Staying ahead of the changing times, Nordstroms cleverly launched an in house system called TextStyle to enable Shopping Via Text for their retail sales force. This system allows customers to make purchases via Text Message based on the recommendation of in store sales reps.
The TextStyles program was deployed in 2015 and sits on top of their NEXT platform which allows Nordstroms to connect their sales associates to their shoppers via text message.
E-commerce is currently 23% of Nordstrom’s revenue, and it is growing at 18% per quarter, as of Q1 of 2018.
In Nordstrom’s platform, the sales associate will send the Shopper an image of the product with a description. The shopper replies with a “BUY” response including a special code. The sales associate, or the system, is then able to charge the shopper’s Nordstroms account. This system differs from the Textual Shop by Text enterprise platform where the products, descriptions and replies are automated, and can be triggered by website visits and behavioral intent.
What Nordstrom is doing right is focusing on innovation and they are appealing to the right audience. Personalized service is expected in the luxury brand world, and the service needs to meet the shoppers on their terms. By utilizing text message, Nordstrom is staying relevant in a fast paced technology world. In the words of their VP of Personalization,
“TextStyle is an important step forward in our efforts to connect with customers on their terms,” Scott Jones, Nordstrom’s VP of Personalization. (Source: Fortune.com)
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