Personal shopper
If you want to work-from-home, you can run your own personal shopping business. A personal shopper can run their business right from their home-office by shopping online for another person. Personal shoppers simply shop for people that do not have the time or ability to go shopping for themselves.
To be a personal shopper, you need to have an eye for fashion and shopping. You also need to have a car to get you around to different stores to do the shopping. A personal shopper must have a cell phone to keep in touch with their clients when they are in the store. It is also important to have a camera with you so you can take pictures of different items for your clients. You also need to have a computer with internet access so that you can find new clients and build a strong client base.
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Personal shoppers don't need to dedicate a lot of space in their home to their new business. All you need is a car to hold your client's purchases and deliver them to them if the business doesn't automatically ship them. You should have a small home office where you can keep records of your clients and in case you need to bring home some of the purchases.
Depending upon the type of shopping you are doing, it could take you 10 minutes or a couple days to find the items your clients want. You need to have a love for shopping since you may be running around from store to store. Your clients will call on you to grab birthday presents, anniversary presents, and general items. Loving your job will help you find the right products and it will help you make your clients happier.
Since most personal shoppers deal with high-end clients, they have the ability to make pretty decent money. You can charge by the hour and earn a lot of money or you can charge a standard rate for all of your clients. The average income for a personal shopper is $40,000 annually. This puts a personal shopper at a 3 on an income scale of 1-5. The more clients you get, the more money you will get. Getting a high-end client may also benefit you because they will often pay a lot more money for your shopping services. Search for the clients that need your help on a continual basis. Elderly individuals may appreciate your help once, but they won't need you to come back as must as corporate and upscale clients. Most personal shoppers will charge anywhere from $20-$30 or more per hour.
When it comes to personal shopping, you need to be sensitive to your clients. Many of then actually feel embarrassed that they are unable to do their own shopping so you shouldn't make them feel bad about it. Let them know that you absolutely love to shop and that you love helping others. You should also be creative when your customers call on you to find the perfect gift. Don't just settle for a gift card, find something that is truly unique and will make your client look good when they give the gift.
If you are worried that your clients may stiff you on the bill, ask them to pay upfront or to pay at least half of the bull upfront. This way you will get at least half of the money before you even do the job. You should also protect yourself from lawsuits with a good insurance plan. Be upfront and honest with your clients to avoid miscommunication. If your clients don't like what you purchased, you will be in charge of returning it for them.
