SA Pressure
- Thread starter lovehermes
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IMO, someone who doesn't take a highly sought after bag because it's been shown to another client or been inspected by a SA doesn't even get a second thought. Someone turns down almost any bag in London has a queue behind them.
You shouldn't feel obliged to buy sight-unseen. Size is one of the most important considerations.
On the other hand, if you were at home and the bag was in-store, how could you try the bag even if it were unwrapped? I know some SAs send pics of themselves holding bags for an idea, but to me that's not helpful either. Why didn't she just tell you to come in?
Do you mean if you didn't pay over the phone there and then, she was going to phone the next person? Sounds like SM's orders to me and they had to make a strong KPI or some other directive. Normally, an SA doesn't mind keeping a bag for a day or two for a particular client, it's not like he/she gets commission on a K sale.
BH shrink-wraps, or at least they did in 2019. I actually asked to have a watch box wrapped for DH so he would think it was a new item (I had a very old family watch re-done for him and wanted it to be a total surprise). They did it in the stockroom that's by the downstairs restroom.
is there some back-story to this?
pestering the SA for a Kelly; a previous history of rejecting bags; with the scarcity and demand for Kellys, why were you being offered one;
what exactly does this mean:
"The only way I could buy the bag was to agree for my SA to take off the cellophane."
and this was a telephone conversation?
what difference would it make to you if the cellophane was on or off?
if a SA walked into the middle of the sales floor, holding an opened box containing a Kelly, the SA would be knocked over by the rush of customers desperate to snatch it from the SA's grasp
So, your SA called you and said "I have a Kelly X in X color and leather. I can sell it to you now but you can't come in to see it, you have to decide now, because once I take off the cellophane, it's yours." Is this accurate?
Was this SA then going to send you a purchase link and messenger the bag to you? Or would you come in to buy?
True. QBs are very hot items. They need an answer fast. SAs are sales people who need to make a sale and have sales targets to reach. If it is a super popular bag, other SAs also want it for their client too. When I asked for a Rodeo Pegase before, SA said, she only had a Pegase because they take turns who gets certain popular items each month and they do a rotation on who gets those popular items. I liked what she showed me and bought it. She said next time when it's her turn, she would call me about it. I eventually was offered a RP by another SA/boutique. She also said that sometimes SAs swap out items if they know their "favorite" client loves it, and the other SA agrees to it. So I get that, imagine going thru the hassle of informing your boss/manager about your swapping plans basing it from your client's wish list, swapping the item out, then being turned down by that client in the end. That said, I don't put highly coveted things on my wish list if I am not sure that I love it. But that is just me.
That seems like a pressure tactic to me. I would decline.
That is nice of them. I asked just recently about this issue because it came up here on TPF. I asked specifically about bags and did not give a time frame and my SA said it does not happen.
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It’s interesting to see the other way, usually SAs are the ones get tons of pressures from the clients chasing after the “bags“. why Don’t you just go into the store and check it out yourself? we need more details…..
I honestly don’t think SA will hold you accountable for the purchase of the bag if you ended up not liking the offer.
Your SA probably gets tones pressures from the SM / other SAs to confirm your decision as they have other clients might be waiting.
I honestly don’t think SA will hold you accountable for the purchase of the bag if you ended up not liking the offer.
Your SA probably gets tones pressures from the SM / other SAs to confirm your decision as they have other clients might be waiting.
Regarding the mysterious shrink wrap machines:
A few years ago when boutiques and SA's were able to have Instagrams advertising their stores- I saw a post of a certain US store celebrating a fellow employee's birthday in the stock room and low and behold- a shrink wrap machine behind them! I had always wondered if the salespeople would re-wrap a box if a client rejected a bag because I had been offered bags that were shrink-wrapped and unwrapped in front of me but the tissue paper was very crinkled and it was obvious the bag was shown to other clients prior (wasn't an issue to me).
A few years ago when boutiques and SA's were able to have Instagrams advertising their stores- I saw a post of a certain US store celebrating a fellow employee's birthday in the stock room and low and behold- a shrink wrap machine behind them! I had always wondered if the salespeople would re-wrap a box if a client rejected a bag because I had been offered bags that were shrink-wrapped and unwrapped in front of me but the tissue paper was very crinkled and it was obvious the bag was shown to other clients prior (wasn't an issue to me).
Perhaps back in the day, they had to shrink wrap all the boxes again (if a previous client looks at it and decides not to buy it) so that the next client who will look at it might feel very special about it being super new and sealed.....and maybe some clients get a thrill out of an SA removing the shrink wrap in front of them too (for whatever reason
). But nowadays, with the popularity and the demand of H bags being super high, that even the ones not for sale but just for display in their windows are being eyed on by a lot of customers too and taking a chance in asking if they can buy it too (or sometimes I see in this thread that some H clients put their H bag on the counter and another client insists on buying it! 
), they no longer need to do this thing.
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My SA won’t send me a photo of the bag or open the box unless I accept. Doesn’t bother me honestly bc I’m quite particular but I could understand wanting to see it irl before accepting.
When my SA offered me the mini kelly casaque, she sent me a photo from the web so I can have an idea. I still told her I wanted to see it IRL before deciding and it wasn’t an issue.
If it’s a unique bag and you are considering it, a search can hopefully result in some photos to visualize the bag. However, the SA pressure is still not acceptable.
For me, If it’s something I’ve indicated in my wishlist, I wouldn’t hesitate to commit over the phone if needed.
If it’s a unique bag and you are considering it, a search can hopefully result in some photos to visualize the bag. However, the SA pressure is still not acceptable.
For me, If it’s something I’ve indicated in my wishlist, I wouldn’t hesitate to commit over the phone if needed.
my first QB was presented to me still shrink wrapped, my SA tore off the shrink wrap in front me...then she opened the dust bag and realized the bag inside was not the bag specified on the outside sticker (Paris put the wrong label on the box when they sent the box out). She took the whole package out, then came back w/ another box that was already opened (no shrink wrap), presented that bag, which I declined because of the color, prompting her to go out again and come back w/ another shrink wrapped box, which I ended up accepting after trying it on.
so at least at my store they present both shrink wrapped and unwrapped bags to clients.
so at least at my store they present both shrink wrapped and unwrapped bags to clients.