What a personal shopper does
Cambridge Dictionary defines a personal shopper as “someone whose job is to find things for someone else to buy”.[1] Its second sense is a person who helps you buy clothes with advice and suggestions.[1]
The name covers several different services, so check which one you're hiring.
Stylists
They advise on what to wear and suggest clothes to buy. That's the dictionary's second sense.[1]
Import shoppers
They buy from shops abroad and ship the goods to Kenya.
Local shoppers
They go to shops and markets in town and buy what you ask for, once you approve the photos.[2]
Grocery shoppers
Local shoppers who work through a food list, from the supermarket to the market stall.
Tuma Sisi is a local personal shopper in Nairobi. We don't style and we don't import. We buy what you ask for, from any shop or market in town.
How it works, step by step
The process is the same whether it's a gift, a pair of school shoes or a bag of mitumba.
You send the brief
The type of item, the size, the colour and your budget.[2] A photo or a link helps.
You agree the fee
Settle the service fee before the shopper sets off. Fees vary with how complex the job is.[2]
They shop and send photos
The shopper finds suitable items and sends photos for your approval before buying.[2]
You approve
Nothing should be bought until you say yes. If it's out of stock, ask for photos of alternatives.
They buy and deliver
Once you confirm, the item is bought and delivered.[2] Ask for a photo of the receipt.
Expect to pay for the items first. In mitumba personal shopping, the client often sends money upfront.[2]
What a personal shopper costs
You pay for two things: the items, and the shopper's service fee.
Mitumba shoppers
KSh200–1,000service fee per itemMoney254's February 2026 range for shoppers buying second-hand clothes. The fee varies with how complex the job is.[2]
Tuma Sisi
Shelf priceplus a service feeNo markup on items. Our fee is agreed before we shop, and paid on delivery.
Ask how the fee is worked out: per item, per trip or as a share of the spend. Then ask whether you pay the shelf price for items, or a marked-up one.
Before you agree a fee, tell the shopper how far they're going, how many shops it takes and when you need it.
How to choose a personal shopper
You're trusting someone with your money and your taste. Five checks before you do.
Photos before they buy
Good shoppers send photos for approval, then buy.[2] Walk away from anyone who buys first and asks later.
A fee agreed up front
Get the fee in writing in your chat before anyone sets off.
Shelf price, or a markup?
Ask whether you pay what the shop charges. A markup on the items is a second fee.
Receipts for everything
A photo of the shop receipt shows exactly where your money went.
Trust and a good eye
Trust, reliability and an eye for quality matter most in this work.[2] A small first order tests all three.
How to brief a personal shopper
A clear brief saves a round of photos. Send these in your first message:
- A photo, screenshot or link of the item
- The size, the colour and any brand to get or avoid
- Your budget, and how far over it you'd go
- Where to shop, if you have a preference, like Gikomba or the Maasai Market
- When you need it, and where it's going
- What to do if it's sold out: send alternatives, or skip it
Sources
- personal shopper, Cambridge Dictionary, accessed 30 September 2026.
- 5 Innovative Ways Young People Are Using to Make Money From Mitumba Business, Money254, 25 February 2026.
Last updated 30 September 2026. Fees vary by shopper and by job, so agree yours before anyone shops.
