It was only last month I was writing about US department store Nordstrom’s innovative ‘reserve online & try in-store’ service and now the retailer is making headlines again, this time for opening a store with no stock.
Nordstrom’s latest retail concept is Nordstrom Local, a service-focused store that will carry no merchandise. Instead, what shoppers will find in the 3,000 square-foot (279 square-metre) space is a ‘neighbourhood hub’ with a range of experiences.
The store is tiny compared to a typical 140,000 square-foot Nordstrom location, but what it lacks in size Shea Jensen, Nordstrom senior vice president of customer experience, believes it will make up for in convenience.
There will be a same-day buy online and pick up in-store offering, as well as personal stylists who can transfer in merchandise for customers.
Customers can grab a drink from the bar, chat with stylists, have their clothes altered, make a return or get a manicure.
“As the retail landscape continues to transform at an unprecedented pace, the one thing we know that remains constant is that customers continue to value great service, speed and convenience,” said Jensen.
“We know there are more and more demands on a customer’s time and we wanted to offer our best services in a convenient location to meet their shopping needs. Finding new ways to engage with customers on their terms is more important to us now than ever.”
In Australia, David Jones has experimented with smaller footprint stores, but is a service-focused no-stock-store the way to shoppers’ hearts?
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