Nordstrom 1999 Annual Report Download - page 28

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NORDSTROM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
26
merchandise offered.We believe we have the brand, tech-
nology, strategic alliances and people to become leaders
in online apparel retailing, and that the timing is right for
us to aggressively expand in this growing channel. We
also believe it is complementary to our traditional, store-
based business and will enhance and broaden the power
of our brand. Our subsidiary’s first major project,
N O RD ST RO M shoes.com, emerged as the world’s biggest
shoe store, offering millions of pairs of shoes for sale
online. We are pleased with the sales performance
thus far, and look forward to continuing to expand this
channel as we seek to be wherever our customers want us
to be.
“ There are risks and costs to a program of
action. But they are far less than the
long-range risks and costs of comfortable
inaction.” — JOHN F. KENNEDY
Key Initiatives.
We are focused on several key initiatives that we believe
will have significant and long-term impacts on our
business:
•Improving our merchandise
•Building our brand
•Strengthening our information resources and processes
Reinvigorating women’s business with better merchandise.
While each key initiative is vitally important, nothing is
as critical as ensuring that we have the right merchandise
— in the right quantities, sizes, styles and colors — in
every one of our stores. Our initial focus is on women’s
merchandise, which represents the largest single category
for us and also has been our greatest challenge in recent
years. Specifically, we want to reinvigorate our women’s
business by injecting more fashion into the mix.
Fashion transcends age and cuts across all segments of
women’s merchandise.With classic styles, it can be time-
less fashion; with mainstream styles, it’s everyday fashion;
with modern styles, it’s contemporary fashion; and with
forward styles, it’s cutting-edge fashion.The point is that
in each of these segments, our objective is to have an
updated, fresh and evolving collection of merchandise
that represents more of what our customers want to buy.
“ Excellence is to do a common thing in an
uncommon way.” — BOOKER T. WASHINGTON
Building a world-class brand.
To a great extent, our brand is the “N ordstrom shopping
experience” — defined primarily through our people
and products.We want to couple the right merchandise
with compelling presentation as we strive to deliver a sat-
isfying, unforgettable experience for our customers.
Through improved in-store signage, merchandise and
window displays, and other visual aids, we also want to
make our stores easier and more fun to shop.