• As a former Hermès employee, I saw customers make some common mistakes when shopping in-store.
• It's important to understand that most shoppers can't just walk in and buy a Birkin bag.
• Customers should have a good relationship with their sales associate, but they shouldn't bug them.

I spent two years working in retail marketing and visual merchandising at Hermés.

The French fashion house has been around for nearly two centuries and specializes in leather goods, though it might be best known for its coveted Birkin bags.

These high-ticket items, which can cost thousands and are often carried by celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez, are offered to only a select number of the retailer's customers.

When I worked at Hermès, I learned a lot about the brand and how to score its most-coveted products. I've since transitioned to a career in sourcing luxury goods — and I'm no stranger to locating the brand's famous designer bags for my own clients.

Here are a few mistakes I saw customers make while shopping at Hermès.

Many customers think they can walk in and score a high-ticket item

Similar to other luxury brands like Porsche, Hermès uses scarcity marketing — a concept in which consumers value a product when there's a limited supply or availability.

This means most customers cannot simply walk into a boutique and purchase the brand's highest-ticket items, like a Kelly or Birkin bag.

Birkin bags are so sought after that even its Walmart lookalikes are selling out.

If shoppers want to increase their chances of being able to buy the real thing, they should "build a profile" or establish a consistent buying history with the store.

This can be done by making entry-level purchases and working with a single, designated sales associate over time. After all, sales associates can play a major role in deciding who gets one of these coveted bags.

I recommend buying items in a diverse mix of categories. In my experience, the highest-commission categories for sales associates include homeware, fine jewelry, elaborate textiles, and exotic ready-to-wear pieces.

Purchasing these items can enhance your profile and help you stand out to a sales associate.

Refrain from acting rude or indifferent, and remember to maintain a professional demeanor

At Hermès, entitlement and rude behavior are the biggest no-gos. I've even seen negative attitudes prohibit clients from future boutique visits.

I recommend keeping a positive attitude, cultivating curiosity when in a boutique, and engaging with a sales associate as you would with anyone in a professional setting.

I'd also be mindful that sales associates are there to make a living and provide an exclusive, luxury experience. After all, this is supposed to be a mutually beneficial relationship.

Don't put too much pressure on your sales associate

Navigating the Hermès shopping experience is much like managing a business relationship. In many boutiques, sales associates share their contact details with customers.

However, many people tend to take this as a sign to inundate them with questions. Instead, I recommend customers visit a boutique at their convenience and ask about the potential timeline for a high-ticket item as they shop for other goods.

If texting or calling is your only way to engage with a sales associate, use it to inquire about lower-ticket items you're interested in seeing once you visit.

I've found a lot of customers have unrealistic expectations

Some customers come in focused solely on coveting the one high-ticket item they saw all over social media.

However, I think two key points are crucial in navigating the Hermès shopping experience. First, keep in mind that sales associates value clients who engage with the brand and show genuine interest in Hermès' heritage.

Secondly, in my experience, sales associates don't earn a commission on bags like the Kelly and Birkin. Therefore, it may be wise to explore lesser-known areas within the brand, such as home goods, fragrances, or equestrian items your sales associate recommends.

This way, you'll be putting commission money in your sales associate's pocket, and they may feel more inclined to help you work your way to a coveted bag.

Don't switch between different sales associates or locations

Working your way toward a coveted bag at Hermès can feel like a high-stakes mental game. Customers often have to visit a boutique multiple times, so the path to owning these items can be lengthy.

Unfortunately, I've seen customers trying to game the system by visiting multiple boutiques or switching between sales associates in one location.

However, I recommend staying loyal to one associate and boutique, as some stores may prioritize their most devoted clients.

• I work at Coach as a sales associate, and spotting fake bags is pretty easy.
• I often check the story patches and hang tags to see if a bag is actually authentic. 
• Fake purses usually have sloppy stitching and too-shiny, lightweight hardware. 

I've been a fan of Coach for a while, and I now work as a sales associate for the brand.

I wasn't fully taught how to spot fake bags during my training process, but I've found many employees learn as they go. Throughout my time with Coach, I've encountered a few fakes, and spotting them is easier than you might think.

There are exceptions — for example, some types of Coach bags don't have style patches or were released before the hang tag became a staple — but here's what I look for when authenticating a bag.

Story patches are a key feature of most Coach bags

Most Coach bags have a leather creed or story patch, which is a leather patch inside a bag that's embossed with the bag's serial number and history.

Some people try to make fakes of these patches, but they don't really work.

One time, a customer brought in a bag for repair. When inspecting it to find the bag style, I noticed the story patch had a serial number that had never existed in the Coach database.

The leather and material of the bag can help me determine if a bag is fake

Quality and material play a big factor in determining a fake.

First, I check the material of the hang tag, which every Coach bag has come with for decades.

An authentic bag should have a tag made of the exact leather used on the bag. It should also feel thick. To me, a flimsy, low-quality hang tag often screams a bag is fake: The leather often doesn't match the bag and is very thin.

If you choose to remove a hang tag from your real Coach bag, you might want to hold onto it anyway to help prove authenticity later on.

Also, just touching a bag can be telling. For example, fakes I've seen of the popular Tabby bag, which has a "C" on the front, has leather that isn't pebbled or smooth and buttery — it has a plastic-y feel.

It's also good to compare the bag's color to the official Coach listings online. Fakes tend not to be quite the right shade.

I check for sloppy stitching and edges

Coach takes pride in the craftsmanship of its products, especially when it comes to its edges, stitches, and zippers.

When looking for a fake, I look at the edges and tips of the bags since that's where the sloppy overstitching tends to be most visible.

Most times, when a fake comes in, the stitching is very sloppy and/or crooked.

Hardware often makes the real bags heavier

Hardware seems to be a giveaway for a lot of fakes I've seen, even when it comes to other high-end bag brands. Sometimes I can spot a fake just by looking at its clips and clasps.

One of Coach's main choices of hardware is brass, which isn't very shiny. However, a lot of fakes I see have plated-gold hardware, which looks super bright and shiny.

Brass — and nickel, another popular Coach choice — also tends to be heavier, so I've found many fake bags are lighter in weight.

When in doubt, check your sources

Buying directly from Coach is a safe bet if you want an authentic bag.

Other trustworthy sites include Coach.com, Coachoutlet.com, and department stores that are official Coach retailers.

If you're shopping secondhand, make sure to research who you may be purchasing from and how they authenticate items.

This story was originally published on February 29, 2024, and most recently updated on January 1, 2025.