Why Hire a Personal Shopper?

In today's stressful economic times, people are looking for ways to save money. They are also realizing the value of quality time spent with their family. A better understanding how to leverage personal time and money will assist customers in reducing their overall stress. Using a personal shopper can be a great asset to today's busy consumer.

First, there are two types of personal shopper. The first type is paid by the client to shop. The shopper can go anywhere and buy anything that the client needs. This type of arrangement is only beneficial if the client has plenty of money to spend or is totally brand-loyal. An example of a similar service would be a wedding planner, who handles all of the arrangements, and is paid by the client for their service and connections. In this type of arrangement, the client is responsible for paying for the purchases and the service.

The second type of personal shopper is one affiliated with certain stores or brands. This is the shopper most suited to today's general market. The shopper is paid by the companies themselves, because the shopper directs business and revenues directly to the company. This is increasingly seen in online markets, and is called affiliate marketing. Companies share revenue based on the amount of business that flows from other companies or agents. This arrangement is beneficial to the client in three ways: first, the client is not paying above cost for the services rendered;  second, often the shopper can obtain goods at a lower price due to consistently using select stores and professional affiliations; three, the time and stress saved by using a personal shopper is immeasurable. The only downside is that the client may need to switch brands to accommodate the shopper.

Consider the usual process for grocery shopping. Writing a list is usually the first step for busy consumers, so that important items are not forgotten in the distractions of the grocery store. Then there's the driving to and from the store, the stress and distraction of bringing children if the customer has them, the extra cost of impulse buying, and the frustration of standing behind someone in the express lane that cannot count to twenty! When working with a personal shopper, the only part of the process is list-making. Add the convenience of online shopping and home delivery, and a personal shopper almost becomes a necessity!

Christmas is quite possibly the most stressful shopping experience one has. Buying presents for people who are picky, with time and money you may not have is a task most people dread every year. Why not use a personal shopper to simplify things? Instead of wasting all of that time and energy, take the children ice skating or to a fun movie, go on a date with your significant other, or spend quality time with family you may only get to see once a year. Another benefit to using a personal shopper is that they may be able to recommend presents for those hard-to-buy-for relatives.

The holidays are not the only time to use a personal shopper. Shoppers are incredibly useful for remembering birthdays, anniversaries, and important events such as graduations, baby and wedding showers, and promotions. How great would it be to give your list of important events to your shopper and have them remember the dates for you?

Finding the perfect shopper for your needs is important as well. Your relationship is an intimate one, and the person shopping for you should have the utmost honesty and reliability.  They should be friendly and open, and should be able to answer your questions and concerns.  Great personal shoppers are out there, and can be such a benefit to busy consumers. Consider one today!