How Does an Individual Become a Personal Shopper?
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Strengths
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When deciding to become a personal shopper, you should decide what you enjoy shopping for. Clothes, personal gifts, groceries and prescriptions are just a few of the items you might buy in your personal shopper business. You can work as an employee for high end department stores as a personal shopper, or you can freelance with your own personal shopper business.
Qualifications
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While there are no specific requirements in becoming a personal shopper for a high-end department store, there are some qualifications such as experience in marketing, retail and fashion that may help in securing a job as one. Try locating a personal shopper school or class to gain certification and credibility for your personal shopper business.
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Fashion
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If fashion is your specialty, high scale department stores hire personal shoppers for their clientele. Stores such as Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdale's like to cater to their customers by offering personal shoppers who can give focused and individualized attention to their buyers. Learn up to date fashion from magazines such as Elle, Vogue and Cosmopolitan. You also need to learn your clients profession and leisure activities and their personal preference in colors and styles. Being helpful in determining what your client looks good in or what colors complement them makes your advice all the more valuable. Keeping a log of your clients and what you purchase for them will help with future purchases and will help you maintain your personal shopper business.
Pay
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The amount you charge your client should be what you consider is worth your time and effort. You may want to charge 10 or 15% of their order with an additional fixed fee per order such as $8 and also set a minimum order placement such as $25. The amount you charge will pertain to your location and the ability of your clients to pay. You may want to charge less to senior citizens on a fixed income and more to executives with large salaries. Classes at a personal shopper school can help with this determination.
Promotion
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Promoting a personal shopper business requires printing up flyers or ordering business cards featuring your services. Providing services to the elderly such as grocery and prescription pickup, you would likely put your flyers or cards on church, grocery and senior housing bulletin boards. Local newspaper advertising is also an avenue of promoting your personal shopper business. Help brides looking for gifts for her wedding party by putting your business cards in local bridal boutiques.
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Starting a personal shopper business can be a rewarding and exciting way to earn a living. Find your niche in what you like to shop for, get fliers and business cards made and start promoting your endeavor.
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References
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- Photo Credit Shopping bag image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com
