Nordstrom Launches Recommerce Program Online and In-Store

Nordstrom is the latest traditional retailer to join the resale movement, the company announced in a press release. The upscale department store will be selling gently used merchandise in excellent condition online and at its New York flagship in an initiative called See You Tomorrow. The program begins Jan. 31. The press release announced that See You Tomorrow will feature an assortment of pre-loved apparel and accessories from popular brands to encourage customers to feel good about what they're buying and how they're buying. The merchandise featured in the See You Tomorrow collection will be curated by curated by Olivia Kim, vice president of creative projects at Nordstrom.

Nordstrom has partnered with Yerdle, a technology and logistics startup, to power the back-end operations of the resale platform. Customers can also sell their clothes to See You Tomorrow. Nordstrom's team of buyers will evaluate each piece and pay the seller for any items accepted with a gift card redeemable online and in Nordstrom stores.

Total Retail's Take: Nordstrom is the latest traditional brick-and-mortar retailer to invest in the secondhand apparel market, following in the footsteps of Macy's and J.C. Penney, to name a few. thredUP's 2019 resale report predicts that by 2023 the secondhand apparel market — which includes resale, thrift and donations — will reach $51 billion. Therefore, one can see why Nordstrom has launched its See You Tomorrow initiative. The program figures to help the company attract millennials and Gen Z, who continue to show their interest in recommerce. Acquiring younger customers is a priority for Nordstrom, as its primary demographic is growing older. In addition to the customer acquisition push that the See You Tomorrow program figures to provide, the initiative also shows the public that Nordstrom is serious about sustainability. Consumers are increasingly choosing to purchase from retailers and brands with whom they share common values, and sustainability has become a key consideration for many consumers.