SAN FRANCISCO, June 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Wantful (wantful.com), one of the fastest-growing online gift retailers, today announced a partnership with Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN) to develop innovative gift giving experiences for Nordstrom customers. The first iteration of the partnership launched today with The Nordstrom Gift Collection by Wantful (nordstrom.com/giftcollection).

The Nordstrom Gift Collection, based on Wantful's popular service, offers an assortment of thousands of unique products curated by Wantful in categories from home decor to accessories to specialty food and wine.

Nordstrom customers visiting the site answer a few questions about the person they're buying for, and the service helps them quickly and easily curate a customized collection of up to 12 gift choices. This collection is presented to the gift recipient in a thoughtfully designed, custom-printed gift book, wrapped like a present. The recipient opens their book and chooses the gift they want to receive from their collection. Gift books may also be delivered online instantly, or on a future date.

In addition to the thousands of products available on Wantful, gift givers can also include charitable donations to a wide range of organizations.

"We're thrilled to partner with Nordstrom -- one of the great American retail brands, with a well-earned reputation for outstanding customer experiences," said John Poisson, founder and CEO of Wantful. "We look forward to working with Nordstrom and collaborating on new experiences tuned to the needs of their customers."

"Making it simple for customers to give the right gift has always been important to the service experience we hope to offer," said Kirk Beardsley, vice president of E-Commerce with Nordstrom. "The experience that Wantful is helping us deliver is an intuitive blend of traditional and digital media that offers customers another way to solve an age old challenge…. choosing that perfect gift for someone. We're trying new things and continuing to learn in order to improve the online shopping experience for our customers. We're impressed by Wantful's innovative and thoughtful approach, and we look forward to continuing to develop our partnership based on how our customers respond."

In connection with the partnership, Nordstrom has also made an investment in Wantful to support the company's growth and to develop additional capabilities.

ABOUT WANTFUL:
Wantful is a leading online specialty retailer focused on reinventing the gift-giving experience with carefully curated products and unique experiences. Launched in 2011, Wantful has partnered with hundreds of the best designers and producers in the world to bring consumers thousands of exceptional products they won't find anywhere else. The company's signature custom-printed gift book helps consumers create thoughtful, personal gifts that let the recipient choose the product they want most. Their Corporate Gifting Program extends this experience to companies and events seeking an experience above the ordinary. Visit http://wantful.com.

ABOUT NORDSTROM: 
Nordstrom, Inc. is one of the leading fashion specialty retailers based in the U.S. Founded in 1901 as a shoe store in Seattle, today Nordstrom operates 248 stores in 33 states, including 117 full-line stores, 127 Nordstrom Racks, two Jeffrey boutiques, one treasure&bond store and one clearance store. Nordstrom also serves customers through Nordstrom.com and through its catalogs. Additionally, the Company operates in the online private sale marketplace through its subsidiary HauteLook. Nordstrom, Inc.'s common stock is publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol JWN.

SOURCE Wantful; Nordstrom

Lisa Frank: Derris & Company / (646) 582-2412 / lisa@derris.com; Colin Johnson: Nordstrom / (206) 303-3036 / colin.johnson@nordstrom.com