What is a personal shopper and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
introduction image

A personal shopper is an individual who provides assistance to clients in shopping for various products and services. They work to understand the client's needs, preferences, and budget to recommend suitable products and services. Personal shoppers can work in various industries, including fashion and home goods. They can work independently or as part of a team, and they typically have excellent communication, customer service, and organizational skills. Overall, a personal shopper helps clients save time and make informed decisions.

ScorePersonal ShopperUS Average
Salary
2.6

Avg. Salary $32,875

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity
9.4
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.55%

Asian 5.78%

Black or African American 10.53%

Hispanic or Latino 15.90%

Unknown 5.21%

White 62.04%

Gender

female 76.11%

male 23.89%

Age - 39
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39

What are the pros and cons of being a Personal Shopper?

Pros

  • Flexible schedule

  • Opportunity to meet new people and build relationships

  • Ability to use creativity and fashion knowledge

  • Potential for high income through commissions and tips

  • Sense of satisfaction from helping clients feel confident

Cons

  • Inconsistent income due to fluctuating demand and commissions

  • High pressure to meet clients' expectations and maintain relationships

  • Need to constantly update fashion knowledge and stay current on trends

  • Can be emotionally draining when dealing with difficult clients or situations

  • Limited job security in some cases due to the nature of the job

Personal Shopper career paths

Key steps to become a personal shopper

  1. Explore personal shopper education requirements

    Most common personal shopper degrees

    Bachelor's

    45.7 %

    Associate

    21.9 %

    High School Diploma

    21.4 %
  2. Start to develop specific personal shopper skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Cleanliness15.96%
    Product Knowledge12.73%
    POS12.35%
    Customer Orders9.15%
    Dependability7.96%
  3. Research personal shopper duties and responsibilities

    • Place and stage bags in area for instacart delivery drivers to pick up.
    • Maintain front-end to ensure store policies for cleanliness and organization are always adhere to.
    • Maintain floor standards including backroom replenishment and presentation as well as the general appearance and cleanliness of department.
    • Pick, stage & dispense customer online orders, zone other departments, assist customers with locating product and handle POS.
  4. Prepare your personal shopper resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your personal shopper resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a personal shopper resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Personal Shopper Resume templates

    Build a professional Personal Shopper resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Personal Shopper resume.
    Personal Shopper Resume
    Personal Shopper Resume
    Personal Shopper Resume
    Personal Shopper Resume
    Personal Shopper Resume
    Personal Shopper Resume
    Personal Shopper Resume
    Personal Shopper Resume
    Personal Shopper Resume
    Personal Shopper Resume
    Personal Shopper Resume
    Personal Shopper Resume
    Personal Shopper Resume
    Personal Shopper Resume
    Personal Shopper Resume
    Personal Shopper Resume
  5. Apply for personal shopper jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a personal shopper job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Personal Shopper Job

Zippi

Are you a Personal Shopper?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average personal shopper salary

The average Personal Shopper salary in the United States is $32,875 per year or $16 per hour. Personal shopper salaries range between $21,000 and $50,000 per year.

Average Personal Shopper Salary
$32,875 Yearly
$15.81 hourly

What Am I Worth?

Loading...
Loading...
salary-calculator

How do personal shoppers rate their job?

4.5/5

Based On 2 Ratings

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Personal Shopper reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2021
Cons

The less money and being unappreciated.


profile
5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2021
Pros

It’s rewarding when you see your client no matter what age they are they will stand out, because my expertise and talent

Cons

I don’t like spending money with out having knowledge and good taste to buy


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019
Pros

Setting my own schedule. Doing a variety of jobs. Take a day off if I want. Supplement my income while I grow my business.


Working as a Personal Shopper? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall Rating*
Career Growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.