Increase Online Sales :: Wal-Mart.com’s Creative Talent

Once upon a time, there was a major corporation that wanted to increase online sales; they hired a TV star and sales boomed!  Now that major corporation is very, very happy.

And so goes the tale of Debbie Kristofferson who went from being a stay-at-home mom to being an executive product for Walmart.com with just one phone call.  Getting her start with the Discovery Channel, Kristofferson used to have a show called "Next Step," that discussed the ever expanding development of the Internet.  While she didn’t have any retail experience, per se, she did bring a unique perspective to the table; that of a seasonsed shopper.

In 2006, Kristofferson was promoted to vice president of creative and user experience. She now manages a team of 75 folks that range from writers and photographers to information architects and interface designers.  She and her creative team are responsible for every aspect of Walmart.com. Kristofferson is responsible for deciding what goes on each of the navigation tabs, how products are categorized, and what product descriptions say, plus many other things.  She is charged with making sure that Walmart.com shoppers have an easy and pleasant shopping experience so they won’t click over to a competitors site; talk about pressure!

October 2006 brought a whole new face to WalMart’s online store.  And with it came the redesign of 2 million web pages! Because customers were the catalyst for the major overhaul, the online team wanted to make the customer’s experience even easier and more enjoyable.  The team trimmed down the number of clicks it takes to drop something in your shopping cart, added rich media and enhanced item images.  I think their new site looks great!

Although Kristofferson remembers the beginnings being a bit of a roller coaster, Wal-Mart has nothing but fabulous things to say about her wonderfully creative abilities.  Their online sales are growing at two to three times the industry average!

When I read this article, I must say I was thoroughly impressed and completely amazed at the amount of work it takes and how many people must work in the background to make the site look so appealing.  Kudos Ms. Kristofferson!!