This is an Iterable User Engagement Teardown comparing the user engagement strategies of leading apparel retailers Nordstrom and Fashion Nova. Outreach was closely studied for two weeks following account creation. After evaluating all email and mobile messages received, we identify what these companies do well and where there is room for improvement. Everything shown in the slides (and any recommendations) can be implemented with Iterable's growth marketing platform. To view more User Engagement Teardowns, visit https://iterable.com/teardown

1. User Engagement Teardown:
Nordstrom vs. Fashion Nova
www.iterable.com

2. 2
A Quick Word on Iterable
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• Iterable is the growth marketing platform that
powers world-class customer engagement with
unparalleled data flexibility.
• Create, execute and optimize campaigns across
email, push, SMS, in-app and more.
• Everything you see here (and more) can be done
with Iterable. You can see other teardowns at:
iterable.com/teardown

3. 3
What is a “User Engagement Teardown?”
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• We analyze cross-channel user
engagement over a defined period
post-signup.
• We offer constructive evaluation and
feedback.
• We cover all types of B2C businesses:
e-commerce, marketplaces, media,
politics, etc.

4. 4
Background on the Brands
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• Nordstrom and Fashion Nova are two leading apparel
companies in the United States.
• Nordstrom, founded in 1901, is the 16th largest online retailer in
America, according to Internet Retailer’s Top 500 Report. The
leading luxury department store has 380 locations across the U.S.
& Canada.
• Fashion Nova, founded in 2006, is America’s 2nd fastest-growing
consumer brand (according to IR). Focusing on inexpensive
clubwear and partnering with celebrities like Cardi B, it now has 5
locations in southern California.

5. 5
What We Did
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• We signed up and received messages over
two weeks of November—before and after
Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
• We escalated our activity over time:
• Completed user profiles
• Downloaded mobile apps
• Browsed items
• Abandoned shopping carts

6. On to the User Engagement Timeline…

7. Message TypeActivity Type
Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
MessagesUserActivity
We’ll show you what we (the user) did here…
Scheduled
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
…and the messages we received here.
Activities and message types are
color coded as shown in this key.
User Engagement Timeline
Days from
start:
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 141 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
WebPush

8. Next let’s look at Nordstrom’s
user engagement…

9. Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Scheduled
CYBER MONDAY
BLACK FRIDAY
Signed up for account
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Abandoned cart
Completed profile
Abandoned cart
The Nordstrom User Engagement Timeline
Days from
start:
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 141 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
WebPush

10. Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Scheduled
CYBER MONDAY
BLACK FRIDAY
Signed up for account
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Abandoned cart
Completed profile
Abandoned cart
The Nordstrom User Engagement Timeline
Days from
start:
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 141 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
Nordstrom sent us our first welcome email
following account creation. The email featured a
nice welcome greeting and highlighted a few
account benefits as a new Nordy Club member.
WebPush

11. Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Scheduled
CYBER MONDAY
BLACK FRIDAY
Signed up for account
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Abandoned cart
Completed profile
Abandoned cart
The Nordstrom User Engagement Timeline
Days from
start:
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 141 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
WebPush
Nordstrom’s second welcome email arrived on day
3 and featured three distinct content blocks
highlighting exclusive value: great apparel, stand-
out customer service, and Nordy Club membership
benefits.
*(Email clipped for visual distinction)
Block 1 Block 2 Block 3

12. Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Scheduled
CYBER MONDAY
BLACK FRIDAY
Signed up for account
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Abandoned cart
Completed profile
Abandoned cart
The Nordstrom User Engagement Timeline
Days from
start:
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 141 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
Day 5 marked the arrival of our first push
message promoting The Score Sale,
Nordstrom’s annual sale offering big
discounts (60%) on select items.
WebPush

13. Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Scheduled
CYBER MONDAY
BLACK FRIDAY
Signed up for account
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Abandoned cart
Completed profile
Abandoned cart
The Nordstrom User Engagement Timeline
Days from
start:
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 141 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
Nordstrom sent a Black Friday push on day 7,
followed by a push of similar nature on day 8.
WebPush

14. Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Scheduled
CYBER MONDAY
BLACK FRIDAY
Signed up for account
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Abandoned cart
Completed profile
Abandoned cart
The Nordstrom User Engagement Timeline
Days from
start:
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 141 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
WebPush
We received 3 emails and 1 push message
on day 9. Each email appeared to
promote its own initiative: Cyber Monday
sales, dress sales, and Winter’s Top 5 item
promotions.

15. Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Scheduled
CYBER MONDAY
BLACK FRIDAY
Signed up for account
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Abandoned cart
Completed profile
Abandoned cart
The Nordstrom User Engagement Timeline
Days from
start:
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 141 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
Nordstrom sent 4 messages on Cyber
Monday. Three of them pertained to the
day’s storewide sale itself, while the other
focused solely on shoe sales.
WebPush

16. Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Scheduled
CYBER MONDAY
BLACK FRIDAY
Signed up for account
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Abandoned cart
Completed profile
Abandoned cart
The Nordstrom User Engagement Timeline
Days from
start:
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 141 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
Days 11-14 followed a similar messaging
schema. Each day we could expect a Daily
Drop email with supporting promotional
push. Nordstrom also sent single, all-
purpose promotional emails.
WebPush

17. Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
The Nordstrom Inbox View
Observations:
• Concise subject lines
and preheader text
• Beauty-specific emails
preview as identical
• Daily Drop email follows
consistent formatting

18. Now let’s look at Fashion Nova…

19. The Fashion Nova User Engagement Timeline
Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Scheduled
Days from
start:
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 141 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
CYBER MONDAY
BLACK FRIDAY
Signed up for account
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Abandoned cart
Completed profile
Abandoned cart
WebPush

20. Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
MessagesUserActivity
CYBER MONDAY
BLACK FRIDAY
Completed profile
Signed up for account
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Abandoned cart
Abandoned cart
The Fashion Nova User Engagement Timeline
Days from
start:
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 141 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
Fashion Nova jumps head first into messaging after account
creation. We received a transactional activation email, a
unique referral link, a Fashion Nova Men’s promotion, and
two cross-channel messages related to a free shipping
campaign (via email & web push).
Message TypeActivity Type
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Scheduled WebPush

21. Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
CYBER MONDAY
BLACK FRIDAY
Signed up for account Abandoned cart
Completed profile
Downloaded app
Signed up for push/SMS
Abandoned cart
The Fashion Nova User Engagement Timeline
Days from
start:
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 141 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
MessagesUserActivity
Downloaded app
Signed up for push/SMS
Days 1 & 2 offered a reprieve from the initial stream
of messages. We received two different promotional
campaign emails featuring unique tracking codes.
Message TypeActivity Type
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Scheduled WebPush

22. CYBER MONDAY
BLACK FRIDAY
Signed up for account
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Abandoned cart
Completed profile
Abandoned cart
Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
MessagesUserActivity
The Fashion Nova User Engagement Timeline
Days from
start:
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 141 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
Following app download, Fashion
Nova sent us $5 of credit to use via
app. We also received 2 coordinated
campaign messages via email & push.
Message TypeActivity Type
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Scheduled WebPush

23. CYBER MONDAY
BLACK FRIDAY
Signed up for account
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Abandoned cart
Completed profile
Abandoned cart
Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
The Fashion Nova User Engagement Timeline
Days from
start:
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 141 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
Message TypeActivity Type
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Scheduled WebPush
On day 4 we received a mobile push reminder to
use our welcome credit before it expired.
Fashion Nova also promoted their pre-Black Friday
sale across email, mobile push, and web push.
MessagesUserActivity

24. Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
CYBER MONDAY
BLACK FRIDAY
Signed up for account
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Abandoned cart
Completed profile
Abandoned cart
The Fashion Nova User Engagement Timeline
Message TypeActivity Type
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Scheduled WebPush
Fashion Nova’s “BLACK40” (pre-Black Friday)
campaign on days 5 and 6 featured 2 daily emails
with supporting mobile push notifications.
Day 5 included a similar, but differently coded
web push.
MessagesUserActivity
Days from
start:
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 141 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90

25. Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Scheduled
CYBER MONDAY
BLACK FRIDAY
Signed up for account
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Abandoned cart
Completed profile
Abandoned cart
Fashion Nova launched a major promotional push on
Black Friday. We received 3 emails, 4 mobile pushes,
and 2 web pushes.
We also abandoned a cart via desktop, triggering 2
web push cart abandonment notifications.
The Fashion Nova User Engagement Timeline
WebPush
Days from
start:
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 141 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90

26. Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Scheduled
CYBER MONDAY
BLACK FRIDAY
Signed up for account
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Abandoned cart
Completed profile
Abandoned cart
The Fashion Nova User Engagement Timeline
WebPush
Days from
start:
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 141 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
Extended Black Friday sales carried
over into day 8 (and half of day 9).
By late afternoon of day 9, promo
messaging shifted to Cyber Monday
via email and push.

27. Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Scheduled
CYBER MONDAY
BLACK FRIDAY
Signed up for account
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Abandoned cart
Completed profile
Abandoned cart
The Fashion Nova User Engagement Timeline
WebPush
Days from
start:
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 141 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
We received 5 messages on
Cyber Monday: 3 emails, 1
mobile push, 1 web push.
Fashion Nova appeared to be
using both “CYBER90” and
“CYBER40” promotion codes
on day-of.

28. Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
MessagesUserActivity
CYBER MONDAY
BLACK FRIDAY
Signed up for account
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Abandoned cart
Completed profile
Abandoned cart
The Fashion Nova User Engagement Timeline
Days from
start:
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 141 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
Messaging cadence substantially slowed
down during days 11 through 13.
The absence of messaging on day 14 felt
almost out of character, considering the
previous week’s high volume.
Message TypeActivity Type
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Scheduled WebPush

29. The Fashion Nova Inbox View
Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Observations
• Emoji usage for
promotions
• Promo codes often
displayed prominently
• Strong focus on urgency
• Frequent mentions of
Thanksgiving, Black
Friday & Cyber Monday

30. Let’s drill into our takeaways…

31. 31
Outreach Summary
Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
• Nordstrom communicates on a fairly regular cadence through email.
Most emails appear scheduled and target a wide range of audience
personas. Nordstrom leverages push in coordination with select email
campaigns to bolster their voice.
• Fashion Nova takes cross-channel campaign experimentation further
than many consumer brands. Fashion Nova mixes high-volumes of
email, mobile push, and web push supporting their short-cycle
campaigns.

32. 32
Cross-Channel Summary
Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
• Both brands chose email as their primary communication channel,
although mobile messaging did account for roughly 30% of total message
volume. Fashion Nova’s use of web push for promotion and abandonment
showed understanding of coordinated cross-channel value.
Company Email Mobile Push Web Push
Nordstrom 16 9 0
Fashion Nova 25 15 9

33. Iterable’s Recommendations

34. 34
Recommendation Summaries
Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
• Nordstrom’s Strengths:
• Recognizes the importance of cross-channel campaigns. Push messages
supporting holiday and “Daily Drop” email campaigns increase engagement odds.
• Informative welcome email series concisely explains the value of ongoing
membership benefits as part of the Nordy Club.
• Enhancement Opportunities:
• Incorporate new subscribers into promotional email streams sooner.
• Expand the mobile messaging use case for a holistic outreach experience.
• Enhance promotional value with personalized content (items, interests, views, etc.).
• Create abandonment campaigns to recover near-purchases.

35. 35
Recommendation Summaries
Iterable, Inc. All Rights Reserved
• Fashion Nova’s Strengths:
• Coordinated cross-channel campaigns broadcast promotional content across high-
value customer communication channels.
• Eye catching subject lines using a diverse range of emojis convey message urgency
while prompting interaction.
• Enhancement Opportunities :
• Add objectives into welcome campaigns for a less transactional feel.
• Educate customers on expected message volume to mitigate message fatigue.
• Expand cart abandonment outreach across multiple channels in lieu of web only.
• Personalize content for greater cross-channel promotion resonance.

36. 36
Iterable enables brands to build highly
personalized welcome & onboarding
campaigns that activate consumer interest
Targeted segmentation of new memberships
converted 40% of users to make 1st
purchase
Ongoing testing increased click rates on mobile
by 47% during early days of app launch
New user data is collected to curate
personalized fitness sessions
How Iterable Powers Customer Engagement

37. You’ll enjoy the others! View them all at iterable.com/teardown
Join the discussion on Twitter @Iterable, using #UEteardown
If you liked this teardown…
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