First off, straight answer? It’s *complicated*. I mean, just look at this mess of info I’ve been sifting through. There’s talk about Japan being cheap because of the Yen (apparently 100 Yen is practically a dollar? Maybe? Google it, tbh. Things change!), and mentions of duty-free in Lotte, Shinsegae, and Hyundai (those are Korean department stores, FYI).
Then, you got this whole Birkin bag situation. They’re throwing around prices like $10,900 *before* tax in the US. Ouch. Then tax on *top* of that in a place like NYC? Forget about it!
The thing is, you can’t just say “Hermes is cheaper in Korea” and be done with it. It depends. On a *ton* of stuff. Like, what bag are we talking about? Is it a Birkin? A Kelly? A Picotin Lock (those are kinda cute, ngl)? The specific model seriously matters.
And *then* you have to factor in the exchange rate. That yen-to-dollar thing? That’s the kind of stuff that makes your head spin. Plus, duty-free… that’s a big player, but you gotta be eligible for it. Meaning you gotta be a tourist, usually. Not a resident.
Also, consider the “where to buy” aspect. The info mentions online retailers like FarFetch and Net-A-Porter that ship to Korea. But are those prices *actually* cheaper? Maybe, maybe not. You gotta do your homework and compare. Plus, online, you gotta watch out for fakes, ya know?
Honestly, I’m seeing stuff about Chanel being cheapest in the UK. I mean, *UK*?! Who’d have thought? But that’s *Chanel*, not Hermes. See, this is why it’s so confusing!
My gut feeling? Korea *might* have some deals, especially if you hit the duty-free sections in those big department stores. But you *have* to be a smart shopper. Google that Yen to USD conversion *before* you go. Check the Hermes website (if they even list prices, some of these brands are super secretive about that). Compare prices between online retailers and brick-and-mortar stores. And for god’s sake, watch out for those knock-offs!
