Cover Story: One Step at a Time

Meijer first examined which product categories indexed well online by looking industrywide; it then supplemented that data with what Meijer's traditional customers have responded to. And the process is ongoing. Meijer.com, for example, doesn't offer apparel because the company found a lot more challenges fulfilling clothing online than some of its other products. On the other hand, health and beauty products were recently added to the website based on how those products were performing in its stores as well as industry forecasts that there will be a response to that category online.