Pros
My job was with the Nordstrom Rack so my pay was hourly instead of commission. The $9.50/hour was a little higher than standard retail pay where I live, but it is nothing to brag about, and it will not pay the bills. Fairly decent hours. You can expect at least 25-30 hours even when hours are being cut down. Hour long lunches, and I had a good variety of places I could go to lunch in my location. Business Formal Dress Code (This can be a pro or a con). It can be a good job in retail for people who like fast-paced environments. I could not have asked for better coworkers. They were very fun and supportive. They have an open door policy, but the effectiveness of that policy really depends on who your manager is.
Cons
Keep in mind that I understand how people have many different experiences with retail: Employees are ranked according to "performance and merit". This will effect your flexibility. A lot of unqualified people get promoted to management. The manager at my store was always micromanaging everybody and getting upset over ridiculous things when simple communication would have been more effective. The store had a very high turnover, even for retail, and I saw a lot of talent walk right out the door. The schedule was always being changed. Management at my store was impossible to please; that was the nature of that business. Nothing you do is ever good enough. They expect you to work like slaves for very low wages. This is especially true for today. They know that the job market is bad, and they like to hold that over people's heads. The work environment can be very hectic, stressful, and physically exhausting (not to say that I'm lazy or anything). The job is not for you if you do not like to push customers into sales as if you are working in a car dealership. They correlate customer service with sales; they are not the same thing. According to them if one does not sell then one does not give good customer service.