Focused on the "Wow" Factor

Shapiro recalls thinking it would be a good idea to buy catalogs and drive their sales to the Web, turning them into multichannel powerhouses. He believes Lillian Vernon is just such a company. "Last year, 25 percent of Lillian Vernon's sales were via the Web," he notes. "This year it's 35 percent, and we want to grow it to 50 percent."