Nordstrom Rack Heads North
Expanding into a new market is no small task. There are countless hours spent to understand the customer, market and competitive landscape before any move can be made. Our expansion of Nordstrom Rack into Canada last year included all of that and more.
In our research and preparation, nothing is more important than learning what the customer wants us to address. We heard from them loud and clear that they are starved for time, looking for top fashion at a great value and want an easy shopping experience, so we redesigned our Rack store experience to meet those needs at the door, on the floor, in the fitting room and at checkout.
At the Door. We wanted customers to feel welcome and at ease both inside and outside our store, so we changed the entire front face of our store to showcase the inviting and vibrant environment behind our doors.
On the Floor. There's too much noise around us all day, so we did away with the clutter and made our store more intuitive to shop. Navigation is now simple with "supergraphics" that clearly outline where to go for what you want. We also strategically merchandised the stores by category to create one-stop-shops for items like jeans, dresses, outerwear, etc., so customers can quickly find what they're looking for and everything that goes with it.
In the Fitting Room. We wanted to make our fitting rooms as effortless as possible. We've integrated overhead and front-facing lighting, making it easy to see the true color, style and fit of pieces customers are trying on. We also keep the doors to the fitting rooms unlocked so that customers can try things on without waiting for a team member to assist.
At Checkout. Nobody likes waiting in line, so we made it convenient to complete purchases anywhere in the store with our mobile checkout. We also created an easy setup at the primary checkout area and added great grab-and-go products to engage customers and make any wait time fly by.
We are proud of our new designs but that's only one part of the experience in Canada. We also have great people in the stores that are from the very communities they serve and in-season products from top brands at incredible values. Altogether our efforts are paying off and we couldn't be more pleased with the response from our customers, but our work is far from complete. We're continuously looking for new ways to enhance the Nordstrom Rack experience and give our customers exactly what they want.