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.

 

[bellapurse]

What that person (can't use the name here) said is completely different to what @eatprayloveandbehappy said, which is:



Again YOU DO NOT NEED A SPEND to get a lottery appointment. It is a random draw. There're enough experiences related in this thread alone to qualify as accurate research on this.

Didn’t expect such a big uproar over my sharing.

By building profile and spend before the appt - that’s really been my experience and my friends’ experience in 2022 and 2023. I never said it had to be a lot of money. Pls don’t misquote me. I’ll share my friend’s experience in 2022 - day one to three in Paris, zero purchases.. no appt. Day 4 she bought a Kelly leather bracelet. She’s brand new to Hermes. Then we went off to other parts of Europe. Eventually when we got back to Paris, she got a lottery appt and she was offered a Picotin. No B/K. Another gal bought about 15K EUR in 2023 and got a last min cancellation appt from the leather desk and was offered a C. She has profile in her own hometown but not France. There have been other posts from people on purse forum or IG and YT where ppl share that after buying some things, they finally struck lottery. Whether it’s a B/K offer, that’s another thing altogether. Others have spend tons and still no appointment. That’s when I pieced everything up with my own experience this week and inferred that you need at least some spend to put you on a positive standing to demonstrate that you have some interest in Hermes. Specific to my experience this week, the SA did say many things to me and that’s why I wrote the post that way!

14 years ago, I got a K28 from FSH with no appointment. At that time, there wasn’t wasn’t this lottery system.

All our experiences are unique, based on our profiles and journeys. I would like to invite those who have been successful in recent years and months to share. That way, we can gain more up-to-date info and know if the following scenarios are true for those who got the lottery appts and their frequencies
(1) zero purchase from Paris - you can get a B/K (C is not a QB) via lottery - TRUE or very rare?
(2) zero purchase from Paris - leather appt but non-QB bags (True or rare?)
(3) some purchase history - leather appt with B/K offer
(4) some purchase history - leather appt with non-QB offer

Please do not put me on the firing line. I merely shared my opinion and my experience. It is not from the Hermes bible or the universal truth. All our experiences differ.

PS, And if you haven’t had any successful lottery experience in the recent post pandemic era, please refrain from being so snarky with your comments. Am not referring to these two ladies that I’ve responded to. We are all here to share and in the spirit of sharing, let’s be nice and cordial.

Agree with you and that was my experience last year. 3!

 

[carrie8]

Just to inform anyone who is in Paris now: public transport like busses and trams should be stopped at 9 pm in France. Stay safe people.

 

[stephbb9]

My two cents here. All at FSH.
I have never managed to score a lottery appointment.
My first B was with no purchase history maybe 9 years ago.
Then I got a second one several years later after maybe some scarves and fashion jewelry purchases.
After spending more a few times, no appointments still but I got lucky several times on cancellations. Sometimes I was offered a QB, sometimes not. And my purchase history did increase a lot and I had spent before trying for an appointment.
To me it seemed that I was either lucky or not with the SA.
I am still perplexed at the whole system!

 

[880]

IMO only, from my own experience and from reading this thread:

no prespend needed for a BKC via lottery
(but I believe lottery QBs bags are somewhat limited, and a lottery appt does not
entitle the recipient to a QB or any bag, depending on stock constraints

no prespend needed via special or VIP appt (These appts are usually not based on FSH prespend, but on
decisions made by H corporate prior to the appt. For these appts, SAs may be able to offer special QBs
as well as other lottery bags. If you have a VIP slot, you still stand a better chance of being offered a QB
than a person with a regular lottery appt.

if you are trying for a cancellation or walk in appt, possibly some prespend might help.
But, often it does not, especially when it is obvious spend simply to attain a QB.
Note: I believe that the pool of QBs available to walk ins is even more limited than standard lottery.

if you happen to be buying deeply in other categories that are sincerely your main interest,
I believe it might be possible for an non leather SA to ask a one time favor of the leather desk,
but non leather SAs as a general rule cannot offer leather themselves. And if you are the tenth person
that day to ask such an SA, she may have used her daily quota of favors up, and cannot even
entertain the possibility of asking again.

it has been posted before that SAs with regular long-standing clients may offer bags,
but with some limit per day, perhaps one, IDK. My FSH SA has always strongly suggested that
I make my appt well in advance, so I do so when I book my travel arrangements

there are different rules for different situations, and one persons experience is not transferable. . .
You cannot ride on someone else’s coattails to a QB outcome. This is why asking a stranger for a referral
to a ‘nice‘ SA is somewhat pointless. There is no ‘nice’ SA who can magically produce unlimited QBs
for every person who wants one. JMO, and YMMV

ETA: IMO, from listening to SAs at FSH, I believe it is the exception that a person who is not in love
with other aspects of the brand can prespend their way into a QB. FSH SAs as a rule pride themselves on
the fact that they do not work on commission, and they do want to believe that it’s not just the wealthiest or
the people most willing to throw money at this issue that can get a great bag.

 

[QuelleFromage]

IMO only, from my own experience and from reading this thread:

no prespend needed for a BKC via lottery
(but I believe lottery QBs bags are somewhat limited, and a lottery appt does not
entitle the recipient to a QB or any bag, depending on stock constraints

no prespend needed via special or VIP appt
(where special QBs and lottery bags may be offered by SAs who usually do not work in specific
departments or take lottery appts)

in other words, if you have a VIP slot, even if it’s after most of that day’s lottery appointments,
you still stand a better chance of being offered a QB on the strength of the SA and support from
management

if you are trying for a cancellation or walk in appt, possibly some prespend might help.
But, often it does not, especially when it is obvious spend to attain a QB.

if you happen to be buying deeply in other categories, I believe it might be possible for an non leather SA
to ask a favor of the leather desk, but non leather SAs as a general rule cannot offer leather themselves.

it has been posted before that SAs with regular clients may offer bags, but with some limit per day,
perhaps one, IDK

This is exactly accurate. I would qualify that senior non-leather SAs can offer bags, but I don't know if this applies to walk-ins - I doubt it.

I'd add that as I noted earlier, a healthy profile absolutely helps with getting a walk-in leather appointment...although it helps much more if you have an SA advocating for the leather peeps to LOOK at your profile, as @880 notes. t's too crazy at that desk for them to pull up everyone who asks.

Because I live close to two of the Paris stores (well, they are all pretty close together!) I hear a LOT of stories, from SAs and from customers (not to mention a treasure trove of "Overheard Hermès"

). Many visiting shoppers say they are VIPs at home but can't get a lottery appointment. I also have American, European, and Asian friends who live in Paris part-time, and spend a good amount, and still can't get in via lottery.

(Locals with a regular SA, or any long-term international clients of the Paris stores with a regular client manager, have a different setup.)

 

[880]

Many visiting shoppers say they are VIPs at home but can't get a lottery appointment. I also have American, European, and Asian friends who live in Paris part-time, and spend a good amount, and still can't get in via lottery.

Thank you for your kind words.

if one is a strong VIP at home, in non leather departments, I have heard from several sources that it may be possible to request that your home store arrange a one time courtesy appt in Paris. (Your SA cannot guarantee this and would have to pass your request higher up). But, if one is such a strong VIP at home, arguably FSH would simply be a fun experience, no QB necessary. By strong VIP, I mean someone who has furnished their home(s) in Hermes, from couches to chandeliers, or something equivalent, who is not really anyone I know ETA: this arrangement still does not guarantee a QB, or any bag, by any means.

 

[showgratitude]

Lottery system is lottery system. Maybe you can increase the chances of winning.....but in the end, it's still based on good luck, really! If you "won" by getting picked and being offered the "bag of your dreams", then you won the H Paris lottery twice! Remember, you can "win" an appointment and not be offered the bag that you like or love. If client A went there in red pants and B30 in Noir in Epsom leather and got to purchase the Himalayan Birkin 30. Does that mean that client B going in with red pants and B30 in Noir in Epsom will get offered a Himalayan Birkin too? Or maybe she will be offered a Picotin (it's a nice bag too, nothing wrong with it..but definitely doesn't look like a B!) now, because before client B's Uber came, she changed her mind and decided to bring in her B25 Rose Sakura instead? Some people just overthink how they can get a popular H bag! I get that. But there are just too many elements involved in whether or not you will get a bag or popular item, especially if you don't have an SA you have a good rapport with. All you can do is enjoy Paris, try to enter the H lottery, try to ask if there are any cancellations, be polite, and hope that the odds would be in your favor. You may buy things too if you think it will increase the odds of you "winning" and you really want to. But do not forget that some made big purchases, yet went home with no bags. Anyways, good luck if you are entering the "H lottery".

 

[Veritybelle]

Lottery system is lottery system. Maybe you can increase the chances of winning.....but in the end, it's still based on good luck, really! If you "won" by getting picked and being offered the "bag of your dreams", then you won the H Paris lottery twice! Remember, you can "win" an appointment and not be offered the bag that you like or love. If client A went there in red pants and B30 in Noir in Epsom leather and got to purchase the Himalayan Birkin 30. Does that mean that client B going in with red pants and B30 in Noir in Epsom will get offered a Himalayan Birkin too? Or maybe she will be offered a Picotin (it's a nice bag too, nothing wrong with it..but definitely doesn't look like a B!) now, because before client B's Uber came, she changed her mind and decided to bring in her B25 Rose Sakura instead? Some people just overthink how they can get a popular H bag! I get that. But there are just too many elements involved in whether or not you will get a bag or popular item, especially if you don't have an SA you have a good rapport with. All you can do is enjoy Paris, try to enter the H lottery, try to ask if there are any cancellations, be polite, and hope that the odds would be in your favor. You may buy things too if you think it will increase the odds of you "winning" and you really want to. But do not forget that some made big purchases, yet went home with no bags. Anyways, good luck if you are entering the "H lottery".

This.

 

[QuelleFromage]

I also have American, European, and Asian friends who live in Paris part-time, and spend a good amount, and still can't get in via lottery.

I want to clarify on the above - these are people who spend a lot IN PARIS, are here regularly, and still do not get drawn in the lottery.

I'm with @showgratitude - correlation is not causation.

 

[Veritybelle]

If it wasn’t apparent before, it should be fairly obvious here on page 2429 of this thread that very very few people possess the magic fairy dust that can sway the laws of probability on buying any H bag while on a casual vacation in Paris.

A trip to the Paris stores is a fun pilgrimage for lovers of the house and an opportunity to see/purchase many things that might never make it to other stores. I’m looking forward to reading more diverting stories of people’s experiences in this respect in this thread but (unpopular opinion?) I’m not really sure what else there is to say at present about appointments and the lottery.

Could we perhaps add a summary of the currently understood state of play to the sticky post, mods?

 

[tinkerbell68]

if you are trying for a cancellation or walk in appt, possibly some prespend might help.
But, often it does not, especially when it is obvious spend simply to attain a QB.
Note: I believe that the pool of QBs available to walk ins is even more limited than standard lottery.

When we were in Paris in April/May this year, we failed to get appointments via lottery ~20 times. I have both a fairly strong 'profile' at home (whatever that means) and have purchased items in Paris both in the past and during that trip. But a lottery by its nature is random. We did make a few purchases (silks are my weakness) and, because we were staying close to the Sevres store, we got to know a few SAs by sight. When we asked for a cancellation/walk in, we were told a few times that there was no availability and once that no bags had been delivered that morning so even those people with lottery appointments would not be offered a bag.
Eventually, due to some persistence by DH, an SA came out to speak with me and asked what I was interested in. While I mentioned that I wanted a 24/24, I did mention that I'd love a K28...duh! While we awaited her return I heard an SA tell a young woman with a leather appointment that there were no Kellys or Birkins available that day. She was offered a touch 24/24 which she took. I was offered a Kelly which I took.
So...my profile in the US and my purchases in Paris in no way helped me to obtain an appointment via lottery...it is RANDOM! But I suspect that my continued visits to the store and purchases in other areas helped me get the assistance of a leather specialist and the offer of a so called quota bag.

 

[tinkerbell68]

If it wasn’t apparent before, it should be fairly obvious here on page 2429 of this thread that very very few people possess the magic fairy dust that can sway the laws of probability on buying any H bag while on a casual vacation in Paris.

A trip to the Paris stores is a fun pilgrimage for lovers of the house and an opportunity to see/purchase many things that might never make it to other stores. I’m looking forward to reading more diverting stories of people’s experiences in this respect in this thread but (unpopular opinion?) I’m not really sure what else there is to say at present about appointments and the lottery.

Could we perhaps add a summary of the currently understood state of play to the sticky post, mods?

That was the best part for me...the beautiful items that my local store simply does not have the capacity to stock. I have found home items, RTW, silks and shoes (in my size!) in Paris that I'd never have found at home. And, of course, all three stores are SO BEAUTIFUL each with its own personality. Magic!

 

[HavLab]

I'm going in July, my first trip since covid. Please send positive vibes! My SA is on holiday so I will not get to see her. Which is unfortunate because she's a wonderful person. In addition, there are certain items I just don't want to buy without her guidance. But I will try to get an appt. I did not ask her for a backup.

 

[QuelleFromage]

If it wasn’t apparent before, it should be fairly obvious here on page 2429 of this thread that very very few people possess the magic fairy dust that can sway the laws of probability on buying any H bag while on a casual vacation in Paris.

A trip to the Paris stores is a fun pilgrimage for lovers of the house and an opportunity to see/purchase many things that might never make it to other stores. I’m looking forward to reading more diverting stories of people’s experiences in this respect in this thread but (unpopular opinion?) I’m not really sure what else there is to say at present about appointments and the lottery.

Could we perhaps add a summary of the currently understood state of play to the sticky post, mods?

I think it might be helpful to add the lottery link and how it works (ie mobile only) to the sticky, but I doubt there's a way to stop the speculation around the lottery. Despite some not so nice back and forth, the past few posts have yielded some helpful non-lottery details on shopping in Paris

 

[fashionpl]

This is my favorite thread. It's been fun reading and learning from everyone else's experiences. I feel very lucky that I have won the Paris H lottery 3 times. First, my husband somehow got a lottery appointment earlier this year with hardly any spend (only 2 items, about $600). I thought he had purchased a couple more scarves for me in Paris through the years. But after looking at the receipts, they were from our travels elsewhere. Second, even though our appointment was at the end of the day, I was offered the most perfect (to me) B25. Third, and more importantly, the SA and I just clicked when we met. Since then, we've emailed each other several times and this makes me love the brand even more.

From my experience, you need more luck than pre-spend in Paris to get noticed by the H gods.

So good LUCK to everyone here.