Originally published by Sarah Mahoney on Marketing Daily.
Heading into the holiday’s final heat, Nordstrom is trying some new digital tricks to win over customers.
For one thing, it has taken the ever-so-impersonal gift card one step further, turning it into specific digital gifts. And for another, it has brought its leather-bound rock from gag gift to Twitter star to late-night comedy, selling it out in the process.
First, the e-gift. Let’s say you are absolutely sure your sister would love the latest Ugg bedroom slippers. Well, maybe 97% sure. Nordstrom, working with prepaid commerce provider CashStar, now lets you digitally send physical gifts by email. When she opens the digital gift, she can select the size, the color, and her preferred shipping information. And if she thinks the Uggs are ugly, she can choose another gift entirely.
It has all the perks of a gift card but shows a little more effort on the part of the sender. (While gift cards have been a holiday staple for years, the National Retail Federation reports that 50% of consumers either won’t or are reluctant to buy them.)
“We are excited to offer a new gifting solution that’s easy and personal,” says Jessica Canfield, a Nordstrom spokesperson. “With only the recipient’s email address, it’s possible to quickly select a thoughtful gift.”