The Best Strategy for Shopping the 2021 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

Fashion, Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2021

Nordstrom’s biggest sale of the year is almost here. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is unique in that new fall clothing, accessories, home decor, etc. is heavily discounted. All of the items are brand new for the retailer and after about 1 month, they will return to regular price.

This will be my 6th year shopping the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I have covered this as a blogger for the past three years, and plan to again this year in a limited capacity. To learn more about this sale, my tips for having the best strategy, and some of my honest opinions, then keep on reading!

WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL?

At the end of the day, it’s just another sale. As I mentioned previously, the sale features new fall items that are on deep discount for a limited time. Every category from clothing, shoes, accessories, baby goods, home and beauty will be on sale. This is the biggest appeal, as it may be a great opportunity to refresh your wardrobe for the upcoming fall season. There are brands for every price range available to shop. Many of my favorites like Steve Madden, Free People, Tory Burch, Zella, and Barefoot Dreams will be on sale. There are 100s more to choose from!

IMPORTANT DATES TO KNOW

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale uses a tiered system when releasing sale items to the general public. This year, the sale catalog will be available to EVERYONE on July 6, 2021 to preview before the sale goes live. If you are a Nordstrom Cardholder, you will get access to the items in the sale early depending on your rewards tier. To learn more about what status you are, check here. You can start shopping online at 3AM ET/12AM PT the day you are eligible to shop, or visit your local store during their regular business hours. Here are some important dates regarding the sale:

July 6 – Sale catalog will become available online to preview before sale goes live.

July 12-27 – Early access for Icon Status Nordstrom Cardholders.

July 14-27 – Early access for Ambassador Status Nordstrom Cardholders

July 16-27 – Early access for Influencer status Nordstrom Cardholders

July 28 – August 8 – Nordstrom Sale open to the public, cardholders, and non-cardholders.

August 9 – Prices of sale items go back to full price.

STRATEGY + TIPS

If you are new to shopping the sale this year, the biggest thing to know is that Nordstrom credit card holders get priority for shopping items on sale. Unfortunately, for this reason, a lot of items may be sold out by the time the sale opens to the public. If you do not have a credit card, PLEASE do not sign up for one just to get access to the sale if it is not a smart financial decision for you. I will say it one more time…PLEASE DO NOT SIGN UP FOR A CREDIT CARD JUST TO SHOP THIS SALE. No sweater is worth going in debt! There will be restocks here and there, so I recommend checking regularly during the sale if there is a specific item that you are interested in.

This sale is overwhelming. Plain and simple. If you follow multiple bloggers, you will hear about it 100 times a day and this sale really utilizes the power of influencer marketing. You will see hauls of $1000s of dollars worth of product and you will feel compelled to purchase something you may not necessarily need. Remember that these crazy hauls you see are the minority. That is NOT the way you should be shopping any sale. The easiest way to avoid overspending is to make a list of items that you are hunting for AHEAD of time so your vision doesn’t get clouded amidst the chaos on instagram.

Here are the rest of my PRO TIPS:

If you are a Nordstrom Cardholder, use your personal double points day during the sale to maximize the rewards you receive!
Go through your closet and fall items before the sale goes live. Take an inventory of some pieces that you feel your wardrobe may be lacking or would benefit from. Think denim, outerwear, boots, handbags, etc. Make a list and stick to it!
When you start shopping and find an item in a specific style, color, size that you like, buy it. Things sell out quick and there isn’t time to think about it. Nordstrom does free shipping and free returns, and this comes in handy during this sale. I would also recommend buying multiple sizes (if you are able to financially) if you aren’t 100% sure about fit. For example, I typically by two sizes of the same shoe and return whichever doesn’t fit.
Shop Smart – you don’t need to buy something just because this sale is super hyped up or because you saw 10 bloggers sharing it. Buy what you can afford and what you will actually use. This sale is NOT the time to try out a trend, and in fact I recommend that you stay away from trendy pieces during this sale. There is always one sweater that everyone is going to tell you that you need. Trust me, it’s overpriced, bad quality, and you don’t need it.
Remember that it is still summer! This sale is GREAT if you are looking to add some staple fall pieces to your collection, but they will sit in your closet until October. This is a another that I recommend sticking to brands, products, and styles that you know you already love. Also, keep in mind that when fall ACTUALLY rolls around, there will be plenty of retailers selling similar leopard sweaters for a fraction of the price. Save the trendy stuff for when it is more weather appropriate and you can make a more thoughtful decision.
This sale is a great time to stock up on gifts. There are also many beauty and jewelry products that will be part of the sale. Last year, I stocked up on Barefoot dreams to gift to my mom and sisters on Christmas. I have also bought JD several gifts during this sale and saved them for various celebrations throughout the year. This year I will also be looking for baby goods/gifts for Kennedy.
Make sure you are following my liketoknowit page and instagram for the most up to date information about the sale. You can also join my exclusive private facebook group for on the fly updates and restocks! The facebook page was such a great tool last year, that I have decided to utilize it to help filter out the noise on instagram.

Whew, okay that was a lot. If you have any additional questions about this sale, please leave a comment below. Be sure to follow along on all my social platforms for the most up to date information, and I will be posting a few more blog posts along the way!

Check out my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Posts for a preview of what to expect this year

My 2020 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Favorites // Top 10 Things to Buy at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale