Third Time's a Charm

This week Wal-Mart will launch its refurbished web site, Walmart.com, with easy navigation and efficiency as the top priorities.

The original site opened in July 1996 and lingered for three years until gaining popularity along with other e-tail venues. Last fall, it received its first makeover in time for the holidays, but was criticized for difficult navigation and slow product delivery.

Since being shut down on Oct. 3, the site has been rebuilt and tested for speed and convenience. And, while the same number of products (about 500,000) will be available, consumable items like toilet paper and toothpaste have been left out of the lineup to make room for more toys, electronics and sporting goods.