Wal-Mart 'imagines' even greater growth: New dot.com president delivers picture of on-line 'possibilities' - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

DSN Retailing Today, June 19, 2000

FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. -- With a curious pink lunch box in hand, Wal-Mart.com president and ceo Jeanne Jackson stepped on stage at the retailer's shareholders' meeting to deliver highly anticipated remarks on the future of Wal-Mart's online business. She had been with the company three months and shareholders and analysts were getting their first chance to hear from the woman who is supposed to help WalMart.com become the WalMart of the Web.

While Jackson displayed an ability to speak calmly in front of the meeting's 17,000 attendees, her comments offered little insight into how Wal-Mart.com plans to remedy problems it had last holiday season, attract increased traffic to its site, its sales growth or even when a permanent San Francisco area office will be located and fully staffed. Instead, she touched on the potential of the Internet, e-commerce sales projections and Wal-Mart.com's growth potential.

"All we do is imagine possibilities." In addition to imagining having a building to work in and employees, Jackson said, "We imagine the day we are going to make money."

She didn't offer any specifics or a timetable on when that will be accomplished, but her comments indicated the philosophy and thought process that underscores Wal-Mart.com's strategy. One goal is to think about the errands and transactions Wal-Mart customers perform and, "imagine possibilities that will make our customers' lives easier.

Of more immediate concern is improving the reliability and ease of use of the Wal-Mart.com site. Specifically, the company wants to improve its order fulfillment ability so it won't disappoint holiday shoppers again this year by not being able to guarantee gifts will arrive before Christmas.

"We are working hard to make sure we plug every hole in the dike," Jackson said.

Jackson can count on the support of Wal-Mart president and ceo Lee Scott, whohired her just two months after his January appointment.

"At the end of the day, our commitment on e-commerce is that we will spend both the financial resources and human resources to ensure that as the industry grows we will have our rightful place in that industry," Scott said.