Do you have a love for fashion? Have you ever said to yourself “I love to shop! If only I got paid for it…”? If so, then a job as a personal shopper might be for you. Personal shoppers, sometimes referred to as fashion stylists, help their clients in selecting and purchasing a variety of personal items from clothing to shoes and accessories. Fun, interesting, and rewarding, a career as a personal shopper can be a fantastic social job for the right person.
While some personal shoppers choose to do freelance work, large fashion houses and department stores employ the majority of people in this field. Fashion houses hire personal shoppers to become familiar faces to their frequent customers as a way to entice them to remain loyal to their brand. Large department stores such as Macy’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Bloomingdale’s, often like to employ personal shoppers to give focused and individualized attention to their buyers.
What does a personal shopper do? In a nutshell, a personal shopper helps the client by giving them advice and making suggestions on what they should purchase. They provide the client with personal attention, advising them of what is currently in fashion and helping them to determine what looks good on them. Often, this involves helping them choose an outfit for a particular event, but does sometimes include selecting an entire wardrobe for the upcoming season. As a personal shopper, you may also provide services such as color analysis, helping the client to better understand which color choices suit them best or which are appropriate for specific seasons.
What type of client uses the services of a personal shopper? Clients may choose to use a personal shopper for a variety of reasons. Many professional men and women lead busy lives and find that using a personal shopper makes it easier for them to obtain the necessary wardrobe items. The services of a personal shopper are often employed by professionals with large disposable incomes in larger cities and suburbs.
What are the requirements to become a personal shopper? While there are not any specific requirements, some general guidelines can help in obtaining a position as a personal shopper. Some of the main qualities a personal shopper should posses – an instinctive talent for style and fashion, excellent communication skills, an impeccable eye for detail – are often ones that are not easily learned, but instead are inherent. In addition to a good eye for fashion, you should know the products you are dealing with in great detail. A client can spend thousands of dollars on your recommendations, so it is vital that you are skilled at coordinating clothing and accessories that are ideal for the body type, personality, budget and needs of your client. You will want to be sure that you are familiar with each season’s new clothes and are able to recommend new products that will suit your customer. To help secure a job with a fashion house or a department store, some experience in marketing, retail, or fashion would be beneficial. Starting out in retail sales can provide you with an excellent foundation in the fashion industry and help you get your foot in the door.
How much does a personal shopper make? The amount a personal shopper makes, depends on the location and the ability of the clients to pay. For instance, a high school teacher will likely not be able to afford the same fee for a personal shopper as an executive vice president would. The salary provided by fashion houses and stores varies as well. Some have a flat salary for their personal shoppers, while others pay a percentage (typically 10-15%) of the client’s order, along with a fixed fee (for example, $8). In this case, there is usually a minimum order charge, for example, $25.
Tips for success as a personal shopper
• Always stay up-to-date with the latest fashion. You’ll want to make sure you know any new trends and hot new labels. Consider the latest trends and find a way to incorporate them into your client’s wardrobe in a way that works for them.
• Spend time learning about your client and doing your research. Your clients are relying on you to choose clothing appropriate for their needs, and in order to do so you must know about their life and their profession – what styles and colors are acceptable?
• Know your client’s budget and respect it. Offering a variety of options within your client’s budget will help establish trust with your clients and will likely keep them coming back for your services.
• Keep detailed logs. Taking notes and build a library of your clients. Log everything you did and did not sell to a client, noting why you chose it and how the client did with the purchase. This will help you in understanding more of what your client is looking for during later visits.
• Remember that word of mouth is your best form of advertisement. A happy client is more likely to tell others about your services, helping you build your client base.
