Now is a great time to start a personal shopper business from home. There’s always a need for friendly, motivated people willing to work flexible schedules. If you’ve got a reliable car, acting as a personal shopper could be a solid source of income.
Below, we’ve done the legwork for you to provide a free guide to starting a home-based personal shopper business today.
Have you ever thought about starting a personal shopping business? This exciting entrepreneurial opportunity allows you to make money doing what you love – shopping!
As an aspiring personal shopper, I did tons of research on starting this type of business. In this article, I will share everything I learned to help others launch their own successful personal shopping venture.
Get Clear on What Personal Shopping Entails
A personal shopper is someone who helps individuals shop for various items As a personal shopper, you can provide services like
- Grocery shopping
- Running errands
- Purchasing clothes/accessories
- Styling services
- Organizing closets
You can choose to focus on certain areas or provide a range of shopping services. Really think about your interests, skills, and goals when deciding how to specialize.
Conduct Market Research
Before diving into starting your business, research the personal shopping industry This will help you understand the competitive landscape and identify opportunities.
Important things to research:
- Industry size and growth trends
- Customer demographics and needs
- Competitor offerings and pricing
- Technology disruptions
Look for gaps in your local market that your business could potentially fill. For example, you may find that no personal shoppers in your area cater to busy moms or senior citizens.
Choose Your Business Structure
Decide on a business structure – this impacts taxes, paperwork, and your personal liability. Common options include:
- Sole proprietorship
- Partnership
- Limited Liability Company (LLC)
- S-Corp
Many personal shopping businesses operate as sole proprietors or LLCs. Talk to an accountant or lawyer to determine the best structure for your goals.
Craft Your Business Plan
A business plan maps out all the key details of your envisioned company It’s an essential step before launching.
Include sections on:
- Company overview and objectives
- Products/services
- Target customers
- Competitive analysis
- Marketing strategy
- Operations
- Financial projections
- Management team
Having this comprehensive document will help you secure funding, partners, and essential licenses/permits.
Choose a Business Name and Branding
Your business name and branding establish your company’s identity.
Tips for choosing a great name:
- Conveys your services (e.g. “Premier Personal Shopping”)
- Short, unique, and catchy
- Checks availability as a domain
- Allows room for growth
After selecting a name, create branding like a logo, color scheme, and slogan. These elements should align with your target audience and business vision.
Register Your Business
Register your personal shopping business by:
- Choosing a business structure
- Registering your name
- Applying for licenses and permits
- Obtaining an EIN
This makes your business legitimate in the eyes of the government so you can pay taxes, hire employees, open business bank accounts, etc.
Set Up Your Website
A professional website legitimizes your business and allows you to market services and book clients online.
You can use website builders like Wix or pay a developer to create a custom site. Ensure your site:
- Aligns with your branding
- Provides details on your services
- Allows bookings/payments
- Is mobile-friendly
Also optimize for SEO so customers can find you through search engines.
Leverage Social Media
Use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to market your personal shopping services. Post content like:
- Outfit inspiration photos
- Shopping tips/trends
- Client testimonials
- Behind-the-scenes of your services
- Special deals and promotions
Social media expands your reach and lets you directly engage with potential clients.
Network and Get Referrals
Networking and getting referrals is critical for gaining clients early on. Strategies include:
- Reaching out to your existing connections
- Joining local professional associations
- Partnering with complementary businesses (boutiques, salons, etc)
- Offering rewards for referrals from clients
- Guest posting on relevant blogs
Referrals enable you to build credibility and trust with new clients.
Define Your Service Offerings and Rates
Determine the specific services you will provide and how much to charge clients. Common service offerings and price points include:
- Personal grocery shopping – $25/hour
- Running errands – $20/hour
- Personal wardrobe styling – $100-200/session
- Closet organization – $30/hour
Set competitive rates but don’t underprice yourself. You can adjust prices later as you gain experience.
Purchase Equipment and Supplies
Operating a personal shopping business has minimal equipment needs. Essential items include:
- Professional clothing/shoes
- Tablet/smartphone
- Portable credit card reader (e.g. Square)
- Mileage tracking app
- Inventory management software
- Garment racks for styling sessions
You likely already own many of the necessary supplies like a vehicle, smartphone, and computer.
Find Clients and Promote Your Business
There are many strategies for getting those first clients:
- Run Facebook/Google ads
- Send direct mail postcards to your target market
- Partner with concierge services to be added to their provider list
- Attend networking events and local markets
- Offer limited-time discounts to incentivize early bookings
- Start with friends and family
Once you build positive reviews and referrals, you can scale back on promotions.
Deliver 5-Star Service
The key to retaining clients and generating referrals is providing exceptional service. Be sure you:
- Clearly communicate on needs, budgets, and timelines
- Provide style recommendations tailored to clients
- Are responsive in addressing questions/concerns
- Meet agreed upon deadlines
- Follow up after sessions
Pay attention to details and make the experience as stress-free as possible for clients.
Invest in Continued Learning
As a personal shopper, you need to stay on top of the latest fashion trends, brands, products, and stores. Ways to keep developing your skills include:
- Reading fashion magazines and blogs
- Following top designers on social media
- Networking with peers
- Taking online classes on styling, retail, etc
- Touring local boutiques and malls to stay updated
Consider your growth an ongoing investment in your business.
Define Your Service Boundaries
It’s important to define the scope of services you will and won’t provide clients. For example, determine if you are willing to:
- Shop out of your local area
- Lift heavy packages
- Work evenings and weekends
- Accompany clients to try on clothes
- Make returns if clients don’t like items
Being clear on boundaries from the start prevents role confusion and tension later on.
Track Finances Closely
Carefully track all your business income and expenses. Use accounting software like Quickbooks or employ a bookkeeper.
Important financial aspects to monitor:
- Business revenue
- Costs for inventory purchases
- Mileage reimbursement
- Tax deductions
- Profit margins
Meticulous financial records make tax time easier and provide key insights on how to improve profitability.
Continue Networking and Self-Promotion
Don’t let your marketing efforts slide once you gain some momentum. Regularly:
- Post on social media
- Blog about trending topics
- Look for speaking opportunities
- Partner creatively with other businesses
- Attend industry conferences and events
- Send emails and run promotions to past clients
Ongoing marketing, even in small doses, is crucial for sustaining and growing your client base.
Stay Organized and Use Tools Wisely
Running a solopreneur business involves wearing many hats. Stay on top of everything by:
- Using scheduler apps to manage bookings
- Leveraging expense trackers and accounting software
- Keeping detailed client records and preferences
- Organizing inventory and supplies
- Settling into consistent routines and schedules
Don’t be afraid to try different systems until you find an approach that maximizes productivity.
Consider Hiring Help When Needed
Once you start getting busier, consider hiring freelancers or employees to help out. You could bring on:
- An assistant to manage scheduling and communications
- Shoppers to handle routine grocery runs and errands
- A social media manager to handle online marketing
- A bookkeeper or accountant for finances
Outsourcing tasks allows you to focus on core services and expanding the business.
Stay Passionate
Although running any business involves work, stick to the parts of personal shopping you genuinely enjoy. Stay inspired by:
- Bonding with clients over shared interests
- Helping clients look and feel their best
- Using your creative eye and fashion sense
- Seeing meaningful impact on clients’ lives
- Growing your expertise
Let your passion for the work fuel you during inevitable challenges and setbacks.
Offer Additional Services Over Time
Once established, consider expanding your
How Do I Know If Personal Shopping is Right for Me?
Though making it as a personal shopper may be tough, benefits abound. As a personal shopper, you set your own schedule and maintain control of that schedule throughout your career. You can work as much or as little as you want. The tasks are clear and manageable and whether or not the job itself is enjoyable depends on how you feel about shopping for groceries or running other small errands for people.
How do I get clients?
Traditionally, this type of service could only be afforded by the very wealthy, and marketing yourself to those people would have been very difficult. Today, thanks to a number of different apps, these services are available to people across the economic spectrum. Because there are so many more people interested in using this type of service, there is a growing demand for its providers. Instacart, Shipt, and WeGoShop are just a few examples of apps that you can use to get clients if you are interested in starting a personal shopping business.
However, these apps are not without their issues. Many have come under scrutiny for taking advantage of their shoppers. Some shoppers have reported making hourly incomes of under $10/ hr. If this doesn’t sound good to you, there is no reason you couldn’t create your own client base and charge your own rate, taking control of your income. With recent increased interest in these services, you could market yourself on social media, make windshield fliers, or reach out to family and friends. Over time you could build up a community based clientele and not be subject to the algorithms of an app for your income.
Make $192 per Day by Shopping for Others | New Business Ideas to Start Now [Personal Shopper]
How do I start a personal shopper business?
Starting a personal shopper business can be a rewarding and lucrative venture for those with a passion for fashion and a talent for customer service. By researching the market, developing a solid financial plan, and setting clear goals, you can create a successful business that meets the needs of your clients.
Should you start your own personal shopping service?
Starting your own personal shopping service is an exciting venture. Whether you are going all out or beginning part-time, opening your own business is an exciting career move. And with the multitude of changes in our world, personal shoppers are a growing industry that won’t be going away anytime soon.
How do I run a successful personal shopping business?
Running a successful personal shopping business requires more than just a love of shopping. Here are a few additional tips to keep in mind when shopping for others: To improve customer relationships, provide excellent service and personalized recommendations.
Do you need a business plan for your personal shopping service?
Write a business plan for your personal shopping service. A business plan is a great way to organize your ideas and make a plan for how you intend to start and run your business.
