How to Resell
a Brand New Hermès Bag
This guide is specifically for people who just bought a Hermès bag at retail and want to sell it. What to do, what not to do, and what everything means.
This guide is for one situation: you bought a brand new Hermès bag at the boutique and you want to sell it. Not after using it. Not after a few years. Right now, while it is still new. Here is exactly what to do.
The most important thing first: sell it fresh. The secondary market pays a premium for a bag that feels close to new. The sooner you sell after buying, the better the result. A bag with a fresh stamp, in original condition, with a complete set and receipt, is the strongest possible thing you can bring to a dealer. Everything below is about protecting that.
What to do. What not to do.
Do
- Take a few clear photos the moment you receive the bag, with the box, dustbag and all accessories laid out. That is all the documentation you need visually.
- Keep the receipt safe. This is the single most important document for resale. Without it, every offer comes down.
- Store the bag in its original dustbag inside the original box. Leave it like that.
- Keep all accessories together from day one: lock, both keys, clochette, box, dustbag, receipt.
- Store in a dry room. Humidity damages leather and hardware over time.
- Store in a room where nobody smokes. Cigarette smoke soaks into leather and is very difficult to remove. Even clothing stored nearby can transfer the smell.
- Go directly to a discreet specialist dealer when you are ready to sell.
Don't
- Do not open the bag at all if you plan to sell it as new. Keep it in the box. Even opening it once leaves a trace that an experienced dealer will notice.
- Do not post photos of your serial number or stamp publicly anywhere. When you are ready to sell, the dealer only needs to see the stamp to determine value, and you can find the stamp year directly on your receipt without opening the bag.
- Do not put anything inside the bag. It comes with an airbag insert for shape and protection. Leave that exactly as it is.
- Do not try to clean or polish anything on the bag. Not the leather, not the hardware. Do not touch it.
- Do not think a twilly hides use. Dealers notice immediately when a bag has been touched, handled or worn, even if it was only once. If you plan to sell as new, do not wear it at all.
- Do not store near anything that smells, perfume, candles, smoke, food.
What a full set is
A full set is simply everything that came with the bag. It matters because a complete set sells for meaningfully more than a bag alone. When a dealer asks if the bag is a full set, this is exactly what they mean.
What a full set includes
Your stamp and serial number
A dealer will ask about the stamp to determine the production year, which affects the value. You do not need to open the bag to know this. The stamp year is referenced on your receipt. Check there first.
The serial number on modern bags always follows the same format: three letters, three numbers, then two letters. The first letter of the stamp is the year code.
To look up what year the first letter corresponds to, see our Stamp Guide.
Curious which bags give the most profit on resale and what the numbers actually look like?
Resale Profit Guide
