E-Shopping At The Mall

DotJunction (Cumberland, R.I.) plans to open a pilot store in a Boston mall by the holiday season, the first of 500 it has on the drawing board. But this mall stores would not have shelves full of merchandise. It would have kiosks with computer screens. Sales personnel would help customers learn how to web-shop and gain a better understanding of the Internet. The company's goal is to combine e-commerce with the advantages of a real store, allowing shoppers to return and exchange merchandise in person.

According to Paul Vallely, the company's founder and ceo, DotJunction stores will not merely be a place to use the Internet (such as, say, the airport Laptop Lanes, where individuals pay fees to hook up and log on while they wait for the next flight). Rather, the store will provide a “marketing infrastructure for leading companies that use the Internet to sell their merchandise,” says Vallely. Examples of participating vendors range from pure online venues like Amazon.com, eBay and iVillage, to specialty and department stores like The Gap and Nordstrom. Participating vendors will join a “revenue-share agreement” with the store and pay a placement fee. Customers will then be directed to participants'specific web sites only. There will be no free-style surfing while shopping.

DotJunction is still discussing its plans with several property management companies. Stores will offer an average of six computer kiosks where customers can search the net and make purchases. Shoppers will receive incentive kits filled with coupons and special promotions at the flagship opening.