Why women are enthusiastic about Birkin bag by Hermes Research Paper - 1

Why women are enthusiastic about Birkin bag by Hermes - Research Paper Example It is included in Forbes magazine’s Most Extravagant Handbags list. Bag prices range from US$6,000 to US$120,000 depending on the materials used and the craftsmanship that goes with it (Prabhakar, 2007). So, why do women go gaga over a Birkin bag? What strategy does Hermes adopt making it very successful all these years despite tough competition and the worldwide financial crisis? Where lies the â€Å"mystery† of the Hermes Birkin? According to Hermes CEO, Patrick Thomas, â€Å"Hermes has no desire to become a â€Å"masstige† (a mass producer of prestige goods) (Wright, 2009). Our strategy will be a strategy of value, not a strategy of volume; we are not in the mass luxury† (Agathe, Imadec-Bentata & Zimmerman, 2009, p. 8). They say no to short-term profit; thus, even in times of recession, few discounts are offered (Xie, n.d.) They cannot compromise the quality and the finishing of the product just to increase their sales (Wright, 2009). Hermes strategy is centered on the respect of the legacy of the luxury brand’s history, its heritage. (Xie, n.d.) Their mission is the pursuit of excellence. They adopt a model of scarcity to preserve its prestige and integrity. They do not change their strategy according to the state of the economy (Wright, 2009). They stick to the rule of luxury, that is, even in the worst financial crisis; the world will still have rich people who would like to hold on to exclusive items that can hold value such as a Birkin bag (Xie, n.d.). A purchase of a Birkin bag is viewed not an expense but an investment that could last for 40 years and whose price could go up to more than double as the years go by (Wright, 2009). One of the marketing techniques employed by Hermes is to keep a waiting list with high-profile customers such as Hollywood stars. They also put a â€Å"Reserved† sign on their display bag and they limit the number of Birkin sold to each customer for every purchase