Why Wal-Mart.com Doesn't Get It (and how to find Mr. Magoo)


The last article in this column discussed how Wal-Mart has dropped the ball in its attempt to reshape itself as an online retailer. It described how the product listings on Wal-Mart.com are full of mistakes. It's so bad that people may hesitate to shop there, because they won't know what they are getting.

Here are a couple of examples:

Reo Speedwagon: Wheels Are Turnin'
Steven Spielberg
VHS, - 80 minutes, - CBS / FOX
More Info

NASCAR: Families In the Fast Lane
Steven Spielberg
VHS, - 118 minutes, - NASCAR
More Info

The fact that the site is full of these mangled listings tells you that Wal-Mart failed to do two things. They didn't get their data into their system correctly, and they didn't do a thorough quality check. Both of these items are major mistakes for any site, but especially one of Wal-Mart's stature.

Wal-Mart Digs a Deeper Hole
I sent a note to Wal-Mart to let them know of the problem, using their feedback form. Here is an edited version:

The video area of your website does not seem to be working correctly. I was looking for cartoons and came upon this:

Home Page ›  Movies ›  Action & Adventure ›  General › 
Mr. Magoo Show, Vol. 3

Director: John Hughes
Starring
John Candy, Macaulay Culkin, Gaby Hoffmann, Jean Kelly, Amy Madigan

Synopsis
This third volume of Mr. Magoo cartoons from 1960 also includes five episodes: "Buffalo Magoo," "Gasser Magoo," "Hermit's Hideaway," "From Here to Fraternity" and "Tycoonland." -- John Bush, All Movie Guide

The above url lists Mr Magoo, but the listing shows up in Action & Adventure > General, and shows the director and stars from a completely different movie. Is this part of the site under construction? I wouldn't feel comfortable ordering anything from the site with this sort of stuff going on, because I wouldn't be sure what I was going to receive.

Wal-Mart's response told me that they didn't really understand what online customers expect:

Welcome to Walmart.com! Thank you for becoming a registered user of our Web site. We appreciate your business and want to make your online shopping experience fast, easy and fun.

They had signed me up as a member of their site! Nothing on their "Contact Us" form said that by contacting them you are signing

The copyright of the article Why Wal-Mart.com Doesn't Get It (and how to find Mr. Magoo) in E-Business Basics is owned by James Lewin. Permission to republish Why Wal-Mart.com Doesn't Get It (and how to find Mr. Magoo) in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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