Have you seen this news? Nordstrom getting rid of semi-annual sales - YouLookFab Forum

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Have you seen this news? Nordstrom getting rid of semi-annual sales

Jenny H

I was surprised to read this news and wondered if anyone had any thoughts about this:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....r=Business

Shopping

26 replies

Latest reply was from CocoLion

crutcher

Veteran

You bring news to me...havn't heard about this...Also, wonder what drove the change?...

Aida

Veteran

Interesting! I personally like the current method, with the semi-annual sales, in part because it's not quite as crazy busy as the "normal" sale times. Plus the timing coincides perfectly with how I like to do my wardrobe planning and shopping. I think I will be faaaar less inclined to shop the sales on those six weekends they're moving to.

Elle

Veteran

Interesting. I can see why they are doing it (more sales = more frequent visits to the store) but since I like to limit my store visits, the old semi-annual sales worked for me.

Marley

Veteran

Wow - no, I had not seen this! I've always liked that Nordstroms managed their sales differently than the other department stores. I thought that it made them stand out - and like Aida, my own wardrobe planning and shopping coincided with their sales. (However - I'm sure that I will adjust!

Gigi

Veteran

Very interesting! I personally am happy to see the change. I felt like I was having to jam pack as much shopping into the semiannual sales as possible, so this will let me spread it out better over the year.

Anonymous

I wonder if this sales calendar is an American thing. Here, I would no more plan shopping and wardrobe investing aroung a sale than I would fly to the moon. I can't even say I know when The Bay (the only department store we have left here now) HAS it's sales, and I'm a pretty regular shopper. They seem to happen randomly and with no warning, and are certainly not tied into our national holidays. Also, waiting for sales here is the equivalent to being OK with taking "second best" of what was available to buy in a season. I find the best pieces in our major retailers are long gone, or sizes completely picked over by sale time. Or even better - not included in regular sales events (The Bay is famous for that) .

DonnaF

Veteran

I saw this a few weeks ago. It is not clear, however, how and when they will do Double Points and Triple Points days other than during the traditional NAS period. Probably 80% of what I buy at Nordstrom is at discount and from nordstrom.com, so I suppose this will help people like me. The other 20% I prefer to buy on a Double Points or Triple Points day!

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

Aha, so that explains it. . . . I can't say I welcome the change, but I guess we'll see what it's like. They didn't ask my opinion, now, did they?
I was wondering what was up when they had a sale last week or the week before, and it wasn't called "semi-annual." I had my eye on a couple of things, and now they're back to full price, which caught me by surprise and disgruntles me a bit. I'm used to things being marked down and staying that way until they disappear (either being sold or moved to the Rack).

Thistle

Veteran

The only sale Nordstrom had that I ever bought much from was NAS. Probably because they were out of the sizes or colors I wanted.

Still, I hope they don't become *too* much like other retailers. I have become a loyal customer because of their fabulous customer service.

Aida

Veteran

Lisa, I can't speak for others but I didn't mean that I plan my wardrobe purchases around sales; quite the opposite actually, because my size tends to sell out quickly. I meant that it just so happens that when I feel like doing my major seasonal purchases/refreshers, they happen to time with Nordstrom's semi-annual sales. It's just handy is all

chadya

Veteran

I don't post here too much, but I know many of you here are frequent Nordstrom shoppers, I am not. The store near me in Paramus, is almost stodgy in it's clothing selection. Not sure why as it is in the biggest mall in Nth Jersey. Anyway I think it is a good idea perhaps it will turnover the merchandise more often.

I think the Paramus store may have been the first store to open on the east coast, it certainly needs a renovation or something. It was new and different then

Susie

Veteran

I guess that explains why one of Angie's pick dresses showed as on sale in finds but was regular price when I clicked on it. It must have been temporarily on sale and is now back to full price.

Anonymous

God how annoying.

Elly

Veteran

I love NAS, but rarely notice the semi-annuals, I think I tend to shop Nordies lower-priced items, which means I don't get the big discounts, plus I'm a common size. That said, I hate holiday sales - - - - I like to travel over those long weekends because of family and work schedules, so I'm rarely around to shop those dates.

Jjsloane

Veteran

Interesting and will be watching to see what happens. As long as they don't resort to the "one day sale" that seems to be perpetual and has numbed me to that particular merchant I guess it will be ok. I'm mostly a Rack shopper, but have noticed them making changes there that I'm not loving.

retailgirl

Veteran

But Nordstrom always had clearance...both on line an in the stores. Most fashion retailers are on a six to eight week markdown cycle...meaning things get their first markdown then. One thing about Nordstrom sales...usually the better stuff, designer, semi designer, is marked 40 percent off on the first markdown. At forty off, that's a good discount, no need to wait for more. And they don't do that crazy take an extra percent off clearance...so far! Still, love Nordstrom. The best place to shop.

chadya

Veteran

I@retailgirl

love extra % off markdowns, but I am a sale shopper. Very rarely pay full price, prefer to wait for a sale.

Windchime

Veteran

I'm just glad they plan to continue doing the July Anniversary Sale. I think that's a wise decision on their part; I imagine they do a huge amount of business during the NAS. I don't know of any other retailer that puts much of their new season merchandise at steep discount prior to the season. I'll look forward to the next NAS and, if items on my watch list happen to be discounted during the other six sales, that will be a bonus.

retailgirl

Veteran

I wouldn't call myself a "sale shopper", but sometimes I'll buy something on a first MD rather than wait for it to go down more and risk having it sell out. I don't think I ever pay full price for anything except shoes...10.5N, you've got to buy those when you see them!

Beth Ann

Veteran

Wowza! Lisa, I was fascinated by your statement, "I would no more plan shopping and wardrobe investing around a sale than I would fly to the moon."

I am glad that I can pay less than full price for almost all my items, but it takes a lot of my attention and energy, and means I can't always find the pieces needed in my wardrobe. It steals a lot of time, and, if my budget were a bit looser, I wouldn't find that a good trade. I am now willing to pay full price for a wardrobe-completer piece now. I've been trained by Angie!

Chadya: I went to that Nordies back in the early 90s! I found the retail staff in NJ pretty brusque, in general, and I liked Nordies because they were on commission, and always friendly! I wonder if there is a regional "strategy" with stocking, or if it just determined by the management of that location.

Jeanne: I have a rough time at the Rack. The one nearest me is always a jumbled mess, and the sizes are always picked over. Now, when I get in the city, the Rack is a far nicer experience!

rachylou

Veteran

Oh, that makes me sad. The last of the traditionalists goes down! I liked having two buying times. You buy and then enjoy. Now it's just a non-stop frenzy. I don't trust the perpetual sale either. You ever see one of those stores that's been Going Out of Business! for like 10 years? I feel like such a mark.

abc

Veteran

What Rachy said! I liked that there were really defined sale times at Nordstrom. I hate Macys because I always feel like I could have gotten a better deal if I had just waited for that one day Tuesady sale and remembered to bring along the extra % coupon they mailed me (but of course I left at home)....SIGH

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I agree, this is a bit of a bummer. I liked the unique sale times and the fact that it wasn't like other stores in its cycle. Presumably they think this is the best plan for long term financial viability...

Re nordstrom pricing, I too have noticed several items being on sale and then back more expensive recently. Nordstrom never seemed to use to do that - once something was discounted it stayed that way (NAS and the men's yearly sale excepted). It's one of the things I always liked; it made you feel less of a mark, as rachylou put it.

DonnaF

Veteran

Nordstrom will now match brick'n'mortar competitors, so that's why I've seen a few things marked down and then go up at least at nordstrom.com. Someplace marked down Clinique by 10% for a few weeks. And then they might run a special by a particular designer for a little bit. That's how I got 15% off my Michael Kors fingerless gloves which were probably Michael Michael Kors than his actual designer stuff which is beyond my means. But yeah, I've noticed some normal stuff that was marked down during their last sale has now gone up, but other stuff hasn't.

FWIW, I've noticed that stuff on sale online isn't always on sale in the store or may be on sale in one store but not in another. But I've never found something on sale in a store not on sale online. They will honor the online sale price BTW.

chadya

Veteran

BethAnn

My friend and I think that they cater to a certain type of shopper there regarding clothing, being one that wants just be shown the clothes and take them home. KWIM? Which might explain the lack of excitement on the 3rd floor. That's fine but just not for me.

Or maybe with NM close by they don't want to compete on the designer level? The store is always busy though. The other Nordstroms I have been in have had better selections for my taste.

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

Thanks for the link! Really interesting.

I think this makes a lot of sense. It's a fact that there is more traffic in the US around holidays. There is more traffic at retail, and there is more traffic at a small mountain cafe like ours over the holiday periods. The difference is HUGE in fact. If more people are out during holidays, more people will wonder into stores and more people will buy. It also means that Nordstrom will more quickly mark down their merchandise which is great for people like me who hate to pay full price. Correspondingly, they will have more open-to-buy dollars available from the sales, to refresh their merchandise with newer items. I believe this change will have me shopping more often at Nordstrom.

As for keeping it Nordstrom unique, I think this is a marketing challenge for them but not a major issue. Major Nordstrom issues are things like retaining their level of customer service -- I think that drives their business more than having unique sales schedules.