Gap Inc. shuts down two Internet stores for major overhaul

[bigDugan]

Gap Inc. shuts down two Internet stores for major overhaul (http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2005-08-31-gap-offline_x.htm).

This should be filed under how NOT to sell your business online!

[g1smd]

Develop the new site offline, or on a password protected test server (or subdomain), then migrate the whole site to the real server in one move.

For a very large site, it may need to go offline for a few hours while the massive amount of data is copied across, but no longer than that.

Even that can be avoided if you set up the new site on a new server, and then just change the DNS over to point to the new server at "release" time.

I can never understand sites that are offline for update for weeks or more.

[g1smd]

>> The San Francisco-based company isn't disclosing when the sites will reopen. <<

Unbelievable.


>> Gap.com and OldNavy.com each generated online sales of $236 million last year <<

So they are happy to throw away 4.5 million in sales per week while offline are they?


I reckon it is a security flaw or a major hardware failure that has taken them offline - something very serious, not a routine upgrade.

[bigDugan]

Originally posted by g1smd
I reckon it is a security flaw
That's was my thinking too. I couldnt think of any other reason.... and even this one is weak.
I guess it's no surprise their stock GPS (https://us.etrade.com/e/t/invest/quotesresearch?sym=GPS&quote_type=0) is down by 3.5%
If I was in charge, heads would be rolling...
:shocked:

[ihelpyou]

I think it's another case of large .com's not understanding how things work and having no one employed who has vast experience with the internet.

I can think of almost zero reasons why a website would have to knowingly shut down.

[bigDugan]

Originally posted by ihelpyou
I can think of almost zero reasons why a website would have to knowingly shut down. Me either.... unless they were spamming! :p

[bigDugan]

Speaking of..... it seems like Etrade is/was having trouble this morning too. I'm wondering if they are under attack. I couldnt get anything to work on their site, and the home page was very slow to load. Now... it seems to be working. But what the heck.

Another example of how NOT to sell yourself online, unless you're looking to "sell your business" after you go "out of business".