Personal Shopping in Anchorage: Plan and Hire

Match the shopper to your assignment

Describe the purchases you need and the decisions you want help making. For groceries, provide quantities, preferred brands, dietary requirements, and acceptable substitutions. For clothing, share measurements, fit preferences, the occasion, and photographs of pieces you want to match. For gifts, identify the recipient and budget per item.

Ask candidates to explain how they would handle an unavailable item or a purchase above your limit. Request references for similar work. For clothing, choose whether you will shop together, approve photographs before purchase, or review selections at home. Ask who will check fit and arrange returns under that approach.

Request a complete written quote

Ask the shopper to separate preparation, shopping, travel, delivery, and return handling in the quote. Confirm when paid time starts and stops, any minimum charge, and the cost of adding another store. Set a merchandise budget and a service budget so an extra purchase does not consume money you reserved for delivery.

Agree on who pays the retailer and how you will approve expenses. Ask the shopper to disclose retailer commissions or referral payments. Put cancellation, rescheduling, and over-budget approval terms in writing. For a recurring grocery assignment, specify whether each trip needs a new spending approval.

EasyPark publishes standard hourly rates of $2.25 for two-hour street meters and $1.75 for ten-hour street meters during applicable paid hours. Use the chart to discuss parking reimbursement, then ask the shopper to check restrictions at the chosen space. Agree whether you will reimburse actual parking expenses and pay for walking time between stores. [1]

Set purchase approvals and return responsibilities

Write a substitution rule before the trip. You might approve grocery substitutions within an item budget while requiring a photograph before a clothing or gift purchase. Tell the shopper what to do if they cannot reach you: skip the item, choose a named alternative, or wait for your response.

The Alaska Department of Law advises consumers to check exceptions to refund policies and guarantees. It notes that some stores limit guarantees to 30 days, decline buyer's remorse refunds, or provide store credit. Ask the shopper to confirm the retailer's return deadline and refund method before buying something you may return. [2]

Assign responsibility for original receipts, gift receipts, packaging, and tags. Ask who will complete a return and what that visit will cost. At handoff, compare purchases with your approvals and inspect clothing before removing tags. Record missing or damaged items while you and the shopper can review the order together.

Prepare grocery delivery and Quest-funded errands

Specify the delivery window, building entry instructions, and where you will receive chilled or frozen food. Ask how the shopper will transport those items and whether they intend to make other stops before delivery. Explain any carrying or access assistance you need, and agree on the handoff location.

Alaska Department of Health guidance describes exchanging Quest benefits for tokens at the Anchorage Farmers Market information booth for participating vendors. Before planning that errand, confirm the market's operating hours and whether it currently offers this process. Contact DPA about authorization before assigning benefit-funded purchases or token collection to a paid shopper. [3]

The Department of Health warns that scammers call or text asking for EBT card numbers and PINs, and says it will not request that information by phone or text. It lists the DPA Virtual Contact Center at 800-478-7778. Use that contact to ask about an approved assistance arrangement before sharing card or account access. [3]

Standard downtown street-meter rates

Choose the assignment before comparing offers

Your hiring checklist

1. Describe the assignment, store preferences, delivery address, and deadline.
2. Provide quantities, sizes, dietary requirements, or gift specifications.
3. Set separate merchandise and service budgets, plus a total cap.
4. Write substitution rules and identify purchases that need approval.
5. Confirm preparation, travel, parking, delivery, and return-trip charges.
6. Assign responsibility for receipts, packaging, tags, and returns.
7. Confirm market arrangements and benefit-use authorization before a Quest-funded errand.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much should I budget for a personal shopper?

Request an assignment-specific quote based on your list, store stops, approval needs, and delivery address. Ask for separate merchandise, service, travel, parking, and return charges. Set a total cap and require approval before the shopper exceeds it.

Can I avoid downtown parking charges on Saturday?

EasyPark's Saturday street parking is free, but it enforces two-hour limits from 9 am to 6 pm. Ask the shopper to plan around the appointment length. Check a garage or lot's own terms before assuming the street-parking rule applies there. [1]

What should a shopper bring back with Alaska Native art?

Request written proof of the seller's authenticity claims and a receipt describing the purchase, artist, and materials. Alaska consumer guidance says a Made in Alaska emblem does not establish Native authorship and some authentic Native items lack a state-certified tag. [2]

Can a hired shopper use my Quest card?

Contact DPA at 800-478-7778 about authorization before assigning the purchase or sharing access. The state's Anchorage Farmers Market guidance describes collecting tokens at the information booth for participating vendors. Confirm the current market arrangement separately; token collection and permission to use another person's benefits are distinct questions. [3]