10 Tips for Shopping the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (or any sale)

Hey y’all! For part 2 of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale series, I wanted to share my top 10 tips for preparing and shopping the sale. These are tips I’ve started following after my very first N Sale {which was quite the learning experience}. These have helped me so much in preparing to shop the sale as well as helped me during the sale. Let’s get started!

1.) Save money now. – sounds extreme but it’s not; sounds easy but it’s not. Try to hold off on spending money on any unnecessary shopping purchases, especially if you think you’ll find lots of items you want during the NSALE.  Once I set a budget, I start setting aside a chunk of my paychecks to save for the sale.  This creates a goal for me to stick to while being conscious of how much I’m spending and on what I’m spending my money.

2.) Set a budget and stick to it (again, sounds easier than it is).  Going back to point one, set aside some money from your paychecks before and during the sale to spend during the sale.  Once you start shopping, it can be hard to actually narrow down the items that you should and should not purchase.  As both a consumer and a blogger, I totally get it.  In past years, I’ve overspent by a lot because I got caught up in what my favorite bloggers were purchasing and sharing.  And as both a consumer and a blogger, I can honestly say that you don’t need every single thing that you see.  Focus on the list of what your closet is missing and on the list of what you wore so often it’s time for a new one.

3.) Free shipping and returns – If you spend more than you wanted or the items don’t work, you can always return them with Nordstrom’s free returns policy.  Nordstrom has the best return policy in my opinion – there is no expiration date on returns.  If you don’t like something, don’t worry and just return it!  What I do every year and my advice to you is to order a couple sizes (if you’re unsure about what size to get) and grab all the pieces you love before they sell out.  You can have them shipped to your house for free or you can do free curbside pickup.  Then when you’re in the comfort of your home, try everything on and decide what to keep and return the rest completely for free.

4.) Read old blog posts from your favorite bloggers – This is my first year covering the sale on my blog, and I usually refer to Emily Ann Gemma, Caitlin Covington, and Loverly Grey for inspiration and help on what to buy and what not to buy.  This year, I hope to do the same for y’all! I always find it really helpful to read blog posts by different bloggers because we all have a style that is completely our own.

5.) Set an alarm if you plan to shop the sale online – Last year, Nordstrom opened the sale at 12 noon which I loved. This year online shopping begins at 9:30am ET/6:30am PT.  Nordstrom hopes that opening the sale earlier will help with making sure there are plenty of employees on the back end to help with any possible site issues (which does happen).  This sale is MASSIVE and people shop it internationally. Be prepared for the site to crash – don’t get frustrated and close the browser (even though you’ll want to). Just refresh and wait. Trust me, this has happened to me plenty of times.  You can also call Nordstrom’s main phone and see if someone can push your purchase through if the site crashes while you’re in the middle of checking out (something I’ve also had to do).

6.) Start shopping ASAP – Some brands make items that are only for the Anniversary sale. If items sell out, there is a small chance of a restock but not likely.  Don’t get overwhelmed by this!!!  My best advice is don’t let items sit in your cart for too long because sometimes the pieces in your cart may even sell out before you can purchase them.  Because Nordstrom offers free shipping and free returns, you can make as many orders as you want anytime.  If you’re nervous that your card will be frozen for any reason, then you can always call the main phone of Nordstrom to check that your orders are being placed.

7.) Icon level Nordy rewards members, take advantage of the extra 3 full days before the Ambassador level Nordy rewards members can shop.  Last year, Icon and Ambassador level rewards members shopped the sale on the same early access days.  This year, however, Nordstrom is opening the early access sale up to Icon levels 3 days before it’s opened to Ambassador rewards members.

8.) Shopping in the store? Bring a portable phone charger (from Amazon), water bottle, and some snacks – you will be there longer than you plan.  I don’t want to say that shopping the NSALE in-store is an all-day affair, but it is an all-day affair.  The store is usually packed with eager shoppers and there is so much merchandise to look at (all the more reason to make your lists on what you’re looking for).

9.) Get gifts for the upcoming holidays – The Anniversary sale always has some good gift items for under $50 that you will see all year; don’t underestimate Nordstrom’s sale home section either – throw blankets, candles, serving trays, and coffee table books.

10.) Follow me on the LikeToKnow.It app – I’ll be posting tons of try on photos that you’ll be able to shop immediately.  The app makes it easy for you to see everything I’ve posted that’s related to the sale if you don’t have time to read my blog posts before you check out.  The sale is almost 3 weeks long for rewards members (why you should apply for the card) and 11 days for all non-cardholders (public shoppers).  (NOTE: With the LTK app, any purchases made through my special links earns me a small commission from the sale at NO additional cost to you. It is a way for my blogging business to stay up and running to publish content for y’all.)

I hope y’all are getting as excited for the Nordstrom N Sale as I am! Unsure what trends to look for during the sale?? Stay tuned for my next post where I cover the major trends that were seen on the runways that will be popping up at the Anniversary Sale and at all retailers very soon!