Update: New Reviews and Nordstrom

Jan 4, 2024

I have new reviews coming soon of lingerie I have. I also want to let my friends/followers know what has been up with me lately.

I no longer work for Nordstrom. I resigned, and they immediately removed all access to emails and teams messages. Fortunately, I downloaded what I needed because I anticpated this. I quit partly because Debbie’s husband received a terminal diagnosis, and we need to prepare. I told this to my manager directly before the incident. I also resigned because I was not heard. I will not go into the full details of everything I witnessed, but I will say this: They did not like my post about my manager and they (or Nordstrom agents) offered veiled threats about their social media policy. I did not violate it. I did not post a retaliatory or discriminatory message. I recounted the events as is. If it doesn’t paint a favorable portrait, maybe the subject isn’t right. I was called into an office with no knowledge of why. I was then seated in front of my direct supervisor. Then a second, senior manager sat at her desk behind me, flanking me. It was narrow and cramped, and it triggered prior abuse I endured. I didn’t know how to behave despite knowing I logically needed to be a certain way. I wanted to be angry. I wanted to cry. My brain shut down. My body shut down. I shut down. I survived a home invasion by a guy with a machete! And yet here, I had so many emotions and felt so vulnerable and intimidated that I left shaking. I could barely breathe. That is NEVER appropriate. You do not do this to employees. So, please never go to Nordstrom in Durham again. Contact me. I’ll figure out how to help you. They let an employee fit a breast cancer survivor so poorly that the bra caused damaged to her breast, and she had to go to the doctor. Do you want to support that? I’m refraining from critiquing Nordstrom as a whole because I’m hoping someone will contact me. But in the meantime, please do not go to the Durham location. It is not a safe space.

Comments

5 responses to “Update: New Reviews and Nordstrom”

David Ash

January 4, 2024

Wow, Erica–things seem to have really come to a head at Nordstrom. How do you feel about this? I mean obviously you don’t want to have anything to do with Nordstrom in Durham again. But I’m wondering: how big a setback is this for you? Had you hoped to stay at Nordstrom for many years, and this is a serious blow–or was Nordstrom always just a stepping stone to bigger and better things that you can now move on to a bit sooner?

Sounds like there is a lot of negative energy to be processed, especially from that final meeting, so I hope you can take some time to heal from the immediate fallout before moving on to whatever is next for you. You obviously care about your clients and it sounds like some at Nordstrom may not care like you do, so I know you will eventually find a better outlet for your abilities.

Reply
1. Erica
  
  January 18, 2024
  
  Hi David! For me, I really thought I could make a difference in the company, especially on a larger scale. However, the emphasis seems to be more on pushing sales than on empowering employees. It makes sense when you have a commission-based model because bigger sales will always be a motivating factor. But there’s not real education on bra fitting. The Nordstrom training video is 90 seconds, and even the Eveden rep does not agree with it. My videos are all longer and more detailed, so my hope was to transition to a role where I could bring the needs of the stores to buyers, to educate employees, to create content to help consumers buy with confidence, etc. I had hoped when I sent in my resignation letter that they would call or invite me in, but they snapped the doors shut so fast I didn’t even turn in my fitting room key. Intimate apparel is different than selling ties or jeans. It *matters.* And yes, it is time consuming some times, and yes, it does require more education and patience. But that means the department should be recruiting people who are capable of providing that service. If they aren’t, then the whole department suffers. I’m still holding out hope Nordstrom Corporate contacts me because I could be a fantastic ally. However, until such a time I feel confident my customers will feel safe and respected in the Durham store, I will not be sending them there again. As for me, I’m applying for new positions, including a couple related to sales within the tech sphere. As you know, I do love tech, so maybe it’s time to take what I learned running the store and combine it with my degree for a new career path. I also received suggestions from people here about creating a consulting business for bra fittings. It’s something to consider! Hope you are doing well my friend!
  
  Reply
BraOdyssey

March 8, 2024

Oh my gosh, Erica!! I’m so sorry that happened to you!!
We need more people like you who stand up for the innocent victims, like the breast cancer survivor, and advocate for consumer rights. It’s sad that so many good stores (like yours) are taken over by big corporations, who can hire people who will look the other way when clients are mistreated.

I can’t believe your house was robbed by someone who had a machete, that’s horrible!! At that point, I would be registering for a concealed carry permit!

Reply
1. Erica
  
  May 2, 2024
  
  Anytime commission becomes the primary source of income for a person, I think it naturally leads to at least a minimal level of deception. The training video was only 90 seconds and advocated adding inches to the band too. My supervisor had no prior experience in lingerie, and despite my numerous complaints that the training and supervision needed to be better, nothing changed. So many good people across departments have left that store because of management issues. It’s a shame because for a department store, their selection was better than average. I tried to get corporate to contact me in the hopes of rebuilding the bridge and addressing my concerns, particularly because I’m essentially giving away free consulting advice, but no one ever contact me. *shrugs*
  
  Yes, the machete incident was particularly traumatizing. Ironically, I had a CCW at the time! I had left my gun in the glove compartment of my car because I had a doctor’s appointment the day before which didn’t permit handguns on the premises. I let my CCW lapse though. Most places don’t allow you to carry a gun on the premise anymore, and technically NC is an open-carry state anyway. It didn’t seem worth the $75.
  
  Reply
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