Personal Shopping Business

Love to shop? Start your personal shopping business! Do you enjoy shopping and know where to find good deals and quality items? Would you like helping your customers with their shopping needs?

Starting a personal shopping business can be a FUN way to incorporate your love of shopping with your ability to help others who loathe going to the local shopping center or grocery store!

This is one of my favorite mobile business ideas which allows you to do what you love (shopping) and get paid for doing it!!

One of my former co-workers just hated shopping!!  The whole idea and experience is one that is shear torture to her personally.

She would rather go to the dentist than go to the mall -- I can't personally understand this, but it's very real for many folks!

She would make a terrific client for you. And she’s not alone with many women and men falling into this category. 

Consider how your service can help these people --

Begin your personal shopping business and incorporate these mobile business ideas into an awesome service for your clients who don’t have the time or interest to shop for themselves.

Starting a personal shopping business is one of my low cost business ideas you can get started on a shoestring budget using word-of-mouth advertising and your current vehicle.

You can run this business from your home and use your current transportation.  Meet your client’s at their home, office, or chat with them over phone, email, or text to find out what they need. 

This is also a terrific home based business for moms since you can work around your schedule and do shopping with the kids (or without when Dad gets home).

Develop an internet website for your business providing different shopping forms for your client’s to identify their specific product preferences.

Niche Notes!!

1) Help home-bound seniors or busy professionals do their grocery shopping and stock their cupboards,

2) Specialized in purchasing clothing, accessories, and holiday gifts for your clients.

3) Work for busy moms buying infant/toddler items such as diapers, formula, snacks, clothing, cleaning products, magazines, toys, etc.  And cloth diapers are making a comeback for a green alternative to both Mom and baby.   

4) If you live in a resort area, shop and stock vacation condos with food, liquor, and personal items prior to your client’s arriving at their destination (I used this type of service on my recent beach vacation -- what a huge time saver allowing me to enjoy my limited vacation time on the beach instead of spending time at the grocery store!),

5) Specialize in internet shopping for your clients finding just the right items on the internet and saving them valuable time,

6) Complement your services with home/office cleaning, or add virtual assistant services such as typing/filing/data entry, pet services, and vehicle services – maintenance, fueling, cleaning, etc.

7) Specialize in green and organic shopping, use your bicycle, and buying “green” products for your customers – make sure to advertise this broadly.

8) Contact companies who provide their clients with “secret shopping services” to offer your opinions on quality and service received. 

9) Develop business clients who want to provide products/services to their clients and employees.

Personal Shopping Business -- What's It Take?

Mobile Bartender

Gift Basket Business

Pet Food Delivery

Interests/Skills:

• Love of shopping
• Knowledge of products being requested
• Creativity in finding products/services
• Organization Skills
• Time Management Skills

Resources: Your transportation, a small office space, easy access to a variety of stores and businesses for purchasing the products requested by your clients, internet access to allow your “fingers to do the walking”.

Time Required: 5-15 hrs/week; can work full-time 30-40+ hrs/week

Training: Shopping skills, Knowledge of where to find the most common types of products/services.

Market: Busy professionals, Individuals Who Loathe Shopping

Home Based: Yes

Internet: Yes

Location: Local

Start-Up Costs: $100 - $500

Minimizing Start-Up Costs: Use your home, kitchen, or bedroom for your work space. Utilize your current transportation – auto, bicycle, motorcycle, or mass transit to get you to your desired locations. Make sure to ask for referrals from satisfied customers – folks who are unable or not interested in shopping and doing errands know others with similar needs.

Place ads on Craigslist and/or develop a good quality website for your customers. Utilize a simple organization system for maintaining customer preference lists, receipts, and other pertinent information to encourage repeat business.

Business Ideas. . .

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Mobile Business Ideas from Personal Shopping Business . . .