Personal Shopper Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a personal shopper. Feel free to use our job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a personal shopper.
Who is a Personal Shopper?
A personal shopper is a person who assists people with their shopping by offering suggestions and assistance. Although some are independent contractors or only work online, department shops and boutiques frequently employ them. Although more non-clothing companies, such as furniture retailers, are beginning to offer personal shopping services, their primary focus is typically on clothing. Although most employers prefer relevant retail experience, becoming a personal shopper does not have any formal educational qualifications. Since a personal shopper is frequently an employee of the store, there is no fee for the service. Other shops will charge a nominal price to use their shoppers and the perks that come with the service. Personal shoppers are also referred to as fashion stylists, shop assistants, or sales assistants. Some personal shoppers work for private clients as independent contractors, styling events and organizing closets among others. Personal shoppers can be found outside of agencies on auction websites like eBay, where they sell their services for personalized goods like men’s and women’s clothing collections. A personal shopper makes a living by shopping for others. The majority of personal shoppers purchase clothing and accessories for their clients, though they might shop for anything from groceries to furnishings. Others work for boutiques or department stores that provide personal shopping services. Personal shoppers can work directly for clients or their stylists.
Personal shoppers are qualified purchasers for private clients and consultants at high-end stores who provide styling services and wardrobe advice. Their work is varied since they provide important details about the client’s preferences and carry out the complete process of looking for garments, creating a good choice, and then presenting them to the client. Since Personal Shoppers need to be knowledgeable about trends and may recommend outfits, having a background in fashion is preferred. Some personal shopper professions are non-fashion-related and involve helping homebound or busy customers buy things like food, cosmetics, or household goods. A background in fashion is preferred by certain clients, although there are no official educational requirements for a career as a personal shopper. Additionally, knowing budgeting or fashion merchandising may be beneficial. There are numerous certifications available that might help you stand out as a candidate for the job. You will also need to keep up with the most recent fashion trends if you work as a personal shopper. Having a specialty, such as dressing mainly for business professionals or celebrities, could help you stand out.
People are the major resource when personal shoppers or styling consultants are employed. Their responsibility is to inform people about basic fashion apparel, colour schemes, different body forms, and how to make wise purchases to assemble a respectable wardrobe, whether they are individuals, groups, classes, clients, or businesses. Although a degree is not necessary, being a successful Personal Shopper does involve professional abilities. Your performance for clients and your style both speak to your qualifications. A smart personal shopper takes the time to understand their customers’ needs and then develops a strategy for them that fits their budget. The most critical aspects of the work involve knowing how clothes fit and having an eye for items that will be suitable and flattering for your client’s shape, lifestyle, spending range, and likes. To provide the best recommendations as a personal shopper and image consultant, you need coaching skills, protocol expertise, and body language awareness. Your major instruments for offering a remarkable company service that makes the client’s life better are style and fashion.
A personal shopper or image consultant pays attention to the client’s demands and makes every effort to meet them as effectively as possible. Some individuals need help with their style, while others need to develop their self-confidence. Since each person is unique and has a sense of style, there is no set case to work with. When analyzing a situation, you should develop soft skills like being a good listener, amiable, and diplomatic. Develop your oral coaching and communication abilities and be prepared to interact with others. Numerous personal shoppers serve high-profile clients like politicians, actors, and celebrities. You have other options besides this one for a profession, though. Many people struggle to find appropriate attire for their jobs or special occasions. Sometimes they simply do not know how to shop in stores for outfits for the upcoming season or they do not have the time. When you step in, you provide the best service and a precise answer for your client’s wardrobe issues. Keep in mind that referrals from existing customers are frequently used to gain new business in this sector.
Personal Shopper Job Description
Below are the personal shopper job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a personal shopper job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
- Assist customers in making the best possible purchases by offering suggestions, direction, and top-notch customer service.
- Support customers through phone, online, or in-person and attend to customers’ complaints and requests quickly and effectively.
- Inform customers of appropriate replacements for out-of-date, unavailable, or discontinued products.
- Inform management right away of any problems with the consumer, supply challenges, and subpar goods.
- Engage with clients and guarantee that any special instructions are carried out.
- Make sure orders are picked, scanned, and packed precisely.
- Help with order collection, packaging, loading, and payment when necessary.
- Observe the products that are offered and their availability.
- Work together with store departments to achieve effective service delivery.
Qualifications
- A Bachelor’s degree.
- A degree in marketing or an equivalent certificate.
- Previous retail experience is an advantage.
- Outstanding interpersonal and communication abilities.
- The capacity to multitask in a hectic atmosphere.
- Effective writing and speaking skills.
- Computer literacy and basic math skills.
- Outstanding understanding of fashion.
- Innovative fashion concepts.
- Possesses the capacity to endure loudness, lift and carry objects, as well as stand, walk, and sit for long periods.
- The capacity to function both individually and collectively.
- Willingness to work in inconvenient hours, which may include nights, weekends, and hectic shopping seasons.
Essential Skills
- Organization: Personal shoppers must be organized because they frequently operate within a set spending limit and deadline. This enables them to utilize their time effectively and be efficient. To ensure that their clients are getting the most out of their current wardrobe, they also need to be able to organize the closets and drawers of their clients.
- skills and knowledge in fashion: The capacity to comprehend current trends in apparel and accessories is known as fashion knowledge. This can aid in your decision-making regarding the goods you suggest to customers. Additionally, you can use your understanding of fashion to assist customers in locating apparel and accessories that complement their tastes. You have to learn all there is to know about fashion. If you enjoy shopping on a personal level, becoming a professional personal shopper is not enough. You will need to be well-versed in all things fashion-related to include fashion designers, current trends, modifications to the standard fashion silhouette, and knowledge of classic styles. It is crucial to promote culture in the fashion sector. Since knowledge is power, you should gain a thorough awareness of fashion cycles as well as a curiosity to learn about new fashion designers and the current trends in urban fashion in major cities or on social media. Any retail or fashion company values employees who keep up with the latest trends. You must be a fashion expert; it is not enough to just admire it.
- Problem-solving: When completing a client’s order, personal shoppers frequently run into difficulties. For instance, a shopper might discover a pair of shoes that complements a customer’s outfit but that is the wrong size. A personal shopper could use their problem-solving abilities to come up with a solution, in this case, such as buying the right size or proposing an alternative design of the shoe.
- Customer Service Skills: Customer support is an important skill in this career line. Your ability to provide excellent customer service can improve your relationship with your customers. Utilize these abilities to assist customers in selecting the best products for their requirements and to address any queries they may have regarding the store’s inventory. Helping customers find the correct sizes for their products is another way to put your customer service talents to action.
- Sales Skills: Although many customers demand it, you should also try to build relationships with regular shoppers who are not used to receiving personalized service. Appointment minimums, sales targets, and customer satisfaction benchmarks are typically set for personal shoppers. Your in-depth familiarity with the customer and the available products will make upselling and suggestive selling a natural part of the personal shopping experience. You can give your customers in-depth knowledge about your products as well as broad perspectives on current and future trends in the retail sector if you pursue continuous education.
- Communications Skills: To learn about their client’s preferences and needs, personal shoppers communicate with them. To learn more about the products and prices, they converse with sales representatives as well. You may develop relationships with customers and identify the things they want by using effective communication techniques. Using mail, e-mail, phone, and in-person interactions, personal shoppers manage their customer relationships. Speaking is not as vital as listening because you will need the material to fill out the comprehensive reference files you will be keeping. Personal shoppers use their clientele’s files to suggest new products and store events. Customers will welcome your interactions with positive expectations and enthusiasm due to the suitability of your recommendations. By encouraging frequent visits and frequent purchases, you will encourage customers to shop at your store.
- Physical stamina: The majority of personal shoppers spend a lot of time moving quickly between stores while toting large shopping bags. It takes a lot of stamina and might be physically taxing at times to do the job.
How to Become a Personal Shopper
Step 1. Do some research on the Job
Make sure your career ambitions align with the requirements of the profession before committing. You should be someone who enjoys being on the go, driving around, or accommodating one person’s needs. Careers in personal shopping can be researched using resources including fashion school websites, online forums, and other personal shoppers’ reviews. There is a career page on the websites of fashion schools that you can visit. You can contact the career staff through email through the website. Personal shopper forums will help you learn from your peers because online forums serve as platforms for people with similar interests to share ideas. On websites for job searches, reviews are available. There are also some online documentaries about personal shoppers that describe working life and offer client perspectives.
Step 2. Choose your niche
Jobs for independent personal shoppers serve a variety of industries rather than just one or two. You might work as a personal shopper for a lawyer, businessperson, or physician. You’ll undoubtedly need recommendations from friends and family if you want to work for prominent people or celebrities. You can end yourself shopping for a variety of items depending on the type of work you do and the lifestyle of your customer. Another market to think about is shopping for the elderly. Seniors want to enjoy their retirement, or perhaps they have medical limitations that make going shopping difficult. In this instance, you might be purchasing groceries or drugstore prescriptions rather than shopping for the latest fashion trends. When working with senior citizens, you should be adaptable and understanding. You can choose to focus on particular products. You can choose to buy clothes or groceries, for instance. For their prestigious customers, retail apparel stores employ personal shoppers. One of the best ways to develop experience as a personal shopper is to work for a retailer.
Step 3. Familiarize yourself with the industry
Effective interpersonal and networking abilities, as well as a resourceful and accommodating attitude, are necessary to succeed as a personal shopper. Since you will be seen as a competent consultant for your client, your clients will anticipate that you are knowledgeable in both your field and, to some extent, at least when it comes to shopping, theirs. Make friends with the store management so they can alert you when new goods are received. Find out how other personal shoppers advertise their services. To what extent do other personal shoppers use those channels? Decide which platform is suitable for you based on your knowledge and area of expertise.
Step 4. Get the qualifications
School is the ideal setting for learning how to be a personal shopper. Online certification programs are available for personal shoppers, the majority of which are in the fashion industry. Some of these courses include costume design and wardrobe technician, fashion design and accessories, image counselling, fashion communication, and fashion styling and design. You can achieve your goal of becoming a personal shopper by enrolling in degree programs in sales and communication. The fundamentals of selling and customer service are covered in these courses. Therefore, it would be simpler for you to become a personal shopper if you have some experience in the marketing or sales industry. You need good money management abilities to run a firm successfully. To learn the foundations of financial management, think about signing up for a quick accounting course. Accounting will also make it easier for you to manage the client’s budget. A certificate can reassure your clients by demonstrating to them that you know what you’re doing.
Step 5: Polish your abilities
Practice regularly if you want to excel at what you do. Offer your services to your family members before you receive your first paying clients. Inform them that you are starting a new career and that you want to use your newly acquired talents. Ask them to be completely honest with you. Maintain a constant effort. Your close pals should also receive your services. Make use of their criticism to improve. Volunteering is another way to get experience. Some charities assist people in enhancing their image. You can gain a lot of knowledge about refining your sense of style and image by volunteering in these groups.
Step 6: Stay updated with fashion trends
The fashion world is ever-evolving. Every year, new trends emerge. However, it is up to the client to decide whether to purchase the newest designer clothing. Some consumers don’t mind subtle brands. You’ll be ready for a variety of client needs if you stay on top of current trends. Visit the social media accounts of well-known fashion influencers and search the web to learn about the newest trends. Websites with customer reviews are a fantastic additional resource for data on fashion trends. Fashion blogs and magazines are two other popular sources.
Where to Work as a Personal Shopper
A personal shopper works in retail apparel stores or privately with clients to help them choose clothing, jewelry, and home décor goods. They choose apparel for a full wardrobe or a special occasion while considering the customer’s budget. Personal shoppers are employed in a variety of office situations. They may perform their first consultations at their clients’ homes or from their workspace, depending on whether they have an office space or not. They will consult first, and then spend a lot of time going in and out of bustling places buying their products. Personal shoppers frequently commute long distances to and from their places of employment, which requires them to spend a lot of time on the road. Some personal shoppers can also serve as stylists at department shops, assisting clients with a selection of things or pre-selecting outfits and presenting them to clients upon their arrival. A personal shopper would typically have more structured working hours if they are employed by one retailer rather than owning and operating their own business.
Personal Shopper Salary Scale
Depending on the types of clients you have, working as a personal shopper has the potential to pay well. You might work for famous people and wealthy clients who are willing to pay more for your services if you have a lot of expertise and a solid reputation. A personal shopper’s annual compensation might range from $25,000 to $100,000 or more when commissions and bonuses are taken into account. In Nigeria, the average monthly salary for a personal shopper is around 279,000 NGN. From 101,000 to 605,000 NGN are earned as salaries.
