Nordstrom

Standing out in the inbox isn't easy. A lot of promotional emails I receive have subject lines that aren't special. They simply promote a 10 percent or 20 percent off sale. We know that the main mission of a subject line is to spike interest. So, let's take a look at some subject lines that did resonate with me. 

Nordstrom has invested in several digital-based startups, but it hasn't acquired many to date. That could change soon. The retailer has recently held acquisition talks with Trunk Club, an e-commerce company that offers a personal styling service for men, according to people familiar with the talks. Trunk Club customers consult with a stylist and then receive a mailing that contains an array of clothing options, such as jeans, shoes and blazers. Customers keep and pay for the items they want and mail the rest back for free. 

Nordstrom is betting big on digital retail startups. Just after news broke that BaubleBar jewelry will be carried in all 117 Nordstrom U.S. locations, the company announced that it will be integrating its Wanelo page (to be displayed on TV screens) in the juniors’ section of 107 of its physical stores. Social shopping site Wanelo operates similar to product aggregator sites like Polyvore or Svpply, except it's even more focused on commerce. The approach is catching on — Nordstrom has over 1.2 million followers on Wanelo who are actively engaged with the brand. 

Upscale department store Nordstrom is reportedly looking for potential buyers for its private-label credit card portfolio. Joining fellow retailers Macy's and Target in unloading namesake store credit cards to banks, Nordstrom announced May 15 it will work with Goldman Sachs and Guggenheim Securities to search for a financial partner for its $2 billion credit card receivables, according to a Bloomberg News report. Macy's (under its then-parent Federated Department Stores) sold its credit card portfolio to Citigroup in 2005, and Target closed its credit card portfolio sale with TD Bank Group last year.

Nordstrom remains focused on its defining organizational characteristic — service. Recognizing technology is changing the definition of what good service is, Nordstrom is focused on harnessing technology to drive growth. The company is striving to pay even greater attention to the customer experience, whether the customer is shopping in-store or online. Nordstrom management determined, for instance, that 25 percent of all online shopping was done via mobile phones in 2013, so it's quickly prioritized enhancing mobile service for 2014. Moving forward, mobile phone apps will be enhanced to make shopping easier and more exciting.

Nordstrom has launched nordstromrack.com, a new e-commerce site and mobile app, built on a shared platform with HauteLook, Nordstrom's flash-sale business. The new site gives consumers access to Nordstrom Rack merchandise alongside HauteLook flash-sale events. The site experience is designed to offer an integrated way for consumers to browse and buy merchandise either through a persistent Nordstrom Rack offering of on-trend apparel, accessories and shoes at discount prices or through limited-time, limited-inventory flash-sale events powered by HauteLook. Consumers are able to shop both sites through a single login, shopping cart and can combine items into one easy checkout.

Target, Nordstrom and other big retail chains are pinning their hopes of attracting shoppers on social media. Retailers increasingly are using Pinterest to draw business to their own sites. Shoes, handbags and other popular items on Pinterest are being prominently displayed in Nordstrom stores with special tags. Target, the nation's No. 2 discounter, is creating exclusive party-planning collections with top Pinterest users, or "pinners." And Caribou created a coffee blend that was inspired by the coffee chain's Pinterest fans.

At Nordstrom, customers drive innovation, and the retailer continues to dream up, test and execute improvements to its customers’ shopping experience. One tool at its disposal is the Customer Experience Center — a prototype space that brings salespeople, vendors and customers to one location to share feedback and thoughts on new concepts before they're introduced in Nordstrom stores. 

Nordstrom is bringing low-price fashion jewelry into its luxury department store chain with the hope that younger shoppers will follow suit. On Monday, the company will begin selling jewelry from BaubleBar, a popular online retailer. BaubleBar launched its website three years ago with the hopes of making fashion jewelry more accessible to the average shopper. With online traffic now at more than 1 million visitors per month, the founders have decided to expand the company's presence into traditional retail spaces, too.

During a keynote talk I delivered in London last week, I was asked the question: "What brands really 'get it' when it comes to customer experience today?" This wasn't a naïve question. It came from one of the 100 senior marketers from the strongest global brands in the world. The question extends beyond great digital customer journeys — Zappos, Peapod, Travelocity or AirBnB — and great physical customer spaces - Nordstrom, BMW, Southwest or Virgin. What company has so seamlessly integrated its