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NAS by the numbers

Cerinda

Veteran

DESIGN I frame planning and shopping in terms of summer-fall transition and winter-spring transition; winter isn't very severe here, and I wear gear for much of the summer. All the stuff I bought was on my wardrobe plan, either vaguely ("another top for hot sunny days") or more specifically ("one trendy bag in quality leather under $X, "booties for skirts and dresses').

METHOD I shopped NAS twice in the store, three times on line

RESULTS
11 of 15 items ordered were returns
all of the keepers were from brands I know and wear
2 of 9 items purchased in person were returns
4 out of 7 keepers were from known brands
Scored jeans, black trousers, boots, bag, tunic, 2 tees, and 2 toppers: pretty much done until January

CONCLUSION Shopping NAS on-line is not a good use of my time and encourages me to over spend. Shopping NAS in person sorted out my wardrobe but sure didn't challenge or excite me. I don't think I'm in a style rut, but I sure am in a shopping rut.

QUESTION Anybody see a way out of this?

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14 replies

Latest reply was from dakotacheryl

Suz

(website)

Veteran

This is fascinating.

I am not the person to comment since the only way I can realistically shop NAS (at least this year) is online.

I do make returns -- I haven't got my things yet so I do not know the ratio -- but I'm absolutely certain some will go back, as I have ordered multiple sizes (of basics -- i.e. bras) and don't intend to keep everything.

Mind you, almost ALL my shopping must be online due to where I live. So my basic parameters difffer.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I find in store shopping in general tends to challenge my style assumptions of what I like. It may be that you are in a shopping rut in the sense that you make a beeline for the tried and true. Perhaps you need some designated browsing in a new to you boutique.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I also didn't do any online NAS shopping this year - all in-person (including shop online, pick up in store). I had the most success with the items I got on the first day; almost all of the rest have been or will be returned. It was all functional items that slotted easily into place, but no real surprises or wild cards.

I wonder how much of this is due to the 'vibe' of NAS each year - I did feel like it was the solid basics that were good this year; the out there stuff was disappointing in various ways and not worth the $.

shedev

Veteran

My first online order was three items. 1return, 1 keep, 1 exchange to a different size. While doing the exchange, 1 bought 1 shirt I tried on in store and had another mailed in a different size. That one's a return. Over all I'm 3 for 5. I think that is pretty close to my previous NAS years.

shedev

Veteran

oops, double posted.

dakotacheryl

Veteran

Ordered 13 items, returned the leather jacket due to size issues. And returned two EF tops because I found them online at even better prices and Nordstrom wouldn't price match.

As my nearest store is 6.5 hours away, online shopping is my only option. I thought the variety of items for this NAS were wonderful.

Murph11

Veteran

I shopped NAS from home on presale day 1 for basics: running shoes (yearly), 2 bras, 2 sleeveless tops for summer and layering later, and 2 pair of jeans for DH. 100% success and all in heavy rotation. Had planned to shop the sale in-store, but didn't get around to it. Maybe I shopped vicariously thru members this year

Parsley

Veteran

First of all, I loved the structure of your post!: written like a true social scientist!
Maybe you need to change your expectations of online shopping. I have come to think of online purchases as "bringing things into my home dressing room to try on." Just as I don't expect to buy most of the things I try on in the store, I don't expect to keep most of my online orders. I don't consider that to be a poor use of my time; I appreciate the convenience of trying things at home, and trying things that are not part of the limited inventory at my local store.
My biggest pet peeve with online shopping at Nordstrom is the wasteful packaging! They'll sometimes send one order of four items in four separate BIG boxes. We recycle, but it's still a terrible waste.
If you're wanting to get out of a style rut, maybe you should try making an appointment with a one of Nordstrom's personal shoppers or a favorite sales associate for next year's NAS (or anytime, really). They'll bring you things that you might not otherwise try, and they have the advantage of knowing what has worked well for others. I find having a personal shopper very helpful.

AviaMariah

Veteran

I usually do all my NAS shopping online. I do have a store but it's 60 miles from where I live and they typically don't carry a lot of what I'm interest in. This year I did go into the store right after NAS started so I had a whole wish list (have you used that app on your phone? It's great because it shows what from your wish list is in the store that you're in.) They probably had about half of what I was interested in in that store and 90% of it I wasn't interested in once I saw it. So everything I kept I did order on line but going into the store really reduced my returns. I'm going to have to remember this strategy next year. I know that doesn't really answer your question of how to get out of a shopping rut....

Elly

Veteran

I'm another that HAS to shop online because of my geographic location. I shop mostly from Nordstrom, Zappos, some Amazon, and the GAP conglomerates because of free shipping and free returns and size variety. I am a borderline tall size, so I often have to buy three sizes of a garment (MT, LT, and L for example). Then again, most stores don't carry talls in store, so being closer to retail would only help a little. The trickiest thing about shopping online for me is fabrics-- I would love to be able to feel them before purchasing.

After years of being an online shopper I often feel overwhelmed in stores and have a hard time translating shapes on a hanger to a body. Ideally I'd like to shop online, then visit my selections in store or shop with a friend or a stylist once or twice a year.

Merchandise doesn't ever seem to be on my schedule. In the spring it is out months before I'm thinking about summer wardrobe and then not right for my current temps or picked over when I'm ready to shop. Then I'm ready to shop for fall months before other people are and I want my winter wardrobe refreshers before the stores have heavy sweaters in. Also, because of the online aspect it can be a month before I get the correct size of something I'm looking for. If I was only shopping for a couple holes a season, it would be fine because I'd order 10 burgundy top options. However, when I need many garments I can't afford to buy say 35 items at once so it slows things down. That is how I end up still looking for t-shirt replacements and summer shoes in August while simultaneously shopping early fall. Maybe I am just picky.

Environmental-wise, everything I buy gets trucked over a mountain pass, retail or by mail. I do recycle and often upcycle packaging whenever possible (my museum for example, often uses my Nordies boxes for mailing photos and book orders).

So far I've sent back:

4 pairs of shoes
2 pairs of pants
2 toppers
5 tops
and a whole bunch of bras

I kept:
3 tops
1 pair of pants
10 pair of underwear

I'm waiting on:
3 pairs of shoes
BRAS
additional sizes and colors in my 3 favorite tops

Mochi

Veteran

dakotacheryl, would you mind telling me where you found EF items online at a better price? Thanks!

Cerinda

Veteran

Yea, Parsley! Nobody ever gets my stupid jokes.

Your point about seeing on-line shopping as "bringing it home to try" instead of "I bought this and now I'm stuck with it or have to return the dang thing" is helpful and encouraging. I didn't see much that was novel or exciting in either local store, but, yes, there were things on line that weren't available locally. Maybe NAS on-line could be a fruitful way to take bigger risks. Food for thought; thanks.

I work regularly with SAs at both stores. This year one, apologized for having so few pre-selects, "Just not much that's you." The other one pressured me a little too much, I think because she, too, had little to offer.

Elly, most of my returns were because I couldn't feel the fabric; second largest group because of fit; third, precise color. I'm just picky that way. I seldom change my mind about an item's suitability or workability; but, man, poor fabric, fit, and fabrication immediately shoot an item's desirability.

There are themes emerging here (Shevia, Laura, murpheleven): shop early, shop for basics. Some years the vibe may work for you; others, not so much. The packaging is ridiculous and hard to recycle [but we can consolidate packages on our end, right? For me, multiple trips to the store are not only an environmental problem but also a time suck].

AviaMariah: is that the Nordie's app? Did you cruise the website (make a wishlist), then go to the store, then order for size and color? Whoa, that really might be the solution, even without the app. Shedev, you ordered on line, then did returns when you shopped in person, and ordered to fill in? You two seem to have strategies that waste less time than mine; I made multiple extra trips to ditch the returns as soon as I decided (return guilt? fear of exceeding credit limit? tiny bedroom, tiny closet? sheer idiocy? I dunno).

Thanks, everyone!

How do you gauge your success with NAS?

Barbara Diane

Veteran

I think I was disappointed that I returned so much. Mostly for fit issues. I wanted some new and cool-for-me items to invigorate my image. I am most happy with my fringed low heeled booties, they are the item that feels new and fresh for me. I also kept two pairs of earring. Another pair of shoes is still here, but I can't say they will stay. Next year I will work with a SA, and lower my expectations.

dakotacheryl

Veteran

Mochi, EF had a sale online and got the Alabaster silk top at half the NAS price.
The Midnight Blue sweater I found at half the NAS price on eBay...so back it went.

I stalk ebay!!

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