This makes a lot of sense, when you invest into a build out of a physical bricks and mortar store you have a one time expense. For major things such as bathroom, building etc. Whereas, with ecomm it's a constant up and down, tracking the newest trends, digital retargeting, digital marketing, email strategy, etc. and all these initiatives are costly. Before, the customer walked into the store, purchased, done. Now the consumer has many more choices online and comparison shopping is the name of the game. Will be interesting to see how Nordstrom combats this.
Nordstrom Business Decisions lately
- Thread starter TGramman
- Start date
I think they can't find their position at this technology world. I wanted to do price match with saks.com a couple weeks back, and a rep at nordy told me they are doing sale for 30% off which saks is giving you 40% off, so they can't do price match because its on sale already. I am saying, since everything is online and its easier for everyone to compare prices nowadays, if there is any customers come to your door, why turn it down? I don't like saks actually, but yes I ended up getting it from saks. Nordstrom should have some sense to understand this, on internet everything is visible, people look for bargain and they compare prices, and you have to know how to win the game by responding it fast enough.
what did they expect to happen? a lot of designer stuff has gone up in price recently. Bags, shoes, clothing, you name it, all up in price. Nobody can keep up with that. But even if you could, its plain stupid to be spending average of $3k on dresses just to wear for one occasion? Sorry they should have expected that customers would pull back at some point.
well I think one of Nordstrom's biggest strengths is their house brands which supplement the designer goods and the bridge designers like Eileen Fisher. I believe Nordstrom brands still make money for the company, I hope they keep them.
Its all relative actually- I read a few articles this week where analysts thing Macy's is literally going to fade away like Sears did as a mainline department store. Retail in general is in a bad state.
Its all relative actually- I read a few articles this week where analysts thing Macy's is literally going to fade away like Sears did as a mainline department store. Retail in general is in a bad state.
I can't understand why when they need big spenders, they decide to take away the 6 months no interest. It was a bad decision. I used it when buying high ticket designer items, which Nordstrom usually gets the last pick in re: buys. So if you don't have selection and you don't have free interest, what do you get? Makes no sense to me.
Of course, I have heard this mentioned as though it is a surprise.
You can't judge fit color of fabric until you actually get the item in your house.
One reason I like to shop in person.
Well something has changed there for sure.
I recently went to the Garden State Plaza store, Paramus, and was accosted by the sales people in a way that never happened before in cosmetics. 1 lady was talking to my back. Usually this doesn't bother me, but this was over the top.
They obviously have been directed to greet and greet and engage to get a sale.
I find the fashion selection at that particular store quite staid as well. Not sure why, given the mall it is in.
I recently went to the Garden State Plaza store, Paramus, and was accosted by the sales people in a way that never happened before in cosmetics. 1 lady was talking to my back. Usually this doesn't bother me, but this was over the top.
They obviously have been directed to greet and greet and engage to get a sale.
I find the fashion selection at that particular store quite staid as well. Not sure why, given the mall it is in.
I really dislike the idea of a lesser selection online. The closest Nordies to me is a small one with a rank selection. The better ones are a 1 hour plus drive for me and in areas that I have to pay for parking and pay higher taxes. If I see something I like online usually none of the stores near me have it, or have the sizes I need.
I will also say I have noticed a big change in their in store selection the past few years. I used to be a big fan of a lot of house brand items. Especially when I was plus size it's hard to find stuff you like and looks good on you. Adding the free altercations for card members because even though 5'3 isn't really that short most average length pants/jeans still needed to be hemmed.
I have since lost a lot of weight and have been shopping there less clothing wise, now I really only look for shoes, accessories, and beauty products there. Because the size I am now most of the items are mid range price for poor quality products. Not going to lie either not a fan of the fact that they carry a Kardashian line. I don't expect clothing to last forever and I refuse to spend a lot on clothes because I easily ruin stuff. But the stuff I used to buy in large quantities where staples, like tees, sweaters, leggings have all gone down hill quality wise. I'm the kind of person who buys multiples of things I like in different colors.
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I will also say I have noticed a big change in their in store selection the past few years. I used to be a big fan of a lot of house brand items. Especially when I was plus size it's hard to find stuff you like and looks good on you. Adding the free altercations for card members because even though 5'3 isn't really that short most average length pants/jeans still needed to be hemmed.
I have since lost a lot of weight and have been shopping there less clothing wise, now I really only look for shoes, accessories, and beauty products there. Because the size I am now most of the items are mid range price for poor quality products. Not going to lie either not a fan of the fact that they carry a Kardashian line. I don't expect clothing to last forever and I refuse to spend a lot on clothes because I easily ruin stuff. But the stuff I used to buy in large quantities where staples, like tees, sweaters, leggings have all gone down hill quality wise. I'm the kind of person who buys multiples of things I like in different colors.
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What do you mean, "take your money"? It was a gift you purchased for someone else. YOU chose to spend x amount of $$ on the gift. If they return it for cash thats there business. Its no longer YOUR money -- its Nordstroms! Personally, I used to LOVE this policy at Nordstrom. I bought my brother-in-law a winter coat one year that he badly needed. Didn't fit. He went back to exchange and the mens sale had started and he didn't find anything he liked in the same price range (and the coat was sold out in the size he needed). So he returned the coat for cash and bought one somewhere else. Same thing happened one year with my mom. I bought her some LaMer moisturizer. She has sensitive skin and it left her face all red & irritated. So she returned it and used the money to buy products from her regular skin line (not sold at Nordstrom). Under this new policy, they would have been forced to settle for something they neither liked nor wanted, or be stuck with a gift card they probably wouldn't use. I realize that I have more expensive taste than the rest of my family. Some of them actually feel guilty shopping at Nordstrom. I have more leeway than they do, so I splurge every year on Xmas. But if they really need that money for something else, or would rather take the $100 I just spent and buy themselves 3 or 4 things for the same price at Kohls or Target, thats fine with me. Now Nordstroms has made that impossible, which means I'm less likely to shop there at the holidays, which I often did BECAUSE of their liberal return policy when it came to gifts. I really dislike when companies force gift recipients into unwanted gift cards or store credits when something doesn't fit or work out. If I wanted my family to have a gift card to spend, I would have just bought them one in the first place, but if I did, it would probably be a Visa or AmX gift card that they could use at the store of their choice.
I also don't like how this was so quietly done, I returned a dress the other day that I had bought on my Nordstrom debit card. Since the card is linked to my bank, I would usually have returns credited back to my bank's debit card because its much faster & by the time I decide to return, the money has already been deducted from my bank account (and btw, they do subtract the points -- you didn't get to keep them even though the item was returned). When I pulled put my bank card, I was told that all returns had to go back to the original tender. When I asked "Since when? Is this a new policy?" He says, yea, it was added to the website. The website? I get all these emails and letter mail about new cards and why they're being issued (which I still haven't received) but they can't send out a notice about a change in policy? Thats not right. If you're a longtime card holder, why would you even bother to go looking for & read the return policy if you'd been using it for years and knew what it was?
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Another thing they need to stop doing is selling full price merrchandise at the Rack. Thats not what the Rack was created for and I think its pretty sneaky that they do this because I think most people believe that if its at the Rack, you're getting something for less than full price.
I was at the Rack last month and found two pair of Birkenstock sandals I wanted. Had them in my cart along with other items. As I stood in line, I looked up the Birk's prices online (at Nordstrom) to see how much they were discounted. They were the same price. I went back and found 6 other pair, all priced the same. So I asked and was told that "sometimes they just send stuff here so people that shop here rather than the main store have a better selection. Not everything at the Rack will be marked down". Well, hello! That was a wake up call! I put the shoes back and didn't buy them. Why would I pay fully price at the Rack and deal with the crowded, messy aisles? Shoes without boxes Hunt for a stool to try on the shoes? When I can go up the street and sit peacefully in a quiet shoe department, have a sales associate bring me bottled water and wait on me and help me find the shoes I want and pay the exact same price for the exact same product? When I mentioned this to my SA at Nordstrom, she said, "What?! Thats not right!"
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I really hope Nordstrom continues to do well. I think it fills a great niche between lower-end department stores (where I also shop) and the swanky stores like Neiman Marcus and Saks (I rarely shop there, mostly just browse). One of the most uncomfortable customer experiences I had was at the new Barney's in San Francisco (when it was new) and a hard sell by a cosmetics salesperson. I hardly ever go into Barney's now.
I think Nordstrom has overall great customer service, and the new Concierge desk at our local shop is great for processing online returns quickly and taking care of everything smoothly. Their return policy is fantastic and I think their prices need to be kept a little high to account for any excess returns, but I really appreciate they stand by fabrics that wear out unexpectedly quickly or that pill quickly or something like that.
One of my favorite things is their on-site alterations - makes it so much easier to go shopping for work clothes. I have great memories of buying interview suits at Nordstrom and other clothing for important milestones. I sure hope they do well.
I think Nordstrom has overall great customer service, and the new Concierge desk at our local shop is great for processing online returns quickly and taking care of everything smoothly. Their return policy is fantastic and I think their prices need to be kept a little high to account for any excess returns, but I really appreciate they stand by fabrics that wear out unexpectedly quickly or that pill quickly or something like that.
One of my favorite things is their on-site alterations - makes it so much easier to go shopping for work clothes. I have great memories of buying interview suits at Nordstrom and other clothing for important milestones. I sure hope they do well.
Today they started Nordstrom Rewards - and not tied to their Nordstrom Credit card! It's one point per dollar spent.
I bought shoes at the Rack for hubby and the sales associate asked if I wanted to join. I signed up with my email and phone number, and used a Visa card to pay.
Here's the email they sent. There was a button that read "add rewards number" and when I clicked it, I entered my phone number and then it got linked to my online account.
I think this is great, as now I can earn points if I chose to use a non-Nordstrom card. Just not at the same rate as the Nordstrom card.
Congrats! Now that you've joined Nordstrom Rewards, you're earning points every time you shop with us.
EARN POINTS, GET NOTES
You're earning 1 point per dollar you spend in stores or online at Nordstrom,
Nordstrom Rack and HauteLook whether you pay by cash, check or
non-Nordstrom credit or debit card.† For every 2,000 points earned, you'll get a
$20 Nordstrom Note to spend.
MAKE EVERY POINT COUNT—ONLINE, TOO.
Always tell your salesperson that you're a Nordstrom Rewards member—so your
points count toward your next Nordstrom Note. Love to shop online? Make sure
you're earning points when you shop online at Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack and
HauteLook. If you joined in a store, just add your Rewards number to your
Nordstrom.com account. It only takes a moment. (If you joined online, you're ready
to shop and earn!)
TRACK YOUR REWARDS
Look for a monthly email summary of your Rewards status showing your points
balance, any Notes you have available to spend and how many points you need to
get your next Note. When you earn a Note (yay!), you'll receive an email with all
the information you need to spend it.
I bought shoes at the Rack for hubby and the sales associate asked if I wanted to join. I signed up with my email and phone number, and used a Visa card to pay.
Here's the email they sent. There was a button that read "add rewards number" and when I clicked it, I entered my phone number and then it got linked to my online account.
I think this is great, as now I can earn points if I chose to use a non-Nordstrom card. Just not at the same rate as the Nordstrom card.
Congrats! Now that you've joined Nordstrom Rewards, you're earning points every time you shop with us.
EARN POINTS, GET NOTES
You're earning 1 point per dollar you spend in stores or online at Nordstrom,
Nordstrom Rack and HauteLook whether you pay by cash, check or
non-Nordstrom credit or debit card.† For every 2,000 points earned, you'll get a
$20 Nordstrom Note to spend.
MAKE EVERY POINT COUNT—ONLINE, TOO.
Always tell your salesperson that you're a Nordstrom Rewards member—so your
points count toward your next Nordstrom Note. Love to shop online? Make sure
you're earning points when you shop online at Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack and
HauteLook. If you joined in a store, just add your Rewards number to your
Nordstrom.com account. It only takes a moment. (If you joined online, you're ready
to shop and earn!)
TRACK YOUR REWARDS
Look for a monthly email summary of your Rewards status showing your points
balance, any Notes you have available to spend and how many points you need to
get your next Note. When you earn a Note (yay!), you'll receive an email with all
the information you need to spend it.