Personal Shopper
Startup Costs: Under $2,000
Home Based: Can be operated from home.
Part Time: Can be operated part-time.
Franchises Available? Yes
Online Operation? Yes
If you're a shopaholic, consider turning your passion into a lucrative business. Personal shoppers are in high demand for selecting gifts for special occasions like holidays, birthdays, weddings, and anniversaries. But it doesn't stop there! Interior designers and collectors also hire personal shoppers to hunt for hidden treasures at flea markets, consignment shops, antique stores, and garage sales. Even corporations rely on personal shoppers to find the perfect gifts for their customers, prospects, business partners, investors, employees, and executives. They also need help sourcing products for gift bag giveaways at special events, ceremonies, and seminars. If you have a love for shopping, a creative mindset, and enjoy networking with people from all walks of life, then you're the perfect fit to become a personal shopper.
How much money can you make?
The average salary for a personal shopper nationwide is $41,074, according to Glassdoor, and PayScale pegs a personal shopper’s typical hourly pay at just over $13.50.
Related: Get the No.1 Guide to Starting Your Own Business
What kind of experience do you need to have?
"It's just something I've always been good at — color, shopping, putting things together and knowing what someone else will like, what they can wear and what will make them look good and feel good," she says. -Maggie McQuown, VisibleEDGE Resources
What’s the most important thing to know about this business?
“You are at the mercy of the retailers. Even if a personal shopper made themselves available in the evenings for clients, there are not physical stores you can take clients to in order to get them their attire. Personal shoppers are personal, and that usually includes in-person shopping experiences.” — Amanda Sanders, image consultant and personal shopper
Want one-on-one help? Book a session with a small business development expert now
Personal Shopper Ideas
Hair Removal Service
Capitalize on this popular procedure that both women and men take advantage of.
Pedicure Service
Enjoy flexible hours while keeping people's feet looking great with a pedicure service.
Image Consultant
Use your keen eye to help people look and feel their best.
More from Business Ideas
This Mom Used an 'Overlooked' Ingredient to Grow a 6-Figure Side Hustle From Her Kitchen: 'Like an Intensive MBA Program'
Kate Banks, 55, received a Christmas gift that inspired her small business.
She's a Former 911 Dispatcher Who Started a Side Hustle Dominated By Men — and It Makes Her About $4,500 a Month: 'Hustle Paid Off'
Marisa Risden, 32, wanted to take control of her schedule and leverage her existing skill set.
This 54-Year-Old's Juicy Side Hustle — Which She Calls a 'Literal ATM' — Pulls Up to $50,000 a Month and Was Profitable Within 1 Week
In 2013, Shannon Houchin wanted to start a real business — "something that mattered."