An Atlanta woman went inside a Chanel store to purchase a mini-bag. However, the sales associate surprised her when she talked her out of it. The associate argued that the mini was too small to fit anything inside, despite being cute. Instead, the Chanel employee pointed her in an entirely different direction, which led her to purchase a bag with a different look and feel.
TikToker @thebargainholic was surprised by the associate’s candidness, posting her encounter in-store to TikTok afterward. Since then, the video has garnered over 728,000 viewers, with many chiming in to share their thoughts on the associate’s sales tactics.
Commenters thought the honesty was a commendable aspect of @thebargainholic’s overall shopping experience, but some mentioned that her intentions may have been to sell a more expensive bag. Still, is that such a bad thing when making a high-end purchase?
Is it honesty or upselling?
In @thebargainholic’s video, the sales associate said, “ Super cute, but you’re not really getting anything in that,” indicating that the bag ultimately wasn’t worth purchasing in comparison to some of Chanel’s larger products.
@thebargainholic said, “Thank you so much for your honesty,” cutting the clip, and presumably continuing the conversation with her camera off. Later, the Chanel buyer appeared happy with her purchases, posting two separate TikToks showing off the bags she ended up with. But it left many wondering, was it honesty or was it upselling?
For many, the truth incentivizes shoppers to continue shopping, as it creates a rapport between a sales associate and a customer. “My [Louis Vuitton sales associate] did the same thing when I wanted the Nano Speedy and advised me to get the Speedy 20. She was 100% right and I’ve been shopping with her for 3 years now. Honesty builds loyalty,” said one commenter.
However, others mentioned that it was clearly a sales tactic. “I work in sales and at least you call it honesty, [because] I call it upselling.”
When upselling, a sales associate will commonly offer an “upgrade” or better product that has more value. In doing so, they may get a better commission or larger margins when a customer intends to make a purchase.
In this case, @thebargainholic wanted a smaller bag and ended up with one that’s most likely more expensive. While it may fit her lifestyle better, it was technically upselling, as the store associate most likely sold a higher margin product.
@thebargainholic I really appreciate it in luxury retail when a sales associate is honest with you about the bags instead of just trying to make a sale. @ChanelOfficial #foryou #chanel #chanelbag #honesty #shopping ♬ original sound – TheBargainholic?️?
What bag did @thebargainholic end up getting?
Ultimately, @thebargainholic didn’t end up purchasing the “clutch on chain” micro-bag she was looking at in her video. Instead, she went with a slightly larger, brown leather bag and a black vanity bag. Both of the bags were ultimately larger than the mini she was looking at, although it’s difficult to ascertain exactly what price they were listed at in-store.
Ultimately, it seemed like a better decision for the shopper, as it was her first Chanel purchase. Commenters recommended getting “minis” after making bigger leather goods purchases in a collection.
And, as many viewers echoed, Chanel Minis genuinely don’t hold as many products. As one commenter described, “She’s right ! Minis are cute, [but] personally, they can do nothing for me! I leave the house with half my bathroom.”
Even if the tactic seems to point her toward a more expensive product, it seems @thebargainholic appreciated the Chanel sales associate’s commentary, which pointed her toward a bag she might love even more than the Chanel mini she originally had her eye on.
The Mary Sue reached out to @thebargainholic and Chanel via email for comment.
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