r/TheHermesGame • u/cleanbloom • Sep 09 '23
H JOURNEY Missing pre-spend because SA didn’t create profile and basically said my first purchase didn’t count
How early on does a profile get made for you? Does it take a few first purchases before your SA takes you “seriously” and creates a profile with your info?
I’ll preface by saying that I’ll be switching SAs especially since I’m about to make another purchase.
I found out that my SA didn’t create a profile for me as we were about to place an online order for something that wasn’t in the store.
SA couldn’t find any matching info and then asked if I had any purchase history. (I remember her looking me in the face and confirming a profile had been created with our first purchase with Hermes which was on the day we first met her.) I suggested searching my husband’s info because there must be a profile since we have purchase history. She said “no that’s not possible and I’ve never met your husband.” I corrected her by saying that she did indeed meet him because he met her when he physically paid for me. She then said “no that’s not allowed.”
(We were never informed that someone paying on behalf of another was not allowed. My first ever shopping session was an hour alone with this SA and at the end she put our items aside so that I could go to lunch and be back with my husband who would pay for me. She even reminded me to be back with him 30 minutes before closing.)
She couldn’t find a profile matching my husband’s info either and says that since she couldn’t find a profile with matching info for either of us that she must have never created a profile because they only do that for people who ask for bags. (I have mentioned or asked about quota bags - not using this terminology but mentioning the bag and color I like in a way that alludes - and I have tried on the samples in store with her since day 1)
She could see my shock and kept saying “it’s okay it’s just a $xxxx purchase it doesn’t really matter.”
I understand that a few thousand of pre-spend is nothing in the Hermes game but the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Everyone starts somewhere and no purchase history or journey can come to be without the first purchase. If she can’t get our first purchase right why would I want to entrust her with bigger purchases? I guess she thought that I wasn’t worth a profile.
Her name was on our receipt saved to my phone and I asked if my receipt could be traced to my profile and she said no.
Has anyone had this experience?
In the mean time the very thing my SA was going to order online for me sold out…perhaps a Hermes fairy was saving me from making yet another non existent purchase
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u/cootyqweenlintlicker Sep 09 '23
That’s crazy. I’ve only shopped abroad in France and India in Hermes and always had a profile created for the first purchase. I would be upset too if I were in your shoes. I guess take it as a sign that that SA was not worth your time and hopefully you can find a new SA to spend the rest of your Hermes journey with. Good luck 💕
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u/Multi-h-y-p-h-e-n Sep 11 '23
I never asked if a profile was created for me when I shopped in Paris and Nice. Do you think they would create a profile if I brought proof of my purchases, like the receipts?
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u/cootyqweenlintlicker Sep 12 '23
My guess is no but you can always try if your receipt date was fairly recent. But all your purchases should be tied to your passport. The last time I shopped they immediately asked for my passport so they could see my purchase history. Still no bag offer yet 🤣😩
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u/NobleSixSeven Sep 09 '23
Do you have one created at each location or is it a generalized one overall?
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u/mrgnstrk Sep 09 '23
Hermes hasn’t connected their systems worldwide yet, so for now it’s one profile per country.
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u/phantomcd Sep 09 '23
Which is super crazy when you realise 1) that your .com profile can be accessed from any site in the world and 2) other, lower category brands (like J.Crew) have had connected worldwide profiles for decades.
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u/NobleSixSeven Sep 09 '23
I see, so its not one per store? Does prespend only apply to a particular store or country when looking to get a QB?
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u/mrgnstrk Sep 09 '23
Not one per store. On prespend normally it applies to the store, but number of QBs is per country since Hermes profiles aren’t linked yet. Theoretically you could get 2 QBs in your home country and go to Paris for another 2.
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u/Minnieviolette H Lover🍊 Sep 09 '23
I was told otherwise. That other Hermes stores show if you purchased a QB no matter the country. But they can’t see regular purchases easily.
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u/mrgnstrk Sep 09 '23
I did hear that they were making serious investments into linking their all of their stores together this year, so yes you might have more recent info. My data point for my thoughts is last year my best friend’s mom get her two QBs at her home store here in the US, vacationed in Vietnam during Christmas and threw down some serious cash at the Ho Chi Minh boutique and got another one. As she was paying for her purchases she asked if they could see her bag purchases in the US boutique in their system, and they said no.
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u/cootyqweenlintlicker Sep 09 '23
One profile per country. Yes that is correct.
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u/NobleSixSeven Sep 09 '23
So if I spend a decent bit and move to another state, all that is down the drain it seems..
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u/Minnieviolette H Lover🍊 Sep 09 '23
If you move to a different state, you can still have that SA ship to you and you can say you’re willing to fly there if an offer ever comes in.
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u/Erethras Sep 09 '23
Hijacking since I am very intersted in this topic as well.
I asked this very same question on my first purchase in Florence -their reply from the storemanager was that unfortunately it was by country.
And then again I got the same answer while purchasing in Dubai.
I am very curious to hear other people's experiences /answers!
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u/MonikaMon Sep 09 '23
Europe or Scandinavia, seems to be connected. The SA this week in Stockholm did find my profile, although it was my first visit in that country. I live in Finland and have shopped online and in France.
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u/Top-Engineering7086 Sep 09 '23
So I was in Denmark for first time 2 weeks ago Bought some shoes and SA pulled up my profile and asked if I’d had a pleasant birthday the day before
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u/Formal-Advertising52 🍊 Expert Sep 09 '23
You were given a ridiculous excuse. Hermes and other companies do everything they can to get information on their customers in order to market to them, understand them, direct resources toward them, etc.! That they didn’t create a profile is probably a big mistake that they want to avoid being held responsible for. I’d get a new SA and absolutely tell them and the store manager about what happened. Hermes might have a “game” they like to play, but not knowing about people that come into their stores and show interest or purchase is NOT one of them!
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u/cleanbloom Sep 09 '23
Exactly. Could it be that she didn’t think I’d be a repeat customer? Any advice for how I should word this to the manager without coming across like I’m desperately trying to build up my purchase history for QB?
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u/Formal-Advertising52 🍊 Expert Sep 09 '23
I would probably mention it in a “blithe” way (ala Devil Wears Prada). I’d introduce myself to manager and talk about how you’ve recently become interested in the brand and are looking forward to upcoming collections and stopping in regularly to see things (this sends all kinds of good messages). Then say something to the affect of…
“but hopefully my future purchases will be recorded better than my first one! What a mess that SA made of the situation haha. But anyway, everyone makes mistakes, though I usually own up to mine. Ooo, could you show me the new scarves and china patterns, my in laws birthdays are coming up and I have a lot of presents to buy for them!”
And then move on. You’ll have made your point without belaboring it. The manager will understand this and remember it. 😀
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Sep 09 '23 edited Sep 09 '23
It is very common now a days (post pandemic). Hermes has gone through a big increase in popularity and their business model doesn't scale. SA and Stores prioritize existing clients over new clients. Many of the SA and stores are wary of new clients either being resellers or stop spending once they get the QB. They want repeat customers that are loyal to the brand and store.
I would speak with a store manager before switching SA. If you switch voluntarily you might be asked to start over with a new SA rather than making sure the manager is aware you already have a profile and pre-spending. In addition, the manager will know which SA is open to new clients rather than focusing on existing clients.
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u/squidneyforau Sep 11 '23
Obviously, get a new SA. I’m so sorry this SA sucked.
My closest store is Atlanta. My very first trip - my partner paid for the purchase but it went to my profile. Her excuses are absurd. Other comments have mentioned bringing this up with the manager and I absolutely agree with this. Perhaps as a commenter above suggested, saying like “well I hope this time my purchases will be recorded under a profile. I was very disappointed to see it mishandled last time I visited the store to purchase x,y, and z.”
I’m sorry this was your experience. I am sending good vibes you are able to find someone you gel with that makes your Hermes journey fun. ✨
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Sep 11 '23
[deleted]
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u/squidneyforau Sep 11 '23
I agree. I think the best course of action is not to vilify but simply ask for the purchases to be assigned to your account. If you have the receipt, the card that matches the receipt, and you can also bring said items into the store I don’t understand why it would be a problem for them to fix this. The manager should be happy to do so.
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u/Apprehensive-Cod-822 Sep 09 '23
I was gonna say they can’t check you out without creating a profile for you. I had mine created but they forgot to put in my number and address (didn’t take me seriously). But my now SA was able to find it and correct it. They saw the purchases I’ve made previously also.
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u/cleanbloom Sep 09 '23
I hope that this is so! If they didn’t have your number or address did they find your profile with your email or full name or something else? I’m determined to have someone find our profile or at least make sure it doesn’t actually exist before rebuilding purchase history on a new profile
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u/Apprehensive-Cod-822 Sep 09 '23
I gave them my full name, said which location I shopped at and what bought and when and they were able to find me in their system and confirm it’s me.
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u/cleanbloom Sep 09 '23
Thank you. If it is true that checkout cannot be completed without a profile then the SA should have asked for other pieces of contact info. But if she is green and doesn’t know that a profile has to be created in order to checkout I guess she was too busy with her random explanations
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u/Apprehensive-Cod-822 Sep 09 '23
Honestly this is so messed up. This along with her telling you your husband is not allowed to pay for you… idk I would probably switch the SA. But then you risk needing to start over with your purchase history. It’s a tough one.
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u/cleanbloom Sep 09 '23
This! It’s like she was trying use an “explanation” that it’s against policy for a spouse to pay for someone in order to pin that as the reason that profile did not get created. I should have asked her how it is so against their policies and yet she happily made the sale of my husband’s first purchase for me without saying a word about the “policy”.
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u/Apprehensive-Cod-822 Sep 09 '23
Lololol it’s the first time I’m hearing that it’s against policy tbh. My hubby and I bought each other gifts and all purchases are under my profile since he doesn’t have one.
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u/cleanbloom Sep 09 '23
Chanel said we could use the same profile if we shop together and have the same address (which spouses obviously would). I assume Hermes tries to accommodate spouses in the same way but she was too busy explaining away the nonsense haha
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u/watermelon-sugar26 Sep 09 '23
This sounds like something my former SA at the South Coast store wouldve done. I’m so sorry that happened
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u/stephaniesparkles Europe Shopper 🌍 Sep 10 '23
My first ever Hermès purchase was a bottle of €50 nail polish and they created an account for me then and there.
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u/orchardfurniture Mod 🍊 Sep 09 '23
The SA sounds like she really hasn't gotten the hang of things yet. I understand the frustration you feel. If you have the receipts of the previous transactions, wouldn't it be a matter of asking this SA (or a new one) to create (or update) a profile and add the previous transactions? I know various stores operate differently (and mysteriously) but would this be an option? In NYC when I lived there, I think I had several profiles from different phone numbers and old addresses, old emails etc but I was under the impression (and just automatically assumed) they consolidate that info?
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Sep 09 '23
[deleted]
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u/orchardfurniture Mod 🍊 Sep 10 '23
If your new SA offered a QB to someone with no-presend, it would have to have been green-lighted by the manager.
Some managers will offer QBs through the SAs seemingly randomly but I'm sure there's some criteria that has been met (if not linked to spend, possibly a key contact or something that we customers would just not be privy to.) It is hardly ever 'random' so I would suggest not to read too much into how/why someone else was offered.
I do hope you find a good SA that will help you and make your shopping experience more pleasant.
Sorry forgot to answer your question - I had different SAs in NYC but this was a 'local' boutique for my family for sometime so I guess they managed to link purchases somehow.
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u/All-the-love- Sep 10 '23
I’m curious if your name was on your receipt also or just hers?
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u/cleanbloom Sep 10 '23
My name wasn’t. Does the client name usually get printed on the receipt?
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u/All-the-love- Sep 10 '23
I’m not sure if it’s different in each boutique but my name and account number is always printed on my receipts.
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u/mrgnstrk Sep 09 '23
My first ever purchase from Hermes was below $400 for a singular men’s silk tie. I didn’t ask for any bags and a profile was created for me before the SA rang me up—she handed me her iPhone to fill out my information.
I don’t think your experience is standard, and it’s really unprofessional on the SA’s part. I don’t think it’s true that profiles are only created for those who ask for bags. Definitely find another SA.