Nordstrom holiday sales drop 22%, despite online surge

By

Benjamin Fitzgerald

Published
Jan 14, 2021

Department-store chain Nordstrom said on Wednesday net sales for the nine-week holiday period ended Jan. 2 dipped 22%, as the retailer saw less traffic due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic in the United States.

However, Nordstrom reported online sales for the period increased 23% and accounted for more than half of total sales. Combined November and December sales were in-line with company expectations for a decrease in the low-twenties percentage range for the fourth quarter, Nordstrom added.

"We're encouraged by the increasing momentum throughout and following the holiday season as we continue to unlock new ways to better serve customers on their terms with greater convenience and connection. By leveraging order pickup and store fulfillment capabilities across our two brands of Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack, we're seeing benefits to our customers as well as to our business," said Erik Nordstrom, chief executive officer of Nordstrom.

"We're deeply appreciative of our team's focus on providing customers with a strong holiday offering during these challenging times."