We went shopping at Nordstrom and Macy's to see which was a better department store, and the winner was clear (JWN, M)

• Nordstrom and Macy's are two of the most popular department stores in the United States.
• On Thursday, Nordstrom reported that comparable sales were up 4% in the second quarter. On Wednesday, Macy's reported that comparable sales were up 0.5% in the second quarter.
• The stores have a lot of similarities, such as store credit cards, in-store pickup for online orders, and same-day delivery. But when we visited both, we found one store had much more to offer than the other. 

Nordstrom and Macy's are two of the most popular department stores in the United States.

But department stores are no longer in their heyday. The rise of e-commerce, declining foot traffic to malls, and a higher demand for off-price products are just some of the factors that have caused department stores to suffer in recent years. Several department-store chains, including Macy's and JCPenney, have recently closed locations across the country as they struggle to adapt to shoppers' changing habits.

When we visited Nordstrom and Macy's, however, the two department stores appeared to be in pretty good shape. Both were spotless, with extravagant displays and hardly anything out of place. On Thursday, Nordstrom reported that comparable sales were up 4% in the second quarter. Macy's reported on Wednesday that comparable sales were up 0.5% in the most recent quarter, marking the third consecutive quarter of sales growth for the brand. 

The stores have a lot of similarities, both offering store credit cards, in-store pickup for online orders, and same-day delivery. Both also offer free shipping and returns, with Nordstrom handling returns on a case-by-case basis and Macy's accepting products within 180 days. 

Even though the department stores are very similar, one of them had a lot more to offer in-store than the other. Here's what we found when we shopped at each:

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I went to the Nordstrom store in The Westchester Mall.

Immediately on the first floor were the shoe department and the men's department. Each of the departments took up half of the floor. The shoe department carried brands like Nike, Converse, and Vans, as well as designer brands like Gucci and Prada.

The men's department carried what seemed like an endless amount of formal wear from brands like Ted Baker London and Bonobos. There was also Topman shop within Nordstrom that carried more casual clothes.