It seems like only yesterday we all fell in love with the convenience of online shopping. Shoe shopping in your jammies at midnight from the comfort of your own couch? Yes, please! While we held a glass of wine in one hand and a mouse in the other, the internet revolutionized the way we shop. However, an interesting thing happened on the way to the fridge for a refill of chardonnay. Shoppers realized something was missing - a personal touch.
According to ResponseTap, a call data analytics company, 73 percent of consumers prefer talking to an actual human being before making their purchase. Automatically generated suggestions are all well and good but ultimately, speaking with a personal shopper online is what seals the deal by combining the convenience of online shopping with the personal touch consumers crave.
How it works.
There are two main types of online personal shoppers. The first is the subscription box service companies such as StitchFix offer. While each service is slightly different, they all basically work by figuring out your preferences and then sending you items based on those preferences. These services are extremely convenient in several ways:
• Clothing is delivered straight to your home.
• Return shipping is either free or included with your subscription fee.
• You only pay for the clothing you keep.
• Often the clothing you receive is something you might not normally pick out but is something you end up enjoying.
The only problem with these subscription box services is there may or may not be an actual person choosing your items, and your contact with that person may be fairly limited or even nonexistent. That's where the second type of online personal shopper enters the picture.
This type of online shopper is much more, well, personal. You can meet online through Skype or sometimes even in person, and instead of taking an online quiz to suss out your style, your personal stylist talks with you and gets to know you through friendly conversation.
From there, your specific needs are discussed so your personal shopper can put together a box with completely unique clothing and accessories just for you. You won't have to worry about showing up at work or a special occasion with the exact same trendy pieces and look someone else is wearing.
Choosing an online shopper.
If you'd like to try out an online personal shopper, consider looking for someone physically located near you. That way, if you would like to meet in person, you can. Often the online personal shoppers who offer to consult with clients over Skype or in person offer additional services such as closet cleanouts and complete wardrobe makeovers.
Even better, these personal stylists can shop for you and bring looks directly into your living room so you can try them out immediately - no waiting for them to arrive through the mail and no having to return anything you don't like. The convenience of this type of personal shopper truly combines the best of the online and offline worlds.
