Retail Therapy

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© Copyright 2003 Nat West. All rights reserved.

Private Banking Magazine - Autumn, 2003

Retail Therapy - Private Banking Magazine

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Forget the hassle of searching for clothes, never finding anything that feels right. p 62

Written By Antonia Swinson

Forget the hassle of searching for clothes, never finding anything that feels right. Antonia Swinson says the relaxing way to shop is to let somebody else do it for you.

In the US, personal shopping has long been established in the big stores, where it is viewed as a loyalty builder when retailing hits hard times. With nervy Americans currently preferring to shop locally, Bloomingdale's is using its personal-shopping team to lure out-of-town visitors, with free gifts if you spend more than $50. With the arrival of the internet, there is also an increasing presence of independent personal shoppers.

In Boston [and New York], Samantha von Sperling runs Polished Social Image Consultants (www.socialimage.net), which also offers international business etiquette and presentation advice, too.

"I have about 50 regular clients, with many more who ask me for one-off help," she says. "In-store personal shoppers only sell you what is in that one store, but I have a huge range of outlets to choose the best from across the States."

Von Sperling charges $150-$300 an hour and many clients are busy professionals who ask her to buy gifts for holidays, graduations, weddings and other things. "They give me some idea of what to spend and then trust me," she says. "But it is also very satisfying to work with older people who maybe have inherited money, or want a change. I help them with new hair, wardrobe, nails, a new social calendar, and help them create a new image for that new life.

"I recently worked with a blind senior executive who was preparing for an interview for a new job. I chose his outfit for him, worked on his general appearance and turned up on the day of the interview to do his tie. He got the job. Personal shopping is the ultimate ego boost."

This Story ran in NatWest Private Banking Magazine, page 62, Autumn, 2003.

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© Copyright 2003 Nat West. All rights reserved.