So, I’m looking for a half decent softball bat and I find one and decide to price it online. Here are a few of the places I checked:

• http://www.gartsports.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1341572
• http://www.olympiasports.net/product/index.jsp?productId=1341572
• http://www.thesportsauthority.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1341572
• http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1341572

Now, I know it’s not just coincidence that these four companies have virtually identical websites – right down to the product number and server technology (JSP). Some digging revealed that Gart and Sports Authority are the same company, but Dick’s is a totally different company from what I can tell, and Olympia doesn’t seem to be publicly traded. So, how do they all have the same bat at the same price available at the same time while running the same ground shipping promotion? There must be something tying these 4 companies together…