Nordstrom Takes Pinterest Engagement To New Level, Turns Most Pinned Items Into In-Store Displays

After Geekwire.com’s report last week highlighting how Nordstrom is using  popular Pinterest items as display promotions in a select number of stores, we wanted to find out more on the retail giant’s plans to transition their social media marketing efforts into actual in-store results.

According to the report, the pilot program is running in 13 Nordstrom locations across the country, with Pinterest display promotions being tested in the dress, handbag and shoe departments. Products being tested include Pinterest signage with text reading, “Top Pinned Items” and the Nordstrom hashtag.

The store is also leveraging iPad displays to showcase products that are popular on Pinterest. Nordstrom spokesperson Colin Johnson confirmed that they worked directly with Pinterest before launching the program. “Their team has been incredibly helpful with all our efforts using this social network,” said Johnson.

When asked which items were chosen to be part of the Pinterest tie-in promotions, Johnson clarified that the products were selected from Nordstrom’s most pinned items in certain categories. “One other factor is each store’s inventory where the test took place,” explained Johnson, “We wanted to have alignment with what we show in that store and that department with what we have available to sell to the customer.”

According to Johnson, Nordstrom plans to assess the program’s results after the retailer wraps up its Anniversary Sale scheduled to run July 19 through August 4. “We hope it adds to our engagement with the community and ultimately enables us to sell more as well,” said Johnson.

Not only is Nordstrom leveraging Pinterest in stores, but Nordstrom.com now includes a “Top Pinned” link under the women’s section of the website.

Pinterest accounts for Nordstrom’s largest social community, with 4.5 million followers as reported by Geekwire.com, more than double the number of followers on the retailer’s Facebook company page.

Bryan Galipeau, Nordstrom’s social media manager, told Geekwire.com, “This test really came out of our desire as a company to align our social strategy with what our customers are talking about and what are customers are interested in.” Because of Nordstrom’s Pinterest activity and number of followers, Galipeau believes that the image-focused social media site was a desirable resource from which to mine customer intent.

While Nordstrom did not have any quantitative results to share on the new program, Nordstrom’s spokesperson told us that the new initiative is part of the company’s broader social media efforts to enhance the customer experience. “Pinterest continues to be a key part of what we do because our customers love it and want us to be there,” added Johnson, “We’ll continue to evolve anything we do on social based on our customers and what our different communities are looking for.”