Shoppers and Real Estate
One of the things I’ve been working on is creating opportunities for shoppers—to fill some of the downtime or simply give them something new to try. Most shoppers spend time waiting in their cars in grocery or retail parking lots. Many also overlook the importance of appearance and cleanliness. For as many orders as I’ve shopped and delivered, everything I do when shopping for a family is about fulfilling the order to the best of my ability.
A family’s grocery order is a big deal to me. I’m not talking about a five-item quick shop. To me, a grocery delivery service is about larger orders that require time, attention, and excellent communication. A personal grocery shopper becomes familiar with the stores they shop and shares pertinent information about sales, deals, or events that benefit the store’s customer. In a sense, a personal grocery shopper is an extension of the store itself, or at least, that’s how I see this service being successful.
But as a shopper using an app, I have no control over whether I’ll see an order again, and waiting for what might be nothing inspired me to try doing more. I’ll often push in some carts or help a senior to her car. I’m not paid for this. It’s a grocery store, but it’s also part of the community. The store is like a partner— the more I know about what’s going on, the better I can serve the customer.
For example, knowing delivery schedules can help if an item’s out of stock, letting me check if it’s in the back. Another example is weekly sales. If a customer orders an item on sale and the shelf is empty, I know it was likely moved to an endcap. When customers feel you’re knowledgeable about the stores, it builds trust in what we’re actually doing for families.
Shopping isn’t as simple as scanning items off a list. Some customers are particular and might require photos of expiration dates, while others know use-by dates are more about marketing than safety. Grocery waste is huge, but it’s the store that bears this burden due to constant marketing demands.
My business background is in real estate. I started at a title company and quickly rose through the ranks, learning how to search title, prepare reports, and work as a rep for real estate agents. I went on to get my license and later expanded into title searching for oil, gas, and mineral projects. I’ve searched and reported on solar farms, pipelines, and more. My career has brought me opportunities to work with Fortune 500 companies, real estate attorneys, and first-time homebuyers alike. I became a broker, however, I don’t represent buyers and sellers. I just wanted to get the license.
That experience got me thinking: what if I helped shoppers get their real estate licenses? I could coach, mentor, and explain tract maps, county records, and the foreclosure process. This way, while shoppers continue delivering excellent service, they can start building a real estate career, right in the same neighborhoods they serve. They’d learn how to market themselves by knocking on a few doors, a concept in real estate called “farming.” I can show them strategies to get their names known in a neighborhood. After all, they’re already out there every day.
So that’s my plan: I’ll coach and mentor active shoppers to help them obtain their real estate licenses, all while we work on improving the shopping experience in the meantime. If you’re a shopper interested in doing more, let’s explore what the world of real estate has to offer—right here in your community. I believe there are a lot of really good shoppers that could transition into real estate, because they care about the service they provide to the customer.
