I think it has to do with where you live and what other stores are available....usually, if there are a limited amount of Nordstrom's around, Macy's will have a MAC counter. It also depends on the size of the Macy's and where the nearest MAC stores are located. A good majority is also based on the population size in your town and how heavy the demand is for cosmetics in general.....if there are no Nordstrom's or Saks, count on Macy's to have a MAC counter.