Nordstrom Anniversary Sale FAQ

New to the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, or just need a refresher? This post is for you!

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is my favorite sale to shop each year because it’s all new merchandise (all of the hottest trends for fall, plus some wear-now summer pieces, too!) that’s on major sale — priced 30-40% off! It happens every July and it’s quite literally like Christmas in July. You know how regular sales are usually markdowns on merchandise that’s been on the racks for a while? The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is the opposite… All brand-new pieces that haven’t been for sale yet, but they start out discounted instead of full price. Yep, you read that right… That’s why it’s my favorite sale to shop every year! It’s the best time to shop for your fall and winter wardrobe, and it’s also the best time to stock up on all of those things that rarely ever go on sale. The Anniversary Sale happens all over the store, too… Women’s, Men’s, Kids, Home, Beauty, Shoes, Handbags, Accessories, you name it. The savings are too good to pass up, trust me!

This year, Early Access runs July 12-July 19, 2018 and the sale opens up to the public on July 20th. How do you shop Early Access? Having a Nordstrom Card is the key! With a Nordstrom card, you can shop the sale early both in-store and online at Nordstrom.com.

With a sale so big, it’s easy to go a little bit sale crazy. (I call it Sale Psychosis.) It’s good to have a little bit of a plan so you don’t blow the budget. Take this from someone who’s been there… In college, I used to work all summer and save up from May-July just to shop the sale in excess. Use the sale as a time to save money on things you’ll need to buy come fall… Try not to go overboard and buy things just because they’re at a great price. Much easier said than done, trust.

My main shopping tip is to stock up on your outerwear, jeans, wardrobe basics (they always have great sweaters in the sale!), fall & winter shoes and boots, and beauty supplies. (See this post for my Top 10 items that I always look for during the sale.) For example, I only wear Hanky Panky underwear, but they are so expensive. Buying them in bulk during the Anniversary Sale definitely helps! Another pointer would be to think about the items you want to invest in later this fall.. A new down coat? A new watch? A new pair of riding boots? A new work tote? Whatever it may be, this is a good time to try to find it marked down! Take a look through your wardrobe and evaluate what your needs are.

If you don’t have a Nordstrom card and don’t want to have one, I recommend starting a wish list! You can add everything you’ve got your eye on now to keep track of what sells out, etc. Then when the sale opens up to everyone on July 20th, you’ll be able to easily add everything to your cart and purchase quickly!

Things do tend to go fast during the sale, but don’t fret — there tends to be a few re-stocks here and there throughout the sale, so keep checking back if something you love sells out! Since Nordstrom has Free Shipping & Free Returns, I always order *both* sizes if I think I might be in between and return the size that doesn’t work out. I’d rather be safe than sorry in case it sells out and I’m not able to exchange!

If you do have a Nordstrom card, you earn reward points for every dollar you spend. If you have a Triple Points Day to use, schedule yours for when you plan to shop the sale to earn Nordstrom Notes even faster!

Before the sale starts, Nordstrom always releases the yearly catalog! Click here to see it and start bookmarking your favorites.

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