Who is this for?
Nordstrom suppliers who want to understand:
What EDI, ticketing, packaging, and routing requirements do they need to meet before shipping
What triggers an expense offset, and how much it will cost
How to handle invoices, claims, and accounts payable inquiries correctly
Becoming a Nordstrom vendor comes with real opportunity, but also a detailed set of compliance requirements covering everything from how you transmit data electronically to how you seal a carton. Falling short in any area results in direct financial penalties called expense offsets, deducted straight from your invoice.
This article walks through the major areas suppliers need to understand before shipping to Nordstrom. For the complete and most current requirements, visit www.nordstromsupplier.com.
Note: This is a general overview, not a substitute for Nordstrom's official compliance documentation. Always consult the full Supplier Compliance Manual when making operational decisions.
At a high level, every Nordstrom supplier is expected to:
Follow all Purchase Order Terms and Conditions
Send and receive required EDI documents per VICS guidelines and the Nordstrom mapping guide
Maintain an accurate, up-to-date UPC/EAN catalog through Nordstrom's approved third-party provider
Pre-ticket all applicable merchandise with a UPC or EAN barcode and Nordstrom retail price
Submit EDI invoices and follow all Accounts Payable requirements
Provide a complete Advance Ship Notice (ASN/856) with a valid GS1-128 label on every carton
Pack merchandise per Nordstrom's packaging specifications
Ship only via carriers authorized in the Nordstrom Routing Guide
Check www.nordstromsupplier.com regularly for updates
Nordstrom requires all suppliers to communicate electronically using EDI. Failure to comply triggers expense offsets. The required EDI transaction sets are:
|
Transaction |
Description |
|
810 |
Electronic Invoice |
|
850 |
Electronic Purchase Order |
|
856 |
Advance Ship Notice (with UCC-128 label) |
|
997 |
Functional Acknowledgment |
|
832 |
UPC Catalog data (via QRS) |
Optional transactions include the 852 (Product Activity), 855 (PO Acknowledgment), and 860 (PO Change).
All EDI documents are traded at the UPC or EAN level, which means your UPC catalog must be loaded with QRS before you begin trading electronically.
EDI expense offsets:
Unable to receive an electronic PO (850): $150.00 per incident
UPC Catalog not available: $150.00 per incident
ASN/856 missing on a shipment: $150.00 per incident
ASN quantities do not match receipt quantities: $150.00 per incident
Paper invoice submitted instead of EDI: $25.00 per invoice
EDI invoice transmitted with incorrect information: $5.00 per invoice
All merchandise must arrive at Nordstrom DCs with a UCC-12 or EAN-13 barcode attached. UPC/EAN numbers must be unique and assigned at the product ID, color, and size level. The Nordstrom retail price must appear on all tickets, and catalog data must be loaded through QRS before item setup.
Some product categories at Nordstrom Full Line stores, including Women's apparel, Cosmetics, Shoes, and Fine Jewelry (Dept. 89), are excluded from full pre-ticketing but still require UPC/EAN assignment. Rack stores have their own specifications, such as requiring the UPC, style, color, and size printed directly on shoe boxes.
Having a UPC missing from the catalog at the time of item setup carries a $150.00 per incident offset.
Nordstrom has strict packaging specifications. Non-compliant shipments risk processing delays and expense offsets.
Cartons must fall between 9" x 9" x 9" (minimum) and 40" x 30" x 30" (maximum), weigh no more than 50 lbs, and be made of new corrugated cardboard. All cartons must be conveyable -- do not ship in envelopes, bags, or plastic. Do not palletize.
Every carton must carry a valid, scannable GS1-128 (UCC-128) label with the ship-to DC number, vendor information, PO number, department number, carton count, and a 20-digit SSCC number. Missing or non-scannable labels are charged at $5.00 per carton.
The Nordstrom Routing Guide is the only authorized source for carrier selection on all domestic POs. Buyers are not authorized to give carrier instructions.
All shipments must be sent "Collect" or "Bill Receiver." The three exceptions are Parcel Post, Fine Jewelry and Watches (Dept. 89 and 214), and Gourmet Foods (Dept. 52). Nordstrom will not reimburse any other prepaid shipments.
Merchandise must ship within the PO shipping window. Shipments outside this window will be refused. If you cannot meet the Cancel Date, an extension must come from the buyer who owns the PO.
Routing Guide or PO violations are charged at 100% of the shipment cost plus a $25.00 handling fee.
Nordstrom is committed to EDI invoicing with all trading partners. For suppliers who have been contacted for EDI invoicing, it is mandatory. Allow 1 to 2 months for enrollment and testing. Contact Nordstrom's EDI Group at 206-233-6761 for enrollment information.
Required fields on every merchandise invoice:
Purchase Order Number (8-digit identifier)
Vendor Number
Invoice Date (should match ship date)
Unique Invoice Number
Department Number
Payment Terms
Ship Date
Sold-To location (store number or DC number)
Ship-To location (DC or store number)
Style numbers and units per style
Unit cost and total cost per style
Total units shipped (excluding back-ordered or no-charge items)
Total cost
Invoices missing any required fields will be rejected. Do not include freight charges on merchandise invoices. Only exception vendors may bill freight, on a separate invoice to the DC.
Payment terms are calculated from the Receipt of Goods (ROG) date. End-of-Month (EOM) terms for shipments received after the 25th of the month will be considered next month's business.
Nordstrom has a 12-month time limit on all claims and invoice inquiries.
Invoice inquiries: Email apresearch@nordstrom.com with vendor name and number, invoice number, PO number, invoice amount, and due date. Wait until an invoice is 45 days past due before inquiring about payment status. Current invoices will not be addressed.
Claim types handled by Accounts Payable:
Cost Difference Claims (PO discrepancy not resolved before shipping): address with the buying office
Short Ship claims: provide pack slips, proof of delivery, and an explanation
Discount Correction inquiries: submit in writing
Claim copies: For PO violation returns, a copy of the claim is included with the returned merchandise and often faxed when an RA is required. Accommodation and defective claims are shipped through the DCs. If you do not receive a claim copy, contact your Warehouse/Return Center first, then the originating DC. AP does not have claim copies for accommodation and defective claims.
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