Secret Shopping: Luxury Consumers Opt For Discreet Blank Bags

The Daily Beast:

At Hermes and a handful of other exclusive retailers, "secret shopping" has becoming the winter season's newest trend. Anyone who can still afford, say, the three cashmere throws at $2,225 each that Mrs. Fuld bought when she stopped by the store that day isn't likely to advertise it. Instead, the city's most extravagant shoppers are ferrying their purchases home in unmarked bags; delegating delivery to assistants; or manipulating credit card bills to disguise their spending from outsiders--and their spouses.

Read the whole story: The Daily Beast

Comments

[elizaconnors]

Wouldn't it be a nice change of pace to read a story about these folks ducking into a homeless shelter to donate cash?

[Bocado]

We all know that'll never happen.
Materialism + insecurity is what makes people buy.
WANTS rather than NEEDS.

[PhilipTaylor]

Yes! But maybe that is who the Cashmere throws are for!

[TruthAndTheory]

does anyone really NEED stuff from Hermes once a week? I could probably go to the mall once a week, yet I don't. Even if someone can afford something, this sheer greed is just wasteful.

Maybe she could donate the cost of one scarf to the needy? Oh wait, she probably thinks SHE is needy. I mean, who doesn't need a $2000 scarf?

[hmmmmmer]

What can one say or do, these people will rot in hell soon enough.

[GerryS]

I think this winter will turn a cold shoulder on these buyers, in more ways than one.

If these shoppers do not have very good security, they might feel the wrath from the less fortunate as is a norm for the wealthy in South America.

[munki]

Living on investor's money...

[brooklyncitizen]

visited Hermes once a week?

if I visit Whole Foods once a week I feel I'm being extravagant...go figure.

[ErnestineBass]

Ha! Wouldn't it be great if the paparazzi started following these "have more" hags around all day documenting their utter heartlessness, and then putting it up on a website?

[racetoinfinity]

Yes.

[JR-Vette]

This went to Wayne Allard (5 Congressional District - Colorado):

I'm REALLY tired of hearing: This financial institution needs, that auto company needs that. WHAT ABOUT US WHO PAY TAXES???

TRUTH --- I AM LIVID!!!!

I just got laid off from Charles Schwab (10 Dec 08), I am calling all of my creditors asking for so relief since I got RIF'ed.

Chase --- NOTHING (10/28/2008 JPMorgan Chase & Co. $25,000,000,000) (My mortgage)
Wells Fargo -- NOTHING (10/28/2008 Wells Fargo & Company $25,000,000,000) (my bank accounts)
CitiBank --- ABSOLUTELY NOTHING (10/28/2008 Citigroup Inc. $25,000,000,000) (Charge accounts)
AMEX -- Work out a plan once you become delinquent(i.e. NOTHING until I get late on payments) (AMEX seeks 3.5B) (Charge Accounts)

I am SERIOUSLY considering if I owe any money to my government this tax season, I will NOT pay it, since you all seem to think that you can do what you will with our money.

I did not hear ANY congressperson ask what is the will of the people on this matter.

AIG is laughing at you while "Whooping it up and giving bonuses" at my expense.

I want my voice HEARD; and it will be, come election time!!!

[Icantbelieveher]

Great letter, but Allard is leaving. He could care less about anyone!!! But I wonder if he would forego any of his retirement, like he wanted the UAW to?

[Mahi Joe]

Excellent response. I am so in agreement with you.

[rascalov]

Well said. Maybe a huge tax protest is in order.
"Do not file!"

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

My husband and I were just talking abou that. If we keep paying the taxes, they'll just keep taking the money and putting it in THEIR pockets. It's insane! We have truly been taken hostage by the government and their business buddies.

[arunachala]

exactly, what law makes us liable to pay income taxes? just search ed and elaine brown to see what happens when they tried to find out.

[Venom5809]

They just don't get it.
They cannot stop or help themselves.
Why have there been no arrests of these top financial execs?

[unite4change]

Oh, they get it, they just don't care. They are spending all the profits they made off of those derivatives and trade swaps. The got to keep the money and hard working Americans have to bailout all the bank around the world including, the banks in the US.

[Oxonian2001]

What's even sadder than these bleached and botoxed 50-going-on-16 yr old bim.bos is how Congress is just handing out the money to Wall Street and the banks with so little oversight.

The fact is the wealthy are in all of this together. They could give a rat's a$$ about anyone else. After all, if you punished the wealthy, Congress would no longer be lobbied and showered with expensive gifts and there would be no fancy dinners to show off their disgusting hides.

[boomer1949]

Nearly $7,000 -- think what that could do for a food pantry.

[Mahi Joe]

Yes! I like your way of thinking.

[kcinpa]

Richard Fuld
Lehman Brothers
Largest Bankruptcy in US history
Rank and file probably worrying how they're gonna get by
Then we have Kathleen "Secret Shopper" Fuld...

These folks just don't get it. Put her in the private-jet-to-DC-while-things-are-falling-apart column

[unite4change]

Oh, they get it. They got to keep the billions in profits and now they are spending it.

[flymic]

so a lot of us are using Credit Cards to make the ends meet. During the holiday season the ends seem to be further and further apart, Forcing us to stretch our credit cards.

Paying the high price of tradition for months to come. How can we break the cycle?

The Greatest Generation was easy to rebel against but the Baby Boomers never taught the value of a dollar to the generation that came to adulthood with a credit card and cell phone.

Money is fleeting and in the end wont bring you happiness... but it sure can give you a lot of headache.

Happy Holidays

[Oxonian2001]

Something needs to be done about these modern day Marie Antoinettes: these are the people who are partly responsible for the bailout that will affect not only us but future generations of Americans. Let's face it, if it were not for them, their husbands would probably not have been as greedy as they were...as if anyone needed a $12,000,000 salary or whatever obscene amount they get. (Of course it's not enough when wifey wants a castle and 4 million dollar annual shopping trip!)

I highly resent paying for her Hermes and her overpriced goods--especially when the rest of America is reeling from job losses, foreclosures, evictions, and loss of healthcare.

Yes, bring back the guillotine!

[mikekopac]

why won't some reporter provide us with the addresses of these people so we can protest at their homes?????

[Mahi Joe]

It will be interesting to see the profit margins of these expensive boutiques after the holiday season is over. I will bet they did a great business inspite of the fact that the average taxpayer is hurting.

[satyriasis]

My family had to completely cut back on X-mas this year. No tree, no lights, no decorations, no gifts. Honestly, I feel so much more liberated now.