Is My Hermès SA Telling the Truth When They Say There Have Been No Shipments of Quota Bags?

Dear PurseBop:

My Hermes SA said there has been no quota bag shipments. Should I believe her or is this something to do with tariffs?

Dear Skeptic:

Hermès tightly controls inventory and often sends quota bags in very small shipments. If none have arrived in your region yet, that’s entirely plausible—especially if your market’s allocation or preseason timeline doesn’t include any at the moment.

Hermès has publicly stated they will fully pass U.S. tariffs on EU imports to customers, including tariff-related price increases in May 2025 averaging 5%–6% on top of normal annual adjustments.

Tariffs aren’t causing shipment delays, but Hermès is building increased costs into U.S. retail pricing so by the time any bag reaches your boutique, its price already reflects duties charged earlier in the supply chain.

There’s still production lead time, limited allocations, and shipment schedules that vary by region.

• Tariffs have not stopped shipments, but Hermès is passing the cost onto U.S. customers, starting May 1, 2025.

• So your SA saying no quota bag shipments so far could simply mean: none have arrived for your market yet.

• If/when shipments come, prices will already reflect tariff costs, so expect higher prices in the U.S. even if supply catches up.

Read also:

New Hermès Prices Post-Tariff Increase May 2025