DM News: Wal-Mart Measures Factors in Web Sales
Seattle PI: Amazon's strategy of big discounts is questioned

Wal-Mart brought it's own special brand of e-commerce measurement to its web efforts, instituting a merchandizing-oriented ongoing analysis of sales results. The mega-retailer's site - frustrating to some, who expect more complete offerings and a more refined checkout system - will focus on which sorts of cross-categorizations and on-screen promotions will result in the most sales for different types of items.

Meanwhile, Amazon.com, having great confidence in its own analysis and commerce systems, announced last week that it would be lowering prices in an effort to compete more head-to-head with the offline retailing giant.