CEO Axel Dumas was quoted in Forbes in 2014 saying “our business is about creating desire.” Assuming that’s still true, frustration can also dampen desire, giving in to rejection. An article in Psychology Today, posits that: “What is new and surprising in the findings about how wanting and liking come apart is that if our desire for something is frustrated, we don’t just want it more, we actually like it less.
The stated example relates to a desire to run a marathon in under four hours and how failure (or inability to do so – to which we relate lol) may lead to an unexpected result. Quitting. That’s right, rather than motivating you to work harder, it causes you to give up.
You can see how this could apply to the continuing inability to purchase a Birkin. At some point, the frustration may overcome the desire . . . and you just decide “pass.” Whether these customers ultimately call the Birkin overrated, deride those who were able to afford it, or something else, the effect is the same – a large swath of potential clients who have moved away from your brand.
Not to worry folks. At this point, the discussion is purely hypothetical. Moreover, Hermès is pretty expert in knowing the market. After all, it not only manages to make the most coveted handbags, it also positions itself such that its name alone is associated with being the best of the best. It’s not likely it would self-sabotage in the interest of a quick buck or euro.
