In recent years, some people have managed to turn their passion for shopping and for the world of fashion into a real job. The new professional figure of the personal shopper is spreading more and more, both in Italy and abroad.
But what exactly does a personal shopper do? Who are her customers? What advantages do those who decide to rely on this figure have? Let’s find out together!
What is a personal shopper
The personal shopper is a professional figure, expert in fashion, style, and trends, who guides and assists her customers when shopping. Therefore, it is simply a qualified consultant who helps people go shopping, offering objective advice on how to make the best purchase. The personal shopper identifies stores, clothes, and trends to offer to the customer, by understanding his/her tastes and needs. This figure was born overseas, and gradually, over the years, it also arrived in Italy, especially in big tourist cities. Today, the personal shopper, despite operating mainly in the fashion field, also works in other sectors such as design and furnishing.
Skills of a qualified personal shopper
Being an expert in fashion and trends, and love shopping, are fundamental requirements for this job, but they are not enough on their own. A personal shopper must be skilled and qualified, she must know the area in which she operates (boutiques, showrooms, outlets), speak several languages, especially English since she also addresses foreign visitors. She must also have excellent organizational skills to optimize time, have excellent communication skills and above all must she know how to relate in a pleasant and kind manner to establish a relationship of trust with her clients.
Who are her customers
Who decides to rely on a personal shopper? The people who turn to this figure are both men and women, Italians and foreigners, who wish for some personalized purchasing advice, and who want to save time. The personal shopper, in the initial phase of the job, gets to know the client, tries to understand his/her tastes, and what type of purchases he/she is interested in, to then offer the client a customized assistance able to satisfy his/her needs. Others consult a personal shopper to live a real shopping experience, while travelers do it to be guided within a new territory, to discover the best boutiques and typical local products.
The advantages of turning to a personal shopper
Why rely on an shopping, fashion and new trends expert? Here are the main benefits!
YOU RECEIVE STYLE TIPS FROM A PROFESSIONAL:
the client receives custom tips on the best outfits based on the occasion, and on current fashion trends, clothes that are able to enhance your appearance at best.
IT SAVES YOU TIME:
hanks to the personal shopper’s guidance, the client will discover the best stores, outlets and boutiques of the city where, in a short time, he/she will be able to find the perfect item he/she needs.
YOU MAKE CONFIDENT PURCHASES:
the client, thanks to her analysis and advice, will be able to buy things that he/she will not regret. Has it ever happened to you to go home and regret having bought that dress? Thanks to the personal shopper’s precious suggestions this will never happen again, you will be happy and satisfied with your purchase!
YOU DISCOVER THE TERRITORY:
anyone who is on vacation and relies on this professional figure to go shopping, will be able to discover the most characteristic spots in the city, the most exclusive places, such as boutiques and showrooms, and typical products offered by the territory.
How a personal shopper approaches the client
Usually, after an initial telephone or email contact with the client, in which the personal shopper tries to understand his/her needs, tastes and personality through a questionnaire, she draws up a plan of the day with the itinerary to follow. Then, once the route has been shown to the customer, they decide on the date in which to go shopping.
