| Here's where the literal gatekeepers separate rich people from the riff-raff/"new money". You've been jonesing for a fancy luxury item since you first laid eyes on it (Birkin bag, some European watch, a supercar). Now that you're rich and have enough to pay for the item in cash, you decide to head to their fancy store and treat yourself. Once you get in the door, you're faced with the cold splash of reality - luxury goods are not available off the rack/off the shelf, even if you can pay for cash on the spot. You have to prove to the company that you're a loyal customer before you can purchase the object of desire. How? You have to buy several of their products. see https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/buying-an-hermes-bag and https://www.wired.com/2014/10/herjavec-ferrari-laferrari/ How hard can that be? So hard that people have sued - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/21/style/birkin-bag-hermes-l... P.S. The markup on these luxury goods is high - https://www.businessinsider.com/dior-italy-labor-investigati... |