Hermès’ quota system limits the number of sought-after “quota bags” you can buy per year to a maximum of two per person. However, we’ve all seen celebrities and influencers who seem to have gotten around the rules and sport a new Birkin each week. This guide tell you how they do it, and how you can boost your quota to score three (or more!) Birkins and Kellys every year.
Hermès maintains its exclusivity and rarity by employing a quota system, limiting the number of “quota bags” that any one customer can buy to just two per year.
All Hermès stores include Birkin and Kelly including the Mini Kelly II, as quota bags. Other bags are typically exempt, but the rules can vary in each store. For example, smaller stores with fewer customers tend to have a smaller number of quota bags assigned to them and are, therefore, stingier with them. These shops sometimes count Kelly Ado and Danse as quota bags.
On the plus side, these smaller stores are more likely to offer you popular bags with a relatively small spending history, however, if you get a bag like Kelly Danse or Ado, they will count as your allocated quota. In larger stores, you will require a greater spending history, but only Kellys and Birkins will be considered quota bags.
Together, Birkin, Kelly and Constance are the holy trinity, but typically Constance doesn’t count as a quota bag. However, there are some stores (including those in China, Singapore, Japan, Canada, France and Australia) where Constance is counted as a quota bag. Though, even in stores in which it doesn’t count, Constance can be even harder to buy than a Birkin or Kelly. So, even if it doesn't affect your quota, you will need to have spent a large amount to be offered one.
Non-quota bags, like Lindy and Kelly Danse, may not be unlimited. In the United States you can buy unlimited quantities in stores, but on the official website, you can only buy three non-quota bags annually. In the UK, both online and offline, you can only buy four non-quota bags per year.
Elsewhere, the number is typically unlimited. However, your spending history may still affect the bags you get offered. For example, if you spend 50 percent more than the value of a bag, then you can buy almost any Birkin you want. But, if you buy a Kelly Danse first, it will probably affect your chances of getting the Birkin you want. You might have to start your extra spending from the beginning. So, when buying a non-quota bag, even if you don't use up your quota, it may impact your spending record and, thus, the bags you’re offered.
Previously, Hermès had a rule that you can only buy one quota bag every six months. Between January and June, you could buy one, and from July to December, you could buy a second one. From 2020 onwards, Hermès changed the rule. Although you can still only buy two quota bags per year, you can, theoretically, buy them at any time throughout the year. It’s even possible to buy two at once.
Perhaps the most common method of increasing your quota is to shop at an Hermès store abroad. A store will only check your purchase history in the country you’re in so, even if you’ve exceeded your annual quota, there’s a chance you will be lucky enough to buy quota bags when you’re abroad. Without a spending history, you might not get offered a quota bag right away, but some stores don’t require a spending history. Some tried and tested locations include Hermès in Ginza in Tokyo, the main store in Paris in France, Milan in Italy, Hawaii and Las Vegas in the USA and Milan in Italy.
These are all high-traffic stores in popular, touristy areas of the city. Their foot traffic is high and their sales performance is typically very good, too. These stores have more Birkins and Kellys allocated to them, and they won’t have many worries about sales performance. At these stores, it’s rare for there to be a strong emphasis on spending history. As long as you look like a genuine Hermès buyer and not a reseller, it's possible to get the bag without spending history. These stores are your best chance for a quota bag when you travel.
If you are offered a Special Order Horseshoe Stamp bag, this is a great opportunity to increase your annual quota to three bags. For example, if you submitted your customization request in 2021, you’re likely to receive it in 2022. Most Special Order bags are completed in the second half of the year, so if you use your first two quotas up in the first half of the year, your Special Order will be a third. This method is slightly risky because, if your store manager is a stickler for rules, they can refuse to give you your Special Order bag and sell it to another customer.
Many sales assistants default to this option to help their clients maximize their quota. A file is kept on the purchases made by every customer, so opening a new file under someone else’s name gives you the opportunity to get an additional two quota bags. But it’s important to note that, whether you’re buying “extra spend” pieces or a quota bag, the name of the credit card you use has to match the name registered at the store. Therefore, it’s safest to register with the name of a close friend or relative and use their card when you pay.
The alternative is to pay in cash. However, there’s a chance the sales assistant may ask you to verify information on file, such as birth date, phone number or address to check it matches the registered details. On rare occasions, they may even ask for ID, so this option carries some risk.
If you want to get more bags, as long as there is plenty of money flowing, there's always a way. The quota rules, at an SA’s discretion, can be flexible at an SA’s discretion. Super VIPs are typically thought of as those who spend upwards of US$100,000 on items including a lot of jewelry or expensive small leather goods, across six months or a quarter, the store manager may exempt you from the quota system, allowing you to get a third or even a fourth quota bag.
To avoid all the games and extra spending, another option is buying bags second-hand or at an auction. This method means that you can get your hands on ultra-rare pieces without being an Hermès VIP. There’s no quota so, if you are lucky, you can find your favorite bag and just buy it.
Avoid the Hermès game-playing and shop our collection of Birkins, Kellys and more here.
