Merry Halloween

On a recent shopping trip with my seven-year old daughter, I couldn’t help but notice that the mall was teeming with Christmas decorations and holiday music. The only problem is that it was November 1, which prompted my daughter to proclaim, “Mommy they missed a holiday – Thanksgiving!”

It used to be that we ate our pie and gave our thanks in November and the next day kicked off the holiday shopping season on Black Friday. No longer. Big box retailers like Wal-Mart and Target, chain stores like Abercrombie & Fitch and Gap, and everything in between continue to move the shop ‘til you drop date forward in an attempt to extend the selling season.

As a marketer, I understand the need for promotion, sales and the opportunity to capture market share by being first through the doors. However, retailers might want to step back and look past the short-term sales gain to the long term benefits of customer loyalty.
Nordstrom, whose brand success has was built upon customer satisfaction and experience, actually differentiates itself from competitors by pledging to not decorate for the holidays until after Thanksgiving.

Nordstrom clearly understands its audience and brand. And it leverages both of these in an attempt to gain share in a way that differs from other retailers.

Perhaps marketers and retailers can follow Nordstrom’s lead in thinking beyond the norm and explore new ways to build business with customers in mind.

I know that I’ll look forward to going to Nordstrom after Thanksgiving to start off the holiday shopping season with my family. Though I certainly won’t be the first through the doors at 4am.

--Michelle Mulchin