Kohl’s Expands Web Sales, Makes E-commerce a Priority
After less than a week out of commission, the online sales element of the Menomenee Falls, WI-based Kohl’s Web site (www.kohls.com) is functioning again in a new, upgraded format. The site now allows customers to access thousands of items that were previously sold exclusively through Kohl’s retail stores, and the company plans to make its entire inventory available online in time for this year’s holiday season.
The impetus for this change has been a steady rise in Kohl’s online sales—a 66% increase from the first quarter of 2006 to the first quarter of 2007. Comparable store sales increased only 1.3% for the same period. Kohl’s online sales for 2006 accounted for $170 million of its total revenue, which was reported at $15.5 billion. In line with these trends, Kohl’s has implemented the Rich Commerce Suite from Allurent Inc. to upgrade its Web-based sales by improving conversion rates and reducing abandonment rates.
To support its new emphasis on e-commerce, Kohl’s 450,000-sq.-ft. e-commerce DC in Monroe, OH, is being doubled in size to 900,000 sq. ft. This is in addition to a drop-ship furniture option that was implemented in 2006.