Nordstrom Case

Weaknesses - Although Nordstrom has substantial strength, the organization is not without weaknesses. First, although Nordstrom’s has a superior selection in comparison to the majority of other retail clothing companies, their quality also comes at a cost that many consumers are not willing to pay. In a period of economic instability and uncertainty, consumers are turning to online retailers such as Amazon in order to fulfill their clothing needs. Moreover, consumers are looking for more convenient ways of purchasing products and clothing is typically something where overnight shipping is acceptable versus an immediate need. Additionally, another weakness of Nordstrom is the geographic dispersion of their retail locations which are most commonly associated with shopping malls. Coincidentally, shopping malls are also struggling to compete with online retailers, thus Nordstrom experiences less opportunistic walk-in customers. On the same token, the opportunity costs for underserved

The mission of Nordstrom is to provide outstanding service every day, one customer at a time by offering the customer the best possible selection, quality and value. And their vision is to serve their customers better, to always be relevant in their lives and to form lifelong relationships and while serving their customer face-to-face is the foundation of how they’ve historically served them. Today, customers seek their

In the world of large organizations, Costco is one of the leaders in sales and strive to be a leader in employee satisfaction. Although there are many functions within the company, human resources functioning appears to provide direct impact of these goals. Costco has made changes to their employee performance management processes such as performance management and training that have resulted in changes to the employee’s career paths. Costco changed their process in performance reviews and training with hopes of cutting costs, however the changes have changed employees expectations of the company.

Identify the type of retailer that Nordstrom’s is classified as. Describe the characteristics it shares with other retailers of this type.

Identify the type of retailer that Nordstrom’s is classified as and describe the characteristics it shares with other retailers of this type.

Through the 70’s the company continued to grow. In 1974 annual sales hit $130 million. By 1980 Nordstrom was the third largest specialty retailer in the country. Sales hit $407 million and in the next few years, sales continued to rise. Nordstrom’s success was due to many factors. Shoes accounted for about 18 percent of total sales. In addition Nordstrom consistently maintained huge inventories and selection, which were usually twice the size of other department stores. Anchor malls seek the company, as a cornerstone of downtown renovation projects or as an added jewel for high end shopping customers. By being able to expand not only by adding locations, but also by expanding merchandise sold, Nordstrom became a dominant force in the industry and strengthened their market share position.

This store is an off-price retailer that buys the overstock or imperfect items from other department stores. The prices are usually lower in contrast to Nordstrom that sells exclusive clothes from various designers. The level of service is much lower than in Nordstrom. Salespeople are not as enthusiastic and motivated to provide that one-on-one attention to their customers.  As a result, they do not tend to build long-term relationships with customers. Usually a customer cannot find an item due to the store 's disorganization and it is difficult to ask for help finding specific products.  Furthermore, Ross ' strict return policies and guidelines make it difficult for customers to return items.

Department stores are not easy to manage, and take a whole team of individuals to run daily operations smoothly. Dillard’s success at the turn of the century came from balancing finances properly, incorporating a friendly atmosphere, and building its reputation as a welcoming upscale department store. In recent years, however, Dillard’s Inc. has surfaced in headlines for being listed as one of the worst companies in the nation to work for. With stiff competition and acquisition factors, the department store industry is not one to lag behind in and

Nordstrom is one of the top retailers in the United States. With a solid brand image and a sound financial situation, Nordstrom is relentless in their expansion in the US, and are beginning to expand into international markets. Nordstrom takes pleasure in providing state of the art client support and having experienced sales people. In order to hold their position as the most successful high-end retailer in the United States, Nordstrom must continue to figure out ways to improve their brand image and customer satisfaction. Nordstrom’s current business working strategy is successful but I believe there are a few ideal solutions that the organization could apply to further enhance the organization. Due to the aggressive

The company faces pay equity issues both internally and externally. Internally, employees working in the warehousing department want to be transferred to manufacturing in order to make more money. This immediately begins to throw off the

Opportunity: the company should try to expand its horizon by opening its retail outlets in even small townships. Secondly, the retail chain should try to specialize in selected items like home building materials, apparels for children or youth etc. The American family has also changed dramatically in the past decade. Because of this Nordstrom has changed its focus toward the individual. Ten years ago, it would not be a common sight to see moms shopping with their children, or dad’s waiting on the couch by the escalator with their children. Now days, it is almost unheard of to see families walking around the store. Teenagers, women, and men all come alone or with their significant other.

Nordstrom Inc., started as a small shoe store in Seattle, Washington in 1901. Since that time it has become one of the leading and successful shoe and apparel retailers in operation today. After reviewing different information regarding Nordstrom Inc. espoused values and enacted values, it is apparent that they are in alignment. Espoused values are the core values of the company. The history and organizational beliefs, developed into policy for the company. The goal of the espoused values is to create standard of behavior for the company. The enacted values are norms exhibited by employees (Answers, 2013). If the espoused and enacted values are misaligned problems could occur within the

The employee’s morale is low, they feel undervalued and unappreciated. With inflation rates and lack of raises their take home pay is less than before and the employee’s perception is that the company is doing well. During some tough years before, the employees that remained had pulled together and working harder to help keep the company open, they now feel that since business is good, they have not been appreciated or recognized for their commitment. They are concerned about their benefits plan and pension changes that may be happening.

Nordstrom’s employees and management are the company’s most valuable resource. An article written in the Seattle PI describes exactly why this is true. It states that, “Nordstrom salespeople make decisions as if managing their own business; they are trusted to do what is right. Everyone else in the company is there to help the sales staff make the sale and please the customer” (Mulady, 2009). The way the employees are treated and valued is a perfect portrayal of the company’s mission of providing the best possible customer service and value to the customer.

The primary challenge Nordstrom faces in the current retail climate would have to be the ability to keep a high level of quality service and products. They also must be able to change with the times keeping their merchandise current. The way that other big name retailers of their type such as Macy’s advertise can also be a challenge too.