Basis Of Presentation	6 Months Ended
Jul. 28, 2012
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis Of Presentation	BASIS OF PRESENTATION The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include Nordstrom, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances are eliminated in consolidation. The interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a basis consistent in all material respects with the accounting policies described and applied in our 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K ("Annual Report"), and reflect all adjustments that are, in management's opinion, necessary for the fair presentation of the results of operations, financial position and cash flows for the periods presented. The condensed consolidated financial statements as of and for the periods ended July 28, 2012 and July 30, 2011 are unaudited. The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of January 28, 2012 has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements included in our 2011 Annual Report. The interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read together with the consolidated financial statements and related footnote disclosures contained in our 2011 Annual Report. The preparation of our financial statements requires that we make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. We base our estimates on historical experience and other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from these estimates. Our business, like that of other retailers, is subject to seasonal fluctuations. Due to our Anniversary Sale in July, the holidays in December and the half-yearly sales that occur in our second and fourth quarters, our sales are typically higher in the second and fourth quarters of the fiscal year than in the first and third quarters. In 2012, our Anniversary Sale shifted to the last week of July and the first week of August to align with the historical timing of our sale event. This moved one week of event sales to the third quarter. Results for any quarter are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be achieved for a full fiscal year. Recent Accounting Pronouncements In December 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2011-11, Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities, which has requirements that are disclosure-only in nature. This ASU requires disclosures about offsetting and related arrangements for financial instruments and derivative instruments, including gross and net information and evaluation of the effect of netting arrangements on the statement of financial position. We do not expect the provisions of this ASU, which are effective for us beginning with the first quarter of 2013, to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include Nordstrom, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances are eliminated in consolidation. The interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a basis consistent in all material respects with the accounting policies described and applied in our 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K ("Annual Report"), and reflect all adjustments that are, in management's opinion, necessary for the fair presentation of the results of operations, financial position and cash flows for the periods presented.

The condensed consolidated financial statements as of and for the periods ended July 28, 2012 and July 30, 2011 are unaudited. The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of January 28, 2012 has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements included in our 2011 Annual Report. The interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read together with the consolidated financial statements and related footnote disclosures contained in our 2011 Annual Report.

The preparation of our financial statements requires that we make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. We base our estimates on historical experience and other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

Our business, like that of other retailers, is subject to seasonal fluctuations. Due to our Anniversary Sale in July, the holidays in December and the half-yearly sales that occur in our second and fourth quarters, our sales are typically higher in the second and fourth quarters of the fiscal year than in the first and third quarters. In 2012, our Anniversary Sale shifted to the last week of July and the first week of August to align with the historical timing of our sale event. This moved one week of event sales to the third quarter. Results for any quarter are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be achieved for a full fiscal year.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In December 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2011-11, Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities, which has requirements that are disclosure-only in nature. This ASU requires disclosures about offsetting and related arrangements for financial instruments and derivative instruments, including gross and net information and evaluation of the effect of netting arrangements on the statement of financial position. We do not expect the provisions of this ASU, which are effective for us beginning with the first quarter of 2013, to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.