mon stock will no longer be listed on any public market.   In a statement, Erik Nordstrom, chief executive of the company and the fourth generation of his family to run it, stated, “For over a century, Nordstrom has operated with a foundational principle of helping customers feel good and look their best. Today marks an exciting new chapter for the business. On behalf of my family, we look forward to working with our teams to ensure Nordstrom thrives long into the future.” This deal marks the end of Nordstrom’s years-long efforts to go private, which the company attempted previously in 2018.  The consensus within the retail industry is that Nordstrom’s partnership deal with the Mexican retail group will improve the department store retailer’s chances of thriving at a time when many legacy players, like Macy’s, are struggling to survive.  However, long-term success for Nordstrom won’t come without further changes.   “While a change in ownership does not automatically remedy all of the problems with the department store operation, it will allow the family and their backers to take a long-term view of the business and make necessary investments and changes away from the short-term scrutiny of public markets,” Neil Saunders, managing director and retail analyst at GlobalData, said.  Nordstrom has been one of the weakest performers in the department store space, Saunders continued, adding that many adjustments are needed to fix recent missteps with merchandising, operations and store standards. Partnership with El Puerto de Liverpool  Now that a privatisation deal finally seems to be underway, several retail commentators, including Melissa Minkow, a director of retail strategy at CI&T, and Marie Driscoll, a chartered financial analyst and a professor at Parsons, The New School and the Fashion Institute of Technology believe that Nordstrom is in a good position for success.  Minkow told Inside Retail that she was extremely excited for the retailer when whispers started circulating about Nordstrom potentially going private.  The retail strategist explained that for companies like Nordstrom, the benefits of going private far outweigh the benefits of remaining a publicly traded company. “Though public status can allow for easier access to resources and a certain level of credibility, the privatisation deal will provide the company with greater flexibility and control,” Minkow noted. “Nordstrom isn’t a brand that needs the reputational perks that come with being publicly traded, and the enhanced freedom this deal facilitates is so crucial for such an innovative brand.” Driscoll agreed, stating that “as a private company, every move Nordstrom makes, from merchandise and promotional strategies to executive hires and store expansion will no longer be under the scrutiny of investors that tend to prioritise short-term results over long-term vision. “Singleness of purpose – executing its strategic vision unencumbered by competing short-termism, should, in the long run make Nordstrom a stronger business in better addressing their consumers’ expectations.”  Driscoll elaborated that the traditional luxury retail model is under severe pressure due to the fact that luxury brands are increasingly adopting their own direct-to-consumer retail models, thereby disintermediating luxury department stores, as well as inflationary prices across a spectrum of discretionary and non-discretionary expenses, limiting available funds for luxury purchases for aspirational shoppers and driving a value-seeking choiceful shopper.  As a private company, Nordstrom can be solely focused on navigating these forces and not diverted by public shareholders’ attention to quarterly sales, earnings and stock price, Driscoll observed.   Removing outside investors from the mix of stakeholders also eliminates the need for a proactive investor relations department courting investors, thus reducing costs and freeing up senior management time to focus on the business. With El Puerto de Liverpool’s extensive retail expertise, running boutiques with known names like Gap, Banana Republic, and Williams Sonoma, among others, in addition to department stores and other format retailers, and strong financial backing, Nordstrom has an experienced ally to discuss retail tactics.Not to mention, Liverpool’s presence in Mexico and other Latin American markets could potentially facilitate Nordstrom’s expansion into these regions, opening up new revenue streams and growth opportunities.