Wal-Mart Shuts Down the Hub: Retailer's Foray Into Social Networking Closes After Less Than Three Months

copyright Adage.com
by Mya Frazier
Published: October 04, 2006

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AdAge.com) -- Less than three months after launching its quasi-social-networking site aimed at teens, Wal-Mart has shut down the Hub.

The home page at schoolyourway.walmart.com now simply reads "Back to Class" and explains, "Sorry, but the School Your Way promotion has ended." After a few seconds, visitors are automatically redirected to Walmart.com.

'Show it to the world'
"The Hub" was designed by Wal-Mart to allow teens to "express their individuality" but it screened all the content, informed parents when their children joined and forbade users to e-mail one another. Teens were invited to create their own page so they could "show it to the world and win some fab prizes," including a chance to have their videos appear in a Wal-Mart TV commerical created by GSD&M, Austin, Texas, a shop that's currently among the finalists in the reatiler's $580 million review.

FULL ARTICLE