How to start a Personal Shopping Business

When life feels stressful and overwhelming, a lot of women grab their bags and head for the nearest mall. Although shopping is considered as entertainment for a lot of people, some individuals make it their full-time job. This job is something some people who always shop has been good at – picking the right accessories that can match the clothes, picking the right colors and putting things that look good together. 

It makes people happy knowing that the clothes they match will make other people feel and look good. Some people apply their shopping skills as part of their image consultancy business. Most of these companies have services ranging from assessing the customer profiles to giving all forms of lessons in fashion etiquette. In this kind of business, the best and the most fun part is the shopping part. 

Typical shoppers start their gig with an interview to know the customer’s needs. It is sometimes supported by written personality questionnaires, as well as the client’s personal preferences when it comes to color and style. The next step is to advise the clients about the colors, wardrobe problems and brands. 

To find out more about the retail industry, click here. 

A private shopper can take the customers on a shopping trip, do shopping with the client or deliver some suggested clothes to the customer’s office or home for a private fitting. According to experts in this industry, a lot of people who pursue this line of work started because they are frustrated with their own wardrobe selection and decided that they want to help people avoid the same mistake as they did. 

A lot of people needed experts to pull it all together and not waste a lot of time, effort and money. People will always need to look for the perfect dress or clothes for specific occasions like going to a sporting event or attending a dinner party. Private shoppers will select and buy clothes for their clients. It is a hard job analyzing what your customer needs and what types of clothes suit them, at the same time work within a specific budget without compromising quality and fashion.

A lot of people look at personal shoppers, as their savior when it comes to fashion. This job is fun, exciting and glamorous with real opportunity. It is very different from other jobs like being an interior decorator or designer, where a lot of people want to do it, but there are no job opportunities. With personal shopper, there is a lot of room for improvement and growth.

It is a tiny field

Few people want to be a personal shopper compared to other careers. According to experts, some trade groups related to this job only has more or less 500 members, and most of these groups are based in the United States. According to the United States Census Bureau, there are only 2,670 companies or firms that are listed in the personal services category, which the private shopping services belong. 

These companies (which also includes buyer’s clubs) generated more or less $1.2 billion in total sales and employed at least 20,000 people. A lot of the more prominent companies or retailers offer their loyal patrons personal shopping services that are provided by their employees. 

Getting a job as a personal shopper is an excellent way to learn more about the industry. Some experts offer consultation and seminars for free to people willing to make it their full-time job. Some services have evolved with the help of personal experiences. Some people started buying groceries for their friends and family, and from there, they slowly learning all the tricks of the trade. 

For example, one expert that we have talked to started as a part-time helper in a nursing home in Chicago, from there, she studied all the right ways on how to become a Chicago personal shopper from watching YouTube videos, learning from reading materials and talking to other private purchaser. Since no school offers a four-year private shopper course, the best way to learn this business is through personal experiences. Shopping is both science and an art form. You need to know what types of items your client needs and what suits them best.

You also need to work within their budget and all the stores that sell the best items with the lowest price in the market. Some established personal shoppers spend at least $100,000 every year at their favorite stores, which qualifies them for any discounts or rebates. 

The usual asking price for this type of services is 15% commission on items purchased and $8 fee for every order. If you spend $100,000 per year, that is more or less $20,000 yearly income. Not bad for a person who loves to spend their time at the mall or in stores buying items. Some extend their services beyond shopping. 

Some of them help older people buy their daily groceries for free and helping them with their daily needs like changing light bulbs, cooking their food or engage in a conversation. These kinds of services are very in-demand in the care home industry.

Intimate relationships

Personal shoppers that develop themselves as an image consultant don’t just buy clothes for a living. They also provide etiquette and image services that advice people how to dress appropriately and comfortably. Some charges $150 per hour for individuals and $300 to $750 per hour for companies or corporations, some successful personal shoppers even have clients who pay them their travel expenses outside the country. 

To know more about the image consultancy business visit https://www.entrepreneur.com/businessideas/image-consultant.

In addition to buying clothes for their clients, these people make money by advising individuals or businesses on the right holiday gifts for suppliers, customers or their employees. Some also teach people style and appearance workshops. It is a feel-good job according to a lot of experts. If you are personal shoppers, you can create something good and beautiful for your clients and make them happy while using your shopping talents and doing the things that make you contented in life.