Personal shopping in Austin: Plan Your Appointment

Choose the assignment before comparing shoppers

Describe the result you want. For errands, provide a product list, preferred stores, acceptable substitutes and delivery instructions. For clothing, explain the occasion, fit concerns, sizes, preferred brands and purchase budget. Ask each candidate to confirm which tasks they will handle and what you will receive at the end.

Decide whether you want to attend. For help assessing fit, request time to try on clothes. For shopping on your behalf, ask how the shopper will send selections for approval. Give them a contact method and an instruction for proceeding if they cannot reach you, such as holding the purchase or skipping the item.

For an at-home wardrobe review, request a list of missing pieces and a shopping plan that uses clothes you already own. Ask whether the quote includes the review, store research and a later shopping appointment. Share relevant wardrobe photos while keeping documents and private household information out of view.

Request a quote with separate spending limits

Ask for the fee basis, minimum booking, cancellation terms and charges for preparation, travel, waiting, delivery and returns. Request a billing example for your proposed assignment. For an hourly booking, agree on a stopping point and require permission before the shopper extends the work.

Keep the merchandise allowance separate from service fees and expenses. The Texas Comptroller uses an Austin clothing-purchase example with an 8.25 percent sales-tax rate. Its guidance says delivery charges connected with taxable items or services sold are taxable. Ask the seller to explain invoice charges; this guidance does not determine the tax treatment of a separate personal-shopping service fee. [2]

Set a maximum price per item and a total checkout limit that includes applicable tax. Agree on who pays the retailer and what proof of purchase you require. Ask the shopper to disclose retailer commissions or referral payments and explain whether those arrangements affect their selections.

Plan store stops and parking

Choose a store route and ask the shopper to confirm availability before travelling. For accompanied shopping, discuss walking distance, stairs, seating and other access needs. For delivery, provide a handoff location and a way to contact you on arrival. Tell the shopper which purchases take priority if the agreed booking time runs out.

Austin lists downtown meter hours as Monday and Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to midnight, and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight. The city instructs drivers to read posted signs. Check the restrictions at each planned stop rather than using one area’s schedule for the whole route. [1]

The chart shows cumulative meter charges for one continuous city street-parking session. Austin also lists a single $0.40 Park ATX convenience fee or a single $0.50 processing fee for card payment at a pay station. Agree on expense reimbursement and require approval before the shopper chooses a garage or exceeds your parking limit. [1]

Approve purchases and assign return work

Before checkout, request the item, size, colour, price and return terms. Decide whether the shopper may buy final-sale merchandise. For gifts, request gift receipts and explain whether the recipient needs an exchange option. If you want photographs before approving an item, put that requirement in the booking.

The Texas State Law Library says it is not aware of a Texas law providing a universal three-day right to cancel or return a purchase. It explains that options usually depend on the contract or business’s return policy. Check the policy for each proposed purchase before authorizing payment. [3]

Record who will make returns, what the shopper will charge for that work, and when you must report an unsuitable item. Ask whose payment method will receive the refund and how the shopper will return any money owed to you. At handoff, compare items with receipts and retain tags and packaging until you decide what to keep.

Austin street-meter cost for one continuous parking session

Choose the scope to request

Your hiring checklist

1. Write the shopping goal, preferred stores, sizes or product specifications, and acceptable substitutions.
2. Choose accompanied shopping, shopping on your behalf, or delivery, and ask the candidate to confirm the scope.
3. Request a written quote covering preparation, shopping, travel, delivery, cancellation and return work.
4. Set merchandise, total checkout and expense limits, with a rule for approving changes.
5. Confirm payment arrangements and require itemized purchase and parking receipts.
6. Agree on the route, meeting or delivery point, and access requirements.
7. Check retailer return terms and assign responsibility for exchanges and refunds.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much should I budget for the shopper?

Request a quote for your assignment before setting the service budget. Compare the fee basis, minimum booking and included work. Keep merchandise, applicable tax, parking and delivery expenses separate, and require permission before the shopper extends an hourly booking.

Can a shopper buy clothes without me attending?

Ask the candidate to confirm that arrangement. Provide measurements, fit preferences and item limits, then require approval before checkout. Agree on what they should do if you cannot respond and who will handle unsuitable purchases.

Do I have three days to return something I dislike?

The Texas State Law Library says it is not aware of a Texas law providing a universal three-day cancellation or return right. It explains that your options usually depend on the agreement or retailer’s policy. Confirm the terms before approving the purchase. [3]

Should I reimburse parking?

Agree on reimbursement in the quote. Austin publishes tiered street-meter charges and payment fees. Request receipts and decide whether the shopper must seek approval before using a garage or exceeding your expense limit. [1]