'Tis the Season
'Tis the season to spend money! Much to my husband's dislike, one of my favorite places to do so is online at Nordstrom. Having spent a lot (too much) time on their website, I wanted to share what I thought were clear "wins" and "misses" from a marketing perspective.
Miss: The homepage is an aesthetic and UX disgrace.
Between the red banner at the top of the page, the rotating banner ad, and the suggested items, the user has no focal point because they are overstimulated. It would have been far more strategic, on-brand, and fashionable to have a compelling hero image with a clear CTA within it. Also, I've already purchased one of the suggested items from them (the faux leather leggings)!
Win: The search function is slick.
I can easily type in the designer, brand, product type, etc. and the relevant results will appear. They also have a ton of filters for a user to find exactly what they're looking for. Usually, I wouldn't recommend this number of filters, but considering the amount of inventory they manage, it's smart.
Miss: The individual product page is not at its potential.
Nordstrom should be keeping up with the times and showing how each product looks on various body types. Kate Moss is OUT, and Lizzo is IN! American Eagle does an excellent job at this.
Win: The upsell is on point.
No matter what specific article of clothing you slick on, a complete outfit will be curated and suggested to you.
Miss: The reviews are standard.
While the reviews are very helpful, they could include a couple more filters, such as height and weight to make it more useful for the consumer. American Eagle also offers this feature.
The Verdict
So is the varied experience going to stop me from buying products from their website? No. But considering they had to close a number of their stores this year, it would be wise for them to put their best stiletto forward online.
