Hermès — Local services in East Rutherford

This was hands down the most disappointing and humiliating retail experience I’ve ever had — and I work in sales myself, so I understand how customer service is supposed to be handled. What I experienced at Hermès was not only unacceptable, it was downright degrading.

I came in to exchange a pair of Hermès shoes I received as a gift. The original sales lady Christine pushed my sister into buying a half size bigger shoe to obviously get her commission because it was the closest size they had in stock. The shoes were huge on me! They had never been worn. They were only tried on once at home. When I came to exchange I was accused of wearing the shoe, which I thought was some prank at first because they were saying I “creased it” and got “scuffs on it”. (Hermes customer support said items do gets very small scuffs/creasing from other try’s ons in the boutique — so I guess that was the answer. But even so it was almost unapparent, as seen in the photos below. )

The manager, Hasiv, looked at me like I had five heads — like I was lying — when deep down, it was clear he knew the truth. He chose to play dumb and make me feel small, like I didn’t belong there.

Then came the sales associate, Yani. After a few moments of picking out shoes, she seemed irritated. (And I was pretty quick). As soon as her two “appointment” clients walked in, she vanished without a word. Suddenly, after whispering behind closed doors with Hasiv right before checkout, the narrative changed: “the shoes were worn.” Yani never even returned to speak with me — she just ran off to her clients. She couldn’t even look me in the eyes afterward. It was obvious she didn’t want to deal with me, so she stirred the pot not wanting to waste a minute more with me and be able to move on to her big clients.

I asked to speak with the director manager. First, Hasiv said she’d be in at 5. I was willing to wait. Then after more discussion he claimed she’d be available in a few minutes. Then she wasn’t in. Then someone else said she was in. Then Hasiv claimed he “called” her and she told him to make the decision himself. So which is it? The story changed every few minutes. Nothing added up. It felt like a cover-up.

Even worse, I couldn’t help but feel I was being targeted — perhaps even discriminated against. As a visibly Jewish woman, I sensed something more than indifference. A lot of the sales reps — especially some Asian associates who seemed to be Yani’s friends — kept exchanging looks, giving me cold, judgmental stares. At one point, I politely asked the security guard a question, and another associate jumped in to cut him off, snapping “SHE’S NOT HERE TODAY” with a hostile look on her face. It was deeply unsettling. At that point I wanted to cry but held myself and didn’t say anything back.

I found out later through a description who Christine was. She actually seemed like a nice person in the store, seemed like she felt bad. My sister liked her too. It’s unfortunate for the way things turned out.

I took an entire day off work to come into the store, ready to shop. I had planned to buy two additional pairs of shoes — one for myself, one for my mother. My family has supported Hermès for years. To be treated like a nuisance — or worse, like a threat — was not only shocking, it was disgusting.

This wasn’t about shoes. It was about fairness, dignity, and the way human beings should be treated. I came in calm and respectful, yet the staff chose to create drama and escalate. They clearly wanted to pick a fight. For what reason? I still don’t understand. But what I do know is this: Hermès should be ashamed.

Never again.

(Update: just went to another location and they gladly accepted the shoes after inspection for...

I called ahead to see if I needed an appointment to see a bag and I was told I can walk in but there might not be inventory and I didn’t need to be a previous customer to purchase this bag. When I got there, Irene told me I wasn’t a loyal client and I wouldn’t have access to the inventory. I drove over an hour with my 2 kids to get a purse for my wife, paid for parking and she treated me like I was a 2nd class citizen who couldn’t afford the bag. Didn’t show me other options or how to become a client, basically told me I’m out of luck. I asked to speak to the manager and she was hesitant to get them). The manager came out and blamed it on a “cultural” issue with Irene and would speak to her and I found security behind me (I never raised my voice or made a scene). The manager told me she would speak to Irene but judging by the comments here, this is an ongoing issue with this employee and this store. I get the brand is trying to maintain a level of exclusivity for their items but common decency and respect is not what I expected from this brand. The employees at Target treat their customers better and shame on the manager for excusing this behavior and driving the wrong culture...

I live in Boston, but I make specific trips to the American Dream Mall in NJ when I'm in town to see Vola! She is the best! Thank you again, Vola—I LOVE my wallet, I LOVE my shoes, and I LOVE my bag. Also, the manager is great. If you visit the mall during the weekend when it’s busy, stop by Hermès first and ask if they have time throughout the day to make an appointment. You can always walk around the mall and come back when they tell you they have time. Hermès is a destination for a lot of tourists, so be mindful that they only have a few SAs, and it’s a multi-level store with stairs, elevators, etc., which takes time. If they are hesitant to help you, it’s probably because they have a client expecting to be seen, and you are cutting into their time. Sometimes they can see you, and sometimes they can’t. There have been times when my mother (a lifelong Hermès customer) and I have stopped by, and they didn’t have time for us. That’s okay—we didn’t plan ahead, and I respect that. I understand. This level of luxury is an experience that shouldn’t be rushed. The one thing you can’t buy in life is time. Respect them, and they will respect...