ASIDE from conventional online shopping, personal shoppers remain relevant, driven by viral trends on social media, sustained interest in overseas items and customers prioritising convenience and trust.
Personal shopper Muhammad Wahyu Firmansyah Subur said he entered the industry organically after helping friends and family source items that were difficult to find, limited edition or only available overseas.
“Over time, more people approached me through recommendations and that’s when I turned it into a structured service. My focus has always been on reliability, transparency and making the buying process easy,” he told Sinar Daily.
Wahyu said most of the items he sources come from Thailand and Indonesia, either through contacts or during his own travels, with a focus on specialty products.
He attributed continued demand to three key factors: limited access to overseas goods, customers preferring a trusted individual to manage purchases and social media trends that create sudden spikes in interest.
Instagram and TikTok, he said, remain the most effective platforms for promotion.
“These platforms are visual and ideal for unboxing videos and customer reviews. Instagram Stories and Reels bring in the most customers, followed by TikTok trends and recommendations,” he said.
Another personal shopper, Izura Abd Shukor, who started her business in 2016 with her cousin based in Pennsylvania, said demand has stabilised after peaking between 2019 and 2021.
“The business is not as popular as it was during its peak, but demand remains for items not available in Malaysia,” she said.
Izura said Instagram continues to drive most of her sales, while Telegram serves as an additional promotional channel. She added that maintaining a niche focus helps keep demand consistent.
“Not all personal shoppers cater to the same categories. Many focus on fashion, while we concentrate on specific product segments,” she said.
Luxury personal shopper Sabrina Bolivar said demand in the high-end segment has shifted more noticeably following the post-pandemic inflation surge.
She noted that gradual price increases by luxury brands have affected buying behaviour.
“A mini Chanel bag that cost around RM14,000 in 2019 rose to RM20,000 in 2022 and now costs almost RM25,000. Today, demand is mostly for high-end bags that are trending or have gone viral,” she said.
While Instagram remains the preferred platform for browsing, Sabrina said TikTok Live has become increasingly effective in driving sales.
“Instagram is still popular because it’s easy to browse, but TikTok Live allows me to share the shopping experience in real time, which helps speed up purchasing decisions,” she said.
Despite shifts in consumer behaviour and rising prices, personal shoppers agree that demand persists, particularly for viral overseas products that customers are willing to wait for.