There's so much to do around the holidays and very little time to do it in. That's why retailers such as Barneys New York, Nordstrom, Macy's, Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue, FAO Schwarz and Bergdorf Goodman are looking to make life and buying a little easier for their well-heeled customers through the use of personal shoppers.
According to a BusinessWeek Online article, stores are expanding personal shopper services and doing so for free as affluent consumers spend big simply to avoid the hassle of hunting for the right holiday gift themselves.
Jose Parron, a style specialist for Barneys, said, "People go into panic mode around this time of the year -- I'm going to make it less stressful and help them give with style."
Bergdorf Goodman has gone several steps further than most by opening 15 new personal shopping rooms with dining facilities and a gift expert.
"We not only save you time, but make you feel like a queen for a day," said Elaine Mack, Bergdorf's head personal shopper.
Macy's web site tells visitors to, "Let us do the shopping!" The company touts its free personal-shopping service, saying it works to the budget and personal tastes of the consumer. The service includes individual appointments with a personal shopper, development of a personal profile of the consumer's gift and wardrobe preferences, fashion consultations, reminders of special occasions, advance notice of special events, invitations to shopping parties and custom gift-wrapping services.
Discussion Questions: Stores serving affluent, but not absurdly rich, consumers such as Macy's and FAO Schwarz offer personal shopper services at no charge. Do you see personal shopper services expanding to a wider group of consumers? Do you see opportunities for growth outside of the department store sector?