Would you pay to get help with shopping?

[notalot]

Good morning, fellow AnswerBankers! If I'm allowed, could I take a virtual poll on whether you or anyone you know might pay a modest fee to get help with choosing major items eg motor cars, washing machines, TV/hi-fi etc? This is purely a personal query - I am not with any company. I am retired with time on my hands.

[rockyracoon]

I probably wouldn't, but I do a lot of online research before I make a big purchase. Many pitfalls I would imagine that goes along with selling advice, what if you're wrong, you may get sued.

[Ratty2E]

I wouldn't pay, if I'm about to buy something expensive or technical then I research it myself. If you wanted to pay someone for advice then there is always Which?

[pastafreak]

There are so many on-line sites that do customer,professional or industry reviews of many products,that it seems individual help may not be needed by most. There is also 'WHICH' - which has been rating consumer items for years.

[abstibus]

Notalot
I pay my niece to wrap my Christmas presents. In Germany and Hong Kong the stores would do it beautifully and I got lazy.
Perhaps you could take a stand in a shopping centre and offer gift wrapping in the run up to Christmas?

[gingejbee]

I pay a fee (subscription) to Consumers Association and get monthly copies of Which? magazine and unlimited access to their website- invaluable when making major (and smaller) purchases and deciding on paid-for services.

[yogi-bear]

Morning notalot,

I personally dont need any help to choose items i buy, but there could well be a market for those who dont know whether or not to purchase Plasma or LCD etc.
I suppose they could ask the retailer for advice on things like that, but as rockyracoon mentions, what if you suggest they buy an item and it breaks down just after the standard warranty 1 year period and they have no back up extended warranty to have it serviced or fixed?.

Which? and What Car are just examples of magazine that give consumers the advice they need to help purchase items and get expert advice.

I wish you well. :0)

[B00]

oh hell yes, id pay someone to do my grocery shopping too. Hate doing that with a passion.

[pastafreak]

People are more likely to pay you to do their errands,and shopping. You could charge an hourly rate,plus transport.

[RATTER15]

Do you have special knowledge on buying cars,tv's hifi's, washing machines etc or will you just be giving an opinion?

[sallybb]

The OH , takes ages looking on line for the best buys, gives him hours of endless pleasure, so would have to say no to technical items. As for groceries, well I need to get out of the house occassionally. LOL

[atalanta]

What I am waiting for is "Rent-a-Flunkey"
I'd love to have some beefy student ( say ) wandering round after me in some big shopping area, carrying all my shopping for me so I am not limited to what I can carry myself. It would be a bonus if the flunkey could offer opinions, such as " I think the orange one suits you better than the pink one", or point out possible snags - " I think the buttons aren't sewn on properly" or suggest shops I haven't tried before. I'd be prepared to pay a daily or half-daily fee, and provide a snack lunch, too.
How about it, all you impoverished ( soon to be even more impoverished ) students ?

[notalot]

Thanks for all your responses and suggestions on Nov. 14th, from rockyracoon down to atalanta. I don't have specialist product knowledge, just research skills, like you. This year, two people ( one family, one an aquaintance) have purchased a product on my recommendation, knowing I'd spent months looking into them. Thanks for your message, yogibear!
notalot

[starone]

There must be lots of old people (like me) who would be grateful for help in some way. I pay the children around here to fetch me odd things from the local shops and I also pay to get the grass and hedges cut - £5 for the lawn and £20 for the hedges - electrical equipment supplied. Also dogs need walking. Why not put a small ad in the local shops.

[Prudie]

I would if I didn't have the internet. Lots of people however, especially the senior citizens in the older age bracket, don't use it and get forgotten about, maybe you could focus on that market.

[notalot]

Thank you also, Starbuckone and Prudie. I'll try our Parish Magazine and local shop windows.
notalot