An Insight into Luxury Personal Shopping: Article

So I guess that was like the first initial step into thinking, oh, I actually really enjoy doing this. And then I went into fashion journalism, and I was reporting from the front row of fashion week and I was interviewing celebrities and artists and designers and stuff like that. And I really, really loved that side of it when it was events. And it was very kind of hands-on you’re in the moment interactive. But then when I went to an office job and I was just writing about fashion, I was working for an online newspaper. It kind of got repetitive very quickly, and I’ve really missed that kind of hustle and bustle, I guess, of the fashion industry and how fast paced it was.

And there’s nothing wrong with having a desk job. It was a great experience. It taught me to, you know, write very quickly because I was sat in a news team. I wasn’t, you know, at home in my own time doing my own thing. I had to be very focused. And that was a really great skill to learn in itself.

Just being able to compartmentalize, focus on the task at hand, look at what you’re doing and get it done as quickly and as efficiently as possible. And especially because when you’re working with anything online, everything is so fast paced as it is. The internet is always changing. New things, always coming in.

So it’s really good to have that understanding of time and your own productivity and how you can maximize your results. 

Muaz

So all of these aspects ended up helping you out?

Ashlee

Yeah, definitely. 

Muaz

On a very basic level. How would you describe what a personal shopper is and what a personal shopper does? 

Ashlee

Ooh, that’s a very good question. I would say on a surface level, a personal shopper is the middleman between the client and the product. So it could be the person doesn’t have time to go physically shopping. It might be that they just enjoy having someone who’s knowledgeable about the industry kind of guiding them, or, you know, every client is very different and I think that’s the other thing that you have to understand is there’s no formula to be the perfect personal shopper. You kind of, you will have your own style and way of working. And some clients will really be drawn to that and love it. And some clients might want maybe more of a business transaction and a more kind of functional approach versus like a friendly, you know, we’re close kind of interaction.

So I think. If you can find the right niche for clients that you’re after, or you know, who you want to attract to your business. I think that’s a really good thing to keep in mind, but yeah, like I said, essentially, your job is to get what the client wants, in the simplest terms. So a client may have no idea what they want, or they might have something very, very specific.

Like I want this item in this size, in this colour. Go get it. Because they don’t have the time. And you know, some, someone else might be like, Oh, I’ve got a wedding coming up and I need to see dresses in this size, kind of medium length. And then it’s your job to understand their personal tastes based on stuff that they’ve bought previously, you know, looking at their shopping history and thinking, okay, they’ve really into, I don’t know, florals. And they don’t like stripes or they love polka dots, but they hate, you know, and you build all that. So you know that their tastes are going to be reflected in the pieces that you’re picking up. There’s no point in you spending ages, looking around and picking up a bunch of stuff and they’re not going to like it.

So I think it’s just about knowing your customer and who you’re dealing with is the best way to be. Yeah, definitely. 

Muaz

That’s really interesting. So, so basically a request comes in and it can have varying degrees of complexity and you have a profile that’s already built up and that plus the relationship that you already have with this individual builds up the kind of products you would end up advising them to purchase. 

Ashlee

I, yeah. I mean, sometimes say for example, there’s a designer that they really particularly love and they’ve just dropped an exclusive collection or, you know, they are available to pre-order or there’s something new that’s coming in that you think, Ooh, My client would really like that.

Then some clients would love to hear that they want the exclusivity. They want, you know, the insider information and news about what’s coming up so they can stay on trend or, you know, be ahead of their friends or show off or whatever it is. Whereas some clients, they will just want what they have asked for.

So, like I said, if they send you something that’s very specific, they know exactly the size, the colour, the brand, what, what they want. And that’s fine. So there’s no one way of working with a client. 

Muaz

What is a common myth with regards to what a personal shopper is? 

Ashlee

Definitely. I think that comes with every area of fashion.

I think the overarching one… of the fashion industry is number one, that it pays really well. It doesn’t, it’s not, it’s not a profitable industry to go into. It’s one that you do because you love fashion. You love clothing, you love, you know, tailoring or patterns or whatever it is. You have to have a keen interest in it.

Otherwise there’s just nothing that’s driving you. You have to love it. So the first that’s the first one. If you’re thinking, Oh, it’s a really quick way to make money. It’s not, it’s a slow burning career and, you know, some people can Excel very quickly and some people, it will take them years to build up a good portfolio.

So there’s no get rich quick scheme for it. The second one I would say is that obviously it’s super glamorous and you’re mingling with celebrities and you’re going to parties and it’s, you know, you’re given free stuff and all that kind of stuff. And it seems like a lot of fun. And not a lot of work and that’s definitely not the case.

It’s not very, very glamorous. I’m normally a bit of a sweaty mess. I’m going to be honest with you. I think because you’re not shopping leisurely, that’s, that’s the key thing that you have to keep in mind. You’re not just going for a little wander around the shops and having a look at what’s new and seeing if there’s something that someone might like. You’re there because a client is after a certain thing and they will have an appointment with you to come and pick up the items or try them on and you have to be prepared.

You can’t be like, Oh, well, I didn’t see anything in the shops. So I’ll go again tomorrow. You have to have whatever they’ve. Requested. And if they’re coming in two hours, you have to make sure that you have everything that they’ve asked for in two hours. So yeah, it’s not glamorous in the sense that you can wear six inch stilettos all day and just kind of potter around doing your own thing at your own pace.

You have to be on a mission and very focused. And in terms of it being glamorous is, you’re not buying for yourself. So all of these luxury items that you’re wandering around with. Yeah. Okay. You might look like they’re all for you because you’re carrying all these shopping bags, but at the end of the day, this is purely for the client.

So again, it comes down to that. Stop putting yourself in the position of, Oh, this is so much fun. You’ve got to think of it as a job. So I guess that’s kind of a misconception is that, Oh, you just go and walk around shops all day. No, I’m actually kind of focusing on tasks. And I think people don’t see it as tasks.

They see it as fun. Leisurely doing whatever you want to do. I think another misconception is that there’s not a lot to it in the sense that you just go to the shop, you buy the item and that’s it. And I suppose if you were a freelancer and you weren’t attached to a particular store, then that would be it.

You could probably do it that way. However, um, where I work for a luxury department store, there are so many levels. It’s not a case of just picking an item up and just giving it to the customer. I like there are so many procedures and check-ins, and making sure that the item is safe. It’s not damaged. That it’s been accounted for.

Because if I just walked up and just took it and gave it to someone, then I would be stealing that item, even though the customer’s paying for it, there has to be so many levels of who the item goes through for approval. Make sure it’s all security checked. And then the final bit will be when the customer actually pays. I can then gift wrap the item and then hand it to them. So it’s. There’s a lot of hoops to jump through before the client actually has the product. But the whole point of your job, I guess, is to make it seem simple, easy, effortless for them as if it were them literally going to pick it up from the store.

Muaz

Just by magic…

Ashlee

Yeah, I guess so, because, you know, if you yourself go into a shop, you go to the shop, you pick up the item, you pay for it. That’s it done. When you’re going through someone else and particularly working in a department store where there are different teams and there’s different retailers and concessions and stuff.

There’s a lot more process behind the items. And obviously when you’re dealing with luxury goods, for example, watches, jewellery, Even handbags and accessories of some kind, particularly shoes as well. It’s not a case of, they just want to give you the item. You know, no one is just going to give you a 30,000 pound watch willy-nilly and go, yeah, sure, have this, you know, you have to check them out, you have to sign for them. There’s a lot of security involved. And if, obviously, if you, the shopper lose the item, then you know, it’s all gonna come down to you. So I think that’s definitely a misconception as it’s just picking up an item and giving it to someone. And it’s definitely not. You have, there are certain aspects of paperwork involved, especially if you’re dispatching an item to another country or you’re sending something internationally, you have to deal with all the, you know, the customs and all that kind of thing. So it’s not a case of just you know one, two, three, done… that’s all 

Muaz

So all of that comes down to you as well? Just coordinating all of these things as well? 

Ashlee

Yeah. So that’s my job as a coordinator is to make sure that, you know, all of that procedure is done. And especially if you’re working with another shopper. So the shopper may give you a request as the coordinator, you will go and get the item, give it to the shopper, to give to the client again, it’s just another level of working. So the coordinator is there to assist in every part of the process wherever possible. So for example, if there’s an appointment, you might set up all the items, make sure that they’re all displayed lovely. And I guess that’s where a good styling eye comes in because obviously you want the goods to be appealing when the client walks in.

You don’t want to walk into a messy room and just go, Oh, they’re all on a rack. Just go help yourself. You know, it needs to look well, laid out and presented, but yeah, I think with luxury goods, It’s like a whole other level of working because you have to meet the brand standards as well as your own. It’s not just, you know, doing whatever you want, you know, if you’re borrowing from certain brands or, you know, that, cause that’s the other thing as well, the customer might not buy it. So it’s not a guaranteed sale. Hence why they can’t just give it to you. You have to loan it out and everything. So, yeah, there’s a, there’s a lot of different things that go on behind the scenes that the customer will have no idea about, especially if it’s a suspended transaction and they’re not paying for it right away, and they want to pay for it when they come, some people will pay for it in advance.

You know, there’s so many different variations of clients and variables that go into a purchase that it’s just a minefield sometimes. Especially when you’ve got a lot going on and there’s lots of items and, you know, some things can be wrapped and some things are being dispatched and you know, there’s a lot going on.

So having a good multitasking skill behind you is a good idea. 

Muaz

Wow. I don’t think a lot of people realize this. It’s just it’s it sounds like quite a daunting task to get all of these lined up in an efficient way. 

Ashlee

Yeah, you have to be a really good team player because if you’re not reliable and you’re someone that’s gonna not hand things back on time…

So for example, if a customer didn’t buy an item and it has to be returned, you know, you’ve got to make sure it goes back to the store in the exact way it came. It can’t, you know, have marks or ripped, you know, beads missing, whatever it is. So there’s a lot of responsibility with holding these items because they are of incredibly high value.

And obviously to the brands, they’re very important. The customer might not want them, but the brands will definitely want them back. So yeah, you have, you have to be very sensible and reliable and I think you need to be able to be depended on. So if someone asks something of you, you need to be able to say, yes, I can do that. And know your limits as well. Don’t accept something if you know that you can’t do it because then it just makes a, you look bad. But also the shopper that you’re helping, because they’ll be like, well, I trusted you to do this job. And you know, I’d rather, you’ve been honest and say, Oh, I’m a bit busy right now. I’m doing some other things. Or, you know, it’s better to say no than say yes and do it wrong. 

Muaz

That is actually an interesting point there, because I guess it also depends on breadth of your knowledge, because if you’re… and that I guess comes back to what you’re saying close to the beginning where the breadth of your knowledge was built up over time. And that allows you to help people in a multitude of different ways. And, I guess if you come in with a specialist skill, you might end up saying no pretty, pretty often, which would probably stunt your career as a shopper. 

Ashlee

Yeah. I mean, like my area of journalism and stuff was very focused on celebrities and, you know, star culture and that kind of fashion.

So I was very used to seeing things that were popular and things that people wanted and having that eye for, you know, that certain designer does this kind of thing and that certain designer does that kind of thing. And I think if you work for one brand and one brand only. You’ll get great experience for that brand, but it might not be a transferable skill because every brand operates very differently.

And they’ll have their own way of doing things. So I think it’s best to just, try and understand the industry as a structure and as a whole, in terms of who does what, what goes where and why it’s so important, because like you said, there’s so many misconceptions, there’s so many things that people don’t think of. And those are the things that are really important when you’re a shopper, you need to know the right sales assistants, the right managers, who to go to for these items. Because you know, some brands will have perfumes and makeup, for example, and they’re not connected to their fashion products at all. They’re separate, even though they come under the same brand, it’s not the same people that are dealing with lipsticks that are dealing with shirts. So, you know, you have to know the right people to be like, right. Okay. I need to go to this person for shoes. I need to go to this person for perfume. I need to go.

That’s a very key part of the job is knowing the right stores and sales assistants. And who’s going to be helpful to you. Because you’re there to help each other. Obviously the brand wants to make money and make sales, but you also want to do the same. So it’s about developing a very strong relationship with the sales assistants and being really friendly, really welcoming, very trusting.

You know, no one wants to give a really expensive item to someone who’s not very respectful or isn’t polite, for example. So I think. A really good skill to develop as early as you possibly can is networking. And that goes for any industry, any fashion industry job, you will need to be able to network, meet with strangers, talk to people.

You can’t be shy and not want to say hello, or just go up to someone and start talking to them because that’s what you’re doing every day, you’re going into a shop and saying, excuse me, can you check your stock for this item? If you’re someone that’s really nervous. And you don’t like approaching people, probably not a wise industry to go into, unless you’re perhaps a designer or someone who’s into passive cutting or more of the making behind the scenes, but anything else, journalism, PR marketing, you know, even sales, you have to be a good communicator.

Muaz

It just sounds like there’s a lot of stuff that not only that you need to know, but you need to constantly be learning. 

Ashlee

Of course, it’s not an industry where you can think, Oh, I’ve learned everything. I’m just going to, you know, stop. You’re always expanding. You’re always expanding your knowledge because the industry is always changing.

You know, there’s new seasons coming out. There’s new designs, there’s new designers, you know, more brands are expanding. So it’s not a case of. Oh, well, I know Chanel. I know Gucci. I know Givenchi. I know Ralph Lauren, I think I’m done. That’s not the case at all. And especially because a lot of these bigger brands, they’ve got lots of different lines. They’ve got different diffusion brands. Um, so, you know, like I said, having knowledge in one brand is great, if you want to work specifically with that brand, if you wanted to do in-house PR and in-house marketing, then that’s fine. But if you wanted to be someone who’s got more of a breadth of knowledge, then you have to constantly be revamping everything that you know, and refreshing yourself, reading, writing, like everything. So important 

Muaz

So, are there particular resources that you use?  

Ashlee

I mean, there’s lots of industry led, uh, publications and websites and things like that, that, you know, the industry uses on a daily basis, but even simple things like connecting to all the brands on Twitter and following them for their kind of daily updates and Instagram and social media.

That’s probably the quickest way to get the news because they will put it on social media as soon as the public can know. So being really social media savvy is very, very useful. And it’s a really good way of just kind of almost treating Twitter like a news feed of just fashion or whatever your specialist subject is.

That’s a really good way of getting all of the relevant articles through. General Googling, just understanding, learning about the brand, its history. That’s a really good way to understand how a brand operates and how they like to be seen and how they like to be represented is understanding the history of why the brand started, where it’s going, that kind of thing.

And again, going out to events and talking to other people and networking, like I said, I feel like you’re going to learn so much from other people versus if you just got a book and start reading in your room. You have to be in, in the industry, moving around, even if, you know, fake it till you make it kind of thing, go to as many things as you possibly can. Art galleries, openings to new places. And it’s not just even fashion. It’s everything, politics, economics, you know, new laws that are changing. They’re all going to affect the fashion industry. Everything has a knock on effect. So don’t just read about designers and think. Oh, I I’ve learned all my fashion knowledge because there’ll be something that comes in that’s to do with, you know, a new, new arrangement for Brexit or something that might have a really serious knock on effect for your fashion house or, you know, who you’re dealing with due to shipping or, you know, especially with COVID and all that. That’s been a huge thing. So understanding the world around you is super important and not being so blindsided by just thinking fashion, fashion, fashion, fashion, you know, think of everything else that encompasses it. 

Muaz

If you were to jump back like six years, 10 years when you were first starting in the industry. I think particular things that stick out at you that you’d say, okay, I need to focus on this particular thing or these particular things that would give you a step up from where you think that, you know, like based on, based on knowledge you had at the time compared to knowledge that you have right now. Cause I, I know personally. There are so many things that I’ve learned in the last few years that if I had just known, when I started out, I probably would have done things in a different way. I’d probably still end up doing what I did, but I would have done it in a more nuanced and a more efficient way.

Ashlee

Yeah, definitely. I think that’s just life isn’t it. I don’t think you can ever feel like you, you know, everything and then you’ll look back and think, Oh, if only I had done that, um, I would say the main one that I was told a lot that I don’t think I realized until much later on is the industry is small.

It sounds really crazy. There are so many people involved. Like even when you just think of the making of a product, you know, there’s the designers, there’s the cutters, there’s the, you know, everyone’s involved in some different aspect from, you know, making it a lovely sketch to then transfer that onto the computer and then taking that and putting it into a sample and then going from that and making it into the actual product, there’s so much involved and you think, Oh my gosh, well, you know, there’s all these fabrics sources and fabric designers.

And that it’s all like a huge web, but actually when you’re in it, everybody knows everyone. But because everyone knows everyone, networking should be really, really easy. And you should be able to make contacts quickly, but it’s not just about making the contact. It’s about sustaining the contacts, you know, regular check-ins just to see how someone’s doing because, you know, in fashion, the jobs changed very quickly.

You know, one year someone could be working somewhere and then, you know, six months later they’re working in a completely different place. So it’s, it’s all about, having those connections is great, but maintaining them, that is the key piece of advice that I would say to my younger self is yes, it’s great that you’re meeting all of these people, but are you going to still be as good on terms with them and talking to them as regularly in two years?

And if not, you need to make sure that you are keeping those contacts, you know, in the palm of your hand, you can’t be like, Oh, I met them once like three years ago and expect them to remember you. You know, it’s, it doesn’t work like that. So I feel like if I could go back in time, I would really hammer that in because you kind of hear it and you’re like, yeah, yeah, yeah whatever. You listen to all this advice, then you think, Oh, you know, I, I know what’s best and you don’t honestly, there’s a reason that people give these cliche sounding advice. And it’s because it’s true. It’s because it’s facts. It’s just how the world works. So yeah, that would probably be my biggest one is maintain your contacts.

Muaz

Yeah, and I think another important thing about maintaining contacts is that it is good to talk to other people, because interestingly, I was talking to a buyer a couple of weeks ago and they actually said they didn’t, when they were starting out, they didn’t realize how stressful it is to work in this industry.

So they started realizing that it is normal for things to be relatively intense once their network started increasing and they started being able to talk openly with other people in the industry. So it is important to, that is another good part of having a strong network of people that you’re constantly checking in with because you know, it helps you have an even keel 

Ashlee

Stay on top of your game more than anything.

Yeah. And I think definitely from from my perspective, you know, like particularly when it comes to stores and concessions and knowing the brands really well and being like, Oh yeah, so and so from whoever the designer is or whatever, that they really cool, they, we get on, I can go and ask them, Oh, I’ve got a client who’s looking for this, you know, maybe something. If there’s only one left, you know, and you want them to prioritize giving you the last item over someone that’s going to walk into the store. So it’s really great if you have that kind of level of communication, where you go, Oh, can you just put this on hold for me? I’m going to be rushing down in 10 minutes and someone will go, yeah, no problem.

But aside from that is then they can help you. So say for example, they get something new in and they think, Oh, This shopper comes in here quite a lot. Maybe she’s got clients that will like this new collection and they can send you things and go, Oh, we’ve got this coming in. Do you want us to hold any of them? Or do you want us to put something aside? And you think, yeah, this is great. And it makes you look amazing to your clients, because you can say, Oh, I’ve got exclusive access to this new product that’s launching today. You can have it, you know, as soon as it arrives and someone would go, Oh my God. Yes. That sounds amazing.

So I think it’s great. If you can maintain it to the point where you’re both helping each other out, you know, you scratch my back, I scratch yours. They’ll send you new collections, new pictures, new prices, anything that’s relevant that they think, Oh, your client will like that. And again, it’s about filtering out what’s necessary.

You don’t want to bombard your client with every new thing that comes in because it’s just not relevant to them. It’s so overwhelming. They just want to know what they want and what they think they want. That’s it, they don’t want to be shown all these different options because it gets confusing. So, you know, I’ve got, I’ve got loads of lovely, lovely sales assistants who every day will send me pictures of new things that are coming in.

And I’m not going to respond to every single thing and say, Oh yeah, that’s great. Oh, blah, blah, blah. You know, I’ll just say, do you have that in this size? Or does that come in any other colors? If I think it’s relevant, so you have to have a good filter, I guess, to decide what is worth sharing and what’s not.

So I think that’s another key thing about maintaining a good relationship is they don’t bombard you and you don’t bombard them. You have that mutual respect as it were. To help each other out. 

Muaz

And I guess that comes back to the point that you were making earlier about just having your data accessible with regards to your client and understanding what they need as well.

Ashlee

Yeah, a hundred percent, you know, some clients aren’t interested in knowing everything and they just literally will come in for specific items or they might have, you know, almost like a standing order of things that they buy in terms of like beauty products or whatever. So there’ll be like, Oh, I’ve run out of face cream and you will know what face cream it is that they buy because you’ve bought it a million times before.

And then some people will want all of the latest, you know, bits and bobs and what’s new and shiny. And that that’s where it’s really, really key is to have that relationship with sales assistants. And particularly, like I said, if something is exclusive or it’s in a limited edition and it’s likely to sell out, you definitely want them to be on your side and give you the priority of the item.

So I think that that is one of the key things about being a personal shopper is you can’t say, Oh yeah, there’s this new exclusive item, but you can’t have it. You have to make sure that the client can have whatever they want. And if, and if it is sold out that, you know, track it down and find somewhere that has it, you know, you should never be saying no to your client.

You should always try and say yes, unless it’s, you know, something that’s either like a hand piece that’s made specifically for a celebrity or it’s couture, or, you know, it doesn’t exist anymore. It’s been discontinued. Then you have to kind of say, Oh, well, unfortunately that dress was custom made for this award show or whatever. So we can’t get hold of it, but I could get you something similar and then they might be like, yeah, that’s great. I want something similar. Or they might be like, no, I was only interested in that one piece. And that’s when you have to kind of have a bit of a disappointing conversation, but ideally you should be doing whatever it is to go and get it.

So don’t just think, Oh, they’re sold out here. They’re going to be sold out everywhere. That might not be a case. Go and look for it. Go and check, you know, make sure you’re in touch with the warehouse and say, look, you don’t have any in store are any more getting delivered. When’s the next batch coming in? When can I have this product?

Because ultimately that’s, that’s what the client is hiring you for, that’s why you’re there, you’re there to make their life easier. 

Muaz

The way you have to coordinate everything and the number of relationships that you need to maintain in parallel is something that I was not expecting to be honest. And that is something that I don’t think many other people realize as well, that, you know, you’re talking to an individual.

So your client is dealing with you, but you’re dealing with dozens of other processes and people in the background. And to them, they just magically get the product that they want. Maybe they have a few more conversations with you, but in the background you are doing all these other things just to make that possible.

And. And I knew some of that happened, but just the extent to which it happened, you know, is, is something that I was not familiar with and I didn’t, and I didn’t realize. I’ve worked with a number of buyers and when it comes to them, I’ve seen just the level of work that’s needed for them to actually get the job done.

But from a personal shopper point of view, I personally didn’t realize that just the scale of what you’re dealing with. And I guess it also depends on where you’re working as a personal shopper based on where you are working as a personal shopper, that probably 10-100 X’s just the scale of what you need to do and the amount of coordination that you need to do because of the kind of people that you’re dealing with, that kind of, they’re probably quite a few legal constraints in, in a lot of this as well. 

Ashlee

Oh a hundred percent, a hundred percent. I think that’s a really key difference is you have to, if you want to go into personal shopping, you have to understand what kind of shopper that you want to be. Do you want to work for a sourcing company? So there’s lots of online, personal shoppers that are literally there to source.

Hard to get items, um, things that are maybe special additions, et cetera, or you just send requests and say, Oh, I want this and they’ll deliver it to you. No problem. And it’s not a personal experience. It’s, it’s very transactional. There are some shoppers who are going to do all the high street stuff and will get all the things that they need. And, you know, they might take the person with them and go shopping. Cause that’s something that some clients like to be walked around the store and see what’s what’s around. But the way I work in luxury and I work with a team of people, you know, it’s so key to have that relationship, again, coming back to the whole relationship thing, you know, we’ve got amazing, amazing people in our team, especially the people that are dealing with all the transactions and, you know, the receipts and all the money side of it, the dispatch team, you know, everyone who’s taking note of all the stock, the returns what’s going in and out of the building, it’s so important and you have to get on with them because you know, let’s say you’re in a rush. And you need, you know, a client’s coming in five minutes to pick something up. If you’ve got a really good relationship with someone in your team, then they’ll be like, Oh, okay, I’ll quickly do this for you now and then I’ll go back to helping whoever I was before. So again, it’s about not being best friends with everyone because you don’t want to be fake and, you know, whatever, but just being like really honest and be like, look, I’m in a bit of a pickle. Can you help me out here? So that’s where you can aid your stress as it were by having that kind of… oh, please help me out here and I’ll help you later or whatever it is, you know, and not being afraid to get stuck in, you know, if they need help with wrapping items, it might not be for your client, but you’ve got to get those things, gift wrapped and, you know, looking lovely.

So yeah, definitely understanding what kind of shopper you want to be, because if you are in a department store or you work just for a particular store, In-house then you’re going to have a lot of like legal ramifications and lots of things that you have to do to follow protocol. Whereas if you’re a shopper where you’re going in and out of shops and you’re freelancing, you’re not going to have to deal with that because you are essentially the client, you’re the person buying the item. You’re then going to pass it onto someone else. So it depends on how, how you like working. But I definitely think that that is something to consider.

You can find Ashlee online at:

• Website: www.themodernwoman.co.uk
• Instagram: @b_arose
• Podcast: Paid in Exposure

You can listen to the whole interview podcast over on our podcast page or by clicking here at Being a Luxury Personal Shopper.