Hi millivanilli,
I find no huge difference between the LV and Hermes boutique experience -- as a new shopper, you will still want to find a good SA with whom you can work; as a regular client, you will be welcomed with small courtesies such as a cold drink or a coffee and more personalised assistance/ flexibility with reserved items and after-sales services. What I do notice is that SA's at LV are quicker to offer these small courtesies to a new client than at H.
You will likely have less frustration in LV than H when shopping for bags and slgs because there's "relatively" more stock. There are no games.
You only need to be quick in letting your SA know if you want to reserve limited edition or seasonal release items and they will find and hold it for you (the intel gleaned here at TPF works in our favour! My SA is able to reserve items I want to see when I come visit). And LV offers haute maroquinerie, which I believe involves far less stress than H's SO, if that's something you like.
I find it best to avoid LV at peak shopping times only because there's more people going to LV than H, though you can always set an appointment with your SA to expect you.
I hope you'll find a good SA and enjoy LV shopping! I love different things from LV and H and have enjoyed excellent service from both so far. There's probably just the unmet expectation regarding coveted bags at H that ruins enjoyment for some H lovers. Good luck!
Dear litchi,
thank you for your reply
Actually my WORST problem was, that even despite the fact that I went to my local H boutique on a very regular basis and always (always like in: everytime I entered the store) bought something I never had an SA. Let me start:
Visit number one: looking for a Kawaii bracelet- any Kawaii. I finally managed to find a SA (mal) who helped me, but wasn't lucky finding the jewelry section. (yep. He ran around the store and the other SAs watched him with amusement. I wasn't amused to say the least). Finally he managed to find the jewelry section and in this one Kawaii- too small for me, nevertheless I bought it. I have hughe difficulties getting it on my wrist as it is XS and I'd need S or M. But however I got the piece.
Visit number two ( from here on I am going to mix up as I lost track) still with that you male SA: that was good. I got a scarf - not in the CW I actually wanted. I didn't get the Mors scarf ring I wanted to buy (I still don't have one). Again the SA was left alone, nobody helped him out, and as he had problems figuring out what I wanted we both looked up on his mobile phone what the Mors looks like. Well, might happen, really, I donÄt blame him. I blame the others. However,. let's go to visit number 3:
Number 3: I wanted to buy a scarf for my husband. Again, nobody knew what I was talking about. Just to make clear: I always refered to hermes.com where the items were available. I just did not want to order online. So, no following scarf for my husband, ok so be it, another scarf please. my husband wanted a bright green scarf he saw in the men's section. So the SA asked the SA from the men's department, who unwillingly brought the scarf, threw (like threwing) it on the table and left, but not without adding " that design is REALLY too much!". I stood there, mouth open. I purchased the music scarf for my husband, 2 90cm, carrees for me and 2 twillies for my daughter.
Next visit - and now it becomes worse: the male SA left. (till now I have no clue what his name was). From that point on, nobody felt responsible for me. That means that I had to grab the next trainee I could get to get my items. The max was reached at the point I wanted to pick up my two bags I brought in for reapair and embossing a logo and literally stood there for 40 minutes. Between the las visit with the male SA and the picking up my bags we went through really hard times- beginning with a Halzan, ordered by me, never arrived. Going over to a scarf that was on display and was promised to be reserved for me after undecorating, never got the call- so went into the store and asked for it- nobody could find it. A bracelet, ordere in M, never arrived, order not to be found. A tie ordered for my husband, never arrived, order not to be found. The list goes on and on.
The time span I am talking about is about 4 or 5 monthes, in these I purchased:
1 bag (actually I wanted an Halzan too but: see above)
6 or 7 90 cm carrees
countless bodylotions (I guess all of them except that one with pieplant) and 3 or 4 perfumes
5 twillies
2 scarfs for my husband
2 bracelets
1 140 cm scarf
some fine china
and other items I do not have in my mind. In my opinion, these purchases would give me the title of an returning customer. So: I wouldn't be that upset if I'd had a personal SA whom I could call or mail or ask. Acutally my problem results from beeing not treated as a regular which makes me mad, as if you add the figures above I guess I cracked the 10.000 Euro mark. All items I wanted to have I really wanted to have -see the Mors ring I still want to have.
This is what i am complaining about, I am not complaining about not getting a coffee or not beeing greeted nicely (never did btw except for the security person who was really nice and calmed me down sometimes by giving me an " I know it sucks"-look- they should write him a chrstimas thank you note if you'd ask me), I am complaining about not getting what I ordered, items that were on hold for me and then get lost in the store, even though these were typical products and not very sought after.
I am still thinking about writing an Email to the Shop manager and complaining, but for the beginning I simply want to step into a shop, get what I want (and I really do not want super special things) and that's it... I'd LOVE to have an SA I can set an appointment- if I had one, I wouldn't skip to the website to get what I want, which won't include bags, shoes and jewelry as I am a "have to feel it" person. And, yes I am a "treat myself with an great shopping experience"-person. The money I spend on luxury goods is really hard earned and I want to get the feeling that I had a pleasant experience.
So, sorry if my words sounded harsh, English is my second language- I just wanted to point out that I am not repelled by a bad treatment that happened once but that this was an ongoing problem, albeit I spent some money and returend and returned and returned. Funny note is, that the first time I was offered a coffee was the last time I took a step into that store and I was 1 second away from grabbing the next SA and telling her to bring the shopmanager to me, NOW.
I think you will like LV's customer service. All of my experiences have been great, except this one time when a sales associate sold me a returned bag (it had stains and hair)....but it was also my fault for not checking the bag throughly. I did also encountered this rude associate, but I think it will happen at any stores, and other associates were helpful. I've gone into stores really dressed down (in tank top, shorts, no makeup) and I was still helped. Wish you best of luck!
