Personal shopper and tip?

groovygrl · June 2013

I used the Nordstrom personal shopper which is a free service but I bought quite a bit. I assume she gets commission and I was really happy w it and will definitely use her again in the future but it dawned on me that maybe there is a tip expectation???

aglenn · June 2013

I have no idea, but I would love to hear more about your experience! I have been thinking about doing it. I desperately need new clothes and I have no time to shop for myself.

groovygrl · June 2013

aglenn:
I have no idea, but I would love to hear more about your experience! I have been thinking about doing it. I desperately need new clothes and I have no time to shop for myself.

Well, let me say that I am very short and also have very very little fashion sense. I normally dress pretty boring and have found myself falling into outdated and 'mom' clothes... I took a new role at work in January and really wanted to start feeling good about myself for a number of reasons (40 around the corner being one of them plus the new job and just feeling frumpy)... my biggest hesitation was that she was going to bring me a ton of designer really expensive stuff and while I was willing to spend some $, I was not willing to spend $400 on one outfit before shoes & accessories LOL.

SO- they emailed & asked questions- sizes, brands you normally wear, color preferences, type of clothes you're hoping for, how many outfits you think you'd like to leave with, etc. I was able to set up an appt pretty quickly but I imagine it depends on the demand where you are.

My stylist was great, she had a bunch of things ready for me and we tried some on, got feedback, figured out fits, likes/dislikes etc and then she would leave & come back w/ other stuff, etc. Really easygoing, I would joke around a lot, id not feel uncomfortable changing & commenting & she offered totally honest opinions. She offered to walk around together & look at things also but I really just wanted her new ideas and expertise so I declined. I threw out a couple suggestions & she went looking for new stuff. She had shoes, accessories & clothes for me and I was very happily surprised at the prices- a few things I was on the fence about I said no to once I saw the price tag, and I got a few things I really liked that were more than I might normally have spent on something but since the other items were not exorbitant compared to the places I normally shop, I decided to go for it.

I assume they use the brands you normally wear to gauge prices and styles you might be looking for b/c she brought in nothing that was a high end designer or totally over the top in my opinion (the stores/brands I listed were Ann Taylor, White House Black Market and some BCBG).

I ended up with a skirt, a pair of jeans, a jean jacket (which I love and would never have picked out myself), 2 casual shirts, 2 camis, 2 dressier shirts, a necklace & a scarf. I might be missing something but that is the overview. Also since I'm short I had to have the jeans altered & it was nice to just have her go grab the seamstress, she came & measured, no hassle, etc.

Last bonus is that now there is a relationship and they will call you when there are big sales or early access to things, plus if I go back for fall/winter she'll know my fit/style better & hopefully be even better at picking stuff out.

So obviously I enjoyed it sorry for how long this wasy! I like that it is no risk, no cost/minimum, etc. She pressured me in no way to buy anything or how much to buy. Definitely good if you need a wardrobe overhaul or even just a couple new things each season.

But this tip thing is stressing me. I can't imagine you should tip someone who is earning commission but I guess I don't know 100% that she is earning commission...???

Nechie122 · June 2013

Sounds fun! Yes, they work on commission and no, you're not expected to tip.

thedash · June 2013

You've made me consider trying it after this baby. I have a relative who uses the service but she spends significantly more than I do on clothes Armani suits, etc so I was worried about cost.

groovygrl · June 2013

thedash:
You've made me consider trying it after this baby. I have a relative who uses the service but she spends significantly more than I do on clothes Armani suits, etc so I was worried about cost.

Yes totally- I was shocked to buy 2 casual type shirts that were like $28 each and an $18 scarf... The jeans & jean jacket were over $100 but they were the most expensive things I got.

LittleFish1 · June 2013

You could write a nice thank you note and also contact the store manager with a complimentary note.

RosyGlow · June 2013

Nechie122:
Sounds fun! Yes, they work on commission and no, you're not expected to tip.

This. I used to work there and the personal shopper earns a commission and builds a relationship. I do not believe that they can accept tips. I agree with PP...you could send a nice note...especially If you directed the thank you at the store manager would be a great gift for you to give.

cedenton · June 2013

This sounds fun! Good to hear that you didn't have to spend a crazy amount of money. Maybe I'll try it someday if I ever have some $ laying around. (never. lol)

AZ123 · June 2013

I would not have tipped. It is a service offered by them and the associate gets a commission. I do like the idea of the thank you note.

I've always wanted to do that. I know of people that have just gone to the personal shopper for one outfit like for a wedding and then another friend went, spent $600 but got like 5 different interchangable outfits. The associate helped her pick pieces for her lifestyle and then helped her change tops with bottoms to create a new look out of the lot she bought.

Girl031813 · June 2013

That sounds like a great service! I had no idea they offered something like that and I am going to try it out!

groovygrl · June 2013

AZ123:
I would not have tipped. It is a service offered by them and the associate gets a commission. I do like the idea of the thank you note.
I've always wanted to do that. I know of people that have just gone to the personal shopper for one outfit like for a wedding and then another friend went, spent $600 but got like 5 different interchangable outfits. The associate helped her pick pieces for her lifestyle and then helped her change tops with bottoms to create a new look out of the lot she bought.

very true, i was very specific that I didn't want pieces that could only be worn w one item in my closet bc of the style or color, etc...she didnt bring me anything like that or that I couldn't figure out a way to mix and match.

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