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.

 

[periogirl28]

It's always a pleasure to be back in Paris and over many visits, watch as the SAs whom we meet at the start as juniors rise through the ranks and 4 have now become managers of their departments. We spend more time during appointments catching up than actually discussing Hermes and because of the intel and confidences shared we feel privileged, very fortunate and quite at home.
Of course there are many things which I cannot share here but what I can divulge is that trying to establish a new relationship at FSH or even in Paris, is now extremely difficult. For those who want to amass a collection in a short time, visiting often and spending large amounts is not likely to result in being offered the actual/ exact bags being sought. Also maxing out quotas plus pushing for SOs across the world is also not taken positively and raises red flags. Trust me, they can see worldwide QB purchases if they want to.
Ultimately home store relationships are encouraged and they are still interested in clients who prefer to buy slowly, deliberately, across all Métiers and over generations if possible. Of course this is the ideal, not always easy and they do know there are problems with any approach.
They won't ever get it perfect but a lot is being done to attempt it.

Charges de Clientèle SAs are assigned and it's really difficult to say who will be transferred to these SAs from their regular leather SAs. The range of bag offers I believe, also depend on SA seniority. Otherwise higher level approval is required.

I am not defending Hermes and only explaining what I learned, please don't shoot the messenger. 🤭

Special Orders/ A La Carte are definitely being adjusted, I will share what I can, when I can.

I like to tease DH that he can probably prepare a Hermes Quota Bag Roadmap when he retires from his career in Finance. But he won't. 😉

Apologies for the extra long post.

 

[880]

How does one get “picked up” by a leather SA in Paris? Do you have to successfully get an appointment first, purchase a bag, then build a rapport from there?

Agree with the posts above, (especially with the view that bag offers depend on seniority and circumstances). I forgot to mention in my own post above that it may be the very rare exception, rather than the rule, who can cultivate a bag relationship from a lottery or walk in appt ^ in today’s environment. The competition is simply too hard.

If one’s real goal is to get bag offers today, I honestly think cultivating a relationship with an FSH SA will fail. BC I don’t think Parisian SAs explicitly look for this kind of connection today (no matter the one time prespend)

I am lucky enough to have an FSH SA; I shop twice a year, and I receive at least one qb offer and a non QB offer per visit (that I do not always accept). But, I am primarily a RTW client. And, I share the attitude of my SA which is simply to relax, enjoy, connect with her, and discover new things (that are not always bags).

I am not a long standing client or VIP, but I was lucky enough to meet her (via a personally arranged appt — circumstances under which no longer exist) a few years ago. My spend is a fraction of what I spend in my local store, and no where near the numbers bandied about here.

If I don’t accept any offers or see any RTW that I must have, there is always next time. It would have been very hard, if not impossible, for me to have started a relationship in the present time

 

[gi201]

I don’t get it. A brand new BK doesn’t cost anything more than $25K on the resale market. Why stretch the spend to $50K and lament about not having scored an offer?

But what’s intriguing me more is why a high spender like her with past purchase across different metiers hasnt been “picked up” or “adopted” by any of the past leather SAs. Surely they would have identified a high-spending customer with long term potential after looking at her profile. What went awry?

And I agree with @880. A one-time large spend would be more impactful.

Based on my own experience, a €15K - €25K spend with my regular Paris SA (who helps me across metiers) would have garnered me a good QB offer. I hope I don’t come across as bragging. I’m just trying to highlight how spending $50K (approx €46K) is just OTT. Regular customers who stay loyal to a singular Parisenne SA would have spent just a fraction of what this lady did.

It is purely luck. Here are a few things that if we were in person I would say to anyone going to Paris attempting a walk-in appointment at FSH. Recently, the leather desk/welcome desk has changed management. The new leather bags manager is activitly changing their rules to improve their capabilities and services. The person in charge of the welcome desk has also changed and now the new person is there in certain days of the week, the other days you will get one of the SA's. The instructions to accept walk-ins now is very limited. The demand for bags, specifically QBs, is way higher than what they can provide, so things had to change.

 

[Wanderlustfoodie]

How does one get “picked up” by a leather SA in Paris? Do you have to successfully get an appointment first, purchase a bag, then build a rapport from there?

I’ll share my story. While I’ve always had a permanent SA in my home city, I’ve been shopping with various SAs in Paris during my vacays over the years until one day, one of the leather SAs whom I got on well with during a leather appt extended her mobile number to me for future visits. I took it as a sign that she’s taking me on as her regular client and stuck to her loyally. She’s now my forever SA.

How does one get picked up you ask..hmmm it could be a combination of various factors - luck, rapport, a well rounded profile across metiers, potential as a long term client and not one who will disappear after scoring a QB. It’s all part of maintaining the relationship with your SA I guess. I don’t know how else to describe this either. Of course. The high spenders have their special route.

 

[GabrielleS]

Just read this recent experience with Paris on Reddit. Yikes!

View attachment 6013471

I am not surprised. She demonstrated her willingness to make H a focal point of her vacation and go spend significant amounts of money again and again in a short period despite no bag. I hope she likes what she bought.

 

[Ceeje89]

It's always a pleasure to be back in Paris and over many visits, watch as the SAs whom we meet at the start as juniors rise through the ranks and 4 have now become managers of their departments. We spend more time during appointments catching up than actually discussing Hermes and because of the intel and confidences shared we feel privileged, very fortunate and quite at home.
Of course there are many things which I cannot share here but what I can divulge is that trying to establish a new relationship at FSH or even in Paris, is now extremely difficult. For those who want to amass a collection in a short time, visiting often and spending large amounts is not likely to result in being offered the actual/ exact bags being sought. Also maxing out quotas plus pushing for SOs across the world is also not taken positively and raises red flags. Trust me, they can see worldwide QB purchases if they want to.
Ultimately home store relationships are encouraged and they are still interested in clients who prefer to buy slowly, deliberately, across all Métiers and over generations if possible. Of course this is the ideal, not always easy and they do know there are problems with any approach.
They won't ever get it perfect but a lot is being done to attempt it.

Charges de Clientèle SAs are assigned and it's really difficult to say who will be transferred to these SAs from their regular leather SAs. The range of bag offers I believe, also depend on SA seniority. Otherwise higher level approval is required.

I am not defending Hermes and only explaining what I learned, please don't shoot the messenger. 🤭

Special Orders/ A La Carte are definitely being adjusted, I will share what I can, when I can.

I like to tease DH that he can probably prepare a Hermes Quota Bag Roadmap when he retires from his career in Finance. But he won't. 😉

Apologies for the extra long post.

Thank you for sharing what you can! I always appreciate your informative posts, feels like I’m getting a glimpse behind the orange curtain

 

[periogirl28]

Thank you for sharing what you can! I always appreciate your informative posts, feels like I’m getting a glimpse behind the orange curtain

Oh so sweet, this is so kind of you! Unfortunately I cannot share everything and not everyone here takes my posts in such an objective or positive light as you do. Anyway as I said, I have learnt so much on the forum from those who post generously and I am happy to share what I can. 🙏🏼

 

[GabrielleS]

It's always a pleasure to be back in Paris and over many visits, watch as the SAs whom we meet at the start as juniors rise through the ranks and 4 have now become managers of their departments. We spend more time during appointments catching up than actually discussing Hermes and because of the intel and confidences shared we feel privileged, very fortunate and quite at home.
Of course there are many things which I cannot share here but what I can divulge is that trying to establish a new relationship at FSH or even in Paris, is now extremely difficult. For those who want to amass a collection in a short time, visiting often and spending large amounts is not likely to result in being offered the actual/ exact bags being sought. Also maxing out quotas plus pushing for SOs across the world is also not taken positively and raises red flags. Trust me, they can see worldwide QB purchases if they want to.
Ultimately home store relationships are encouraged and they are still interested in clients who prefer to buy slowly, deliberately, across all Métiers and over generations if possible. Of course this is the ideal, not always easy and they do know there are problems with any approach.
They won't ever get it perfect but a lot is being done to attempt it.

Charges de Clientèle SAs are assigned and it's really difficult to say who will be transferred to these SAs from their regular leather SAs. The range of bag offers I believe, also depend on SA seniority. Otherwise higher level approval is required.

I am not defending Hermes and only explaining what I learned, please don't shoot the messenger. 🤭

Special Orders/ A La Carte are definitely being adjusted, I will share what I can, when I can.

I like to tease DH that he can probably prepare a Hermes Quota Bag Roadmap when he retires from his career in Finance. But he won't. 😉

Apologies for the extra long post.

Thank you for sharing. It’s nice to hear they still value long term deliberate purchasers. It doesn’t feel that way in my home store but maybe there will be corporate cultural change over time.

 

[Midge Maisel]

Adding my two cents from my recent visit:

I was in Paris a little over a week ago and entered the lottery every single day. Obviously, I never got anywhere with that, but I did go in at least once a day to FSH (and once to George V) to ask about walk-ins. I was always polite and friendly, but none of that made a difference. FSH was always jammed, and even though I was in the store and genuinely exploring, there were just way too many people for the SAs to ever get to me, even in non-leather departments.

I wasn't particularly surprised by this situation, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't bummed. My disappointment was really confounded by the fact that my SA at home was very much of the attitude that I'd get a bag in Paris and, thus, they didn't have to worry about me right now. Umm, no, it's not like the streets of Paris are paved in epsom. It's still a process.

I will say, however, that despite my politeness, the person I encountered at the leather desk at George V was actually kind of rude. I get it: they're asked the same question a million times a day, but someone nicely coming in and asking if there's a cancellation might also be a great customer.

Anyway, all that said, I can't complain about my trip, and I know that eventually, I will get my bag. Someday. I hope.

 

[periogirl28]

Thank you for sharing. It’s nice to hear they still value long term deliberate purchasers. It doesn’t feel that way in my home store but maybe there will be corporate cultural change over time.

It's historically been how Hermes has always conducted their business in Europe and even in the US, so I hope they do return to it eventually. It's my pleasure to share.

 

[rumes]

Some people believe high spend is key

I honestly don't think any local customer in France would approach a high payment standard. Even if the French have the money, they wouldn't involve themselves in such a shopping chaos.

I like to tease DH that he can probably prepare a Hermes Quota Bag Roadmap when he retires from his career in Finance. But he won't. 😉

We have one economist version at our house as well.

clients who prefer to buy slowly, deliberately, across all Métiers and over generations if possible.

That's the poins. indeed.

I am not a long standing client or VIP,

In my opinion, a conscious customer like you is a true VIP.

Recently, the leather desk/welcome desk has changed management.

Maybe it is better actually. My last experience there was 3 years ago and it was disaster. They needed a greeting that would adapt the elegance of tradition to our present day.

 

[rumes]

entered the lottery every single day

Do you have a previously name registration in the store? Even if it's just one product, it's said that being registered in Paris can make a difference, so I asked out of curiosity.

 

[rumes]

Thank you for sharing. It’s nice to hear they still value long term deliberate purchasers. It doesn’t feel that way in my home store but maybe there will be corporate cultural change over time.

For those like me, who don't have a home store, the situation is even worse.

 

[bagsNshoesNjewels]

We were in Paris last week as well, and I only shopped at George V and Sevres. I tried on the last day for a lottery appointment, and as expected, did not get it. I had actually not intended to even try, but realized I would have regretted not trying at least once. We shopped at Georges V on Friday, and it was insanely packed with people. I was able to buy a scarf but honestly it was so busy it was just an okay experience though the SA was very kind and helpful. Just to give you an idea of how busy it was, we even went to Chanel later that afternoon and was told it would be an hour, maybe 2, before I could be seen (and I was only interested in looking at shoes). I politely declined. We went to Sevres on Tuesday and it was much more manageable. And wow, what a breathtaking store!!! I got great assistance asking for a color name on a Constance which I knew was not available, but wanted to make a note for future. I also got nice assistance looking for another scarf and when the SA asked if there was anything else she could assist with, I shared I'd not been successful in a leather appointment and that is was completely understandable. She was polite and apologized but I knew she wasn't going to be able to do anything about it. Downstairs at the leather desk I did overhear a nice woman explaining losing her SA at Georges V and wanting a new SA here, but they advised her to go back to Georges V (sounds like she had emailed Georges V for a new contact and had not heard anything). I noted she repeatedly told them they could look at her profile, and they politely told her that would not change their recommendation. I would have liked to visit FSH just to see it, but the next time we go will plan to shop any day other than Fri or Sat. It's just too busy!

 

[tinkerbell68]

Do you have a previously name registration in the store? Even if it's just one product, it's said that being registered in Paris can make a difference, so I asked out of curiosity.

I honestly think it really is a lottery...random. I have an account in Paris and have purchased various items (RTW, shoes, silks, fine jewelry) at all threes stores over the years. When we were in Paris for five weeks last spring, we applied most days and never 'won' the lottery. We did end up with a walk-in appointment thanks to DH's persistence but I remain convinced that the lottery is exactly that.