AUG 1st 2022.
BREAKING NEWS UPDATE:
THE HERMÈS PARIS & US PROFILE SYSTEM ARE OFFICIALLY LINKED.
New York City and Paris Hermès boutiques now have linked customer profiles. Previously we posted on PurseBop’s Instagram (@pursebop), as of the last week of July, US customer profiles and quota bag purchase history were visible to the Hermès boutiques in Paris.
Now, in August, the reverse has also been confirmed. The flagship NYC boutique can now see your quota bag purchases. It’s safe to assume all US boutiques can.
Hermès Paris Faubourg Saint Honoré, Dec 2021 @pursebop
It’s official: Hermès is in the process of linking customer purchase profiles across international borders. Four years ago, we wrote that Hermès Paris was working on this in order to identify purchase history around the world (read: Hermès News – Global Quota System Change)
Since then, Hermès customers in Asia have reported that their profiles were linked to the Paris FSH boutique. But, there had been no word about the United States. Until now.
@rattilovesseoul at Hermès Faubourg
Why is this a big deal, you might be wondering? If you are heading to Paris with the hope of obtaining an extra quota bag, this will make it more difficult, if not impossible.
Paris March 2019 @pursebop Click photo to access original article.
As background, Hermès is famous for its bag quota system – a way of limiting the number of Birkins and Kellys (and in some places Constances) you can purchase in a given time period. Hence the term “quota bag.”
At one point, the limitation was one quota bag every six months. Of course, that is if you could get it. So customers, in theory, could buy one Birkin or Kelly January – June and get a second one July – December.
In the last couple of years, the limitation changed to two bags per calendar year. That is significant because if the Hermès gods found two of your wishlist bags within the first six months of the year, you could buy them. You just wouldn’t be able to purchase more the rest of the year. Whether this applies to Special Orders or not, is always a matter of debate and speculation and seems to come down to your individual store(s).
Read: Hermès Alert: Changes to the Birkin/Kelly Quota System
Hermes Faubourg @hermeslover777
However, there was always the Hermès FSH exception. The mothership didn’t check, know, or presumably care whether you had purchased your quota bags for the year. Lucky shoppers theoretically could obtain a third in Paris.
Take the case of the Hermès client who bought a Birkin and a Kelly (or two Birkins or two Kellys) at the NYC Madison boutique in January and May. No problem – two bags per calendar year. But, in NYC, there would be no more bags for him/her. The only possibility for another – third – quota bag (assuming you’re not a VVIP, of course, where none of rules necessarily apply) is at a Hermès boutique in Paris. Of course, that’s if the stars align and you get an online appointment and bags are available.
But this latter scenario doesn’t work if Hermès in Paris sees the bags purchased in NYC and enforces the two bag quota across borders. And that is where Hermès is now heading – to a global quota system. The company is in the process of linking the customer profiles and purchase histories internationally.
@whiteswandiary
Additionally, we have been hearing about changes to the quota system itself. Rather, rumors abound that clients may be limited to one bag per year instead of two. According to our official sources, this limitation may be implemented due to supply deficiencies, and not a larger policy change.
Please share any information you obtain. We will keep you updated on this space as it unfolds.
Updated: August 11th, 2022
Comments
1 Responses to “Update: Hermès Moves Closer to a Global Quota System”
I think this is actually a good thing, since it will allow more people to get hold of the coveted bags. Those who want more than two bags per year will always find a way – resellers, for example – but those who only want / can only afford one bag stand more chance of getting them with a properly enforced global quota system.