An afternoon at SM Makati with my new best friend—an SM Store personal shopper

Shopping can feel like an overwhelming task, but not with the help of experts

SM Store launched its personal shopper service during the pandemic, making it easy for everyone to shop from the safety and comfort of their homes. All you had to do was contact your nearest (or favorite) SM Store branch and a personal shopper would be assigned to you.

The personal shopper would communicate with you through text, call, or messaging apps and help you buy whatever you needed—and have it delivered to you as early as same day. All forms of payment were accepted and those iffy about using the link to pay could even choose to have the various payment terminals brought to their house so they could swipe or tap their debit or credit card there or hand over cash upon delivery.

It was a godsend. I relied on it a lot. SM Store’s personal shopper made shopping so easy—I was able to order everything, from kitchen essentials and undies to Crocs and Nintendo Switch games and accessories. The service also made buying gifts a breeze. The personal shoppers would give suggestions and happily (and patiently!) take pictures of what they had in the store so you could make your selections. They even had the gifts wrapped and delivered straight to your recipients.

The pandemic may be over, but SM Store’s personal shopper service is here to stay. It’s become an SM staple, something many customers continue to depend on. They know the drill: Whenever they want to buy something, all they have to do is call, text, and message their favorite SM Store personal shoppers. Anyone can do it, it’s a free service—with no minimum purchase required.

But did you know that the personal shoppers can also assist you face-to-face when you visit your favorite SM Store?

On the hunt

That’s what I experienced on a recent visit to SM Makati. I was on the hunt for presents for my loved ones, and Hanna, my assigned personal shopper, welcomed me with a big smile. Hanna, who has been a personal shopper for two years, has helped countless SM Store customers buy whatever it is they need or want—clothes (“We go around with a tape measure,” she said), bras, lingerie, toiletries, bags, school supplies, makeup, skincare sets, accessories, gifts (“They ask us to write the notes by hand”), Pokemon cards, mattresses and beds.

SM Store’s personal shoppers have come to the rescue of people with fashion and beauty emergencies, even those who really, really need sanitary pads.

And if there’s something you need that’s not available at their branch, they can also check the other branches.

Our afternoon started at SM Makati’s expansive SM Beauty section, which seemed like a good place to look for a gift for my mother whose birthday is coming up.

The space was huge and so well stocked that I was a little overwhelmed. There was so much to choose from—so many great brands from different countries. They even have Dyson! I didn’t know Dyson’s legendary hair dryers are now available at SM Store.

Luckily, I had my personal shopper there to guide me. We found the perfect gift: Jo Malone’s limited-edition Taif Rose Cologne Intense, a wonderfully floral and feminine scent in a lovely pink bottle. The best part? They have a personalization corner where you can make your gift even more special: by adding an alphabet charm to the bottle and cute little patches and badges to the gift box. I love that they have greeting cards as well—they have everything you need for a thoughtful and elegant gift.

‘One Piece’ shirts

Our next stop was Tee Culture at the Men’s Wear Department. It’s a must-visit for t-shirt lovers. They have all kinds of cool tees including anime-themed ones. There’s a great selection of “One Piece” tees and I spotted a perfect one for my “One Piece”-loving boyfriend (seriously, he’s watched all 1,122 episodes): a dark gray oversized shirt with a little Straw Hat Pirates logo on the left chest. The fabric is so soft and I was surprised to see that it was only P799.

Here’s another advantage to going around with a personal shopper: They know where everything is. All I had to do was ask and Hanna would lead me to the correct area. I didn’t need to think about navigating around the big, multilevel store.

Hanna calls herself a “batang SM,” adding that she’s always been an SM Makati kid. And she’s always loved shopping. It’s obvious that she enjoys her job and finds pleasure in helping people find the things they’re looking for.

I mentioned the Lay’s t-shirts I had seen at another branch of SM Store and Hanna took me straight to GTW Urban—GTW is Girls’ Teens Wear. There they were, the shirts with the little potato chip bags sewn on that I’ve been obsessing over. I just know my goddaughter would love them.

I lost my mind at the AXCS (SM’s in-house accessories brand) section. So many things caught my eye: fluffy bears and bunnies that were actually purses, crazy monster handbags, plushies that unzipped to reveal more plushies inside. What can I say? I love cute things. I had to remind myself I was there to shop not for myself but for the people I love.

Gift registry

Next on my list was my cousin’s newborn. He’s getting baptized next month and I was hunting for the perfect present for him. There’s a lot of options at the Babies’ department—from essentials for infants to the most adorable little outfits. But I know my cousin and his wife did a lot of shopping before and after little Mico was born so I wasn’t sure what he didn’t have yet.

Hanna said the magic words: “Gift registry.” We dropped by the gift registry department and saw that they had a nice display of gift ideas for babies and kids. Getting something off someone’s gift registry is the foolproof way to buy a present. You know for sure that it’s something they want, and, because SM will mark it as bought as soon as someone purchases it, there won’t be any duplicates. SM Store can even consolidate gifts and send them to the recipient together. You don’t need to lug around a big or heavy gift if you don’t want to.

And so I hatched my plan: convince my cousin and cousin-in-law to do a baptism gift registry and, once it’s ready, I will ask Hanna to help me buy my gift for the baby.

While at the gift registry office, I asked the lady there something I’ve always wondered: Do people just do gift registries for weddings, baptisms, and children’s birthdays?

“No,” she said, and it was the answer I was hoping to hear. People create wish lists for all sorts of occasions. Adults do birthday registries too and people even do Christmas registries. (I am making it my goal this year to convince my family members to all do a Christmas gift registry at SM. That would really help make holiday shopping less stressful.) 

For a friend’s housewarming, Hanna suggested something from SM’s Green Finds line of sustainable finds. Maybe some home fragrances or handcrafted candles from Filipino brand Bright Ideas Manila? Both, I said. I especially loved the candles shaped like chess pieces.

The Stationery section is always one of my favorite stops, and I was happy to see the extensive selection of pens they have there, including Lamy fountain pens from Germany and my favorite Zebra Sarasa Vintage pens that I usually stock up on when I’m in Japan. Hanna showed me their engraving area where you can get pens personalized. She also showed me art therapy kits and woodcraft puzzles—things I didn’t know SM carried and finds I think my nephews would really enjoy.

They had shelves devoted to charms and trinkets and Hanna introduced me to Lelepig, a little pig wearing plush animal costumes that you can get in blind boxes. (Oh yes, there are blind boxes at SM Store.)

I had to stop myself from buying things I want but know I don’t need: the cutest erasers, colorful lunch boxes, beaded knickknacks.

But it was also at the Stationery department that I found something for me—and something I actually need, given the amount of stickers, washi tapes, and other paper and journaling products I have amassed over the years: a stationery organizer on wheels. It’s only P1,099 and comes in black, beige, pink, or lavender.

The handheld Jisulife fans are a big seller, Hanna told me, as we headed for the escalators. SM has had to keep restocking them because they keep running out. There are also more affordable options, mini hand fans for P199.

As we explored the different floors and Hanna showed me different things, I kept filing away in my head things I wanted to buy and ideas for future gifts: a studded minaudiere shaped like a cupcake, frames that double as a coin bank (and that could also work as table centerpieces for parties), storage containers with bamboo covers, Sanrio varsity jackets, luggage with built-in child’s seats, cool button-down shirts and polos from Smyth.

There were also the comfiest-looking kiddie sneakers and they were just P599 for two pairs. (I need to take my nephews to SM Makati).

Thanks to Hanna, I discovered that SM Store offers free personalized embroidery if you purchase three Baleno sleepwear sets. They were really popular with families over the holidays, she said, because people wanted matching pajama sets for their Christmas and New Year photos. Added it to my mental file of gift ideas: Personalized his-and-hers pajamas would be a cute wedding or anniversary gift.

Another favorite find: Iconic socks featuring jeepney sign boards. They’d make a great gift for balikbayans and foreigner friends.

We dropped by the SM Makati Grand Piano. I stepped on the keys of the giant piano and followed the numbers on them, playing the SM theme song with my feet: “We’ve got it all for you.”

SM really has it all—they’ve proven it time and time again. And they did it once more, just seconds after we left the piano, when Hanna showed me that SM Store sells Canon, Sony, and Instax cameras, even DJI drones. They also sell motorcycle helmets and accessories.

Regular customers

With all my shopping done, it was time to say goodbye to Hanna and thank her for taking such good care of me. But not before saving her number in my phone—she’s basically my new best friend. I already promised her I will see her soon for more shopping.

I’m not the only one. Hanna has regular customers who return to her again and again. SM Store’s customers love the service of the personal shoppers so much that they also send their friends and family members their way. Personal shopping is more than just shopping “it’s about building relationships,” said Hanna.

She recalled one customer who sent a lucky niece to SM Makati. “She’s going to shop but I will pay for it,” the customer said. One time, she helped a visually impaired woman buy clothes for her baby over the phone. “She was asking me to describe the textures of the fabrics,” she said. “Our customers trust us.”

The SM Store’s personal shopping service is perfect for people who don’t enjoy going out to shop or don’t have the time to do it. It’s also great for those who don’t know where to start, who get overwhelmed by options, and who need expert help.

But even someone like me who actually enjoys shopping can still benefit from it. Having a personal shopper with me made my trip to the department store not just more convenient but also more fun.

You can do it like I did and enjoy a stress-free shopping trip in the store, or, if you’d rather stay in, have the personal shoppers do the buying for you. 

“Whatever’s in the store, we can bring it to you,” said Hanna. “Kami ang bahala.”

For SM Makati’s personal shopper service, call or text 09178435227.