Working at Hermes

[Mininana]

I want to share some benefits about being a sales assistant.

Many people ask us if we could easily purchase a bag for ourselves, the answer is NO, we have a few chances every year for purchase items for ourselves. We occasionally have some discount event for staff, goods available vary every time.Sometimes there's leather product, sometimes there's only clothes. I have to say, the leather products are very rare on the discount event, not mention the birkin or kelly bags. And these bags are popular the same to fight for even inside of the company. There's two kinds of discount events,one is Online(access only through the computers inside of the shop), the other is hold in Paris. When it's online discount, it's more about luck because you never know when or what kind of item they would put on the website, the sales assistant could only purchase on the system 2 times every event, you could log in many times but with a limited time allowed.And it happens always during our duty time, so we barely have time to check all the time on the system to grab the things. The other event is held in Paris, before the public discount event, and like the public one, many people start to wait there several hours before opening and rush to the leather section.

And I have to say, the price is amazing!!

Kelly or birkin bags is around 1,500 euro, the scarf is around 85 euro, the cashmere is around 150 euro, and the most of the rest cost only 10% of the original price in the shop. But even so, we are not buying everything, they are still too expensive for us. Like there is some CORNE material necklace is marked around 400 euro in the shop, 80 euro on the discount event for us, but we know the cost to produce is only 5 euro. So we prefer to purchase some leather product. I have a friend who bought a belt in crocodile which only costs 300 euro.

And when there is no discount event, we are only allowed around 10% off the price.

My sa told me about this too!! And she also said that even if the price is so low most times they cannot afford it.

 

[Rom.roths]

My sa told me about this too!! And she also said that even if the price is so low most times they cannot afford it.

Yes, actually it's still too expensive for us, normally we only purchase one or two scarf and one pair of shoes that we really like. Bags are over budget.

 

[lynne_ross]

Thanks Rom for sharing all your ipexperiences! Very interesting.

 

[Mininana]

Yes, actually it's still too expensive for us, normally we only purchase one or two scarf and one pair of shoes that we really like. Bags are over budget.

I have a question rom!! How about uniform? Does the job provide you with one? And are the scarves worn at work free? Or you have to purchase them?

Thanks!

 

[Rom.roths]

I have a question rom!! How about uniform? Does the job provide you with one? And are the scarves worn at work free? Or you have to purchase them?

Thanks!

It's free : ) but for us interns we need to purchase ourselves, we might got a tie for free

 

[mcmc]

Rom.roths, thank you so much for sharing with us your exp. it sure is a very interesting topic to many of us.

i've recently been to the Hermes sale in Paris, and as you said, the prices were quite low. i didnt see any leather products while i was there, but the scarves were priced at €85 to mid €100.

so SAs cannot buy bags for themselves; but if they want one, can they "build relationship" with a friend, and then sell bags to the friend for self use? would the SM easily notice this?

 

[Rom.roths]

Rom.roths, thank you so much for sharing with us your exp. it sure is a very interesting topic to many of us.



i've recently been to the Hermes sale in Paris, and as you said, the prices were quite low. i didnt see any leather products while i was there, but the scarves were priced at €85 to mid €100.



so SAs cannot buy bags for themselves; but if they want one, can they "build relationship" with a friend, and then sell bags to the friend for self use? would the SM easily notice this?

They can not buy the bags inside the shop stock, neither their family. But if a SA wants to have a bag for self use, either she can wait for the discount event with good price and staff letter on, or ask the shop manager and only with permit, they could buy at the same price as other clients. That doesn't happen a lot, as really the bags are too expensive for us, even with discount, not mention without discount.
The craft group(who make bags, not the SAs) in the company can make one bag for themselves each year but of course with special mark on the bag.

 

[Rom.roths]

I haven't noticed that what I post has been an independent thread, and as it has been, I would try my best to answer or share as much as I can with all of people here.
I have to notice first, it's really difficult to answer any question as " how to buy a Birkin bag", because the answer varies from shop to shop, country to country, every shop manager has his own way to decide whether to sell a bag. I would try my best to solve your puzzle or misunderstanding. But really I can't help to have a bag. Thank you all first for comprehension.

 

[bagidiotic]

I haven't noticed that what I post has been an independent thread, and as it has been, I would try my best to answer or share as much as I can with all of people here.
I have to notice first, it's really difficult to answer any question as " how to buy a Birkin bag", because the answer varies from shop to shop, country to country, every shop manager has his own way to decide whether to sell a bag. I would try my best to solve your puzzle or misunderstanding. But really I can't help to have a bag. Thank you all first for comprehension.

Yes looking forward reading more interesting post
Poor thing many must have pm you lately
It's always please help me haha

 

[Sterre]

I've heard the same prices and discount percentages from my SA (also in Europe) so I can confirm Rom.roths story as well [emoji4]

 

[TenaciousB]

Rom.roths I have a question about getting b or k from FSH. Though I've never got 1 from FSH, I've heard that unlike in other stores, in FSH you don't really need to have a buying history there. Is that true? If so, I wonder why. Just out of curiosity. Thanks for sharing your story btw, fascinating indeed.

 

[Rom.roths]

Rom.roths I have a question about getting b or k from FSH. Though I've never got 1 from FSH, I've heard that unlike in other stores, in FSH you don't really need to have a buying history there. Is that true? If so, I wonder why. Just out of curiosity. Thanks for sharing your story btw, fascinating indeed.

First I hope you can understand that it's perfectly normal and the way it should be that you don't need to purchase anything else for obtaining a bag. That's the spirit. And yet it happens that after you purchasing a few items, you gain a better chance to ask for a bag.
In FSH, first I don't quite know how they work, I suppose it's the same as it is the flag shop, they don't have a budget problem, unlike the situation in some other shops, so they could sell bags without considering the sales they achieve. It's more about the timing and the client. If the client is a real client and she comes in the shop at a good timing, then she will have a bag.
Like I said before, even the SAs in FSH, I think it's the same as us, we would sell if we could, because that's our job. The situation varies due to budget problem/quota problem/delivery/stock, and they have to be careful about resellers.
In a word, I would suggest you to try your luck in FSH. They have also many interesting pieces other than bags, I am sure you will find some fun there.
PS. Try to enjoy the shopping experience rather than only focusing on the bags.

 

[Rom.roths]

Rom.roths I have a question about getting b or k from FSH. Though I've never got 1 from FSH, I've heard that unlike in other stores, in FSH you don't really need to have a buying history there. Is that true? If so, I wonder why. Just out of curiosity. Thanks for sharing your story btw, fascinating indeed.

First I hope you can understand that it's perfectly normal and the way it should be that you don't need to purchase anything else for obtaining a bag. That's the spirit. And yet it happens that after you purchasing a few items, you gain a better chance to ask for a bag.
In FSH, first I don't quite know how they work, I suppose it's the same as it is the flag shop, they don't have a budget problem, unlike the situation in some other shops, so they could sell bags without considering the sales they achieve. It's more about the timing and the client. If the client is a real client and she comes in the shop at a good timing, then she will have a bag.
Like I said before, even the SAs in FSH, I think it's the same as us, we would sell if we could, because that's our job. The situation varies due to budget problem/quota problem/delivery/stock, and they have to be careful about resellers.
In a word, I would suggest you to try your luck in FSH. They have also many interesting pieces other than bags, I am sure you will find some fun there.
PS. Try to enjoy the shopping experience rather than only focusing on the bags

 

[TenaciousB]

First I hope you can understand that it's perfectly normal and the way it should be that you don't need to purchase anything else for obtaining a bag. That's the spirit. And yet it happens that after you purchasing a few items, you gain a better chance to ask for a bag.
In FSH, first I don't quite know how they work, I suppose it's the same as it is the flag shop, they don't have a budget problem, unlike the situation in some other shops, so they could sell bags without considering the sales they achieve. It's more about the timing and the client. If the client is a real client and she comes in the shop at a good timing, then she will have a bag.
Like I said before, even the SAs in FSH, I think it's the same as us, we would sell if we could, because that's our job. The situation varies due to budget problem/quota problem/delivery/stock, and they have to be careful about resellers.
In a word, I would suggest you to try your luck in FSH. They have also many interesting pieces other than bags, I am sure you will find some fun there.
PS. Try to enjoy the shopping experience rather than only focusing on the bags

Got ya. They do have interesting pieces, scarves with cw that's I haven't seen in my store as well as the extensive range of rtw and homewares. It's very exciting to go there for any h aficionados, it's the H Epicentre after all.

So it's all about the budget when it comes to the selling strategy. If I can ask another question sorry if inappropriate (I understand if u don't respond to this question), how bout commission, is it true that sa doesn't get commission on selling b or k?

 

[Rom.roths]

Got ya. They do have interesting pieces, scarves with cw that's I haven't seen in my store as well as the extensive range of rtw and homewares. It's very exciting to go there for any h aficionados, it's the H Epicentre after all.

So it's all about the budget when it comes to the selling strategy. If I can ask another question sorry if inappropriate (I understand if u don't respond to this question), how bout commission, is it true that sa doesn't get commission on selling b or k?

Yes, enjoy the day, and take it as a surprise if being offered bags. Buy what you really like, don't keep in mind" what I should buy to obtain a bag", and good luck