The fierce competition among fashion business houses for a piece of the rapidly expanding market has made them advertise themselves as belonging to a “high-end” category.
This has been the key source of disagreement between Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s. It is not enough for a brand to assert that it is “high-end.”
The product line needs to authentically represent the core principles that define a premium brand, from the conscientious selection of raw materials to the application of artisanal production techniques and marketing strategies at appropriate price points.
The term “high-end fashion” refers to the production of unique articles of clothing that are crafted not only from components of an unrivaled degree of quality but also by workers who have received the necessary training.
Typically, luxury fashion businesses that produce high-end fashion products have the objective and the responsibility to develop, create, and market apparel and accessories that set new trends.
It isn’t only that, but it also to ensure that they are produced in limited quantities and may be purchased for a very high price. The fact is that for a product to be classified as “high-end,” the brand that produces it must fulfill some prerequisites.
In the following paragraphs of this post, we will investigate several of these circumstances in greater detail.
After that, we will apply these criteria to Nordstrom vs. Bloomingdale’s discussion, and then we will make our conclusions.
When you have finished reading, you will know the necessary to make a well-informed judgment regarding the topic at hand.
Bloomingdale’s vs. Nordstrom
Nordstrom
John W. Nordstrom established Nordstrom Inc. in 1901; the company’s headquarters were located in Seattle, Washington. The company was engaged in the selling of footwear, cosmetics, clothes, and accessories. T
hey own and run retail locations in different parts of the world where you may buy these products in various categories for men, women, and children.
Retail and Credit are the two primary business divisions that Nordstrom, Inc. operates.
The Retail division is responsible for running full-line boutiques, the off-price department store known as “Nordstrom Rack,” and the discount shop known as “Last Chance.”
In addition, Nordstrom provides customers with the option to purchase goods bearing the company’s private label and well-known brand names.
Nordstrom FSB, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nordstrom, and the credit division provide the following products and services:
- A private label credit card.
- Nordstrom debit.
- Credit cards for Nordstrom purchases.
Undoubtedly, Nordstrom has a rich heritage and legacy. The company’s senior leadership and day-to-day operations are now managed by the fourth generation of Nordstrom family members.
This company boasts a great staff of industry-changing designers and thinkers. Selling one pair of shoes in downtown Seattle led to the creation of what is now a worldwide specialized fashion retailer.
They run over 270 stores, including 115 department stores, 150 off-price Nordstrom Racks, one discount store, and two upscale Jeffrey boutiques. 230 Rack locations are the target for Nordstrom by 2023.
Bloomingdale’s
Fashion and Bloomingdale’s are synonymous. Many well-known designers showcase and sell their wares at Bloomingdale’s, as is well-known. As a result, customers rush into the store in search of the newest trends.
That’s been going on for quite some time, about 150 years, to be exact.
Bloomingdale’s is a business that Lyman and Joseph Bloomingdale established. What started as a clothing shop for ladies on the Lower East Side of New York City in 1861 has grown into a massive chain store that sells a wide array of products designed by several high-end designers to customers who fall into all demographic categories.
These days, the United States is home to hundreds of Bloomingdale’s locations around the country. Because of the company’s successful growth, it is now a division of Federated Department Store.
The company continues to this day to offer products of high quality as well as several unique items.
It offers a specialized line of products that cannot be purchased anyplace else in the world.
Customers have the option of shopping for this item either in-store or online. They make sure that the items are updated regularly to keep up with the latest fashions and fads.
The Bloomingdale brothers did not create the concept of the contemporary department store; rather, they identified a market gap and filled it with successful products and services.
They have a business model that several other companies, both within and outside the sector, have attempted to replicate, with varying degrees of success and failure.
It is a solution that has been successful for the past several decades. Customers worldwide are guaranteed to continue shopping at Bloomingdale’s as time goes on, and this trend is only expected to increase.
Nordstrom vs. Bloomingdale’s: Which Is Higher End?
There aren’t many stores with the same reputation as Bloomingdale’s when it comes to selling luxury and high-end goods.
This is precisely why the fight between Nordstrom and Bloomingdale has continued for a long time.
Even if another department store is posing a threat to Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom is still considered to be one of its most formidable rivals.
Does Nordstrom have what it takes to compete successfully? Let’s examine this matter from the point of view of
Profile
Both Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s have a solid reputation, as seen from a cursory examination of their respective histories.
They started small but have grown into what we know them to be today, and it does not appear that they will stop anytime soon.
Stores
When compared to Nordstrom’s store count, Bloomingdale’s just does not have the same number of locations.
There are only roughly 55 Bloomingdale’s stores, the vast majority of which are found in the United States, and only one is in Dubai.
On the other hand, Nordstrom has 468 locations located in a variety of countries around the world.
On the other hand, one of the components that go into creating a high-end brand is its rarity.
Achievements
Bloomingdale’s launched a mail catalog to reach customers who don’t have easy access to its stores.
Nordstrom, on the other hand, strives ceaselessly to achieve a balance, and in 2009, earned number 72 on Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list.
And in 2007, it ranked 286th on Fortune’s annual ranking of the 500 largest companies in the world.
Want to learn more about Nordstrom? Check out our related post to learn if Nordstrom does free alterations, does Nordstrom allow dogs and does Nordstrom sell Louis Vuitton.
Conclusion…
Both Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s have what it takes to be considered high-end department stores; thus, the discussion between the two is futile.
Which is the more luxurious option, though, depends on the individual.
The structure of department shops has suffered in recent years, but Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s have evolved individualized ways to fight these issues.