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Early Access worth it?

Minnie

Hello,
Is having early access to NAS worth it in your opinion?

My husband and I froze our credit a couple of years ago because we didn't foresee having to apply for a loan/credit anytime soon.
Unfreezing my credit and then refreezing it just to apply for the Nordstrom card seems to be more hassle than I want to go to.
I was thinking of applying for the debit card, but am not sure I want to link a third-party application to our checking account.

I would only use the card to gain early access to the sales.
Is the selection drastically less during the public sale than during early access?
Thanks!

Anniversary Sale

15 replies

Latest reply was from Firecracker (Sharan)

Traci

Veteran

I think I've shopped NAS for 5 years or more. This is the first year I got the card so I could shop early. I don't remember a single item I missed out on since I wasn't a cardholder. I'm sure there were a few in 5 years, but they haven't haunted me.

Mochi

Veteran

Good question. I think it's probably hard to answer how things sell out or not. My intuitive guess is that in your case, with the cut and dried financial issues you mention, it might not be worth it.

JAileen

Veteran

I just got a card this year. A couple things I ordered are now sold out in my size. Both are pairs of shoes. I was interested in a couple other things that sold out before I could order them.

Last year and the year before I didn't order anything in this sale. I think there were items that I was interested in, but I don't remember specifics, and obviously I survived without them.

I don't have a debit card. They can put your bank account balance at risk. No thank you.

Eliza

Veteran

I had a security breech at a local Nordstrom Rack a few years ago that set a series of fraudulent bank card usage attempts in motion. It seemed to be one clerk with a scanner, but it really made me cautious. I am an all too frequent Nordstrom shopper, but chose not to get the card. Have done NAS for about 6 years. May have missed something, but it has worked out. Recently, Nordstrom has a new program where you can accumulate points without having a card. Clerk said it includes early access to NAS, but it doesn't seem to do so. I wouldn't bother to unfreeze credit myself.

Happy shopping.

Thistle

Veteran

I have the credit card as I don't think debit cards are as safe, and I have had a couple issues in the past with merchants double charging me that my credit card company took care of for me.

As for the sale, it's fun, there's good stuff that might sell out, but there will be more good stuff and more sales.

Nothing worth messing with your credit for.

Author Linda

Veteran

I got the credit card last year for NAS when I noticed my size was vanishing for many wanted items. This year three items I bought early are sold out in my size already, so I'm glad to have it. I only use it online and haven't had any problems. That said...

If you have reason to freeze your credit, that reason still stands. Having early access is nice, but it's a luxury. Will having a Nordstrom card cause you to spend more money, not just at NAS but over the course of the year?

Items that sell out often come back into stock or are returned. There's always something new coming into the store. There are always more sales. As others have said, your credit matters more than getting a pair of shoes in your size.

AviaMariah

Veteran

I've always had the debit card with no problems. But I did just switch to the credit card for safety reasons and because it will be easier to keep track of returns. My conservative way of thinking is that if you decided to stop using credit the early access is not worth it.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I wouldn't bother given the issues you name. Yes, you might miss out on certain items, but so what? You will live without them and find alternatives. If it turns out you can't, or don't, then maybe reconsider.

Having said that, I have the credit card and do make use of early access at minimum to see the offerings and get my plan in shape.

deb

Veteran

I had the credit card first but changed when they brought out the debit card. I think it is worth is not just for the NAS but for all my Nordstrom purchases.

Peri

Veteran

I'm thinking the answer might be different for in store vs online. In store early access might really mean something, since the store wouldn't restock as quick as online. So...depends how you want to shop.

I use my Nords card for the sale, but less during the rest of the year. It is just easer to put it on a normal card where the returns get absorbed by other expenditures. I return a lot, so it kept happening that Nordstrom would owe me and be holding on to my money. I think that is such a hassle.

Minnie

Thank you for your answers.
To clarify, a credit freeze is strictly a tool to prevent identity theft. Nobody can open new accounts, credit cards, loans even if they know my name, social security number etc.
A credit freeze does not affect using existing credit cards, loans etc, or credit ratings.
A credit freeze can be "thawed" any time either permanently or temporarily, but of course the hassle is to contact all three credit bureaus to initiate the thaw.
We simply had too many notifications over the years regarding data breaches and personal information possibly being compromised. Just last week I got a letter from a doctor I went to a couple of times saying that they had a breach and all information including social security numbers may be compromised.
Not a problem for me, because of the credit freeze.

We have credit cards and use them wherever we can because our primary one has great perks. The only benefit of a Nordstrom card would only be to gain early access. My spending wouldn't change at all, because it doesn't matter which card I use.

After all this, I think I'm going to pass.
The debit card might be too insecure and I don't want to temporarily thaw my credit just to gain early access.
If my choices are sold out by the time the public sale starts, so be it.

Thank you for your input!

Anonymous

My credit is also frozen for the exact same reasons you do. Do I think it is worth it to lift the freeze for a store credit card? No. Emphatically no.

And I have given this a lot of thought. Even if I apply for a store credit card, it is unlikely to negatively impact any future loans so there is no financial reason to avoid applying for a store credit card. But there are several emotional reasons to avoid it. (1) I like having only one credit card bill to deal with. It simplifies everything in my life. (2) I always feel some sort of weird compulsion to shop only at the stores for which I have credit cards. Even if this is not logical, it seems to be subconscious. (3) Interest on credit cards is HIGH. And there are fees. And they purposely arrange things so that you end up paying fees. Ask J Jill about this. They implied that my bill "got lost" and that I had missed a payment. My bill never got lost. (4) I buy more when I have a store credit card. I don't know why, but I do.

Have I lost out on sales at Nordstrom because of this. I sincerely doubt it. In fact, I think it serves me well. I might have spent a huge amount of money on the first day of NAS. I certainly collected an enormous amount of finds. But as the days went by, fewer and fewer of those finds interested me. I am now down to one bra, underwear, and a couple of camisoles. Come Friday, I might be down to nothing.

Not having a Nordstrom credit card allowed the fever to cool and saved me time/money/frustration.

AviaMariah

Veteran

I have never heard of freezing credit and I'm intrigued. Thanks for the info.

Elle

Veteran

I think you are wise to freeze your credit and, for you (and me too), the benefits of early access don't seem to outweigh the costs. Better safe than sorry.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

Minnie, I think your decision is good. I was going to say that whatever benefit you'd get from shopping early access may be minimal by this point, since early access started several days ago. The hot items that sell out fast have probably already done so. You might think about it for next year, though. I like having a Nordstrom card to earn points and notes toward other purchases. It's kind of addictive, though. And now there is a way to get the rewards without the card, so it may not be as big a deal anymore.