultimately fruitless endeavor.
 
nebbersa432 said:
Let’s be honest with ourselves, they have handbags to sell. I have zero doubt in my mind that they do. They are made of leather, not fairy dust… every single other retailer has bags to sell but H doesn’t have literally anything to offer sometimes? No way.
I agree with OP’s decision, I’d be frustrated too, having been told the exact same specific story months apart, by the same SA, indicates that the SA wasn’t being truthful. Of course any business can refuse service, but I think it’s unlawful (at least in the US) and poor customer service to make false, misleading or deceptive statements to customers.

They are refusing service though (”dont have a bag available.” It’s truthfully not available; it either doesn’t exist or is being held for other clients/in reserve/for tomorrow/for afternoon appointments whatever. If I reserve a specific pair of shoes with my SA and it happens to be the last pair, and then another customer comes in and asks to buy those exact specs, is it lie when the SA says they don’t have any? Heck, even if I never asked my SA for the shoes and she just thought I might like them so she put them aside?) not making false statements (”this birkin will cure your high blood pressure.” Or “this Birkin will look brand new for a thousand years even if you drop it in the ocean!”). Regardless, I do think every time H Paris gets a complaint like this, especially one not based on anything blatantly discriminatory, we move much closer to to H Paris saying “to hell with it” and eliminating all non relationship quota bag offers.
 
Just to go back to paris and appointment system, I had lunch with a friend today and she claims that her brother paid 2000 euros for an appointment and that he did get the bag he wanted for his wife. Last week i have also asked a personal shopper about getting an appointment he said he could get one for 1000-1500 euros depends on the availability, I told him i will get back to him but i didnt as i’d never pay for an appointment.
 
Just to go back to paris and appointment system, I had lunch with a friend today and she claims that her brother paid 2000 euros for an appointment and that he did get the bag he wanted for his wife. Last week i have also asked a personal shopper about getting an appointment he said he could get one for 1000-1500 euros depends on the availability, I told him i will get back to him but i didnt as i’d never pay for an appointment.
Wow, incredible. If true, this raises a million questions, my first being, who gets the fee and do the Hermes SA‘s (or Hermes employee) benefit from this fee as well. If so, this sounds fishy. Are they trading favors for money? Also, since there’s no guarantee that an appointment will get you your choice bag, does this mean one is out the 1-2K Euros if “there aren’t any bags in stock” that day?
 
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