Some people like me really really appreciate getting a new bag straight from the source, a Hermes boutique. It's part of the whole experience. Guaranteed new and authentic. Also given how high brand new untouched bags are on resale, I don't think I'd save anywhere near the number you quoted. And as you stated, we can't be 100% on authenticity. Especially with super fakes being so hard to discern from real ones, it's not a chance worth taking for me.So I just had a revelation after doing some math…. It’s cheaper for me to buy Hermes handbags from the resale market than buy them from the Hermes store. If I bought all the bags I currently own from resellers at their inflated prices, I would have saved close to 85k usd. Of course this is assuming I have no interest in any H items other than quota bags… which isn’t necessarily true. Financially, the strongest upside to buying in the store is guaranteed authenticity and also being able to snag quota bags that may not be readily available… like an exotic or rare leather in a very specific color and hw (which I do have a few of).
Anyways, those are my current findings. It’s definitely an unusual, tedious hobby to track all my purchases from H. I’m not including sales tax in my calculations btw.
If I was only going to get a neutral Togo QB, I would recommend to my close friends and family to go the reseller route (if they don’t want to play the game and don’t have an interest in H items since it seems to be cheaper). I do understand that this comes with the danger of not getting an authentic bag… and I understand authenticity is king so maybe this entire post is a waste of time. I should also clarify my perspective is shaped by being a US based customer.
Edit: here’s some historical proof of my crazy behaviorhttps://forum.purseblog.com/threads/spend-threshold-for-b-k-c.1032182/post-35044411
Spend threshold for B/K/C
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Thats soo interesting, but i guess the number varies between different SAs. None though give exact numbers😅 i guess to cover their legal base
I think the intrigue of the journey gets us to spend, somehow justifying our appreciation of the house and their exorbitant prices. Nowhere else can I justify paying 5000 for a windbreaker....When we get caught in the rabbit hole, usually it's too much spend to turn back and go resale bc we have already "invested" in the journey too much. We then spend more with the hopes that the bag of our dreams will be just around the corner. The shock once we get the bag and the amount we actually spent is usually daunting. Especially when a mini kelly in excellent condition is 23k-28k now and my ratio is already 5:1. My path is the traditional competitive store in the US. Never 1:1 or a wonderful surprise in Paris. I do appreciate my new, 100 % authentic bags but the journey is not for the faint hearted.
It is like a casino, the house always wins. Like you, I spent too much money for the bags I got. I could have most blue boxes now with my prespend, I have none.
I am lucky that my friend did so well on resale, and then focused all her prespend on special bags (and it is working very well for her), so she is trying to get me used to buy these bags on resale, and teaching me a lot as well. It is a process. She helped me reduce the list of the bags I really would love to have to 8-10.
In that process I also learned that most bags I have do not work for my lifestyle. Unfortunately I haven’t met the best SAs, hence I’ve struggled a lot and would accept anything that was offered. It has been a pain to get any offers, let alone the right ones.
If I had to do it again, I would have never set foot in a store after Covid.
If you really wanted the windbreaker and bought it resale, you would have paid brand new max $1,500-2,000, someone would run to the store to buy it for you to help with her prespend. If you do that math with all products you got, you would have the MK by now and saved some money. I gift a lot of Kelly belts, scarves and mini bags, and it makes no sense for me to buy these in store unless it is for prespend. Kelly belts go for $800 on resale now, brand new. Scarves 90 cm $420 and $900 for the cashmere/silk shawls. All including shipping.
If it became better with time, great, but all the posts I’ve seen here and in other places so far, everyone needs to keep spending at least 1:1 for bags even after 20 years.
Also, I don’t want to be 100 years old buying stuff for a bag, and the way it is going, even with very high spend, that is where I would end up.😅
I think most people buy what they love. What’s not to love? They make gorgeous high-quality products. The better description is buying what is not worth it is one’s eye. Particularly since most items are available online at half the price, even from current collection. Would you normally buy a sweater for $3000? A dress for 12? A ring with diamond powder for 5?
I don't think anyone said you can walk in and get a MK exotic with zero prespend. Easier does not mean zero prespend. The comment you quoted with @acrowcounted saying "it shouldn't be too difficult" was in response to another poster's situation where they've been spending with an SA for a bit and the SA told them they're leaving soon. Context is everything.
In general exotics is easier to obtain than a regular leather bag of the same type. Losing "an exotics client" aka someone who has no issue buying multiple exotics in a year is a big loss to an SA.
ETA: similar concept in the world of watches where steel is harder to obtain than precious metals generally speaking.
They get commission on everything up to and including Constances. Only quota bags are without commission. Even then, it still counts toward their sales goals. (But @jbeans meant that if someone is regularly buying exotics, they are very likely spending much more than the average 1:1 spreadsheet making client.)
I can only speak for myself and friends that have started to buy exotics. The mini Kelly’s and pouchette are extremely competitive to be offered. Pops of color are easier to be offered as neutrals are what is more desirable. As far as as exotics, yes if you want a bright color it’s probably easier to be offered that versus classic colors…we are seeing our presepnds at the higher range for neutrals versus for example less Prespend for matte croc vert comics of feu
I'm really curious, if you don't mind me asking...
At what point does one usually become eligible for an exotic piece, from an SA's perspective?
Officially, I currently own a Picotin 18 and a Constance Elan. By chance, I also received a Kelly à la Carte offer, which is currently in production.
My goal is to eventually get a Kelly Elan in the near future, and then later add an exotic KP to my collection. It doesn’t have to happen right away; I’m happy to be patient. I'm not planning to buy other bags in the meantime — I'm just curious about how the process usually works and how one typically progresses towards that.
In my experience and “research” you ask to put it on your wishlist….and then you work towards it with Prespend …..it can be your first bag or last bag …but I think how much you spend determines the offer ….bigger bag less Prespend , smaller bag more Prespend
Your home store is in Paris, so that may be a little different? I guess you probably still want to let your SA know your wishlist though?
I will definitely ask one day, but I don't know how soon that day will be. 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣
I wonder if you need to wait or just tell them what you want (and it may not happen right away but at least they are aware?)… well I guess we have experts here to advise you 😆