Is it legal to resell Hermès bags in the UK? Yes. A genuine Hermès bag that the house has sold belongs to the person who bought it, and they are free to sell it on, as you are free to buy it. The rule that makes this work is called exhaustion of trade mark rights: once Hermès has put a bag on the market in the UK or the European Economic Area, the Hermès trade mark cannot be used to stop that bag being resold. This is a general explanation, not legal advice.
What the law allows
Buying a genuine Hermès bag from a private seller, an auction house or a specialist dealer is legal. So is selling one you own. A specialist such as JULL buys bags, checks them, and sells them on at its own price, and the buyer becomes the full owner of the bag when it is paid for.
A dealer may describe what it sells by name: a listing has to say "Hermès Birkin 25" for the buyer to know what it is. What a reseller may not do is suggest it is Hermès, an authorised Hermès retailer, or connected with the house. That is why JULL describes itself as an independent dealer, not affiliated with Hermès.
What the law does not allow
Selling counterfeits is a criminal offence in the UK. A bag sold as Hermès must be Hermès. That is the line that matters for a buyer, and it is the reason to buy from a dealer you can identify and hold to account.
What about the boutique's own terms?
Hermès boutiques may ask clients not to buy for resale, and they decide who is offered the allocated bags. Those are the house's terms with its own clients; they do not make the bag illegal to own or to sell later. For the buyer from a specialist, the question is simply whether the bag is genuine and the seller is real.
How to check a reseller is legitimate
Company. A UK dealer should have a registered company you can look up on Companies House. JULL trades as BY JULL LTD, company number 17144844.
Address. It should have a real place where you can see the bag. Ours is the showroom at Harbour Yard, Chelsea Harbour, London SW10 0XD, open by appointment seven days a week, 10:00 to 18:00.
Payment. Payment should go to an account in the company's name. At JULL that is a UK business bank account in the name of BY JULL LTD, or card and Apple Pay on the site for deposits and pieces under £1,000.
Reviews. Look for reviews on a platform the dealer does not control. Ours are on Google.
The piece. The photographs should show the exact bag, with its blind stamp and condition stated. A dealer should welcome questions and let you see the bag in person or on a live video call before you pay.
Everything a buyer can check about JULL is on one page: Is JULL legitimate?. Our founder, Guilherme Ribeiro, spent three years working for Hermès before founding JULL. For the wider checks, see how to choose a Hermès reseller in London and is it safe to buy Hermès online in the UK.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal to buy a Hermès bag from a reseller in the UK?
Yes. Buying a genuine Hermès bag from a reseller is legal, and you become its full owner once it is paid for.
Is it legal to sell my Hermès bag in the UK?
Yes. You can sell a genuine Hermès bag you own, privately, at auction or to a dealer. Our guide to selling a Hermès bag in the UK compares the routes.
Can Hermès stop a bag being resold?
Not once it has sold the bag in the UK or the EEA. The trade mark cannot be used to block the resale of a genuine bag the house put on the market.
Is JULL an authorised Hermès retailer?
No. JULL is a Hermès specialist and an independent dealer, BY JULL LTD, not affiliated with Hermès. Hermès sells new bags only through its own boutiques and website.
What happens if a bag turns out to be fake?
Selling counterfeits is a criminal offence. At JULL every piece is inspected by hand before it is listed and sold with a written authenticity guarantee, and you are welcome to have it checked by an independent authenticator of your choice before paying the balance.
---
See the current collection, or book a viewing at Chelsea Harbour.
