How Much Can You Make with a Personal Shopper Business?
The income potential of a personal shopper business can vary. It depends on factors like the number of clients, the services offered (in-person shopping, errands, gift buying, etc.), the pricing structure, and the geographic location. That said, the average shopper earns $15.46 per hour for their time.
How Much Can You Make as a Mystery Shopper?
The income range for mystery shoppers can vary greatly depending on various factors. The average payment is $15.41 an hour, though it can range from as little as $7,25 to $55.38, depending on the types of assignments, the complexity of tasks, reimbursements for expenses, and the company they work for.
Becoming a Personal Shopper
As a personal shopper, you can turn your passion for shopping into a lucrative career. But personal shopping goes beyond just fashion - it includes groceries, electronics, and more. As a personal shopper, you become the expert in shopping on behalf of your clients. While most people associate personal shoppers with fashion, this profession extends to various other products and services. Whether it's finding the perfect outfit or selecting the freshest produce, personal shoppers provide the convenience and expertise busy individuals crave.
To become a personal shopper, you can choose whether to work as a freelancer and build your own client base, or join a platform to connect you with clients faster.
1. Shipt
Shipt is a delivery service owned by Target, which employs personal shoppers to buy and deliver groceries for their members. As long as you fulfill the requirements of being over 18 years old, own a driver’s license, and a reliable vehicle, you could earn between $20 to $30 per hour being a personal shopper with Shipt.
| Pros | Cons |
| Flexible working schedule | Inconsistent jobs |
| Decent hourly wage | No instant payout |
| Unable to see the size of an order in advance |
2. Amazon Prime Personal Shopper
Becoming a personal shopper at Amazon Prime means you are responsible for purchasing Amazon customers’ orders, and delivering them within a short window. Typically the window would be 2 hours due to the fast-paced environment of Amazon, but you do have the flexibility to choose your own working hours. In addition, Amazon suggests that you can earn an average of $15 to $17 per hour, which is a decent income.
| Pros | Cons |
| Flexible working hours | Fast-moving work environment |
| No interview required | Limited jobs available |
3. Instacart
Instacart is a grocery delivery company that offers roles for personal shoppers to become either full-service shoppers or in-store shoppers. Full-service shoppers will require a car and work independently, choosing their schedule, and delivering products to be paid weekly. On the other hand, in-store shoppers don’t need a car and are employed part-time by Instacart, with some flex on their working hours.
| Pros | Cons |
| Keep 100% of tips | Lower earning potential at an average of $7 to $10 per hour |
| Customizable work schedule | The app is based on ratings, which may affect your chances for future jobs |
4. UberEats
UberEats’ ‘Shop & Pay’ feature allows you to become a personal shopper and make some money by shopping and paying for your customers in-store. To get started, all you need to do is sign up for a ‘Plus Card’, and then you can begin picking up personal shopping jobs in the UberEats app. Plus, unlike some other platforms, you can use any mode of transportation you want to deliver the products.
| Pros | Cons |
| Simple signup process | Inconsistent jobs |
| Mobile app to help you shop | Doesn’t show how many items are in an order before you start |
Work As A Mystery Shopper
Mystery shopping is a market research technique where individuals, known as mystery shoppers, are hired to evaluate the quality of products, services, or customer experiences. This approach helps businesses gather unbiased feedback and make improvements to serve their customers better.
Mystery shopping involves mystery shoppers posing as regular customers to assess various aspects of a business, such as customer service, cleanliness, product knowledge, and adherence to policies. By carefully observing and evaluating their experiences, mystery shoppers provide valuable insights that help businesses enhance their operations and maintain high standards.
Mystery shopping presents a unique opportunity to earn income while enjoying shopping or dining experiences. Companies typically pay mystery shoppers for their time, effort, and valuable feedback. If you want to become a mystery shopper, you will need to do the following:
- Start by researching reputable mystery shopping companies in your area.
- Submit applications to those you find trustworthy and reliable. If accepted, you may be required to complete training and assessments to enhance your skills and understanding of the role.
- Once ready, you can access available mystery shopping assignments.
One of the major benefits of becoming a mystery shopper is the flexibility it offers. You can choose assignments that fit your schedule and preferences, making it an ideal side hustle or part-time job. In addition to earning money, you may have the opportunity to enjoy free products, services, or even meals as part of your mystery shopping experiences. This adds an extra perk to the role while allowing you to try new things.
1. Secret Shopper
Secret Shopper is a popular mystery shopping platform, which allows you to join for free and start signing up for jobs. Depending on the size of the shopping task, you will be paid upwards of $15 for smaller tasks, reaching hundreds of dollars for larger tasks. Once you’ve completed your shopping, you will be asked to upload proof like receipts online before receiving your payment.
| Pros | Cons |
| No experience required | Payment once a month |
| No fees | Earnings can be irregular |
2. Intellishop
Shopper hub Intellishop welcomes insightful and dedicated personal shoppers to their platform to help improve the shopping experience for the public. Signing up requires you to take a 5-minute screening test to ensure you are a quality candidate. After that, Intellishop will start sharing personal shopping jobs with you via email, which you can take and write a report on before getting paid.
| Pros | Cons |
| Convenient PayPal payments | Paid once monthly |
| You choose when you work | The first payment is 30 days after your first trip |
3. Pinnacle
At Pinnacle, typical pay ranges between $4 to $75 for mystery shopping tasks promoted by the platform. Like other sites, signup is free and straightforward, and once you’re accepted, Pinnacle will add new jobs to your Dashboard daily so you can easily seek out new earning opportunities. After a job is finished, you’re simply asked to fill out a 20-minute survey in response.
| Pros | Cons |
| Daily shopping opportunities | Not guaranteed to receive jobs you apply for |
| Direct PayPal payments | Once-a-month payment |
Get Paid to Shop for Yourself with Cashback Platforms
1. DollarSprout Rewards
DollarSprout is a browser extension-based cashback reward platform that allows users to discover cashback deals at over 15,000 retailers.
| Pros | Cons |
| Automatic coupon finder | No mobile app |
| Convenient PayPal payment | Withdrawing earnings are limited to once a month |
| A low minimum threshold of $5 | Requires frequent use to be worthwhile |
2. Capital One Shopping
Capital One Shopping is a well-known cashback rewards platform available as a mobile app and a browser extension. It offers users the opportunity to earn cashback by shopping at over 30,000 supported retailers through the platform.
| Pros | Cons |
| Automatically applies discounts online | Limited cashout options (gift cards or future Capital One purchases only) |
| Exclusive deals | Redeeming rewards is complex |
3. Rakuten
Rakuten is probably the largest cashback platform, supporting thousands of stores and continuously adding more. Rakuten also supports mobile app for iOS and Android, as well as a browser extension, allowing its members to effortlessly earn cashback by shopping through this platform.
| Pros | Cons |
| Mobile app | Only payouts out every 3 months |
| $10 welcome bonus | Certain items aren’t eligible for cashback |
| Additional discount features like promo codes, sales alerts, and daily deals | Can take a long time to receive payment |
4. Shopkick
Shopkick, unlike the previously mentioned platforms, supports in-store purchases, allowing members to earn money shopping at stores. With Shopkick, you can earn points, or "kicks," simply by walking into stores, scanning products, and making purchases. These kicks can then be exchanged for gift cards to your favorite retailers, making your shopping experience even more rewarding.
| Pros | Cons |
| A variety of ways to earn rewards including deals, discounts, and personalized offers | Low reward rates and limited eligible products |
| $5 signup bonus | No browser extension |
5. Ibotta
Ibotta is more than just a cashback reward platform for in-store and online shopping. It goes beyond that by offering cashback on various services like booking accommodation at selected hotels and renting a car. With Ibotta, you can enjoy cashback of up to 30% on your purchases.
| Pros | Cons |
| Mobile app and browser extension | Asks for proof of receipts from shopping in-store |
| A vast range of eligible retailers | A higher minimum threshold of $20 |
FAQ
Can I get paid to shop for someone?
Yes, you can get paid to shop for someone - either as a personal shopper or as a mystery shopper. In both roles, you can either freelance and secure your own jobs, or join various platforms that connect personal and mystery shoppers with potential clients on a full-time or part-time basis.
Which personal shopping platform is the most rewarding?
Shipt is the most rewarding personal shopper platform, claiming its members can earn as much as $20 to $30 personal shopping.
Which mystery shopping platform is the most rewarding?
Secret Shopper is the most rewarding mystery shopping platform, with smaller tasks compensated from $15, increasing to hundreds of dollars for larger tasks.
