I recognize that this is a very challenging season for retailers, yet am disappointed in my recent Nordstrom experience.

After a rather frustrating week with poor communication, long phone queues and contradictory info from Nordstrom's online, I learned that I missed the fact that the store has changed its time-frame for shipping (at least during this season) to 9 instead of 6 business days, as well as the fact that it can take longer than 5 days to hear from them about the status of an order (back ordered, has shipped,etc.). Information that customer service has available via the phone (after two uncharacteristic 20 minute waits), was not shared via email in a timely way. They will only notify when an order ships or they decide it is a back order, but the clock starts running on the 9 business day shipping at time of shipping and you can be in limbo for almost a week before you hear anything.

Now I know how to plan and it may well preclude many purchases there. Retailers: customers feel it when you pro-actively cut back your service at a time of year when it is most appreciated and you stand to make some of your largest sales. Shout out to the courtesy of the customer service reps who are always pleasant, even though they clearly need a few more colleagues to respond to the high volume of calls.