11-21-2005, 01:41 PM
Quote:Walmart.com has broken through its own glass ceiling, selling high-priced platinum and diamond jewelry, cashmere sweaters and other goods designed to appeal more to the Tiffany crowd than to the bargain hunters who browse the company's terrestrial stores.
Companies can only misfire by selling items that are not related to their overall brand message, Mr. Schubart said. In that context, Walmart.com should be fine as long as it convinces customers that a $10,000 ring is a bargain. (Indeed, late last week, the ring was sold out, although Walmart.com did not say how many were offered.)
Wal-Mart's policy of testing goods on its Web site for placement in stores, meanwhile, is not an approach embraced by all retailers. Some merchants contend that the Web site experience is far different from that of the stores, so it makes little sense to apply intelligence from one area to the other.
full article: http://www.gadsdentimes.com/apps/pbcs.dl...10332/1011
