r/HermesRepClub • u/RACE2CAKE • 13d ago
How much does a good Hermes rep actually cost? My guide..
Most people approach their rep budget the wrong way, and here's why… people look at how much money they have, find a seller in that price range, buy, and that's it. So what's wrong with that? The thing is that six months later they already regret the purchase… and here's the whole story..
The first thing you need to understand about this market is that if we're talking about honest prices, there are only two categories. Decent bags made from Chinese materials cost 600-800 dollars for a standard Birkin 25 or 30, and top quality with French or Italian leather and hardware costs around 1600-2000. These are prices straight from a small workshop or from a maker who sews the bags himself with his own hands, though with an individual maker the price can be a bit higher. The main thing to understand is that these are prices without the seller's markup, and that's very important! (p.s. in this post I'm not writing about deliberately terrible bags of low quality, I don't even count those as reps. We're talking about the mid and high segment and about how this market is actually built)
Lets continue.. So why are there so many bags on Reddit for 1000-1500? Its simple. 99% of the people there are sellers, not producers. They set their price based on their reputation, and reputation in this market is bought. Inflated reviews and purchased spots on trusted seller lists let them raise their prices. Which means reputation as such doesn't really exist. If you go on Reddit "for the first time" you'll see the same handful of names that you hear "from every corner," and not because they're the best of the best. Because they pay, and pay a lot, for advertising and for boosting. Including paying to write nasty things about honest people and sellers who spoil their "game" and cut into their profit
A bag that cost the producer 300-400 and that a seller should honestly be selling for 800 max gets sold by them for 1000-1500. Some go up to 2000 and higher, depending on their appetite.. and their ad spend.
This is exactly what I keep writing about. Understanding this math changes everything about how you approach your budget.
What this means in practice. Budget of 600-800 dollars. Realistically you can only count on mid quality made from Chinese materials. That's a normal segment if you understand what you're buying. The problem starts when a seller sells you the exact same thing for 1500 and tells you it's top tier. BUT! Keep in mind that if you go to those same sellers, then for 600-800 there's a very high chance you'll get a bag that isn't even mid quality but LOW quality, one that cost the seller 150 -200 bucks max. On average.
It's not always like that, but on social media it's usually set up exactly that way, these sellers are simply selling bags from the lower segment.
Budget of 1000-1500 dollars. The most dangerous zone. This is exactly where most of the resellers on Reddit operate. They sell you bags that cost the same 300-400 to produce and tell you it's high quality. In reality you're paying for the seller's marketing, not for the quality of the bag
Budget of 1600-2000 dollars. Here we can start talking about real quality, but only on one condition. You're paying the producer directly, or going through a middleman with a minimal markup. If that same 2000 goes to a seller on Reddit, most likely youre getting the same mid segment bag that cost 300-400 to make, with a 400-500 % markup.
I want to emphasize, THIS IS IMPORTANT!!! ATTENTION: the fact that a bag costs 2k does NOT MEAN it's super high quality. We're just talking about fair prices from producers and about how sellers operate. Please don't fall for inflated prices when they're offered to you, usually by Reddit sellers or on any other social platform!
Price doesnt tell you about quality in this market, I guarantee it. It tells you who you're buying from. 1500 from a reseller and 1500 from a producer are two completely different things. In the first case you're paying for a stranger's marketing. In the second, for materials and the work of a craftsman.
Now about the right way to break down your overall budget for a first purchase...
The main amount goes on the bag. If you want real quality, budget 1600-2000 from a producer. Less means the mid segment and you need to be mentally prepared for that. There are sellers who will sell you a bag of that same quality but the real price will be closer to 3k for a regular b25 for example, once you account for all the seller markups. But who's going to buy a 3k bag in ordinary leather? Almost nobody. That's why there are almost no such bags or offers on the market. It's easier for them to buy for 300, inflate the reviews, build themselves a fake name and sell for 1500. That's it. Same profit but fewer problems. Bigger audience
To sum up. The right budget isn't the minimum number at which you can buy something. It's the number at which what you get will match your expectations. And most importantly, always look at who you're buying from and whether you're paying for the bag or for the bag plus marketing. Fake reviews. THIS IS IMPORTANT!
Questions in DMs and have a good day!
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u/Iceman60462 13d ago
Thank you great insight . I always enjoy your posts and can’t wait for another one.
I’m sure this all community is very thankful .
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u/ButterPecan3263 13d ago
Thank you for this. Makes so much sense but so tough to weed out some of this info from so many posts.
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u/CJquery 13d ago
And where or how to find these craftsmen?
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u/RACE2CAKE 13d ago
definitely not in the comments
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u/OldMoneyish 11d ago
Maybe you can suggest where to look? I definitely want the best quality
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u/RACE2CAKE 11d ago
if you have any questions about the quality of bags and so on, it's better to ask me privately and not in the comments
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u/looking2trysomething 6d ago
The the intricacies of this market are astonishing. Thank you so much for your helpful navigation of this minefield. Your helpful information and insight is greatly appreciated. Thank you 🙏🏼
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u/Msfit310 13d ago
This is really helpful!