What If My Hermès SA is Out But I Made a Purchase That Was Not Rung Up Under My SA's Name?

Dear PurseBop:

Today I visited the store to exchange a couple of cosmetics and also added an additional number of cosmetics on top of the exchange. I mentioned to one of the free SAs that I knew my SA would be out today, would she or anyone else mind handling the exchange and adding a few items to it? I assumed she would ring it up under my SA’s name (as that is the way it has been handled in the past on the rare occasion my SA was out). However, I double checked the receipt when I got home, and she rang it up under her name. I am not happy as I expected my SA to get the sale.

Should I mention something to my SA or would that just cause more problems? Just for reference, I made a much larger purchase with her the day before (much more than the cosmetics I returned for) and generally have a very good working relationship with my SA.

Dear Shopping with One SA:

You are correct to shop primarily with one SA and make all your purchases with them. However, at times it is impossible if your SA is on vacation or out for the day.

Any purchases you make in store will increase your total purchase history which is what is most important. When a manager is asked to approve a quota bag for a client, they are most likely looking at your total pre-spend and this sale will be visible.

The fact that another SA helped you and did not attribute the sale to your SA is probably a common occurrence. You could tell your SA so that they are aware you expected the sale to be under their name. It will not likely cause a problem and can be dealt with internally if necessary. It should not affect the timing of getting offered a quota bag. And possibly your SA could discuss it with their manager and decide how best to handle the situation.

In the future, it is best to wait for your SA to be working on the day you shop. But there are times where that will not be possible and that is still acceptable. Your loyalty to the brand and to your SA are well established and should not be affected.

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