Personal Shopper Job Description
Personal shoppers provide advice, guidance, and buying services to customers. They have an advanced knowledge of products, trends, and services, and become trusted consultants for each customer. This job involves communicating with clients to determine what they’re looking for, offering advice and knowledge of the best products to purchase, processing orders, and assisting with exchanges or returns. Since this job is appointment driven, personal shoppers work irregular schedules that sometimes include nights, weekends, and particularly holidays, when shopping season becomes busier. This job is well suited to people who are creative, have extensive knowledge of trends and the latest products, have excellent customer service skills, and don’t mind working inconsistent work schedules.
Personal Shopper Duties and Responsibilities
Based on job listings we analyzed, a personal shopper’s duties typically involve:
Process Customer Orders
Personal shoppers process orders on behalf of customers either through live chat, telephone calls, or email, which involves discussing what the client is looking for as well as any specific features they need the items to have. This information is then logged in the order entry system.
Recommend Products Based on Trends
Personal shoppers present their clients with the most detailed product information they can, to ensure customers are satisfied with their items. They also share must-have products based on the latest trends.
Process Financial Adjustments
If a client makes any payments toward services or goods, this needs to be adjusted in the system to verify the payment. If customers need to develop a payment plan for their items, personal shoppers work with them to determine if this is a possibility.
Support Clients with Exchanges and Replacements
Sometimes a client is dissatisfied with the item they receive, and in these cases personal shoppers support the customer with making an exchange or replacing the product with something more suitable.
Maximize Client Base
Personal shoppers build and grow their client base by focusing on strategic selling techniques and communicating proactively with existing and potential customers. This also involves networking at events and marketing their services on a regular basis.
Personal Shopper Skills and Qualifications
Personal shoppers should have excellent communication, listening, and customer service skills, as well as the abilities to prioritize tasks and manage their time effectively. There are usually no formal requirements for this job, but applicants should be able to demonstrate the following abilities:
- Customer service – personal shoppers should maintain a professional approach with each client and provide the highest level of customer service at all times
- Communication skills – personal shoppers need to communicate effectively with customers and brands, listening well to understand their needs and product offerings
- Time management – personal shoppers usually work to deadlines, such as birthdays or company events. They must manage their time effectively to meet these deadlines and have purchases ready for clients
- Organization skills – personal shoppers often manage shopping for multiple clients, so it’s important that they’re organized and able to track what they’re purchasing for each customer
- Computer literacy – personal shoppers use the latest devices and websites not only to showcase items to their clients, but to manage the administrative side of their job
Personal Shopper Education and Training
There are no formal requirements to become a personal shopper, although people in this role typically have a background in sales or fashion and marketing. Applicants for this position should be highly knowledgeable about the latest trends, styles, and products, and should have proven customer service skills.
Personal Shopper Salary and Outlook
The median annual salary for personal shoppers is nearly $37,000, according to PayScale. Personal shoppers in the 10th percentile earn around $19,000 annually, while the highest paid earn close to $84,000 a year. Some companies offer packages that reach up to $4,000 from bonus structures.
Less than half of employers offer dental plans and medical insurance as part of their benefit packages. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that this sector will grow 16 percent through 2026.
Helpful Resources
We’ve collected some of the best resources to help you learn more about a career as a personal shopper:
Get Paid to Shop: Be a Personal Shopper for Corporate America – this book outlines the best tips and tricks for becoming a successful personal shopper, as well as the various routes into this booming industry
How to Become a Personal Shopper – this book is a must-read for those looking into a new career as a personal shopper. It details how to obtain clients, create a new image, set charges and fees, and includes many more tips for building a lucrative career in this exciting industry
FabJob Guide to Become a Personal Shopper – this book provides great advice on how to develop the necessary skills to be hired as a personal shopper, from identifying what a client is looking for to arranging for purchases and preventing purchasing disasters. It also outlines practical steps for finding job opportunities and preparing a resume
The Chriselle Factor – written by stylist and influencer Chriselle Lim, this blog provides regular content on editorial shoots, fashion trends, and more. For those new to personal shopping, it’s a great way to learn from one of the industry’s pros
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