Nordstrom’s direct net sales increased 33% in the first quarter, driven by expanded merchandise selection and ongoing technology investments to enhance the online experience, the department store chain announced on May 15.
Nordstrom’s ecommerce sales are rising at a faster pace than Amazon.com’s. Amazon said last month that its first-quarter net sales increased 23%.
But despite Nordstrom’s ecommerce growth, its total revenues for the quarter were $2.9 billion. Amazon’s first-quarter revenues were $19.4 billion. Nordstrom also did not break out ecommerce sales from other channels – instead, president Blake Nordstrom reiterated that Nordstrom wants to be considered an omnichannel merchant.
“We continue to focus on the execution of our customer strategy with our in-store or online, full price or off-price,” Nordstrom said during the first-quarter earnings call. “At its core, it’s about providing a superior customer experience with our investments and efforts directed toward one Nordstrom approach, that creates synergies and leverages shared assets and capabilities across all channels.”
An example of this, Nordstrom said, is its launch this month of the Nordstrom Rack ecommerce site and the associated mobile app. built on a shared platform with HauteLook, Nordstrom’s flash sale business. The new site gives customers access to shop Nordstrom Rack merchandise alongside HauteLook flash sale events.
“It includes one of the largest merchandize offerings in the online off-price segment that encourages shopping a limited time flash sale event, side-by-side, with the persistent selection of off-price product,” Nordstrom said.
The NordsrtomRack.com launch also allows merchandize to be shipped faster than most off-price competitors, enabled by a new fulfilment center shared by Nordstrom Rack and HauteLook.
“Leveraging the many assets and capabilities within our company, in this case, things like people, product, technology, stores and supply chain to provide a superior seamless shopping experience, is something you’ll see more from us in the future,” Nordstrom said.