Scoring a Birkin in US

[LamborghiniGirl]

Not everyone can afford everything at Hermes, as a purse lover, I only interested in buying purse, but I do not necessary want to spent couple hundred or thousands on the RTW. We all love Hermes, but should not been forced to buy All Other stuff to show being a loyal customer.

+1. What other stores withhold merchandise and make you spend thousands before showing you what you really want? Ferrari and Lamborghini dealerships definitely don't do that, nor do high end jewelers. And, the two categories I just mentioned are selling inventory that is much more expensive than a Birkin. For example, if you walk into a Lamborghini dealership and ask for a $300K car in the exact color/leather color you want, they give it to you, even if it is your first and only purchase. Same with a jeweler for much less $$$ -- normal stores bend over backward to help you spend your money.

I would love to get a Birkin, but I am not going to spend $10,000 on merchandise I don't want just to be considered. Nor do I want to pay a crazy premium to a reseller. Both make me feel manipulated, and I do not like to be manipulated!

I also know that venting this out isn't going to get me any closer to a Birkin though Until I find a SA who is nice to me and really wants to help me spend my money, I will stay Birkin-less

 

[hellokatiegirl]

I keep toying with the idea of getting a Birkin and quite frankly this thread has made me question going forth with it.

Over the last two years I have purchased a few scarves and a tie from Hermes. I was going to buy a pair of their boots, but they didn't have them in stock, so I went with Louboutin boots instead. Actually, the manager at SCP Hermes was quite helpful in trying to locate a pair. She called a bunch of stores to find my size and got back to me about the matter right away. My point is that I purchased these things because I wanted them, but I really don't want to buy a bunch of stuff just to "possibly" get a bag.

To me, the fact that I am prepared to spend $10,000 plus for a handbag should be enough to motivate the company and the SA to get me whatever bag I want. This is the service that should be expected in any high end store (well, actually any store to be quite frank). I am perfectly willing to wait for the bag and I realize that they want to keep production low to keep quality, but it's gimmicky to only serve people who have bought from them in the past. I also have a very specific size, leather, and hardware in mind...if I can't get this, then I don't want to purchase the bag. From this thread, I feel like the SA have the attitude that you should be grateful to accept whatever they are willing to show you, if they show you anything at all. I agree with Lamborghinigirl, this is pure manipulation.

While I am still thinking about pursuing purchasing a Birkin, I am curious and apprehensive about what I will discover. From your experiences on this thread it seems like a long, tedious road! One of the SA at Hermes told me that she graduated from the high school that I teach at, I wonder if that will give me an "in?" Maybe a teacher discount???

 

[Churva]

The reality is : Hermes won't sell just anyone a Birkin. I would encourage you to foster a relationship with a sells associate. I visited my local Hermes every month on a particular day. I expressed interest in the brand. On my second trip, I expressed interest in a birkin. My fourth trip, I walked out with a Birkin. Granted, I did spend money on each trip, but now I am an "in". If decide not to go that route, I'd suggest a third party.

That is exactly how I got offered a kelly. i expressed interest in the brand, fostered a relaionship with the sales associate. It was also a good thing I liked the scarves and bracelets. I did exactly the same for 6 months. But I wasnt actually looking for a bag when it was "mentioned" to me

 

[Churva]

I travel some and usually stop at Hermes. We've been offered 3 Birkins and 2 Kellys in the past year. This is with all the SAs knowing that we are from out of town and not VVIPs.

We were in Dallas a few weeks ago and had a new SA. We asked about Birkins and Kellys and he said that they had tons of black Kellys in the back. He also said that they had Lindys in every color, and also one croc... The next day we visited the same store and had a different SA. "No Kellys, Birkins, or Lindys" is what he said.

I hope you're lucky enough to score a Birkin. If not, stay persistent and one will show up.

Oh my. That's horrible. My question is, don't they get commissions fr selling Lindys or other non B and K items? I was told by my SA in SCP that there is a waitlist for Lindy as well. are they serious? LOL Iv already bought so much stuff fr this SA and Im almost about to give up in this store. I also heard you
cant change SA's I dont want to be stuck with someone who offers croc belts and RTWs so I can "buy" my way in.

 

[chkpfbeliever]

As much as we don't like the way H business model is, we want those Bs and Ks. It is hard for a lot of people to understand why you can't buy something even you've money. Part of it is to build up their other extended business outside of leather and silks and another reason is to hold up those value of Bs and Ks.

Would you want to spend $10K in a bag only to find that everyone has it like a LV bag ? Why wouldn't a LV bag hold up its value on a resale ?

I say to reduce the frustration is to take it easy. Don't get obsessed with getting these bags when you walk into the store. Let it come to you and if you can't wait, just go to a reseller and pay a little more. Time is money and if you can save time, that extra premium over cost is worth it.

 

[Churva]

I keep toying with the idea of getting a Birkin and quite frankly this thread has made me question going forth with it.

Over the last two years I have purchased a few scarves and a tie from Hermes. I was going to buy a pair of their boots, but they didn't have them in stock, so I went with Louboutin boots instead. Actually, the manager at SCP Hermes was quite helpful in trying to locate a pair. She called a bunch of stores to find my size and got back to me about the matter right away. My point is that I purchased these things because I wanted them, but I really don't want to buy a bunch of stuff just to "possibly" get a bag.

To me, the fact that I am prepared to spend $10,000 plus for a handbag should be enough to motivate the company and the SA to get me whatever bag I want. This is the service that should be expected in any high end store (well, actually any store to be quite frank). I am perfectly willing to wait for the bag and I realize that they want to keep production low to keep quality, but it's gimmicky to only serve people who have bought from them in the past. I also have a very specific size, leather, and hardware in mind...if I can't get this, then I don't want to purchase the bag. From this thread, I feel like the SA have the attitude that you should be grateful to accept whatever they are willing to show you, if they show you anything at all. I agree with Lamborghinigirl, this is pure manipulation.

While I am still thinking about pursuing purchasing a Birkin, I am curious and apprehensive about what I will discover. From your experiences on this thread it seems like a long, tedious road! One of the SA at Hermes told me that she graduated from the high school that I teach at, I wonder if that will give me an "in?" Maybe a teacher discount???

That is also how I feel, and it is fortunate that I do love Hermes products. However, like you, do not want to be manipulated into buying things Im not interested in buyng just so my score card gets closer points to a Birkin. What is worse is they mostly just give the same customer all the Bs and Ks in different colors.
Fr what I understand, the marketing genius of Hermes was to make "accessibilty" of the B and H so rare and hard that you actually will "beg" to buy it fr them. The higher the demand and the harder it is to get somethng, the more you desire to buy it. It is the law of nature. However, to "lead" clients ino buyng many ,any items without intending to offer them anything in the future is pure manipulation. Sad to say, we never know which SA
is good and which is bad

 

[iamaka]

Oh my. That's horrible. My question is, don't they get commissions fr selling Lindys or other non B and K items? I was told by my SA in SCP that there is a waitlist for Lindy as well. are they serious? LOL Iv already bought so much stuff fr this SA and Im almost about to give up in this store. I also heard you
cant change SA's I dont want to be stuck with someone who offers croc belts and RTWs so I can "buy" my way in.

Hi, I've started shopping from SCP Hermes for 3 or 4 months; do you mind telling me how long you have been with your SA? Because you said you were about to give up...

I've also heard it's kinda hard to get bag/birkin from SCP nowadays, is it true?

 

[Stephslk]

Actually, it is pretty easy to get a birkin in hawaii if you purchase their ugly ready-to-wear, with the cheapest blouse costing 2k USD. Their rationale? Everybody comes into the store asking for birkin. But nobody buys their ready-to-wear. So what they have decided to do is to sell the birkins to customers who purchase the ready-to-wear, which is what i was forced to do. They call this "establishing a relationship with the store". I purchased two shoulder birkins this month that way. The birkins werent under a single purchase. The first shoulder came a week before the 2nd shoulder birkin, which i purchased 2 days ago. There were 3 regular birkins that they didnt display, the manager told me she could only sell them to me if i purchase more clothes. The colors available were gold, etoupe and chocolate. There was also a crocodile skinned kelley in electric blue (the latest fall 2011 color!) as of 2 days ago. Electric blue is just gorgeous! But i cant guarantee the bags will still be there by the end of this week. Too many Japanese tourists coming to hunt for birkins.

Did you by chance get the orange or bj shoulder? I've seen them constantly rotating them for two weeks last month. Of course sa said that they just put it on display when it's been there day before. B's are on the shelf though. Just gotta go at the right time. Got my first off the shelf around summer. Then saw a white a week after! SA did call me for the B I requested a couple months ago and now I have two! Did not buy any ready to wear.

 

[Heatherlite]

Hi, I've started shopping from SCP Hermes for 3 or 4 months; do you mind telling me how long you have been with your SA? Because you said you were about to give up...

I've also heard it's kinda hard to get bag/birkin from SCP nowadays, is it true?

I've been with my SCP SA for several years. It's hard to get a Birkin from any boutique today, because of low inventory. I was fortunate enough to get one recently from SCP, after waiting for about six months.

 

[SunnyValley]

Many jewelry stores that carry rare rolex models or Patek philippe often times hold them in the back safe and give their best year round customers the first right of refusal. This is true about many car companies and other things. I wish you luck

 

[LamborghiniGirl]

When it comes to high-end jewelry, watches, and high-end cars, if they have the inventory and you are throwing money at them, they give you the item right there and then. Assuming an existing customer hasn't said "I'm buying it". The only exception I have personally found is the Ferrari Enzo, where you needed to be a longstanding Ferrari owner to get that model. Hermes is the only store that is happy to turn away customers... but I have accepted it is part of the game

 

[JamilaM]

The Hermes store in Harrods London often has Birkins & Kellys in the back, and "So Kellys" on display. The first time I walked in and "expressed my like of Kelly's" I was offered one in Sanguine, The second time I went there, I was offered a Blue Electric Birkin !!

Its all dependent on the shop and the SA, the ones at Harrods always let u know what they've got !

 

[beachy10]

How do you guys stick to one SA? The 3 times I have purchased from H I've had 3 different SAs because the one prior wasn't working that day. I only started buying H this year and would love a birkin but I am not about to spend $20K in scarves and bracelets so that I may be considered for a handbag which may take another 2 years to get. I guess it's up to the Hermes gods to decide my birkin fate. I've learned that when you try too hard to find something specific you want you go crazy. I usually find the best stuff when I wasn't even looking.

 

[chanel*liz]

When it comes to high-end jewelry, watches, and high-end cars, if they have the inventory and you are throwing money at them, they give you the item right there and then. Assuming an existing customer hasn't said "I'm buying it". The only exception I have personally found is the Ferrari Enzo, where you needed to be a longstanding Ferrari owner to get that model. Hermes is the only store that is happy to turn away customers... but I have accepted it is part of the game

Super true about the Enzo.. unless you buy it used.. but NEW is like 100x more exclusive than getting Birkin. It's the way of making things more "exclusive" which is why everyone wants that product

 

[joycieh]

You should get your SAs schedule and also call ahead before you go to make sure she is there. That is what I do with mine, and I tell her approx what time I will be in the store.

How do you guys stick to one SA? The 3 times I have purchased from H I've had 3 different SAs because the one prior wasn't working that day. I only started buying H this year and would love a birkin but I am not about to spend $20K in scarves and bracelets so that I may be considered for a handbag which may take another 2 years to get. I guess it's up to the Hermes gods to decide my birkin fate. I've learned that when you try too hard to find something specific you want you go crazy. I usually find the best stuff when I wasn't even looking.