Photo: Nordstrom
Nordstrom Local is summering in the Hamptons
Nordstrom has unveiled plans to open its first Nordstrom Local pop-up in Southampton from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day.
The 850-square-foot showroom at 395 Country Road will not stock inventory but will offer next-day pickup on orders made on nordstrom.com and nordstromrack.com, as well as returns, alterations, fashion advice from a stylist and gift wrap.
Nordstrom in a press release said online buyers shopping via Nordstrom Local will find nine times greater product selection at a Nordstrom or Rack “with the convenience, service and speed they expect from us.”
Nordstrom Local, founded in 2017, has seven locations, including two in nearby Manhattan — the West Village and on the Upper East Side — as well as five in Southern California. The New York metro area is one of Nordstrom’s largest markets with seven full-line and 15 Rack locations.
Nordstrom said they’ve heard from many of their customers since entering the New York market that they spend their summers in the Hamptons.
“Nordstrom Local service hubs play an important role in delivering on our Closer to You strategy and our priority to win in our most important markets because they allow us to get physically closer to our customers,” Jamie Nordstrom, chief stores officer at Nordstrom Inc., said in a statement.
Nordstrom’s “Closer To You” growth strategy, introduced in early 2021, targets the retailer’s 20 largest markets and seeks to better leverage physical and digital assets and the sharing of inventories across full-line, Rack and online’s endless-aisle.
Eric Nordstrom, CEO, said on the retailer’s fourth-quarter conference call, “Our strategy links our omnichannel capabilities at the local market level, allowing us to drive customer engagement through better service and greater access to product no matter how customers choose to shop.”
Nordstrom in 2020 began offering same-day (orders placed by noon) and next-day delivery services to the Hamptons as many Manhattanites temporarily moved to Long Island’s East End due to the pandemic.
The Hamptons, a summer destination for affluent New York City residents, is known for its pop-up restaurants and shops that in recent years have included versions from major luxury players, such as Fred Segal and Dolce & Gabbana.
Discussion Questions
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Do pop-ups make sense for Nordstrom Local in other locales or is the Hamptons a unique situation? How do you see the opportunity around Nordstrom Local evolving?
Poll
Loading …BrainTrust
Lucille DeHart
Principal, MKT Marketing Services/Columbus Consulting
Patricia Vekich Waldron
Contributing Editor, RetailWire; Founder and CEO, Vision First
I think pop-ups are always a good idea to introduce new brands to communities – even in the Hamptons.
There are not so many communities like the Hamptons around the country so the number of such pop-ups will also be small. The question is: is the result worth the effort?
Before the pandemic, Nordstrom Local was a successful strategy which allowed Nordstrom to expand the reach of its mainline department stores without going to the expense of building big additional locations. A pop-up in an area where its customers are spending the summer makes perfect sense. Hopefully this is a sign of Nordstrom getting back on the front foot after being blown dangerously off course over the past couple of years.
Nordstrom is smart to take its Local concept on the road and to target high-end destinations that otherwise wouldn’t make sense for long-term leases. Nordstrom Local is the perfect vehicle for pop-ups (pun intended)!
“Go where your customers gather” is my new mantra, and while admittedly there aren’t a lot of places like the Hamptons, there are plenty of other communities where Nordstrom can go to engage groups of loyal customers and give them new, if temporary, ways to interact with the Nordstrom brand. I love this idea and – in theory, anyway – would think that it has potential in other locations.
Meeting customers where they hang out and gather should be a steadfast rule of any retailers. I love this strategy for Nordstrom and it will help elevate the experience for existing and new customers. The showroom experience can be a great one and planning events like a wine tasting or cocktail party alongside the local mobile shop could engage even more customers who love elevation and exclusivity.
Pop-ups like this mirror luxury brand trunk shows and make perfect sense for other metro areas. Offering a specialized approach will continue to be great marketing for the brand. Convenience comes with a cost, and this clientele is willing to pay for it. I’m sure there are other outlets as well, for instance a bridal service would be desirable.
While the Hamptons is seemingly a consumer fit, it also seems like a very popular location for these types of pop-ups. I know it’s hard to believe, but there’s buying power not on the coast and in big cities. 🙂
This is a smart move and follows the idea of being where your customers are. Given the social and affluent aspects of the Hamptons, there should be minimal risk and a good amount of upside, both in terms of business and reasserting the relevance of the Nordstrom brand.
In a word, no. Pop-ups are a branding tool, not a sales tool. I lived through Jack Wills, J.Crew, and other brand pop-up ventures and none have scaled beyond the buzz. I do like the concept of order by X time and get it by X time the next day — but that is what FedEx is for.
This makes sense to me. It shouldn’t be too expensive operationally, but it’s an example of the brand going to where its customers are. It would be better if it were instantaneously shoppable though.
On my first reading of this article, it brought a smile to my face. And then, thinking of the market, what a great idea. Even if sales are not spectacular, the presentation of Nordstrom in their market is golden. And they will get traffic. And that will result in sales, guaranteed.
This is more than just a branding event if there is actual CX activity like alterations, pick ups, trying on product. If Nordstrom is smart, they are looking at what customers are doing, how does it tie to their in store visits and loyalty to the greater chain.
Ten years ago, Warby Parker showed up in my city with a fully merchandised yellow school bus before they had a retail presence here. It was swarmed with people, including me, trying on and buying glasses because you could see and feel them as opposed to the online only experience. Eventually led to building out a few stores here.
I think it’s a great idea to bring the local experience to shoppers where there is critical mass. The Hampton’s in the summer makes perfect sense — watch out for Florida and ski destinations in the winter.
I LOVE IT! If you study the map, you can find places in each state where this could make sense. If there is a store nearby — pass — but there are lots of locales where this could be a boon. I can think of 3 locations right off where this would afford affluent people easy access to all that Nordstrom has to offer. I think it is great!
Pop-ups make total sense for Nordstrom locals. These pop-ups act like showrooms for Nordstrom’s customers and undoubtedly boost the retailer’s omnichannel ambitions as part of its “closer to you” strategy.