it's almost here...the nordstrom anniversary sale!

Happy Monday friends! It's the middle of summer, we're almost halfway through the month of July and it's nearly time for my most anticipated sale of the year! There truly isn't any other sale quite like Nordstrom's anniversary sale. The major retailer brings out thousands of brand-new fall merchandise - and all at prices up to 40% off. Typically when an item goes on sale it's something that has been available for a few weeks or months and hasn't been selling as well as expected and a retailer reduces the price to move a product faster and to prepare for the next seasons items. The anniversary sale at Nordstrom is a total game-changer because these items are all new for the upcoming season or they're pieces available any season and offered at a lower rate, like my favorite car seat of all time that I got last year during the sale. 

In preparation for best experience shopping the sale, I'm sharing some of my tips and tricks for getting everything you want at the best possible price!

❤ Having a Nordstrom Card

Let me start by saying that having a credit card isn't the right choice for everyone. Before you apply for a Nordstrom card, consider your current financial situation and whether you'll be able to pay off your card balance each month. While there are great perks to having a Nordstrom card, especially during this time of year, it's not worth putting yourself in a financial situation that causes extra stress or putting yourself in debt. But it if is the right choice for you - 

Having a Nordstrom card gives you early access to shopping the sale a full WEEK before everyone else! If you're interested, you can apply for a card here. There are different levels of access based on how much you've spent during the year. This year, icons are able to shop the sale in store only 3 days before early access begins! The anniversary sale early access begins for all cardholders on July 12th and opens to the public on July 19th with prices going back up on August 5th. 

❤ Checkout with your Favorites First

If there's something that you're so excited to score during the sale, I can't recommend enough that you add it to your cart first and check out quickly! There are some items each year that sell out so fast and there's not always a chance that it'll be restocked. In previous years, some inventory of each item included in the sale was held in reserve for the start of public access, but the past two years that hasn't been the case. ← Just another reason of why having a nordstrom card can make such a difference. 

❤ It's not Guaranteed if it's in your Cart

Some retailers will guarantee that an item is available for purchase for a length of time after you add it to your cart. There's so much inventory moving during the anniversary sale, especially when it first opens that there isn't a way to guarantee that it'll still be availble when you're ready to check out. There isn't a limit to how many orders you can place, so if you really really want it, I'd highly suggest that you place an order for that item first in the color or size that you'd like so you don't take a chance on missing out.

❤ With that Said...

If you come across something that you missed out on, but would still really like to have, keep checking back. Lots of inventory moves during the 3 weeks of the sale - shipping out to customers and also returns back to Nordstrom. While that perfect gray cardigan is sold out in a medium today, it might be back in a few days. Typically the customer favorite items will only come back with one or two of that item so if you catch that item you can't want to own, refer back to bullet two...

❤ Free Shipping and Free Returns/Return Policy

If you're new around here, you may not know this year, but if you're one of the originals - you know my love of Nordstrom runs deep! One of the best reasons is their return policy. There is no other retailer that offers a return policy as great as Nordstrom. If you life a busy life and either typically skip returning items and rely on making great choices online or have the best of intentions but still miss that 30- or 45- day return window, Nordstrom will be your dream come true! They don't have a set return window so if it's been 6 days or 6 months, they'll still take an item back and return your money, and they don't even charge you return shipping.

❤ and They're Nice, too!

I've asked questions through online chat, calling a store directly, and even without asking in the Nordstrom cafe and the people who work at Nordstrom are truly some of the best you'll meet! One of the first times I'd ever visited a Nordstrom store, I took Chase on a day-date and we were eating at the cafe for lunch. The waiter we had that day graciously brought Chase bowl after bowl of grapes just so that I could finish my lunch while it was hot. As a new mom, this genuinely meant the world to me and I've continued to have outstanding experiences ever since. As you're shopping the sale, if you have any questions - feel free to ask me! - and check in with their online help or in store, too.

Check out some of my past posts on the Nordstrom anniversary sale here, here, here, here, and here. Stay tuned for more coverage as early access kicks off and please let me know if there's a specific category you'd like me share, like beauty, kids or mens picks. This sale is one of the best and I'm so excited to shop it with you!

I hope your week is off to a great start and we can countdown to Friday together!

xo,
hannah
❤