One of the most modern career options that is gaining traction is that of a personal shopper. This is someone who does the shopping for another person, usually for someone who is very busy and doesn’t have time to go and make the purchases they need. Personal shoppers do the research for their clients to ensure that they are getting quality items and that those times cater to the preferences and needs of the client.
1. Become a Research Expert
This is an exciting field to break into, but if you are going to have a chance at competing against other personal shoppers for the job you want and the client you want, you will have to learn to research the items you will be shopping for. For instance, if your client wants a quality watch, you need to know where to search online for information about the best watches within the client’s price range. You also need to have contacts you reach out to who are experts on watches. Your research should not be done solely online, if you want to be the best personal shopper you can be.
2. Clear Your Schedule
You can’t be a personal shopper and expect to stay home most of the day. Typically, people in this career field will spend very little time at home, since they will do a lot for their work on the field, so to speak. They will be going from one shop to another and one supplier to the next looking for the items their client needs.
In order to do this, you will have to free up your schedule and be prepared to leave home at any time to catch a sale or make a purchase. Evelyn, who works for Imagine Maids, says This may not leave much time for house cleaning, which you may have to hand off to a main service instead of doing it yourself. After a busy day of being out and about shopping for other people, you may have little time left for scrubbing and sweeping your home, so it makes sense to hire a cleaning service.
What other tasks might you need to leave to other people? If you have kids, you may need someone to pick them up from school or to babysit them while you are working. Lawncare and other tasks to do around your property may need to be left to someone else, if your career takes off and keeps you really busy.
3. Be Able to Travel at a Moment’s Notice
Your client may have urgent purchases for you to make sometimes. In those instances, you need to be ready to drop what you are doing and go buy that item. You can’t always buy the item online, so be flexible with your travel arrangements. It would be best to have your own vehicle, though that could be a disadvantage in a big city. Figure out what kind of transport works best for your career and your clients, and make sure you have access to it.
For instance, if you live in a major city, you will want to keep your bus pass valid and up to date. You may want to have Uber or other travel apps downloaded on your phone with accounts set up for those to facilitate quick and easy transport when needed. Collect phone numbers for trusted taxi drivers as well who can get you where you need to go quickly.
4. Use an Accurate GPS Service
You may need to go to stores you have never been to before for your client, or you might need to visit areas within your city or county that are unfamiliar to you. In order to get around quickly and easily, make sure you have an accurate, up-to-date GPS app handy. Keep it updated and ensure it is considered reliable before counting on it too much. Some GPS devices and apps almost never get updated, making them unreliable at times. Do your research before settling on an app to use so that you don’t get lost while trying to make a purchase in some remote area.
5. Have a Good Phone and Data Plan
One of the most important tools at your disposal as a personal shopper will be your phone. How useful will it be, though, if it isn’t supported by a decent data and calling plan? Make sure that you can get a phone signal and internet signal in as much of the surrounding area as possible. In order to do that, you may need to switch wireless providers. You also want cellular plans that will accommodate your business needs and give you the freedom to use the internet and make calls as often as you need, wherever you need these services.
6. Keep up with the Fashion Industry
Your client will expect you to know a lot about their personal preferences and how to find the things they like. One area they will expect you to be knowledgeable about, though, is the fashion industry. If you are going to be competitive in this career, you need to stay up with the current trends and watch out for emerging trends. Your clients will appreciate it if you clue them in on what is coming up in fashion and what they could wear that will help them to look stylish for the season.
It’s a good idea to follow several fashion blogs, maintain contacts with people in the industry, and keep abreast of what local fashion houses are working on. If you can build up relationships with fashion designers and clothing stores, you can be an invaluable asset to your client as they try to look their best.
These are just a few tips that will help you as you start out in a career as a personal shopper. Because this is a hot field, a lot of people are trying to work their way into it, and you need to be able to stand out. If you put in the effort and become an expert in key areas, you can be successful as a personal shopper.
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