Man walks into Hermes with no purchase history. That didn’t stop them from taking him to the VIP room: ‘Consumerismcore?’
A man has managed to do the ‘unthinkable’ by getting into the Hermès VIP room with zero prior purchase history.
Mayank Bhatter (@mayankbhatter), a self-defined shopaholic, went to the French luxury retailer expecting average, run-of-the-mill treatment. But he happened to score when a sales associate allowed him to visit a VIP private room. He then posted the experience to his TikTok page, which quickly garnered over 3 million views since he published the clip on Dec. 20.
Commenters, however, expressed that getting to the Hermès VIP room isn’t as much of a flex as Bhatter and others think it is. To many, it was just an opportunity for one of the company’s sales associates to make extra commission on a customer by pretending they were receiving special treatment.
So, how hard is it to get inside Hermès VIP room? Is it something that’s truly special?
What’s the deal with Hermès VIP rooms?
Hermès has many exclusive events and opportunities for VIP clients. It can range from private rooms to special events that only certain clients can attend.
According to r/thehermesgame, a Reddit page dedicated to Hermès products, VIPs typically need to spend $100,000 a quarter or $400,000 a year on Hermès items in order to have VIP access.
That figure made some commenters feel “sick,” but it’s actually easy to rack up considering how expensive many Hermès items typically retail for.
A single table lamp currently listed on Hermès’s website retails for $11,200. There are chairs and couches listed for $40,000+ on the company’s furniture page. Plus, Hermès has an exclusive jukebox that costs more than some houses, which is purchasable at an eye-watering $298,500.
Commenters flame Bhatter for supporting Hermès
Commenters were nowhere near as enthused as Bhatter was about the Hermès VIP room, considering the company’s prices and somewhat out-of-touch practices.
“Imagine the chokehold a company has on their customers where the customer acts like this when ‘they finally have’ the privilege of spending 4-5 figures on some leather,” one commenter scathingly said.
“Hermès SA’s make commission on just about everything except the Birkin and the Kelly [bags]…. You’re now a pawn in their game, good luck. Just buy directly through a reseller,” said one viewer.
Others encouraged Bhatter to make jokes about finding similar-looking bags on the TikTok shop, sharing obvious disinterest in the company. They stated Bhatter was engaging in “disgusting, superficial, capitalist bootlicker, trend-following, unoriginal behavior.”
What issues do consumers have with Hermès?
Hermès considers itself an ultra-exclusive company, which means it has some exclusionary policies that can leave out average, everyday people. For instance, it’s well known that store associates will refuse to sell certain customers elusive Birkin bags, hiding them in backrooms as a means of keeping them exclusive to their VIPs and other high-profile clients.
The company has also faced a class-action lawsuit due to its business practices. Two customers cited Hermès’ own requirements that customers purchase additional accessories alongside their “Kelly” and “Birkin” handbags, saying it was an abusive policy.
The luxury retailer also has extremely poor customer service, according to some online blogs and publications, which does not match the price point at which it sells many of its products.
Simply put, many TikTokers have been dissuaded from looking at Hermès due to its extremely exclusive policies, which leads customers to buy four or even five-figure bags that would most likely cost less when made by an independent store.
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The Mary Sue reached out to Bhattar and Hermès for comment.
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