Move over, Amazon.com, the big boys of retailing are finally online in a big way. Uh, Amazon? Would ya scoot over just a little bit?
The big five arrive with well-known personalities and the convenience of making returns to a local store. I'm crazy about Target.com, the hip discounter. Who says less expensive goods have to look nasty? And Costco? Just like the warehouses (replacement tires two aisles away from the Perrier-Jouet), it's always good for a thrill. The past few weeks it was six Baccarat "Massena" red wine glasses for $529.99 (that's about $200 off, folks). Not for nothing does the site have a "treasure hunt" category.
But you have to wonder who's minding the store at Sears. There are two cluttered sites tucked inside each other, Sears.com (tools, lawn and garden) and Wishbook.com (the Sears catalogue minus the "softer side"), but nowhere is this explained. And what's with the picture labels, "Image shown may differ from actual product appearance"? Excuse me?
JCPenney.com is easy to use, even fun, but at the end of the day it's the merchandise that counts. Without the flashy brand names, and stuff people really want, they just may not stick around. Same goes for Wal-mart.com. Do these sites have everything you want to give for Christmas? For a lot of people the answer will be yes; for
others, no.
The other discounter entry is Kmart's Bluelight.com, with as cluttered a home page as Sears.com but in a more cheerful palette and, for some reason, quite inviting. Bluelight.com has Celebration Barbie (about $30) just like most of the others, but remember, it also has . . . Martha!
And now, tiptoeing up behind the behemoths, come Macys.com, Bloomingdales.com (also Bloomies.com, thank goodness), Saksfifthavenue.com and Neimanmarcus.com. These merchants clearly see themselves as editors of merchandise, not warehouses of same. My advice? Forget the baffling categories and just browse.
-Nancy McKeon
Other Category Comparison Charts:
Dep't Stores |
Beauty |
Books |
Clothing |
Computers |
Electronics |
Food |
Movies |
Music |
Toys
Online Holiday Shopping Stories:
Return to the Lead story, or read about:
Decking the Halls With a Mouse;
Avoiding Pitfalls;
Shopbots;
Foreign Purchases;
Online Greetings;
Customizing Gifts;
Comparison Shopping
