Personal shopping: a guide for pros
What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.
Offering personal shopping
You select clothing, gifts or household items for clients based on their taste, size and budget, and help them buy in store or online. Your value is a sharp eye, careful sizing and a process that keeps the client in control of every purchase.
What customers ask
- Can you find something in my size that fits well?
- Will you buy anything without asking me first?
- How do you handle returns if an item does not fit?
- Do you get commissions from the stores, and does that affect what you recommend?
- How do you keep my measurements and personal details private?
How to win the job
- On the first call, ask for sizes, colors to avoid, the occasion, the budget limits and the decision maker, and write them in a style sheet the client approves.
- Show a small set of selections with photos, notes on fit and a clear budget line before you ask for approval.
- Record each purchase with the receipt, the return deadline and the item's size, and send the list with the delivery dates.
- Disclose any commissions or store relationships in writing, and let the client decide whether they matter.
- Set the return process before you buy, and track the return windows so no item expires unnoticed.
- Use only the payment method the client approves, and keep a clear record of each charge.
What to put on your profile
- List the types of shopping you do, such as wardrobe refreshes, gifts or household items.
- Describe your sourcing in plain terms, such as the store types you use and whether you shop in person or online.
- Post sample style boards with client details removed, showing how you present selections.
Follow-up that helps the customer
- Offer a seasonal wardrobe review for clients who want their closet updated.
- Suggest a gift list for recurring occasions, such as birthdays or holidays, so the client can plan ahead.
- Keep the client's size and preference notes up to date with each order.
Licenses and permits
No license is usually required for personal shopping. Keep a current business registration if you operate as a business, and check your state or local rules for any registration your work requires; keep any disclosures about store commissions in writing.
Questions
Do I need a certificate to be a personal shopper?
Usually not. Clients look for a strong style portfolio, references and clear processes for approval and returns.
How do I handle a client who wants items I think do not suit them?
Show them your reasons with photos and fit notes, and let them decide. Record the choice so the style sheet reflects it next time.
What if an item arrives damaged?
Document the damage with photos right away, contact the store with the order details and tell the client what the store decides.
About this guide
This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.
Edit history
- Oct 29, 2026: Drafted by infinibell to our content guidelines.
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