Elza Fair
--Story by Christine Carrillo,
SHE IS
Taking care of all your personal shopping needs.
DOING UNTO OTHERS
By placing just one phone call and not having to spend a dime,
people of all ages put their faith in Elza Fair, a personal shopper
at Macy’s, who acts as its designated shopper.
After a few pertinent questions like size, hair and eye color,
skin complexion and style preferences, Fair begins her three-hour
quest for the most suitable items for her clients, their families and
friends.
“I try to know what they’re looking for, like what the reason is,
work or fun,” said Fair, who admits that she never asks how much the
client wants to spend. “I try not to ask because it’s so personal and
I can usually get that information based on the brands that they
like.”
STARTING THE SEARCH
After receiving her clients’ description, Fair ventures into the
different Macy’s departments searching for the retail items she
believes will best suit each one of her nearly 300 clients.
As part of the Macy’s By Appointment department, customers can
have the benefit of looking toward a Macy’s salesperson, like Fair,
to lend their time exclusively to them and their particular needs.
“Most of the customers don’t like shopping and just don’t have
time to pick up clothes,” she said. “It’s a commodity for them and
it’s the dedication that you don’t get from the floor, they really
appreciate that.”
Even though Fair has primarily women clients, she also shops for
men, couples and families attempting to meet their very different
requests. From her youngest client, 11 years old, to her eldest,
older than 80, Fair tailors each one of her trips through the store
to help her find the items she believes will capture her clients’
personalities.
SIZE COUNTS
While trying to find an outfit that reveals the personality of
someone she’s never met does put forth a challenge, Fair has found
that her biggest challenge actually lies in finding the right size.
“It’s difficult when you have a hard-to-fit customer,” she said.
“There are some body types [some brands] just don’t fit ... and a
hard-to-fit customer takes a longer time.”
From clothes to shoes, cosmetics to gifts, the former Brazilian
secretary has found that shopping for others, regardless of how hard
it maybe, and dedicating herself to her clients exclusively has been
very rewarding for her.
Shopping for about three clients a day for the last two years,
Fair has attuned her shopping skills for other people but can’t seem
take on a the recreational shopper role. Fair, who doesn’t enjoy
shopping for herself, has found that shopping for her family members
now feels like work -- not that she minds.
A SEASON ON THE BRINK
With the holiday season approaching, her clientele will increase
dramatically but her commitment to her work won’t experience much
change. Fair has found that shopping has become so much a part of her
life that whether at work or on vacation she’s always got shopping on
her mind.
“As a personal shopper I’m always working every time I go to a
store,” she said. “I’m always looking for things that would be good
for my shoppers.”
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