What’s your unpopular Hermes opinion?

[Gal4Dior]

Sadly this appears to be the majority opinion on TPF

Sadly it was not just an opinion for me, it was from personal experience. An SA who overlooked me for a year plus finally remembered me, and then I got an offer almost every other day. However, by then, I was a bit soured. All that talk about no stock, none coming in... is not entirely truthful.

Instead of saying there aren't any bags, maybe just say, "there are very few, but they are already reserved for other clients." I would hope reasonable clients (not ones making a scene in a store or being absolutely rude) would understand that they need to wait their turn or it just wasn't their lucky day.

 

[PrayersandPurses]

Been thinking about this since this 2017 Purseblog article with the linesitters pic outside Faubourg (below), before H switched to online appointments:

That is INSANE lol.
My unpopular H opinion: No H handbag is worth sleeping on a floor overnight.

 

[lulilu]

That is INSANE lol.
My unpopular H opinion: No H handbag is worth sleeping on a floor overnight.

Not just a floor -- a filthy Paris sidewalk.

 

[PrayersandPurses]

Not just a floor -- a filthy Paris sidewalk.

Yup that too. I wouldn't know because I haven't been to Paris yet lol.

 

[880]

there are very few, but they are already reserved for other clients."

The problem with this is that those bags may not be reserved for specific other clients, and it opens the door to more discussion which is really unwanted. Bags and other scarce, coveted merchandise do have to be held back so VIP clients ( I am not one of them) have some choice. This actually occurs in many stores, other than Hermes and Chanel, (especially with respect to RTW selection and sizes) that the best selection is reserved. My unpopular opinion is that I don’t have an issue with knowing that yes, there are no bags (for me, at this time). JMO of course.

an H client in the Singapore thread mentioned that her SA was in therapy and quit over the stress, and I don’t blame her. I think it’s probably more common than one would think. Still, the uniformity of response (no stick dslivered etc. makes me assume this is simply corporate policy). I don’t blame an individual SA for adhering to the company line. This is precisely why I shop both retail and well priced resale.

ETA: if someone has furnished multiple apartments in Hermes or a custom airplane, or been a high spending client of many years, I certainly would assume that client gets his or her picks way before me. similarly, if someone’s spend is 10-20 times mine or more, they should go ahead. In luxury shopping, unlike my bagel place, it’s not first come first serve.

 

[benjinito]

That is INSANE lol.
My unpopular H opinion: No H handbag is worth sleeping on a floor overnight.

Not just a floor -- a filthy Paris sidewalk.

The linked article says those are line sitters - camping out for roughly $300 to hold a space in line for someone else.

 

[maxroxxherhandbags]

Been thinking about this since this 2017 Purseblog article with the linesitters pic outside Faubourg (below), before H switched to online appointments:

Yes I remember those days!
I was staying down the block at the Costes and walking back from a late night supper around 1am and I saw a row of people sitting and lying on the pavement at the side entrance...I'll confess I assumed there was a secret sale on or something.
I enquired what they were queuing for and they informed me for bag appointments.
I believe that the lottery was implemented because of complaints by local residents about the overnight queues.

 

[PrayersandPurses]

The linked article says those are line sitters - camping out for roughly $300 to hold a space in line for someone else.

Good Lord that is even more insane

 

[Gal4Dior]

The problem with this is that those bags may not be reserved for specific other clients, and it opens the door to more discussion which is really unwanted. Bags and other scarce, coveted merchandise do have to be held back so VIP clients ( I am not one of them) have some choice. This actually occurs in many stores, other than Hermes and Chanel, (especially with respect to RTW selection and sizes) that the best selection is reserved. My unpopular opinion is that I don’t have an issue with knowing that yes, there are no bags (for me, at this time). JMO of course.

an H client in the Singapore thread mentioned that her SA was in therapy and quit over the stress, and I don’t blame her. I think it’s probably more common than one would think. Still, the uniformity of response (no stick dslivered etc. makes me assume this is simply corporate policy, and I don’t blame an individual SA for that). This is precisely why I shop both retail and well priced resale.

While I do understand that they are not delegated to specific clients, they are delegated to other clients. That is truthful and that could be stated. No stock is not truthful, especially if they are showing the same bag you just asked for to another client in front of you.

It's fine if it's not available to me. Unless you're an entitled a-hole, it should be an acceptable answer, correct? JMO.

 

[Gal4Dior]

Good Lord that is even more insane

I heard a lot of resellers were go that route for a spot in line. They went to the lottery system, but that didn't really help the amount of resellers, did it? lol!

I guess that's my unpopular opinion.

 

[tinkerbell68]

I have been told by an SA that the thing she disliked most about her job was lying to customers about the unavailability of bags when she knew there were bags in the back room. So it's not just an opinion, guess, or surmise, or belief. It's true. The true part I guess is that there are no bags available "for you." (I am not suggesting that I have not been the recipient of such statements either, but I don't really ask anymore.)

When I was waiting to meet with my SA at the Sevres store a few weeks ago, there was a young woman who had gotten an appointment online. She asked for a Kelly and the SA returned with a 24/24 touch and said that there were no Kellys available. Moments later, I was taken back to a private room and offered a K28.

 

[benjinito]

While I do understand that they are not delegated to specific clients, they are delegated to other clients. That is truthful and that could be stated. No stock is not truthful, especially if they are showing the same bag you just asked for to another client in front of you.

It's fine if it's not available to me. Unless you're an entitled a-hole, it should be an acceptable answer, correct? JMO.

That was the response I received the first time I waltzed into an H store and asked for a bag

“Sorry but we reserve those bags for existing clients with a purchase history”. I read between the lines and understood what they meant, but I can see folks following up with “Well how about I buy that scarf? Am I an existing client now?” or “how much do I need to spend”, which I’m guessing H also doesn’t want to discuss.

 

[periogirl28]

When I was waiting to meet with my SA at the Sevres store a few weeks ago, there was a young woman who had gotten an appointment online. She asked for a Kelly and the SA returned with a 24/24 touch and said that there were no Kellys available. Moments later, I was taken back to a private room and offered a K28.

Yes this happens a lot. People enquiring are told there are no bags all the time but yet stock lists are read out just a moment later.
Hermes SAs all have to learn coping mechanisms just to survive the job and Hermes clients have to decide when enough is enough and stop shopping the brand completely.
That last is my unpopular opinion.

 

[PrayersandPurses]

Hermes had a sale in Toronto in November 2019. And as tempting as it was to check it out, not even that was worth it to me to line up for at 6 am. That's another unpopular H opinion

 

[880]

Yes this happens a lot. People enquiring are told there are no bags all the time but yet stock lists are read out just a moment later.
Hermes SAs all have to learn coping mechanisms just to survive the job and Hermes clients have to decide when enough is enough and stop shopping the brand completely.
That last is my unpopular opinion.

Agree. I stopped shopping the boutique and purchased vintage resale exclusively when my first SA left. It was no longer fun. That hiatus lasted about many years and actually coincided with a long hiatus of years away from TPF lol. My unpopular opinion is if I had been treated half as badly as some members on H forum narrate, I would probably quit the brand.

@tinkerbell68, I’ve often wondered if there are designated bag areas in back of FSH: bags to offer regular clients; bags to offer walk ins; bags to offer lottery; bags to offer VIPs. And, a big sign over the most popular ones warning an SA, if you have to ask, the answer is no. Only half joking. I’m glad you got your orange 28K.