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Nordstrom Rack, Nordstom's discount chain, will be expanding rapidly over the next two years. WWD reports that the retailer plans to add another 97 stores to its line-up by 2016, in places both predictable (Brooklyn, Chicago) and less predictble (Eugene, Oregon).
And they're not going to be just some sloppy-seconds warehouses, either. The retailer is taking pains to "elevate the off-price shopping experience" by making customer service as important at Nordstrom Rack as it is at Nordstom proper.
In addition to department store services, like on-site tailoring, Racks are being outfitted with iPod Touch check-out devices, similar to ones you would see at the Apple store. That means customers can check out without queuing at a cash register.
"Service is defined by wait time," a rep told WWD. It's helped us get rid of wait time in the line. Now shoppers don't have to line up."
It's been so successful that Nordstrom has actually begun removing cash registers from the shop floor, opening up more space for merchandising.
· Nordstrom's Big Plans for Expansion of Rack [WWD]
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