Julia Dallas

Working at Nordstrom has given me insight into why big data is important in retail. As a sales associate part of my job is processing returns. We cannot process a return unless we have proof that the item was purchased. Many people, me included, lose their paper receipt. At Nordstrom you can make an account that tracks your purchases. Using big data makes returning merchandise much easier! Instead of having to have a paper receipt, we can look it up with their email, phone number, or card they purchased with. Most customers have an account and can find an email receipt. If they cannot find it, we can also look it up in our system. They can also download the Nordstrom app and look at their past purchases there. Big data is important in retail for keeping track of purchases, making returns and finding similar brands. It is definitely hard to scroll past tailored Instagram ads when you see a clothing item you like. Sometimes I spend more money, but other times I can find specific items faster. If I need a piece of cheap clothing quickly, I often look for it on Amazon. I love Amazon because you can see detailed reviews with pictures of every item. They also recommend similar items so that I can find exactly what I’m looking for. Big data fuels my shopping obsession by making buying clothes online too easy.