Credit Cards » Credit Card Reviews » Nordstrom Credit Card Review (2023)
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Nordstrom Credit Card Review (2023)

The Nordstrom card offers benefits such as insider status and free trunk club access, but there are better clothing store cards elsewhere
Author: Lorraine Smithills
Lorraine Smithills

Writer, Contributor

Experience

Lorraine is a freelance finance writer with years of experience in the banking sector and after a successful career in one of the largest retail and commercial financial services providers. She has a passion for helping people with less financial confidence to get control of their money through budgeting, saving, and responsible credit practices.

Review & Fact Check: Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Financial Expert, The Smart Investor CEO

Experience

Baruch Mann (Silvermann) is a financial expert and founder of The Smart Investor. Above all, he is passionate about teaching people how to manage their money and helping millions on their journey to a better financial future.
Author: Lorraine Smithills
Lorraine Smithills

Writer, Contributor

Experience

Lorraine is a freelance finance writer with years of experience in the banking sector and after a successful career in one of the largest retail and commercial financial services providers. She has a passion for helping people with less financial confidence to get control of their money through budgeting, saving, and responsible credit practices.

Review & Fact Check: Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Financial Expert, The Smart Investor CEO

Experience

Baruch Mann (Silvermann) is a financial expert and founder of The Smart Investor. Above all, he is passionate about teaching people how to manage their money and helping millions on their journey to a better financial future.

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Nordstrom Credit Card

Nordstrom Rewards Visa

Rewards Plan

1x – 2x 2X points per dollar spent at Nordstrom and its brands, including Nordstrom Rack, and 1X points on all other purchases

Welcome Bonus

$40 $40 bonus note if you make any purchase at Nordstrom or Nordstrom.com on the day your card is approved.

Credit Rating

Good – Excellent

0% Intro

N/A

Annual Fee

$0

APR

18.90% – 25.90%
Nordstrom Credit Card

Nordstrom Rewards Visa

Rewards Plan

1x – 2x 2X points per dollar spent at Nordstrom and its brands, including Nordstrom Rack, and 1X points on all other purchases

Welcome Bonus

$40 $40 bonus note if you make any purchase at Nordstrom or Nordstrom.com on the day your card is approved.

0% Intro

N/A

PROS

CONS

APR

18.90% - 25.90%

Annual Fee

$0

Balance Transfer Fee

N/A

Credit Requirements

Good - Excellent

The Nordstrom Credit Card is a financial tool offered by Nordstrom, a leading fashion retailer. It provides customers with a convenient way to make purchases at Nordstrom stores, online, and at affiliated retailers. The credit card offers a range of benefits, making it an attractive choice for frequent Nordstrom shoppers.

With the Nordstrom Credit Card, customers can enjoy perks such as early access to sales, exclusive discounts, and bonus rewards. Cardholders earn points for every dollar spent, which can be redeemed for Nordstrom Notes, allowing them to save on future purchases.

If you’re highly brand loyal to Nordstrom, this card could be a good option for you, but the limited rewards and limited redemptions may make it an unlikely choice for most people. There are a number of other zero annual fee credit cards that offer far more generous welcome bonuses and ongoing rewards.

  • Insider Status
  • Alterations Credit
  • Trunk Club
  • All Day Customer Support
  • Visa Benefits
  • Modest Bonus
  • Lackluster Rewards
  • No 0% Finance
  • Limited Redemptions

How do I redeem rewards?

Your rewards are automatically added to your Nordstrom account once you have sufficient points. At the Influencer level, you’ll receive $10 for every 1,000 points. You can then apply notes at the check out when you’re shopping online or you can have the salesperson look up your account when you’re shopping in store.

How hard is it to get a Nordstrom credit card?

You do need to have excellent credit to qualify for the Nordstrom credit card, which may make it difficult for some people to get the card.

When it may not be a good idea?

This card is not a good idea for those who are not completely brand loyal to Nordstrom. There are other cards that offer greater rewards. So, unless you are a regular shopper with the brand and aiming for the higher tier program status, you should consider alternative cards.

In this Review

Estimating Your Rewards: A Practical Simulation

Take a look at the table provided below to discover the potential rewards you could earn by utilizing the Nordstrom credit card. This simulation calculates the benefits you might receive by considering your everyday expenses across various categories.

Please note that the table serves as an estimate, and your actual rewards may vary depending on your individual spending patterns and other influencing factors. Nevertheless, it offers valuable insights into the potential advantages offered by this card.

Nordstrom Rewards Visa

Spend Per Category
Nordstrom Credit Card
$10,000 – U.S Supermarkets
10,000 miles
$3,000 – Restaurants
9,000 miles
$5,000 – Airline
25,000 miles
$4,000 – Hotels
8,000 miles
$4,000 – Gas
4,000 miles
Estimated Annual Avios
56,000 Miles

Pros and Cons

Just like any other credit card, the Nordstrom credit card has some advantages and disadvantages:

Pros
Cons
Insider Status
Modest Bonus
Alterations Credit
Lackluster Rewards
Trunk Club
No 0% Finance
All Day Customer Support
Limited Redemptions
Visa Benefits

This is typically earned after you spend $500 as a regular Nordstrom's customer. Insider status with the Nordy Club, the brand’s loyalty club offers a number of perks including early access to sales and personal double points days.

In addition to the free basic alterations that are available to all Nordy Club members, you can receive up to $100 in alterations credit.

As a Nordy Club Insider, you’ll have the fee waived for Nordstrom Trunk Club styling.

As a cardholder, you’ll have access to 24/7 customer support, should you have any queries or questions about your account.

Since this card is a Visa, you can also access the suite of Visa Signature benefits. This includes roadside and travel services, rental car insurance, travel accident insurance and access to Visa Concierge services.

Although a $40 bonus note if you make any purchase at Nordstrom or Nordstrom.com on the day your card is approved. bonus is nice, it is modest compared to the welcome bonuses available with many credit cards. 

There are a number of no annual fee credit cards that offer a welcome bonus worth hundreds of dollars.

The maximum points you can earn with this card are 3 per dollar, which is fairly lackluster. There are other store co-branded credit cards that offer as much as 5% back. 

Considering you get one point per dollar just for signing up to the Nordy Club, this seems a little on the stingy side.

Unlike other store cards, there is no promotional 0% APR or other type of 0% finance with this card.

You can only redeem your rewards at Nordstrom. There is a $5 minimum redemption and if you don’t currently need anything from Nordstrom, you’ll simply have to keep hold of your points.

Who Should Consider The Nordstrom Credit Card?

Since this is a branded credit card, it is obviously best for those who are highly brand loyal to Nordstrom. With limited earning potential and no redemptions available outside of Nordstrom, you will need to be a regular visitor to the stores or the Nordstrom.com website.

You will need to purchase items from Nordstrom at least every month or two to get the best value from this card.

If you are looking for an alternative co-branded, clothing store card – here are some options:

Card
Rewards
Bonus
Annual Fee

American Eagle Credit Card review

15X 15 points per dollar spent at American Eagle
30% off your first order
$0

Macy's Credit Card Review

2X – 5X spend $1,200 or more annually to get 5X points per dollar on purchases made at Macy's, 3X points if you spend $500 to $1199 and 2X points if you spend up to $500. Also, get 3X points at restaurants including delivery, 2X at gas stations & supermarkets and 1 point per $1 spent everywhere else
20% discount 20% discount on Macy's on the day you are approved and the following day, up to $100
$0

sears credit card

1% – 5% 5% back on Sears + 5% eligible gasoline purchases, 3% back on grocery stores and restaurants (limited to the first $10,000 of qualifying payments, then 1% thereafter), plus 2% back when used at eligible merchants such as Sears or Kmart, and 1% on all other purchases
None
$0

Kohl's Charge Card by Capital One review

7.5% 7.5% cash back on Kohl’s purchases
%35 off on first purchase 7.5% cash back on Kohl’s purchases
$0

jcpenney credit card

5% 1 point for every dollar at JCPenney, 200 points worth $10 -> $10 per $200 spend on JCPenney = 5% back
Extra 5% – 35% off Extra 5% – 35% off on selected merchants in the first purchase on the same day the card has been opened
$0

Victoria's Secret Credit Card

1% – 5% 5% (10 points) back in rewards at Victoria Secret or PINK, 2% (4 points) on dining, travel and streaming services and 1% (2 points) on all other purchases
$25 $25 off in first purchase
$0

Banana Republic Credit Card

1X – 5X 5 points for every dollar spent at Banana Republic, Gap, Athleta and Old Navy. 1 point per dollar on all other purchases
20% off your first order 20% off your first order at Banana Republic
$0

Tips for Using the Nordstrom Card

As a store and online shopping credit card, here are the main ways to leverage it maximize your benefits:

To increase the number of points you can receive with your card, you should aim to achieve at least Ambassador status. This requires an annual spend of at least $5,000, which should be manageable for regular shoppers with the brand.

Unlike most cards which offer one to several months to make qualifying purchases, you need to make an immediate purchase to receive your Nordstrom’s welcome gift. So, make sure you buy something as soon as your application is approved.

FAQs

There are no official income requirements for this card, but you do need to have excellent credit to qualify. While your income will be assessed, it is not the only factor for consideration when evaluating your application.

There is no pre approval option on the website, but select customers may receive a mailer offering pre approval for this card.

As a Visa card, you can receive car rental coverage when you reserve and pay for the entire rental with your card. This provides damage to and theft of insurance for eligible rental vehicles.

Lorraine Smithills

Lorraine Smithills

Lorraine is a freelance finance writer with years of experience in the banking sector and after a successful career in one of the largest retail and commercial financial services providers. She has a passion for helping people with less financial confidence to get control of their money through budgeting, saving, and responsible credit practices.

Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

Credit Card Reviews Methodology

In order to determine the best possible credit cards, we look at things like fees, interest rates and rewards. We do this with companies that are associated with us as partners as well as other offerings. From there, we make a decision about what the best card is related to different categories and needs. We focus on interest rate cost & fees, especially the cost of carrying a balance, rewards – cards accumulate rewards in different currencies—points, miles, cash back—and their values vary widely usability – cards that accept a wide range of credit profiles and offer simple solutions for things like checking your credit score or contacting. We also consider customer reviews.

We look at cards related to good or excellent credit ratings that will then provide a range of different benefits and improvements for someone who has these scores. We also look at low fees when it comes to those who have lower credit scores.