FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Paula Stanley Weigand, Nordstrom
(206) 373-3036
Shasha Richardson, Nordstrom.com
(206) 215-7549
Daphne Murray, The Wedding List
(212) 331-1251
NORDSTROM AND NORDSTROM.COM TO OFFER COMPREHENSIVE WEDDING GIFT AND REGISTRY THROUGH EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WEDDING LIST
Retail Stores and Nordstrom.com Enter $19 Billion Wedding Gift and Registry Category With Leading Multi-Channel Company
SEATTLE - March 28, 2000 - Seattle-based Nordstrom Inc. (NYSE: JWN) and The Wedding List, a private multi-channel retailer, today announced an exclusive partnership to offer merchandise and gift registry services through Nordstrom.com and in select Nordstrom stores. This is the first comprehensive wedding registry that Nordstrom has offered, marking the company?s formal entrance into the $19 billion wedding gift and registry category.
Founded in London in 1988 and headquartered in New York City, The Wedding List is a high growth, multi-channel retail company solely focused on the wedding registry and gift market. The company is transforming this process by making it fun and easy for its two customer groups: the couple and the gift giver. The Wedding List is known both for its complete merchandise selection from over 200 premier manufacturers worldwide and for its unique, personalized registry services, offered through its shops in New York, London, and Boston, its website at theweddinglist.com, its catalogue and an 800 number.
?Wedding gift and registry presents an enormous market opportunity and many of our customers told us they would like this service. This partnership allows us to offer an immediate solution for our customers by leveraging the relationship between our stores and Nordstrom.com,? said Marty Wikstrom, group president, Nordstrom full-line stores.
Nordstrom and The Wedding List will reach more customers seeking online and off-line wedding gift and registry services. The union will provide access to both traditional and cutting edge merchandise as well as a highly personalized shopping and registry experience through the customer's channel of choice.
?Wedding gift and registry is an ideal online category and is a service that enhances our customers? experience,? said Dan Nordstrom, CEO, Nordstrom.com. ?With the partnership, customers will have access to great brands through a co-branded website between Nordstrom.com and theweddinglist.com.?
Under the terms of the agreement, a co-branded site will go live in spring 2000. Couples looking to register on the site, or anyone looking for gifts, will have access to more than 200 premier brands, as well as advice from highly knowledgeable consultants at every point of contact. A prominent Wedding List icon will be featured on the Nordstrom.com home page. When a customer clicks on the icon, The Wedding List site is framed within the Nordstrom.com site, offering easy access and maneuverability within both sites.
Nordstrom will also provide space to The Wedding List in three of its East Coast stores by October 1, 2000 and intends to open additional markets in the future. These stores will provide couples and gift givers the same unparalleled customer service and unique gift selection that are available online. Gifts that are suitable for showers, engagement parties or other special events will be available for cash and carry, and wedding registry gifts will be delivered in the manner requested by the bride and groom. In addition, Nordstrom is making a $1.5 million investment in The Wedding List.
?Nordstrom?s unparalleled history of superior customer care, and its commitment to meet the customers? needs in every channel are characteristics that separate Nordstrom from the rest,? said Gregg Renfrew, Chief Executive Officer, The Wedding List. ?We are delighted to partner with Nordstrom and Nordstrom.com, and believe our combined energies will help us achieve our goal of making gift giving and registry fun and easy-something we feel has been lost along the way.?
The Wedding List provides a complete selection of gifts from such renowned names as Ralph Lauren, Bernardaud, Simon Pearce, and Saint-Louis, as well as more trend setting products from designers such as Marie Daage, Jonathan Adler and Nick Munro. The Wedding List plans to carry its entire selection of merchandise in the Nordstrom stores.
About Nordstrom and Nordstrom.com:
Nordstrom, Inc. is one of the nation?s leading fashion specialty retailers, with 105 stores located in 23 states, including 72 full-line stores, 28 Nordstrom Racks, three Fa‡onnable boutiques, two free-standing shoe stores, and one clearance store. Nordstrom.com, nordstrom.com is the leading Internet destination for quality fashion goods and services.
About The Wedding List:
New York based The Wedding List is a company solely focused on wedding gifts and registry. The company is transforming these processes by providing customers a complete merchandise selection and unparalleled service through a team of highly trained consultants accessible through every channel. Customers can access The Wedding List selection and services through its Internet e-commerce site at www.theweddinglist.com, its storefront retail operations at 29 East 73rd Street, New York, 119 Newbury Street, Boston, and 91 Walton Street, London, its catalogue and its U.S. toll-free number, 800-345-7795. |
