Short answer: If a store in the US or Turkey won't accept your card, your address or your phone number, our Personal Shopper team can buy the item for you and have it delivered to your ForwardMe warehouse. Send us the product link, and we'll place the order within 12–24 hours on business days.
When you need Personal Shopper
You can buy from most online stores yourself and ship to your ForwardMe address. Personal Shopper helps when a store gets in the way, for example when:
- your international card is declined, or the store needs the billing and shipping addresses to match
- the checkout is blocked for international buyers, or the store refuses forwarding addresses
- a marketplace only lets buyers in that country purchase (some US marketplaces, such as Mercari and Poshmark, work this way)
- a Turkish site asks for a local phone number and a one-time code (OTP) to verify your account
Personal Shopper is available for stores in the US and Turkey. We can't buy from stores in other countries.
Turkish sites that need an OTP: contact our support team before you order. We'll help and can provide an alternative phone number for verification.
How to place a request
- Log in to your ForwardMe account and open the Personal Shopper section.
- Click Create Request.
- Paste the link to the exact product page. A store's homepage or a general social media link isn't enough for us to find the item.
- Add the size, color, quantity and any other details the seller needs.
- Add more items if you like. One request can include items from several stores.
- Check the domestic shipping options (see below), then submit and pay.
Tip on domestic shipping: the cost of shipping from the seller to our warehouse depends on the seller. Before you submit, add the items to the seller's own cart to see whether free or faster shipping is available, and note your choice at Personal Shopper checkout.
What it costs
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Service Fee | $8.50 per up to 10 items |
| Processing Fee | 7% of the total order amount |
| ForwardMe Commission | 4% of the total order amount |
These fees are the same on every membership plan. International shipping from our warehouse to you is paid separately when you ship the package. You can compare plans on our membership page.
What happens after you submit
- We buy the item within 12–24 hours on business days. Our team doesn't work on weekends, so a request placed on Friday evening or over the weekend is handled on the next business day.
- If the final amount is higher than what you paid, for example because of domestic shipping, we send you an invoice for the difference. We place the order as soon as it's paid.
- If you paid more than was needed, we refund the unused amount.
- The seller ships to our warehouse, and the package appears in your account after we log it. From there you ship it like any other package.
What we can't buy
Digital products and subscriptions can't be bought through Personal Shopper: software licences, gift cards delivered by email, streaming plans and similar. Everything we buy has to be a physical item that ships to our warehouse.
Items that require bidding can't be bought either. eBay auctions and similar bidding listings are out of scope under our Terms (§10.6); we can only buy fixed-price "Buy It Now" listings. Fixed-price marketplace listings, including those on eBay, Mercari and Poshmark, are fine.
Common questions
Can I cancel my request? Once an order is submitted and paid, it can't simply be cancelled (Terms §10.7). Contact our support team as early as you can: cancellation isn't guaranteed, and a cancellation fee may apply. After purchase, it depends on the store's or seller's return policy. See "Cancelling a Personal Shopper order, seller cancellations and refunds".
What if the seller never ships my item? Let us know. Once we confirm the issue, we issue your refund within 12–24 hours. Refunds reach your card or PayPal within 1–3 days.
Why did I get an extra invoice? Usually because domestic shipping or another cost was higher than the amount paid at checkout. Your order continues once the invoice is paid.
Can Personal Shopper buy from a store in Germany or the UK? No. Personal Shopper currently covers stores in the US and Turkey only.
Does my membership plan lower the Personal Shopper fees? No. The fees are the same for every plan.
Still need help?
Our support team is available on weekdays from 09:00 to 17:00 ET at [email protected].