Personal Shopping in Aurora, IL: Plan Your Visit

Choose the help you want to pay for

Start with the outcome. For groceries, give the shopper a list, quantities, preferred brands, dietary restrictions, and substitution rules. For clothing, describe the occasion, sizes, fit preferences, items you already own, and the total amount you want to spend. Ask candidates to explain how they would handle that assignment.

Decide whether you will shop together or have the shopper purchase and deliver items. For accompanied shopping, explain any needs involving walking, seating, fitting rooms, or carrying bags. For delivery, agree on the handoff location and whether bringing purchases inside or putting groceries away belongs in the assignment.

For wardrobe help, ask whether the quote includes a closet review, advance store research, fitting assistance, or a shopping list you can use yourself. Request an example of the proposed work or a description of a comparable assignment. Treat errands and styling as separate skills when assessing a candidate.

Compare the complete quote

Ask each candidate to quote the same store list and tasks. Request the charging method, any minimum booking, and how they charge for preparation, travel, waiting, delivery, and return trips. If they charge by time, agree on a stopping point and require your approval before extending the booking.

Keep the purchase allowance separate from payment for the shopper’s work. Specify who pays at checkout, which receipts you receive, how you reimburse purchases, and how the shopper accounts for refunds. Ask whether they receive store commissions or referral payments so you can assess their recommendations.

Budget for tax according to the items and purchase location. Illinois eliminated the state’s 1% grocery tax effective January 1, 2026, while allowing municipal and county grocery taxes and retaining applicable transit-district taxes. Aurora’s legislative record shows adoption of its municipal grocery-tax ordinance. These sources do not establish one combined rate for every shopping basket. [4] [5]

Illinois treats candy, soft drinks, and food prepared for immediate consumption differently from qualifying groceries. General merchandise falls under the state’s 6.25% rate plus applicable local taxes. Ask for itemized receipts rather than applying a single grocery-tax assumption to clothing, pantry food, and prepared meals. [4]

Plan an accompanied shopping trip

Check your pickup address and store destination before using Pace On Demand. Pace requires both ends of a trip to fall within an On Demand zone. It offers an ADA-accessible shared ride open to the public, with reservations from seven days ahead to ten minutes before pickup, subject to availability. [2]

For Fox Valley Mall, Pace lists scheduled stops on its Naperville–Aurora service, which operates weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Southeast Aurora has a separate service with weekday and Saturday hours. Check the relevant zone rather than choosing a service from the city name alone. [1] [2]

Leave room between fittings, checkout, and the return journey. Pace combines passengers’ trips and applies a 45-minute minimum between an individual passenger’s trips within each service area. Discuss the return reservation with the shopper before agreeing on a timed session, and decide how you will handle a missed connection or extra purchases. [2]

Agree on substitutions, returns, and handoff

Write down what the shopper can decide without contacting you. You might allow a different package size while requiring approval for a different ingredient, clothing size, or higher price. Give the shopper a way to reach you during checkout and instructions for proceeding if you cannot answer.

Before a clothing purchase, ask the shopper to check the retailer’s return deadline, final-sale restrictions, and receipt requirements. Assign responsibility for taking items back, paying for the return trip, and tracking the refund. Include this work in the quote if you want the shopper to handle it.

For groceries, agree on when the shopper will deliver refrigerated or frozen purchases and who will receive them. Specify bag placement and any stairs or access arrangements. At handoff, compare the purchases with the list and receipts, then record missing items or returns while you can still resolve them together.

Published regular fares for Naperville–Aurora On Demand

Choose a shopping arrangement

Your hiring checklist

1. Describe the groceries, errands, or wardrobe outcome you want.
2. List stores, sizes, quantities, dietary restrictions, and acceptable substitutions.
3. Set separate limits for purchases and the shopper’s work.
4. Confirm preparation, travel, waiting, delivery, and return charges.
5. Agree on checkout payment, itemized receipts, and refund handling.
6. Confirm transport, access needs, bag carrying, and the return journey.
7. Set an approval method for changes and a delivery or handoff window.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I compare personal shopper prices?

Give candidates the same brief and compare the full charge for completing it. Ask them to separate preparation, shopping time, travel, delivery, and returns from the purchase budget. For an hourly quote, agree on a time limit and an approval process for extra work.

Can I use Pace for an accompanied shopping trip?

Pace On Demand is open to the public and ADA accessible, but both trip endpoints must be within an eligible zone. Naperville–Aurora includes scheduled Fox Valley Mall stops. Confirm the zone, operating hours, and reservations for your trip before setting the shopper’s appointment. [1] [2]

Are groceries tax-free in Aurora in 2026?

Do not budget on that assumption. Illinois removed its state grocery tax on January 1, 2026, but permitted local grocery taxes, and Aurora adopted a municipal grocery-tax ordinance. Applicable taxes depend on the purchase location and item category. Use itemized receipts to settle reimbursement. [4] [5]

Who should handle unwanted clothing?

Agree before purchase whether you or the shopper will handle returns. Ask the shopper to confirm the retailer’s terms, keep receipts, and obtain approval for final-sale purchases. If you want return assistance, include the trip and refund tracking in the written scope.