 Nordstrom, Inc. Interview Surveys
Nordstrom, Inc. Workplace Surveys
Nordstrom, Inc. Salary Surveys
Nordstrom, Inc. Business Outlook Surveys
Job Title: Sales Associate
Location: LA,CA
Submitted on: 16-May-04
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Business Outlook
Survey |
| Sales Associate |
I do think Nordstrom will continue to make money, as a company, because
they have enough imagination to constantly figure out how to have the
employees absorb losses from bogus returns or policies. They also have
an aggressive private label division that they are continuing to
encourage to fill more and more of each department's open to buy.
There is a revolving door employment environment. I am sure that there
is no published record of turnaround, but I can tell you that at least
3/4 of my co-workers from a year ago, are gone. The staff becomes more
and more inexperienced but cheaper. That includes the department
Managers. Managers and Asst. Managers are moved from department to
department or store after short periods of time with limited experience
but who are demanding less money. So, the store shows increases because
they constantly cut their overhead.
Never expect to actually be paid for non-sell time unless there is a
meeting that a Nordstrom is attending. For example, you are the closer
in the department. The announcement that the store is closing is made
exactly on time. You have no customers and are ready to close the
registers and take your money over in order to leave. That would enable
you to sign out thereby, stop the sales per hour clock from running. If
there is a customer in the store, the manager-in-charge will not permit
you to close, even if the customer is on another floor. Since the MIC
has to answer for making the sales goal of the store for that day, but
not worry about an individuals SPH, often you do not get to clock out
until 45 minutes later. Remember, you are not servicing customers so you
have just given the store a present of 45 minutes withut any hope of
making sph. Fair right?
In terms of store selection of inventory, they carry the very same thing
that most other department stores have, with the exception of the
previously mentioned private label. They have a very strong developement
team which will make sure that most of the inventory in the clothing
departments is private label, which the company makes much more of a
profit on. In any department, it is not unusual for there to be a far
more of Nordstrom's own brands then more interesting selections.
Again, while a lot of these items are alright, for the most part they
are pretty basic and not inexpensive. The company makes more money but
the customers are often frustrated with the lack of diversity in the
offerings.
All in all, while retail is often a disappointing and difficult means to
make a lving, I had worked for Bloomingdales and Federated department
stores 20 years ago. The experiences were superior in every way. It
seems to me that while the company is making more money, the work ethic
and demands by this company has created an environment of mistrust,
competition levels that exceed normal, and a total lack of income
commiserate with the work load.
In case you haven't figured this out, I am giving notice at the end of
this week. My family considers me the Philanthrapist of the retail
business.
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