The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, All Your Questions Answered Here

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale tips and tricks included in this post. All the dates, shopping status and future review details inside.

This is my 26th year shopping at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. 

Of course, when I started, it was all in person. I had a posse of girls that I went to the sale with each year. It was a 7:30 a.m. sharp start time at the Westfield Mall in San Francisco. Our badge of honor (beside armfuls of filled shopping bags) was the free gift they handed out to the first 100 shoppers through the door. 

We had a strategy (knew the items we needed, those were priority), we were team players (if you saw something someone else in the crew wanted, you grabbed it for them), and we had a home base (we would snag a dressing room first thing that we all shared and would rotate in and out of it so we never had to wait in the dressing room line).

We walked away with LOADS of things that would take us through the fall and winter. All of our shopping was done in one early morning trip. Efficiency at its finest.

This is why I scoff at people who say shopping isn’t a sport. It requires strategy, stamina, and good teammates.

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale delivers on pre-season items at great prices. The sale has changed a lot over the years and now is most commonly shopped online. I’m here today to break down some of the details such as the dates of the sale, how to shop it, and explain how I can help.

The dates for the 2022 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

It’s a tiered entry to shop based on your Nordstrom card status. They have minimized the dates of the pre-sale to give the general public a better shot at obtaining some of the merchandise. Sold out items are for real in this sale. 

The levels are as follows:

• June 29th everyone will be able to preview the sale for one week. You can look, but no one can buy. This is a good chance to see what they have, plan what you need/want, figure out your budget, etc. You can also begin to add things to your wishlist during this phase of the sale. 
• July 6th—Icon Early Access
• July 7th—Ambassador Early Access
• July 9th—Influencer Early Access
• July 15th— Open to the public
• July 31st—Last day of the sale

What’s new this year?

• They have added 100 new brands to the sale this year. A few of the highlights for me are Farm Rio, Westman Atelier Beauty, and Reiss. 
• You will be able to add wishlist items that are sold out. This way, you’ll be notified when it’s back in stock. 
• 7/15-7/31 they will be having daily beauty deals. Each day a new item will be featured with a special discount. Some days it’s a specific brand, some days it will be a product such as lipstick. It’s a fun and affordable way to try a new product or stock up on your favorites. 
• Each level of shopping status will go live at 12:01 am EST/ 9:01 pm PST. 

What do I do first?

Determine your shopping status. Head to Nordstrom and sign in. Your status should be in the bold yellow header. If you don’t see it, then under your name use the pulldown menu to select pay and manage card. It will appear to the right of your account summary once you’ve logged in. 

Go through your closet and make a list of things you need or want from the sale. 

The items that sell out the fastest are women’s clothes and shoes, especially basics and staples from well-known brands (think Vince, Paige, Rag & Bone, Natori, North Face etc.). So focus on these items first.

Then come back for jewelry, purses, beauty products, scarves, children’s, and men’s clothes.

Strategy for shopping the 2022 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

Set up your wishlist. Then when it’s your turn to shop all you have to do is move it from your wishlist to your cart and checkout.

If you like it, snap it up quickly. (Free shipping!! Don’t be afraid to hit that purchase button before you’re done shopping, I’ve had items removed from my cart as I continued to browse. All is fair in love, war and the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.)

Make sure to add things that are sold out to your wishlist. They do plan to restock items that they know they can get in time for the sale and returns are happening all the time.

Things sell out quickly in this sale. If you like it, buy it. It’s easy (and free) to return items to Nordstrom either in-store or to ship, so don’t be afraid to over-order. It’s a buy now, regret later mentality. If you feel regret, it goes back, no harm no foul. 

Make sure you’re on my email list so that my picks from the sale will be delivered to your inbox. This can help reduce the overwhelm of the sale. It’s a place to start. I’ll focus on basics and the 8 essential pieces that make up your capsule wardrobe foundation. I’ll also include a few statement pieces.

I’ll post with my picks from the preview next week. But for now, go take a look at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale preview and start adding things to your wish list. 

If you miss out on something you really want, keep an eye on it (and add to your wishlist). Since many people will be shopping online and buying multiple sizes, the rate of returns will be high. Nordstrom also watches inventory and when possible they restock popular items. So if you’re paying attention, you can grab something you love at a later date.

Is there anyone who can help me sort through the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale?

Yes, me! I’ll be going through the preview with a fine-tooth comb and will let you know the items I recommend.  My focus will be on capsule wardrobe classic basics, with a few statement pieces thrown in. This will help narrow things down making the entire experience more manageable.

Be sure you’re on my email list so that you are notified right away when my top Nordstrom Anniversary Sale picks go live. Not on my list? Sign up at the bottom of this post and you’re all set.

While this sale is not nearly as fun as it once was in person with my crew, I still find great things at great prices that I’ll wear for years to come and you can too.

As always, if you have questions, reach out, I’m here to help! 

Good luck you’ve got this. 

Kim

XO