Trusted Hermes Reseller Discussion Thread
- Thread starter mistikat
- Start date
TPF may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others
I own many etoupe items, in several different leathers, and the color is very different on all of them. Depending on the leather. Even etoupe in togo and clemence are different, when I was doing a special order years ago and they held the two leathers together, I was stunned at the difference. And of course all of our monitors show colors differently, your bolide on my monitor appears to be gold. An Hermes color that also comes with white contrast stitching.
Last edited:
It's unfortunate that you're so unhappy with your Fashionphile purchases, @janek13. Please try to put this in perspective and remember that you do have the option to return any or all of these items if you are not completely delighted. I have been buying from FP since the beginning of the pandemic nearly three years ago. On the rare occasion that an item doesn't live up to my admittedly high expectations, I simply send it back. For me, the return shipping charge is a minor expense compared with the ability to receive close to a 100% refund rather than a store credit or be stuck with a pricey item because there is no return option (Rebag, for example).
Agree with this. Should OP prefer gold to etoupe, I believe there are threads discussing significant variation in tone from a mid brown (like noisette) to lighter, cooler shades.
On another note, I bought something under 1K recently from fashionphile, and I got a thank you email back with this language:
quote:
Your satisfaction means the world to us, and we’re here to ensure your ultra-luxury experience is nothing short of amazing. If you have any questions, please know your Personal Shopper Assistant is always here and ready to assist you
there was a phone number and other ways to contact
is this new? Or is this how it’s been for years at fashionphile, and I simply never noticed?
Clearly, you are looking for sympathy and agreement. I can manage empathy because I feel your disappointment. That said, back to facts. It is a fact that Hermes colors look different on different skins in a given production year. It is also a fact that Hermes colors also look different on identical skins from different years of production. Even Black looks different. Consider signature color Rouge H. It ranges from reddish brown to blue/red. Therefore, it’s completely subjective whether an Hermes item’s color will please you. The beauty of buying from Fashionphile is that you have the opportunity to make this decision after seeing it in your home. The many TPF’rs who have been responding to your original post are simply trying to share their knowledge with you. Of course, you are free to take it or leave it.
Can you give us a link to the original listing? That would be so helpful for all of us to see what’s going on. Thanks.
I certainly understand that OP posted in order to find sympathy. But, OP ‘s original post #9211 alleged that Fashionphile deliberately engaged in bad faith, bait and switch business practices designed to take advantage of its customers. The basis of her allegations were the last three purchases she made, which she believed were etain, not etoupe. While on various holds, waiting to speak to fashiophile supervisors, she believed that she identified many examples where Fashionphile mistook etain for etoupe, and she wrote her post to ask others to come forward with their experiences that would strengthen her claim that this was some kind of nefarious business practice designed to defraud on a larger scale. She also posted photos of examples that fashionphile mistook etain for etoupe. It is clear that OP was mistaken in the factual substance of these allegations.
While OP wished for her narrative to be confirmed, TPF threads are not simply echo chambers. I think it is important to note that many guests and members read these threads who do not contribute, but who may form opinions regarding resellers or other thread topics based on what we post here. And, while, I do have some gripes with Fashionphile, I don’t think it is fair or balanced to let the substance of OPs facts go unchallenged, which denigrate Fashionphile‘s business ethics as well as its ability to differentiate color.
In response to OPs post, various members refuted OPs assertions. No one attacked OP except to say that her perception of color and her statements were simply incorrect. A difference of opinion and a correction of fact is not personal, and I think posters on a public forum should understand that. I was frankly startled that OP chose to double down against other members and called them self enthroned fan based experts (Post # 9226). This was simply bc a number of members independently agreed on a POV antithetical to her position. It seemed like she would rather deflect than examine her own statements, some of which were so exaggerated, such as the ‘shadowy underbelly of Fashionphile‘s business policies,’ as to verge on trollish. But, regardless of the substance and the differences of our posts, all of us should be mature enough to be able to communicate while upholding standards of minimum common courtesy. JMO
While OP wished for her narrative to be confirmed, TPF threads are not simply echo chambers. I think it is important to note that many guests and members read these threads who do not contribute, but who may form opinions regarding resellers or other thread topics based on what we post here. And, while, I do have some gripes with Fashionphile, I don’t think it is fair or balanced to let the substance of OPs facts go unchallenged, which denigrate Fashionphile‘s business ethics as well as its ability to differentiate color.
In response to OPs post, various members refuted OPs assertions. No one attacked OP except to say that her perception of color and her statements were simply incorrect. A difference of opinion and a correction of fact is not personal, and I think posters on a public forum should understand that. I was frankly startled that OP chose to double down against other members and called them self enthroned fan based experts (Post # 9226). This was simply bc a number of members independently agreed on a POV antithetical to her position. It seemed like she would rather deflect than examine her own statements, some of which were so exaggerated, such as the ‘shadowy underbelly of Fashionphile‘s business policies,’ as to verge on trollish. But, regardless of the substance and the differences of our posts, all of us should be mature enough to be able to communicate while upholding standards of minimum common courtesy. JMO
Last edited:
Fashionphile is a business, they want money and repeat patronage, so of course they were willing to concede and tell you they made a mistake. Your fellow Purseforum members, however, are not compensated for sharing knowledge. We have no reason to steer your wrong.
I’m not trying to gang up on you, that is not my style at all, but by erroneously stating that your bag is Étain, you are also (maybe unknowingly) implying that Hermès made an unlikely mistake in the construction of this bag by giving it Naturel/white stitching instead of Étain’s typical brownish tonal stitching. The only time I have seen Étain Epsom with Naturel/white stitching was during the 2011 Candy Collection, and your bag is obviously not from that collection.
I’m not trying to gang up on you, that is not my style at all, but by erroneously stating that your bag is Étain, you are also (maybe unknowingly) implying that Hermès made an unlikely mistake in the construction of this bag by giving it Naturel/white stitching instead of Étain’s typical brownish tonal stitching. The only time I have seen Étain Epsom with Naturel/white stitching was during the 2011 Candy Collection, and your bag is obviously not from that collection.
Thanks for sharing, MillStream. I believe my attempt to frame the issue regarding Fashionphile failed. Color may have been the spark igniting my concern, but after retrospective scrutiny of multiple purchases, dating back to 2012, along with my recent purchases, Fashionphile's raison d'être seems to have furtively morphed from customer satisfaction to bottom line. Of course, all enterprises need to closely monitor their financial status, but as Fashionphile has grown rather quickly since 2000'ish, I am feeling the penultimate focus on customer satisfaction has not only waned, but has been surpassed by less than above board business practices. (Think of the airline industry. They oversell flights betting not all ticket holders will actually show up for the flight. IF perchance all ticket holders show up for the flight, there will simply be customers bumped with minimal remuneration for their inconvenience and no real cost to the airlines. Win/win for the airline, lose/lose for most customers.) Large organizations become unwieldy and grow beyond the ability to respectfully relate to their customers, until consumer protections and legal consequences rise to the fore and force their hand. I feel Fashionphile is on a journey down the same path, but my retrospective analysis only includes a random sample of one, far more anecdotal than scientific. And I may be wrong, but I was under the assumption, probably mistaken assumption that Rebag has a standing policy of accepting returns, save for those items on their final clearance sale. I'm not well versed on the myriad of online resale outlet policies, so I don't know. Thanks again, MillStream
Interesting topic to discuss if backed with substantive facts re your multiple purchases from 2012 onward (or of course, anyone else’s experiences)
sellers feel the pain of low ball offers, and buyers feel that condition is not fully vetted, and prices are unconscionably high, but all are free not to engage. Whether this or other facts arise to less than above board would be an interesting exploration
Last edited:
I stand corrected, @janek13. It is The Real Real, and not Rebag, that states: Handbags are final sale and are not returnable. My online handbag purchases have been restricted to Fashionphile and Anne's Fabulous Finds, because I've developed a high level of trust in dealing with each of these resellers. I cannot see how it would be in Fashionphile's best interest to try to deceive its customers. Nevertheless, you might want to look at Anne's website. Her team is superb, and if there's any criticism I have it's that descriptions err on the side of caution. My experience is that bags I've bought from Anne are invariably in better shape than their descriptions. I've got a 2011 Chanel SO Black Lambskin Jumbo with the most glorious patina from Anne, and the patina wasn't even mentioned. Instead, the few nearly imperceptible marks that I've been able to buff out were highlighted. You might want to give Anne's Fabulous Finds a try.
As others have noted, this Fashionphile bag is Étoupe. TBH your Bolide does not look like Étoupe, but monitors can deceive and dye lots can vary.
I'd also note that while Étain does mean "tin", Étoupe does NOT mean "taupe" (it basically translates as the color of a rope), and in Hermés, Étoupe and Taupe are two different colors.
FP makes a ton of mistakes on color and leather, this is true. I could pull up several H listings on FP right now that show this, and have seen some very odd assessments done in the showrooms. In all honesty I can't name a reseller that's accurate - none of the auction houses, certainly not TRR, not Collector Square - all of them have current listings with color or leather errors.
This is just resale, and the risks of buying at resale. Were I you, I would just return the bag, especially since it appears they are trying to please the customer by accepting an error, so will pay your costs.
(FWIW, revenue recognition in a corporation does not work in such a way that deliberately delayed returns would positively impact a company's bottom line. Generally sales revenue can't be recognized til a return window has passed. But, this is fairly OT.)
I posted to elicit personal interactions with FP - be they positive, negative or elsewhere on the continuum. I am a grandmother who has quietly suffered significant family tragedies, a 2nd generation 100% Finn, known throughout history for our innate stoicism and aversion to maudlin emotions. I am stunned and sufficiently baffled as to why or how one could generate sympathy over purchasing an Hermès bag, especially in the realm of pollution, famine, wars, human suffering and the like encompassing our entire planet. Purchasing an HERMÈS bag simply does not generate sympathy in my world. If you felt my post on an Hermès-centric forum was a pitiful cry for sympathy from unknown strangers on the faceless internet, I readily admit I failed in my purpose - that never entered my mind. Other than the emotion of "disgust" in the title, nothing in the post is emotionally evocative. On the contrary, I believe the writing is on the continuum of being very straight forward, unambiguous and directed strictly at FP's business policies, leaving no room for emotional outcrys. I sought to accurately share my personal revelations about FP stemming from my recent purchase and receive honest feedback from others - positive, negative or inbetween. Although you feel I failed in that endeavor, playing the sympathy card instead, I see this in a positive light. Some people read through my post and subsequent replies closely and shared their personal FP experiences, more have shared a myriad of comments and through my failure to communicate more clearly, I found answers - to issues I never knew existed. Dare I add, I already looked in foxholes, turned over rocks, ultimately found and already purchased a actual étoupe handbag as the Fashionphile Evelyne sits repacked, ready to be returned in the morning. I feel the floodgates opening and more outrage heading my way in concerted efforts to elevate my benighted comprehension of Hermès handbags. Post away. It's not a concern. I'm not anxious. I'm Finnish.
I don’t think anyone wants to go after you or to create any sensationalism.
Can it be summarized that you would like to share your personal experience with a reseller, per the title of the thread, and that you did not come away with a good feeling purchasing from Fashionphile?
It was also appropriately noted that the bag is determined to be Etoupe as far as can be confirmed though online photos.
Thirdly, we note and appreciate that Fashionphile and nearly all resellers make mistakes in their item descriptions and identification, and that sometimes larger resellers are not as enjoyable to purchase from since they do have profit-driven business practices at some level, but on the other hand, may be more worry-free to purchase from for some people if return policies are seen as an asset.