Thoughts on Purseonfleek’s latest video about Hermes experience?

[KerriKatherine]

It gets worse. She’s actually selling Hermes packaging, bags, boxes, ribbons, dust bags and the free lipstick samples. But she’s also selling fake twillys, LV and Chanel cap toes on the same eBay page! All linked to her social media!
Honestly she can’t see why this is a problem and Hermes might not offer her a bag? She already stated the store manager blocked her on social media which means he’s seen her page.

Yikes. Few things annoy me more than people who re-sell packaging... I realize there is a market for this, but I just toss mine if I don't want to keep it...

 

[hermesandmoynat]

It gets worse. She’s actually selling Hermes packaging, bags, boxes, ribbons, dust bags and the free lipstick samples. But she’s also selling fake twillys, LV and Chanel cap toes on the same eBay page! All linked to her social media!
Honestly she can’t see why this is a problem and Hermes might not offer her a bag? She already stated the store manager blocked her on social media which means he’s seen her page.

Not the Chinese New Year envelopes and the free H magazine too!

 

[Imzp22]

Not the Chinese New Year envelopes and the free H magazine too!

I know right! So the store have given her these little extras and she’s selling them on eBay as well as selling off the item she purchases. Honestly I’ve lost all sympathy for her. This combined with the emails is probably why HR stepped in.

 

[demicouture]

Re-reading comments on her video I see that many are getting it wrong.
Yes, HR calling her is a tad bit too much. The manager should have put a stop to her overly personal emails.
However her emails don't just disclose that she is polite but mainly that she is OVER sharing. The details of her trying for a baby or having her health issue is completely inappropriate. And I really mean that...Let's not even mention the fact she lists how much she has spent there to the penny pretty much (who does that?).I have been working in luxury retail (fashion) for now 20+ years and this is totally out of order. So no matter how polite you think you are as a customer, this is not how you will achieve anything.
You are crossing the personal space of someone by getting them emotionally involved into your life. An SA should never do that but neither should a customer.

 

[leechiyong]

I’d be uncomfortable with dealing with her in the state displayed in this video, let alone unedited, not being posted to play herself as the victim. I can’t imagine how the last interactions with her SA or HR came across.

I see very little sympathy for her SA genuinely expressed. Stock has been abysmal this past year. She said she understood this, yet brought up bags in hard to find combos frequently, using special events to try to negotiate herself into a bag over and over again. She acknowledged it was inappropriate to mention spend, yet did that repeatedly. Being nice is more than just saying please and thank you.

 

[Mousy]

Was going to post on a throwaway account, but I will be transparent. I do think Mel reads and responds well to criticism so I hope she hops in here.

I like Mel. I like her channel. She has been so helpful with leather and color guides. I feel for her watching this video, but in watching her videos previously, I will note that DH has mentioned that she sounded a bit desperate. He also asked if she was a reseller. I think Mel is truly passionate about the brand, but if DH--a stranger who knows/cares nothing about Hermes, but is a normal human being who can read people--thinks that there is something off, I wonder how it came across in store.

Why I found the SA response not surprising:
-I found it strange that there was a birkin/kelly ask EVERY MONTH. Especially in the most difficult specs. Especially when first time bags are generally easy to come by, but your third may be more difficult. Especially when she sold her first bag within 6 months (despite the justification) in a very public way. I feel like if she had chilled, bags would have appeared.
-The SA clearly was not interested in answering the wishlist/waitlist questions. The SA also seemed to realize that she was putting as much work with Mel as she was with clients who spend more.
-It was completely reasonable for the SA to read that last email (the one preceding the client firing) as aggressive, borderline threatening. The way I read it was "you refuse to get me a B/K 25, I am cancelling my future appointments". Now, I think Hermes should have just said "fine, peace out" (see my points below).
-I think Mel is spot on when she said the brand/Sydney Store doesn't want her as a client; let them go girl!

What I found disheartening: I think Mel is being honest about the SA telling Mel about her client. I also believe Mel was told waitlist, but I think it was naïve of Mel to believe that the waitlist exists. I know it varies country to country, but this forum makes pretty clear that these bags are elusive, nothing is promised. I think Hermes' response was overdone (if it is being accurately retold). The store should have reached out and said that they apologized for the SA churn and that they were looking forward to serving in the future with a new SA who would be better equipped to service her. Mel may, however, have burned her bridges and no SA wants to work with her. I also tend to think that H may want to remove her as a customer. I think H ideally wouldn't deal with influencers at all, but rather would have only celebrity endorsements alongside rich clientele. And while, they have bought into the necessity of the influencer (yay for equality?), but may prefer to engage larger influencers or influencers with a certain look. I won't directly state anything more nefarious at play.

Two final thoughts (and my opinion only): One--An H bag is NOT an anniversary gift. It does not symbolize your love. It is a singular object meant for one person's use and flex. We aren't entitled to these bags to begin with and I certainly don't think our spouses prize the bags as much as they cherish us. Two--Is anyone else interested in seeing what the response to the video will be? H and public. I know the views will be through the roof so that is overall a plus for her.

One final question: Aussie H Lovers, do you have any laws on right to sell/refuse to sell?

Thanks all for reading my tome. Mel-if you are reading, I wish you the best of luck hun.

Well said.
- I had forgotten she sold her first Birkin. Postpartum is real and my heart goes out to her. I wish her friends/family would've told her to put her B away and maybe someday she would love to wear it again. I think talking publicly about selling it didn’t help her case for getting another.
- I think it was tacky for H to make her go through an SA churn, but maybe they did because the SA’s were feeling uncomfortable. Maybe they were hoping she would move on to another luxury house.
- H is a private company. I suppose they are legally able to deny services and products to anyone who is not covered under the civil rights protections umbrella. I’m curious about their rights as a company.

I will just say this:
Nobody of my SA's that I consider to have very friendly (business) relationships with would get such personal emails from me. And specially not such long ones reminding them about all the things I want...for the all the upcoming special occasions in my life (It is like a child's essay). I will say it once maybe twice that my husband would like to gift me a bag for our anniversary/birthday/etc and that's it. The SA knows who is who and specially who should get a bag... that's all really. One needs to somewhat keep their dignity, no?
With all due respect, I feel for the SA feeling intimidated. No SA is interested in so much info...

When you wrote ‘a child’s essay,’ I saw your point. The Emails were kind of like ‘Dear Santa’ Christmas lists.

 

[_kiki119_]

Oh man yeah I sat through this hour long rant as well and I should make it clear I went into this video totally prepared being sympathetic with her but as soon as I heard the trying for the baby part I’m like “yeah girl Hermes is just not that into you”

right! that part annoyed me... she has taken a lot of personal feelings along with her bags and SA relationship... but at the end of day, SAs are not your therapist.

also best communication to Busy SAs is nice and concise.... obviously, she has not practiced coerciveness in her emails and this video.

 

[Crapples]

Yikes. Few things annoy me more than people who re-sell packaging... I realize there is a market for this, but I just toss mine if I don't want to keep it...

Not the Chinese New Year envelopes and the free H magazine too!

I know right! So the store have given her these little extras and she’s selling them on eBay as well as selling off the item she purchases. Honestly I’ve lost all sympathy for her. This combined with the emails is probably why HR stepped in.

Oof...I just checked and hadn't realized this was going on. Benefit of the doubt? She recently uploaded this stock because she is done with Hermes? I definitely understand the market for this (well I don't, but I acknowledge that it exists) and get the brand distancing itself. What if a painter commissioned a set and the buyer publicly auctioned off the components for a profit? Yes the buyer is entitled to do so, but the artist is similarly under no requirement to commission more work to that buyer.

 

[canto bight]

This seems like the kind of communication that should have come from the store manager, not someone in HR, especially if it was an initial communication on the matter. That seems so strange to me.

 

[_kiki119_]

I know right! So the store have given her these little extras and she’s selling them on eBay as well as selling off the item she purchases. Honestly I’ve lost all sympathy for her. This combined with the emails is probably why HR stepped in.

right... i feel some information is left out on why HR is calling her.

 

[Imzp22]

Oof...I just checked and hadn't realized this was going on. Benefit of the doubt? She recently uploaded this stock because she is done with Hermes? I definitely understand the market for this (well I don't, but I acknowledge that it exists) and get the brand distancing itself. What if a painter commissioned a set and the buyer publicly auctioned off the components for a profit? Yes the buyer is entitled to do so, but the artist is similarly under no requirement to commission more work to that buyer.

Nope unfortunately if you look at her feedback on her eBay store and the listings she’s been selling these things for quite a while, more than a year!

 

[jenayb]

This type of behaviour cheapens the brand, period. I do not believe that H wants to be associated with this type of customer, and honestly as client & avid fan of the brand, I would not want to be lumped in with someone like this, either.

I only skimmed the emails because frankly I don't have an hour of my life to devote to this person, but how demanding, entitled, and passive aggressive the language....


ETA: I know others mentioned going into watching this video expecting to empathize. At the risk of sounding harsh, I didn’t. This level of obsession and emotion with a brand is not good.

 

[ouiouilexiaussi]

Having worked in retail, (and on commision in retail at one point) I can’t imagine the pressure the SA’S might be under to meet certain standards for Hermès. She seemed a bit demanding based on the convos she discussed and the emails she displayed. Some of these bags aren’t easy to come by, regardless of how much money you spend... that’s been stated by several folks. Perspective is everything and tone doesn’t always come across well over emails, but I still think PurseonFleek went overboard...

 

[Mousy]

This seems like the kind of communication that should have come from the store manager, not someone in HR, especially if it was an initial communication on the matter. That seems so strange to me.

right... i feel some information is left out on why HR is calling her.

I’m beginning to wonder if the store manager and the SA were afraid of personal retributions on her public venues, if they had said something. Comments coming from Hermès HR puts the heat on Hermès, not the individual employees. Who knows how dangerous/strange some personality’s followers could be: I wouldn’t want safety concerns on any of my employees.

 

[Imzp22]

I watched a video from her a couple weeks ago her ‘come shopping with me at Hermes & Chanel’ and at the end of it she went on a rant about Hermes saying she’s stopped shopping with them driving home from the boutique.
Honestly I think the whole HR situation is off doesn’t seem like she’s telling the whole truth. I agree with the PP though she seems super demanding. It’s all very strange !