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
