Seven months after its introduction, the Swiffer WetJet costs half the price.

        Procter & Gamble Co., owner of the brand, cut the suggested retail price to $24.99 from $34.99 effective April 1. That follows a previous cut in January from the original $49.99.

        The brand, an extension of the successful Swiffer floor cleaner introduced in 1999, needs more distribution muscle in mass outlets, a spokeswoman said.

        The cut was a response to Clorox's lower-priced ReadyMop product, introduced after WetJet.

        It's emblematic of P&G's dilemma in pricing some of its new products, with consumers unwilling to pay premium prices for many of the company's brands if they have a choice.

        In the past several years, the company has lowered prices on brands such as Bounty paper towels and Luvs diapers.

        The price cut was “inevitable given the competition,” said Tom Vierhile, executive editor of Productscan Online, which reviews new consumer products. “It hurts the ability to command a premium price when you have a competitor making things difficult.”

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