So sorry that you had a bad experience. You certainly put up with quit a bit. Enjoy your GP and bracelets. I bought the same twillys for my bag. Love them!
Treatment in Hermes Stores
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Hello - I don't know if this counts as "treatment in Hermes store" or more like "behavior in Hermes stores" but I had to post it somewhere and hope this is close enough.
We were in Paris last week and we made a couple stops in to FSH. Last Friday we were upstairs trying on loafers (I have hard to fit feet, so the SA was being helpful going back and forth finding stock) and we got to just sit and observe some of the goings on while we waited.
One in particular caught my eye - a lady who seemed to be setting off for a beach vacation as her next stop, because she was buying towels and perhaps sandals and commanding a great deal of attention from SAs and customers alike. Because she was dressed in a sheer poncho and white bikini bottoms (that's right, just bottoms) and H sandals. She seemed to be getting good customer service, despite her rather casual (ok, pretty see-thru) attire. Which made me think, maybe we spend too much time worrying about what we should wear to FSH...
The other thing I noticed happening at almost the same time (who knew the shoe department was such a great people watching spot), was a group of women around the hats displayed on a wall. One tried a hat but it wouldn't fit, even as she tried to squish it down. So her friend decided to try it, smooshed it down all the way over her head over her hair clippy so the indent part of the crown of the hat suddenly popped up. A third friend was busy picking her nose while all this was going down. Anyway, they decided not to buy the hat I think and handed it to the sales person, and he seemed pretty gracious about it as he nodded goodbye. I watched him go over to a corner and try to reshape the hat, and though he had sort of a pinched look on his face at that point, well, I couldn't blame him.
I don't think I could work in an H store, having seen just some of the wide variety of customer experiences they face within a mere 15 minutes of observation, well, I just wouldn't have the patience or the tact. This is not to diminish the experience of anyone who had poor treatment from a rude SA, I'm sure they exist as there are unpleasant people to be found everywhere. But boy oh boy, the SAs I saw on Friday were sure earning their paycheck!
We were in Paris last week and we made a couple stops in to FSH. Last Friday we were upstairs trying on loafers (I have hard to fit feet, so the SA was being helpful going back and forth finding stock) and we got to just sit and observe some of the goings on while we waited.
One in particular caught my eye - a lady who seemed to be setting off for a beach vacation as her next stop, because she was buying towels and perhaps sandals and commanding a great deal of attention from SAs and customers alike. Because she was dressed in a sheer poncho and white bikini bottoms (that's right, just bottoms) and H sandals. She seemed to be getting good customer service, despite her rather casual (ok, pretty see-thru) attire. Which made me think, maybe we spend too much time worrying about what we should wear to FSH...
The other thing I noticed happening at almost the same time (who knew the shoe department was such a great people watching spot), was a group of women around the hats displayed on a wall. One tried a hat but it wouldn't fit, even as she tried to squish it down. So her friend decided to try it, smooshed it down all the way over her head over her hair clippy so the indent part of the crown of the hat suddenly popped up. A third friend was busy picking her nose while all this was going down. Anyway, they decided not to buy the hat I think and handed it to the sales person, and he seemed pretty gracious about it as he nodded goodbye. I watched him go over to a corner and try to reshape the hat, and though he had sort of a pinched look on his face at that point, well, I couldn't blame him.
I don't think I could work in an H store, having seen just some of the wide variety of customer experiences they face within a mere 15 minutes of observation, well, I just wouldn't have the patience or the tact. This is not to diminish the experience of anyone who had poor treatment from a rude SA, I'm sure they exist as there are unpleasant people to be found everywhere. But boy oh boy, the SAs I saw on Friday were sure earning their paycheck!
Hello - I don't know if this counts as "treatment in Hermes store" or more like "behavior in Hermes stores" but I had to post it somewhere and hope this is close enough.
We were in Paris last week and we made a couple stops in to FSH. Last Friday we were upstairs trying on loafers (I have hard to fit feet, so the SA was being helpful going back and forth finding stock) and we got to just sit and observe some of the goings on while we waited.
One in particular caught my eye - a lady who seemed to be setting off for a beach vacation as her next stop, because she was buying towels and perhaps sandals and commanding a great deal of attention from SAs and customers alike. Because she was dressed in a sheer poncho and white bikini bottoms (that's right, just bottoms) and H sandals. She seemed to be getting good customer service, despite her rather casual (ok, pretty see-thru) attire. Which made me think, maybe we spend too much time worrying about what we should wear to FSH...
The other thing I noticed happening at almost the same time (who knew the shoe department was such a great people watching spot), was a group of women around the hats displayed on a wall. One tried a hat but it wouldn't fit, even as she tried to squish it down. So her friend decided to try it, smooshed it down all the way over her head over her hair clippy so the indent part of the crown of the hat suddenly popped up. A third friend was busy picking her nose while all this was going down. Anyway, they decided not to buy the hat I think and handed it to the sales person, and he seemed pretty gracious about it as he nodded goodbye. I watched him go over to a corner and try to reshape the hat, and though he had sort of a pinched look on his face at that point, well, I couldn't blame him.
I don't think I could work in an H store, having seen just some of the wide variety of customer experiences they face within a mere 15 minutes of observation, well, I just wouldn't have the patience or the tact. This is not to diminish the experience of anyone who had poor treatment from a rude SA, I'm sure they exist as there are unpleasant people to be found everywhere. But boy oh boy, the SAs I saw on Friday were sure earning their paycheck!
Oh my goodness I just laughed out loud at the picking the nose part of your story! Of course that sort of behaviour is deplorable and mortifying but the way you described reminded me of a comedy movie or something!
but in all seriousness, it's quite shocking that people think that it's appropriate to behave like that in public (let alone in Hermes) and as you say I admire the SAs for the work they do and their graciousness in the face of appalling behaviour sometimes!
Hello - I don't know if this counts as "treatment in Hermes store" or more like "behavior in Hermes stores" but I had to post it somewhere and hope this is close enough.
We were in Paris last week and we made a couple stops in to FSH. Last Friday we were upstairs trying on loafers (I have hard to fit feet, so the SA was being helpful going back and forth finding stock) and we got to just sit and observe some of the goings on while we waited.
One in particular caught my eye - a lady who seemed to be setting off for a beach vacation as her next stop, because she was buying towels and perhaps sandals and commanding a great deal of attention from SAs and customers alike. Because she was dressed in a sheer poncho and white bikini bottoms (that's right, just bottoms) and H sandals. She seemed to be getting good customer service, despite her rather casual (ok, pretty see-thru) attire. Which made me think, maybe we spend too much time worrying about what we should wear to FSH...
The other thing I noticed happening at almost the same time (who knew the shoe department was such a great people watching spot), was a group of women around the hats displayed on a wall. One tried a hat but it wouldn't fit, even as she tried to squish it down. So her friend decided to try it, smooshed it down all the way over her head over her hair clippy so the indent part of the crown of the hat suddenly popped up. A third friend was busy picking her nose while all this was going down. Anyway, they decided not to buy the hat I think and handed it to the sales person, and he seemed pretty gracious about it as he nodded goodbye. I watched him go over to a corner and try to reshape the hat, and though he had sort of a pinched look on his face at that point, well, I couldn't blame him.
I don't think I could work in an H store, having seen just some of the wide variety of customer experiences they face within a mere 15 minutes of observation, well, I just wouldn't have the patience or the tact. This is not to diminish the experience of anyone who had poor treatment from a rude SA, I'm sure they exist as there are unpleasant people to be found everywhere. But boy oh boy, the SAs I saw on Friday were sure earning their paycheck!
This was very funny!
I agree, I wonder if the sheer-poncho lady was en route to her vacation destination at that very moment, and made a pit stop at H. What a show!
Hello - I don't know if this counts as "treatment in Hermes store" or more like "behavior in Hermes stores" but I had to post it somewhere and hope this is close enough.
We were in Paris last week and we made a couple stops in to FSH. Last Friday we were upstairs trying on loafers (I have hard to fit feet, so the SA was being helpful going back and forth finding stock) and we got to just sit and observe some of the goings on while we waited.
One in particular caught my eye - a lady who seemed to be setting off for a beach vacation as her next stop, because she was buying towels and perhaps sandals and commanding a great deal of attention from SAs and customers alike. Because she was dressed in a sheer poncho and white bikini bottoms (that's right, just bottoms) and H sandals. She seemed to be getting good customer service, despite her rather casual (ok, pretty see-thru) attire. Which made me think, maybe we spend too much time worrying about what we should wear to FSH...
The other thing I noticed happening at almost the same time (who knew the shoe department was such a great people watching spot), was a group of women around the hats displayed on a wall. One tried a hat but it wouldn't fit, even as she tried to squish it down. So her friend decided to try it, smooshed it down all the way over her head over her hair clippy so the indent part of the crown of the hat suddenly popped up. A third friend was busy picking her nose while all this was going down. Anyway, they decided not to buy the hat I think and handed it to the sales person, and he seemed pretty gracious about it as he nodded goodbye. I watched him go over to a corner and try to reshape the hat, and though he had sort of a pinched look on his face at that point, well, I couldn't blame him.
I don't think I could work in an H store, having seen just some of the wide variety of customer experiences they face within a mere 15 minutes of observation, well, I just wouldn't have the patience or the tact. This is not to diminish the experience of anyone who had poor treatment from a rude SA, I'm sure they exist as there are unpleasant people to be found everywhere. But boy oh boy, the SAs I saw on Friday were sure earning their paycheck!
Lol!!!!!! I am seriously laughing out loud!!!!!!!
Love it!!! [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]
This was very funny!
Or it could've been some celebrity like Lady Gaga!
Hi dear, she was quite young looking (but then again im a bad judge on age), slick black hair, shoulder length but didnt tie in pony tail.I got so angry on your behalf while reading your story
That sort of behaviour is unacceptable from a SA. It was even worse than what happened to me when a SA made me wait for an hour and then conveniently "forgot about me", all the while knowing I was waiting.
Was your SA a young women with long, slicked back hair worn in a ponytail?
her name is in chinese with two syllabus
Wow, you had a really sucky experience with the first SA. What a rotten way to treat a customer!
I take my hat off to you for your patience!
Fortunately, the second SA managed to save the image of Hermes in your eyes.
Please enjoy your beautiful garden party. Care to provide some pictures of your loot?
Sorry to hear about your experience at FSH, it sounds astonishing. I wouldn't have looked for her the second time there. Others probably had better luck with a different SA. I guess luck really matters.
I'd glad you still managed to score some awesome items, love the CDC and rose sakura garden party! We are twinsI see you managed to score a variety of accessories in this beautiful pink too!
thank you dears for the listening ear and kind words.
i felt better after coming home. now at least i can laugh abt it to my friends.
i have been to other countries H stores but never met one with such a bitc** attitude. oops. but then again im still keeping an open mind for FSH. after all it may just be her prob.
Yes, I'm loving my GP more n more. very nice and practical bag!
not sure if i can reveal her name here.. shes a chinese lady who speaks french, with black straight shoulder length hair. name is two syallbus T*** **
I'm so sorry you had such a terrible experience. And don't beat yourself up over how you acted. There's so much manipulation, I totally understand how you're feeling. You want to give people the benefit of the doubt that they're nice people. Weird huh, that these SAs make you feel like you have to prove yourself to them. And that's one of the things I don't like about shopping on trips: you pretty much have to buy then b/c you won't have another chance, even if it benefits terrible SAs. But your purchases!!! 
Hey Cuppy,
sorry to hear about your experience there as well.
I notice something really odd. The first few times I tried to score my dream bag in Paris (2 years ago), I was really polite and nice as well (I'm also Asian), and got treated badly.
For some reason, after a few years of trying, I simply no longer care and somehow, I was offered dream bags. So, I sometimes wonder if they are just not as nice to nice people? hee hee.
I was offered so many dream items last year that my collection is almost complete. so, maybe try not going out of your way to be too nice? Be polite, of course but sometimes, I notice us being too nice might make them think we are resellers? could that be it? hee hee
Frankly I don't think I was being way too nice. It was my usual attitude (I'm a soft spoken and smiley person by character) that is consistent regardless which shop I was in. I behave the same way in chanel store. I was also mentally prepared to walk out of the store without a bag purchase. I just wanted some help and answers to my request. This is not my first time in Paris hermes stores either and I get my bags all along with this attitude.
However I do agree with your point that they took advantage of my niceness. I do not want to make a scene at the store despite my unhappiness. However, do I have to force myself to transform into their ideal customer just for them to sell me something? If so, I would not want to patronise that store.
I also do not think it is justifiable for a SA to treat a customer this way even if it is because they think you may be a reseller. They should be more professional since they are in the sales line. If the leather department staff are over worked due to the long queues of customer, then hermes should rethink of how to better manage the store situation and their staff welfare. Chanel and LV stores are also v busy but their staff do not playing games and treat their customers with respect.
My experience with Hermes SA's is so varied, I think my DH and I now have a knack of telling which ones are gonna be pleasant and rude.
In my local store we encountered several SAs who seemed uninterested in helping us so we always left without buying anything, till we met one who was friendly and accomodating and so that's when we started our H journey.
Then whenever we go on vacay we always try to drop by any local H stores in the area, and if we don't like the SA who approached us, we leave him/her and find another one, or if we can't find anyone pleasant we just leave without buying anything at all. Of course I'll get moody for the rest of the trip so DH will bring me again just so I can buy something. 😜
I think it's all about reading people, and a whole lot of luck! But I wouldn't buy from a rude SA wherever I may be. I'll just try to find one who's nice so whenever I use a particular H item I can also remember the great buying experience that came with it. JMO
In my local store we encountered several SAs who seemed uninterested in helping us so we always left without buying anything, till we met one who was friendly and accomodating and so that's when we started our H journey.
Then whenever we go on vacay we always try to drop by any local H stores in the area, and if we don't like the SA who approached us, we leave him/her and find another one, or if we can't find anyone pleasant we just leave without buying anything at all. Of course I'll get moody for the rest of the trip so DH will bring me again just so I can buy something. 😜
I think it's all about reading people, and a whole lot of luck! But I wouldn't buy from a rude SA wherever I may be. I'll just try to find one who's nice so whenever I use a particular H item I can also remember the great buying experience that came with it. JMO
I agree. if a SA cannot be bothered to offer friendly/professional service, then I will take my money to a SA who can. As much as I love H, I will not let someone treat me poorly in the process.
This was my first experience buying something from an actual store (as opposed to online). I don't mean to compare my what I consider bad experiences to anyone else's. I just think that the misinformation and unequal treatment that we witness all the time in these stores is ridiculous -- I'm incredulous that this happens in a store of this level. Any "normal" department store in the United States would operate better than Hermes. And yet...I'm a customer, just like each one of you.
I looked at boutiques in Paris (Faubourg St-Honore), Basel, and Avignon for a Vision II agenda, to no avail. I was pretty open on skin, except I did not want an exotic. I did want it to close with a pen, however. I was treated as terrible as everyone in FSH. Refused to call other stores regarding availability, had to ask him twice to even look in the computer. When he said that he could not call or contact Avignon, he did not bother to explain that it was a franchise. And generally treated my friend and I with contempt. The SA in Basel was as helpful as he could be, and the ladies in Avignon were also lovely.
In Barcelona, I found a barenia in ebene. Yay me. Had the fun experience of watching what appeared to be a Russian oligarch's wife picking up either a Birkin or a Kelly in a green exotic (I think crocodile). They explained very carefully to her what to do at the airport with the customs forms. Then a guy paid for some perfume...this all went on for some time.
I paid and did not get any explanation on the forms. They put all of the documents in the envelope. This means that when I arrived at the airport, I gave all of the forms to the refund booth -- including my invoice, which the store should have put in a separate Hermes envelope. They could have told me to keep it. I've contacted them since then and they sent me a scan. I should ask them to mail it to me.
After I paid for the item in the store, I suddenly realized that I should ask about the leather. This all happened so fast that I did not think to take my time to ask those questions when they actually found one for me. (I had given up in my mind that I would find it on this trip.) I was also not very impressed with what they had to say. Never told me that it was lambskin...just mumbled about patina. Did not mention that it would easily scratch, either.
As I was paying, another woman came in the store, obviously had had a lot of work done. She gets treated very well.
I suppose that I "asked" for it in a sense. My aunt and I had just checked into our hotel after arriving on the train and were walking down Prasseig de Gracia when we saw the store. I thought that this would just be a matter of running in and finding out that this store did not have what I was looking for, either. So I was neither ready to impress nor really even to buy the item.
Barcelona did not have the pen but sent me to another store a few blocks away. This store should have known that no store in the city would have a pen to fit this agenda. It takes a pen that is exactly 5 mm -- and not a smidgen more. I know, because I measured the one stubby pencil that I managed to find in a random Barcelona paper store which fit with a caliper. I found pens that were 5.5 mm -- no go. Secondly, the SA could have asked me how long I would be in Barcelona and then should have looked for it. I was in Barcelona for an entire week -- it was totally doable.
I go back home, far far away from any store. Since I am American, I call Madison Avenue. The SA informs me that Hermes is no longer carrying a pen to fit this agenda and refers me to S.E. Dupont, which made the pen. I scour the S.E. Dupont website; some pens are skinny, but it's impossible to tell what will fit. Then I start looking for dealers in the United States. It's evident that all of them just carry cigar accessories (lighters and that sort of thing). I'm getting frustrated...but at least I have a stubby pencil!
I mistakenly called the Wall Street store, but did not realize it. A nice SA promises to look for the pen, and also promises to call me back (internationally, I might add). She follows through, but I'm driving -- she leaves a message. Then I call the SA back...at the Madison Avenue store. I still don't realize the mistake I made. Madison Avenue is totally confused; the SA on the phone decides that I must have made a mistake on the name. That SA takes a message and promises that the right person will call me back. (Do I have to actually spell it out, that no one ever called me back from Madison Avenue?)
If I haven't lost you yet...then I listen carefully to the message again, and realize that it's the Wall Street store that I called. All is hunky-dory. She needs to receive the refill from Madison Avenue, and then we can complete the sale.
But...did you notice? Madison Avenue insists that the pen is no longer being made and does not try to look for it. How long can it take to look for this item??? And what does it hurt to help a customer? Why tell me a LIE -- that the pen is no longer being sold by the company -- and send me on a wild goose chase all over the world?
My fab SA receives the refill...oh, but it's for the shorter pen (the one on a chain). I will have to stuff something into the top that can give some resistance to the refill so it won't slip into the pen. So, this means that I have to wad up paper or something and stick it in my $330 sterling silver pen to get it to work. Okay.
The pen and the refill have arrived, and I figured out how to bend a paper clip that I've stuck in the top, getting pen ink all over my hands in the process. That's okay too.
Again, I don't mean to compare myself or this situation to anyone else's, but I just want to say that -- although it did not come up in the store -- I am actually in a profession in which I can actually use all of those international timetables, lists of holidays all over the world, and map that came with the agenda refill. I'm going to keep buying these refills for years to come, because I need that information. It's amazingly handy for me. I'm the customer that they want, regardless of my fresh-off-the-train yoga pants look. But it seems that they prefer oligarchs' wives and plastic surgery addicts. That's okay....
I looked at boutiques in Paris (Faubourg St-Honore), Basel, and Avignon for a Vision II agenda, to no avail. I was pretty open on skin, except I did not want an exotic. I did want it to close with a pen, however. I was treated as terrible as everyone in FSH. Refused to call other stores regarding availability, had to ask him twice to even look in the computer. When he said that he could not call or contact Avignon, he did not bother to explain that it was a franchise. And generally treated my friend and I with contempt. The SA in Basel was as helpful as he could be, and the ladies in Avignon were also lovely.
In Barcelona, I found a barenia in ebene. Yay me. Had the fun experience of watching what appeared to be a Russian oligarch's wife picking up either a Birkin or a Kelly in a green exotic (I think crocodile). They explained very carefully to her what to do at the airport with the customs forms. Then a guy paid for some perfume...this all went on for some time.
I paid and did not get any explanation on the forms. They put all of the documents in the envelope. This means that when I arrived at the airport, I gave all of the forms to the refund booth -- including my invoice, which the store should have put in a separate Hermes envelope. They could have told me to keep it. I've contacted them since then and they sent me a scan. I should ask them to mail it to me.
After I paid for the item in the store, I suddenly realized that I should ask about the leather. This all happened so fast that I did not think to take my time to ask those questions when they actually found one for me. (I had given up in my mind that I would find it on this trip.) I was also not very impressed with what they had to say. Never told me that it was lambskin...just mumbled about patina. Did not mention that it would easily scratch, either.
As I was paying, another woman came in the store, obviously had had a lot of work done. She gets treated very well.
I suppose that I "asked" for it in a sense. My aunt and I had just checked into our hotel after arriving on the train and were walking down Prasseig de Gracia when we saw the store. I thought that this would just be a matter of running in and finding out that this store did not have what I was looking for, either. So I was neither ready to impress nor really even to buy the item.
Barcelona did not have the pen but sent me to another store a few blocks away. This store should have known that no store in the city would have a pen to fit this agenda. It takes a pen that is exactly 5 mm -- and not a smidgen more. I know, because I measured the one stubby pencil that I managed to find in a random Barcelona paper store which fit with a caliper. I found pens that were 5.5 mm -- no go. Secondly, the SA could have asked me how long I would be in Barcelona and then should have looked for it. I was in Barcelona for an entire week -- it was totally doable.
I go back home, far far away from any store. Since I am American, I call Madison Avenue. The SA informs me that Hermes is no longer carrying a pen to fit this agenda and refers me to S.E. Dupont, which made the pen. I scour the S.E. Dupont website; some pens are skinny, but it's impossible to tell what will fit. Then I start looking for dealers in the United States. It's evident that all of them just carry cigar accessories (lighters and that sort of thing). I'm getting frustrated...but at least I have a stubby pencil!
I mistakenly called the Wall Street store, but did not realize it. A nice SA promises to look for the pen, and also promises to call me back (internationally, I might add). She follows through, but I'm driving -- she leaves a message. Then I call the SA back...at the Madison Avenue store. I still don't realize the mistake I made. Madison Avenue is totally confused; the SA on the phone decides that I must have made a mistake on the name. That SA takes a message and promises that the right person will call me back. (Do I have to actually spell it out, that no one ever called me back from Madison Avenue?)
If I haven't lost you yet...then I listen carefully to the message again, and realize that it's the Wall Street store that I called. All is hunky-dory. She needs to receive the refill from Madison Avenue, and then we can complete the sale.
But...did you notice? Madison Avenue insists that the pen is no longer being made and does not try to look for it. How long can it take to look for this item??? And what does it hurt to help a customer? Why tell me a LIE -- that the pen is no longer being sold by the company -- and send me on a wild goose chase all over the world?
My fab SA receives the refill...oh, but it's for the shorter pen (the one on a chain). I will have to stuff something into the top that can give some resistance to the refill so it won't slip into the pen. So, this means that I have to wad up paper or something and stick it in my $330 sterling silver pen to get it to work. Okay.
The pen and the refill have arrived, and I figured out how to bend a paper clip that I've stuck in the top, getting pen ink all over my hands in the process. That's okay too.
Again, I don't mean to compare myself or this situation to anyone else's, but I just want to say that -- although it did not come up in the store -- I am actually in a profession in which I can actually use all of those international timetables, lists of holidays all over the world, and map that came with the agenda refill. I'm going to keep buying these refills for years to come, because I need that information. It's amazingly handy for me. I'm the customer that they want, regardless of my fresh-off-the-train yoga pants look. But it seems that they prefer oligarchs' wives and plastic surgery addicts. That's okay....