Wall Street Journal launches WSJ Shops

The Wall Street Journal launched “WSJ Shops,” an e-commerce site that is now a permanent addition to its homepage and the broader Dow Jones family of publications, reports Alexandra Steigrad of Women’s Wear Daily.

Steigrad writes, “Running year-round, ‘The Shops’ is essentially a souped-up version of the e-commerce gift guide the newspaper unveiled last holiday, according to Zachary Martz, WSJ retail development manager, who noted that the site may be accessed from the homepage of a variety of Dow Jones’ properties.

“Calling the site a ‘second step,’ Martz noted that the online catalogue showcases ‘curated’ picks from the newspaper’s various staff members — including its editorial team. Asked how the newspaper intends to remain objective with editors handpicking items from their favorite brands, Martz said: ‘There is a definitive line between church and state, between editorial and content.’

UPDATE: The editorial team is not involved and WWD added this: There is no involvement of WSJ “reporting” staff, a spokeswoman stressed.

“Martz added, ‘We’re still exploring the line between editorial and content. We are not accepting money from brands or retailers.’

“Underscoring the importance of ‘curation’ over ‘brand recognition,’ he added that shoppers won’t be aware of the product’s label until they click specifically on the desired ware.”

Read more here.