Should I Start My Hermès Journey or Buy From a Reputable Reseller?

Dear Pursebop:

I would love to start building my Hermès collection with a Mini Kelly or Kelly 25 as my first bag. I keep hearing how hard it is to get offered a Kelly from the boutique. Should I start playing the “Hermès game,” get a SA, and start shopping regularly. Or, should I skip the boutique and buy a Kelly in the exact specifications I want from a reputable reseller?

Dear Torn Between Playing the Game or Buying from a Reseller:

There is no easy answer to this question. So much depends on your home boutique location, your patience level, how rare the size and color Kelly you want to start your collection, and many other factors. 

Hermès is unpredictable. No one can say for sure how long it will take or how much you will have to spend to be offered a Kelly from the boutique. It could happen within 6 months, or it could take 2 years. There are so many variables that affect the outcome including a level of luck.

Our advice is to examine the resale market, the prices, the offerings, and the availability of the bag you would like to purchase as your first Hermès bag. Then take the actual retail price in store and multiply that amount by 2 and add the cost of the bag. Compare those two prices and consider how long you will have to wait to be offered the bag you desire. But first, review the pros and cons below to help with your decision.

Pros and cons of buying your first bag from the boutique vs a reseller.

Pros of buying from the boutique:

• The actual cost of the bag is less than a reseller;
• You are building a relationship with one SA while adding items you love to your collection. As your relationship grows, so is the possibility of getting offered quota bags from the boutique.
• You can give your SA a wishlist of the size, color, leather, hardware and style bag you desire;
• You will likely acquire beautiful leather, home, shoes, and ready to wear items that you will enjoy using and wearing for a very long time.

Cons of buying from the boutique:

• The overall cost of the Kelly may be significantly higher than the retail cost in the Hermès boutique considering the amount of items you have bought since starting your journey;
• There is a likelihood that you may not get all the exact specifications you desire when offered your first quota bag.
• The size may be different or the leather may be different.
• The bag may be retourne instead of sellier.
• The color may be close or in the same family, but not the exact shade you requested; 

Pros of buying from a reputable reseller:

• You can choose the exact size, style, color, hardware, and leather you desire;
• You will have your bag to use and enjoy almost immediately;
• There will be no waiting, anxious feelings, or wondering when and if a quota bag will be offered.
• Depending what bag you choose, the price from a reseller, (particularly in the U.S. with the most recent increase) may be less than 1:1 (with the exception of a mini Kelly, limited edition, or other special bag).
• You can choose a bag that is brand new, unused and/or recently purchased from the boutique. The bag often comes with a redacted original receipt, original box, dust bag, and care booklet. 
• Or you can choose a pre-loved bag which is priced lower than a new bag and save money. Most are in excellent or like new condition.

Cons of buying from a reputable reseller:

• The actual cost of the bag is higher initially than the actual retail cost of the bag in store;
• The risk of getting a super fake exists, although if using a reputable reseller it is very small; 
• Do your research on which reseller to use. Do not trust an unknown reseller. If the price looks too good to be true, run away!

The choice is not easy but with adequate research we are sure you will make the right choice for you.

Good luck and happy shopping.

Read:

WSJ: Inside the Shadowy, Lucrative Business of ‘Superfake’ Luxury Handbags

Rumor or Reality: Is It Really Getting Harder to Score a Quota Bag from Hermès?

Fact or Fiction: Secrets of the Hermès Game

photo courtesy @wearawishbone

photo courtesy @leoniehanne