Swot Analysis Of Nordstrom

Lastly, for those who are not interested in sifting through such a wide selection of products, Nordstrom has developed a compelling offer and strength with the Nordstrom Local business model. By providing a personalized experience, Nordstrom has discovered an opportunity to expand and sell deeper into their target demographic to generate additional revenue and create further brand loyalty.

One of those weaknesses being the high concentration in the state of California. Looking at the coverage of the Full-line and Rack Nordstrom stores, there is heavy presence in the east and west coasts. When comparing Nordstrom to its competitors, Nordstrom has little to no presence in the Mid-West. With such a heavy concentration on a geographic location like California, the economic condition of the location risks a high influence on the company's sales.  Unlike Macy’s, who has just announced the closure of one-hundred stores nationwide, Nordstrom is continuing to increase their store counts, with 20 stores opening in 2017 (five in California).  To grow out of this weakness and not have to produce closures in stores like Macy’s, further concentration in other geographic markets would reduce the economic risk of focusing on California

The third component is promotion – the advertising, publicity and public relations. Nordstrom’s doesn’t rely on promotions as much as they do “word-of-mouth.” “This kind of word-of-mouth publicity means that Nordstrom spends much less on traditional advertising than its competitors do. And the stories told by satisfied customers are much more persuasive than an ad in the Sunday Paper.” One of the stories that are told in the article is of the customer service rep who sold the woman with one leg one shoe. Not only did the store gain a life-long customer from that experience, but that story may have driven in countless patrons to shop at Nordstrom’s after hearing this woman’s experience. A satisfied customer will on average tell 2 to 3 people about their experience. Those 2 to 3 people could generate 2 to 3 sales for the sales person, and those 2 people could each tell 2 people. Word-of-mouth can become very lucrative for the original sales person.

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.

The store quickly gained a loyal following due to their amazing customer service and quality. In 1923 they opened their second store. In 1928 John Nordstrom retired and sold his shares of the company to his son’s Elmer and Everett. Wallin retired a year later and also sold his shares to the Nordstrom sons. In 1933 a third son Lloyd joined the team. The Nordstrom brothers purchased Best Apparel, a Seattle based clothing store in 1963. Three years later Nordstrom purchased a Portland fashion retail store and added a shoe store to create Nordstrom Best. Men’s clothing and children’s wear were added in 1966, and within two years two new stores opened in Washington. In 1968 the three brothers decided to retire and hand the company over to a third Nordstrom generation. In 1973 Nordstrom sales passed the $100 million mark, the company was recognized as the largest volume west coast fashion specialty store, and the name was formally changed to Nordstrom inc. In 1975 the company had expanded into Alaska, and the first Nordstrom Rack was opened in Seattle. By 1978 the company had moved into the competitive California market. In 1988 Nordstrom had made a move to the East coast with the opening of their new store in Virginia, and have continued opening Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack stores ever since.

Unlike more mainstream oriented department stores such as JCPenney or Macy's the target demographic for Nordstrom is more upscale. Nordstrom markets products that are indented for those with more disposable income. Because of this, they may not sell the same volume of products as JCPenney or Macy's. However, what they do sell is likely priced significantly higher than the more mainstream competition. The major draw of Nordstrom is the quantity and status of the designer brand names that they offer. Some of these brands include Gucci, BOSS, Calvin Klein, as well many more designer labels. In other words, brand names that not would likely be found at the likes of more mainstream department stores. Furthermore, these brands could be considered

Goals & Objectives The goal of Nordstrom, is to create a wonderful customer experience, which will never change within the Nordstrom Company. Their goal is to create new experiences for its customers. For instance, their goal is to create convenience, speed, innovation, and personalization, which all impacts the customer experience (Nordstrom Company, n.d.). Nordstrom also wants to be able to invest in its cross-channel experience, by combining its online experience with the high-touch inclusivity of its stores (Nordstrom Company, n.d.).

Nordstrom, created in 1901 by John W. Nordstrom as a small shoe store in Seattle, Washington, is a major department store located in the United States and Canada. At Nordstrom you can find apparel, home goods, shoes, and accessories for your daily lives. Nordstrom has over 300 stores located in 40 states and has become one of the top department stores through their innovative tactics, great customer service, welcoming store environment, and their wide range of brands and products.

Threat: Forces shaping the Nordstrom’s strategy is that it is operating in highly competitive environment, where apparel sold by it is not only competing with large organized departmental chains but, also from small independent boutiques in the U.S. As a result competition has become very stiff in retail

Nordstrom is an organization that practices constructive conflict. This form of conflict “refers to conflict in which the benefits exceeds the cost.”

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.

Founded by J.W. Nordstrom in 1880 as a small shoe store, by 1995 Nordstrom had become a giant retailer with net earnings of $203 million and over 35,000 employees. Nordstrom remains a family operation to date. The idea of the ‘Nordstrom Way’ - with strong commitment to the firm, emphasis on proactive service, no external hiring, and a decentralized management structure (e.g., Nordstrom has no CEO) - is central to their employee relations, and is seen as central to their success. Average compensation within the company is above industry average.

We don’t rely on promotions, be it one-day sales, coupons, or “friends of friends” sales. We think our regular pricing has to have integrity.” Fifth is presentation, where the stores image is determined. Nordstrom is known for its relaxed upscale image. Sixth is personnel or customer service, where employees assist customers with their shopping experience. Nordstrom’s personnel are outstanding while they may not serve customers champagne they definitely will go out of their way to assist customers. I think that their personnel have to be the reason behind their success. Whether the story about the customer buying one shoe or the customer returning tires are true or not, gives the current and potential customers a sense of comfort and good customer service beats prices any day.

The North Face was founded in 1966. In 2000, after facing serious financial and distribution problems,

Macy's is one of the premier retailer franchises within the United States. To begin, Macy's Inc. is one of the nation's largest and well known department store chains. Started over 150 years ago, Macy's has continually generated excellent returns for its shareholders and employees. Currently, in the midst of a global recession, Macy's has generated huge profits with same store sales increasing 5.3% year to date. In 2012 same store sales increased 4.6% in the month of February alone (Macy's Inc., 2012). In fact, throughout the duration of 2012, Macy's is projecting even larger profits for its underlying business operations. Even though Macy's has experienced success with both its assortments and brand, its competitors haven't faired so well. Sears, due in part to part to a lackluster holiday season, has been forced to close nearly 120 locations to generate excess liquidity in an effort to shore up its balance sheet (Isadora, 2011).Other competitors who cater specifically to the middle class consumer have also lost significant amounts of market share as consumers trade down due to the economy. Macy's, with its ride array of assortments and products continues to grow as it attempts to capture market share from failing competitors. Macy's is also unique as it operates in a unique market demographic. It is upscale, but not to the extent of Saks Fifth Avenue or a Nordstrom. It is also not as low scale as a JC Penny