\nFormerly reserved for a confidential clientele, the practice of “personal
\nshopping” is becoming widespread. In a context where the act of shopping in
\na boutique is becoming a signposted route, between the distributor of
\nhydroalcoholic gel and adhesive tape, brands have responded with a
\npersonalised approach to shopping. To help consumers find their way back to
\ntheir shops, more and more ready-to-wear brands are opting for private
\nin-store appointments.<\/p>\n
\nAnnounced as a “unique experience”, the Roseanna brand offers its female
\ncustomers “an hour of private shopping for [her] and 4 of [her] friends”,
\nin her Parisian and Lyonnais boutiques, she announced in a press release .
\nShe did not fail to reassure her client by specifying that “all health
\nprecautions have been taken in order to welcome [him] with confidence”. In
\naddition, the brand differentiates this “private shopping” offer from real
\n“personal shopping” which, for its part, consists of an interview with an
\nexpert via telephone or video.<\/p>\n
\nSimilarly, the Kaporal denim brand announced on May 19 the launch of a new
\nfree customer service called “Instant VIP” which accompanies the resumption
\nof its “physical” activity in its network of branches. The brand adapted
\nits offer by adapting it according to the needs of its customers: “instant
\nVIP shopping” to come with the family and privatize one of the shops for
\n30-45 minutes, “instant VIP solo” to come alone and benefit from ”
\npersonalized style coaching, “instant VIP shopping” to pick up a package or
\nmake a return.\n<\/p>\n
\nNot much differentiates these approaches from that of a so-called classic
\npersonal shopping as we can see in department stores such as Le Bon Marché,
\nexcept that the products purchased are not luxury and that the
\nprivatization of the premises begins with the constraint of the sanitary
\nmeasures imposed by the authorities. In addition “customers who normally
\nbenefit from the personal shopper service often belong to the wealthy or
\neven wealthy classes”, says Isabelle Dubern in the book Personal Shopper:
\nthe luxury advisor(2009). This vision of “personal shopping” has however
\nbeen overturned in recent years, by the initiatives of the big fast fashion
\nbrands, such as H&M, which also offer a “personal stylist” service. On the
\nother hand, pure-players have also been there and have adapted the offer to
\nthe web. Amazon, in particular, launched in 2019 “Personal Shopper by Prime
\nWardrobe”, a service offering Prime subscribers the opportunity to choose
\ntheir clothes every month.<\/p>\n
\nThe practice adapted to brands outside of luxury is therefore far from new.
\nHowever, its implementation deserves to be emphasized as it responds with
\naccuracy to the crisis situation of the covid-19 and draws, in part, the
\ncontours of the shopping of tomorrow.\n<\/p>\n
\nIn its study titled Future consumer 2022, the trend agency WGSN lists four
\ntrends that will guide consumer behaviour in the future. Among them, those
\nof fear and of a desynchronized society in which people continue the things
\nthey have been doing until now, but no longer in a synchronized way. The
\npractice of “personal shopping” responds to these two impressions, on the
\none hand by ensuring the customer’s safety, and on the other hand by
\nadapting to his new schedules by scheduling an appointment.<\/p>\n
\nBecause these personalized shopping moments are most often accompanied by a
\nprivatization of the shop, they provide a feeling of calm and serenity.
\nThis is what customers are now looking for, according to WGSN. The trend
\nagency illustrates its point with the example of the Spanish supermarket
\nchain Consum, which in 2019 unveiled a new store that is conducive to calm:
\nspecial flooring that reduces noise, illuminated signs on the ceiling
\nreplaced by illuminated displays on the floor and a lowered shelf height to
\navoid overwhelming shoppers.<\/p>\n
\nIn addition, “personal shopping” goes against a certain passivity on the
\npart of the customer. Making an appointment is already a form of
\ncommitment. Just as the livestream technology used by brands attracts an
\nactive consumer looking for advice and human interaction, personal shopping
\nshould appeal to an activist consumer, dubbed by WGSN “Optimist”.<\/p>\n
This article was originally published on FashionUnited.FR,
\ntranslated and edited.<\/p>\n
\nPhoto: Vestiaire Collective<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Formerly reserved for a confidential clientele, the practice of “personal shopping” is becoming widespread. In a context where the act of shopping in a boutique is becoming a signposted route, between the distributor of hydroalcoholic gel and adhesive tape, brands have responded with a personalised approach to shopping. To help consumers find their way back … <\/p>\n