Sold outs, returns and price adjustments

I placed an order that may or not work. I think I will likely need the next size, which is sold out. I know that many NAS returns get returned after the sale is over. I also understand that some (many) NAS items are unique to the sale, so will not get restocked except for returns. Plus, if I'm remembering off the top of my head, their normal price adjustment policy is 14 days.

So I decided to ask via chat if I return an item and it comes back in my size, would Nordstrom match the price? Because if I need to hold on to try to do an exchange, I'm not letting somebody else shop it while the sale is going on right now. I'd rather not do that.

Here's how the chat went.

ME: I have placed an order from NAS and will need a different size that is sold out. If I return this incorrect size now so that others can shop during the sale, will I be able to get a price adjustment if I place a new order at full price if the item comes back in my size after the sale is over?

NORDSTROM: The sale won't be over till August 8th, unfortunately I can't guarantee you anything since some of these items are final sale.
Do you have any other questions for me?

ME: I understand you may not get more new inventory, but that does not quite answer my question. I am asking if a return gets made in the size I would like.

NORDSTROM: If a return gets made in the size you need yes we can do same price while still being in the sale till August 8th!

ME: Thanks, so after the sale is over you will not match the price of what I have paid in my current orders?

NORDSTROM: unfortunately, I can't guarantee you anything since some of these items are final sale.
Do you have any other questions for me?

I admit to overthinking this topic because in my prior life I worked in marketing developing and implementing promotions, so this area is always of interest to me and I like to understand the fine print.

That's a long way of saying I'm guessing there won't be much price adjusting after the sale is done, FWIW. I always like to know what return & price adjustment policies are, especially as they are becoming tighter most places.

9 months ago

SarahD8

Veteran

It sounds like the chatbot doesn't actually understand your question.

Not sure I understand the "final sale" reference either -- I thought Nordstrom was known for its generous return policies.

delurked

I agree it didn't seem my question was understood well. I am just trying to understand their policy. Obviously they have the right to make it whatever they'd like it to be. But even if they are still generous in their return policy, they may not be as generous in their price adjustment policy. That was what I was trying to figure out.

kkards

Years ago, probably my 1st NAS when o actually had a nordies SA, something I wanted sold out really early & my SA somehow “wait listed” me. Sometime in Oct it came back in stock, she called me & confirmed I still wanted it, and I got it at the NAS price. I think that kind of thing happens less often these days because people was buying more thru .com & so the SAs don’t have much incentive to provide that kind of service
Long story short, if reach out to an actual SA and see what they say. Or just hold on to it until your size comes back in stock

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

delurked, did you chat online over the weekend? If so, that seldom goes as desired. Weekend staff online aren't the regular NAS staff who know the facts, IYKWIM.

There is no such thing as final sale at Nordies in the 19 years I have lived in the US! Don't worry.

My experience is similar to kkards. My advice is the same too. A sales assistant in stores will give you the NAS price of the new item in your size later.

I realize the chat wasn’t the best. But I’m not anywhere I will ever be in store to deal with a face to face SA. That does make it tougher.

I think what they meant by final sale is that they aren’t getting more product in stock. In which case a final buy might have been a better term. Or discontinued.

I'd try calling customer service this week, and hope you get someone knowledgeable on the line!

That sounds like a plan. I could tell getting my question answered in that particular chat wasn't going to happen.

Suz

That sounds like a frustrating chat, for sure! But I'll bet you get some better info on the phone.

I called and spoke with Customer Service this morning. I got the exact same answer. It is clearly the answer they are being trained to provide. I am sorry I cannot guarantee anything on items that are final sale. When I ask what final sale means, they say items that are not returning. When I ask if a particular item is returning, I am told they don't know that and they cannot guarantee anything. When I ask if I return this item will they honor the NAS pricing if I order the item IS in fact back in stock after the sale I am told that they cannot guarantee anything on items that are on final sale.

Nordstrom obviously has the right to create their own policies. It was the circular answers that I found the most frustrating. I'm pretty sure if I hold onto an item in question and exchange if/when the correct size comes back in stock that they'd give the discounted price. But that's just an educated guess on my part. I’m someone who generally likes to return items as quickly as possible. It is just harder for people who don’t have a lot of local retail options.

delurked, I understand the frustration! ALWAYS good to look and consider a range of retailers. That said, I suspect your story will end happily

Firecracker (Sharan)

That is frustrating. Until I read that you had called and talked to a person and gotten the same answer, I would have bet that Nordstrom had turned over the online chat "service" to ChatGPT.

unfrumped

I may not understand the question either- I surely don’t understand the answers!

What I was thinking is that normally , if delurked returns her item now, a purchase of a new size later would be considered a new purchase and “ prices go up after Aug (7 or 8) “. But she might have a chance if doing a return/ exchange ( which might require a real chat even so).

So if a big price difference is involved, it seems in buyer’s interest to hold onto the sale item a while longer.

I never do “ exchanges”, I just return & order different sizes, but that’s typically with no price windows at play.

unfrumped - I have a boot in size 10. They are too small. I'd like to return this size 10 right now. If the boot becomes available in a size 11 I will purchase it. If it is only available after the sale ends, I'm trying to understand if they will honor the NAS price, which is $80 less.

I would rather return it for two reasons. One, I want my money back. I don't know if my size will ever show up and they're something I've already paid for. Two, other shoppers could be getting the size 10, which is also sold out, during NAS and getting the sale price now.

What they seem to be encouraging is that I hold onto the boot for an undetermined time period in case it returns in my size, at which time they would be able to make me an even exchange.

I also normally just do a return and then a new purchase. But I'm trying to save myself the money, which may be a moot point because I don't know if they will be in stock in future in a size 11, and if they are, if they will fit just right.

Yes-I get what you’re trying to do.
How I would think Nordstrom would look at it is, what lengths do they go to in order to distinguish the “ I got the wrong size during the sale ” person from other persons ordering the item for the first time. So, it takes a Customer Service rep who’s got known authority to do this by reviewing one’s order history and then adjusting the price, and they don’t seem to be able to even tell you yay or nay now. Or use the proper terminology. Very frustrating. Plus if someone said yes now you’d have to have a record for later ( I don’t know what happens to the chat records!)
I wouldn’t have expected it to be so hard to get a straight answer for what would be a very typical question, but maybe that’s the telling answer after all.

Unfrumped. Yes, I agree. I believe the runaround answer tells me all I need to know. I don't trust that I'd end up speaking to a CS rep with any authority to make the price change if needed. I'm guessing I'll just move on though. Surely there will be other fish in the sea. I somehow have found merchandise that keeps me shopping, so I'm pretty confident in my ability to find something else down the road.

There will always be something else down the road, dear delurked!

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