OneCoast, the largest sales rep agency in the gift, home and collegiate industries, recently announced a major reorganization aimed at better serving its retail customers. Effective Dec. 31, the firm will separate its sales rep group into two distinct companies: OneCoast, which will encompass its two national groups ND ONE and OneCoast Collegiate, and HomeStyle, which will represent home, lifestyle and gift lines on a regional basis.
“We’re always looking for ways to improve how we serve our retailer customers and vendor partners,” says Ted Teele, CEO of OneCoast. “We believe that this transformation into three companies better achieves this goal.”
HomeStyle aims to offer the benefits of a national company with the relationships and focus of a regional model, according to Teele.
OneCoast is also launching an entirely new company on Jan. 1, 2010. SnapRetail will focus on making independent retailers more successful in today’s highly competitive environment. Teele will serve as CEO of the new firm.
“Our industry has traditionally done a strong job with selling products to retailers,” says Teele. “However, it has done less well in helping independent retailers sell through these products to consumers. SnapRetail’s goal is to assist retailers in making money by improving the sell-through of the lines they carry.”
SnapRetail plans to partner with trade venues, vendors and even firms that are technically competitors to OneCoast and HomeStyle to provide a comprehensive, integrated resource. On SnapRetail’s Web site, retailers can tap assistance with e-mail marketing, social networking and e-commerce to help drive customer traffic. The site will also serve as a means to research and purchase products.
“It makes complete sense that OneCoast would launch a new company to focus on making selling, researching and buying products easier and more effective for retailers,” says Christi Tullis, owner of Ambiance Interiors & Gifts.
The significant restructuring allows the company to include product from everyone, whether or not they are a OneCoast line. It even provides a structure for reps to earn commissions for online sales even if they are not OneCoast reps.
The separation of the sales groups will also enable a stronger focus on specific store type segments, which should lead to improved service for retailers.
After the reorganization, OneCoast and HomeStyle will be the two largest sales agencies in the country, in terms of sales volume, according to the company.
John Keiser will be CEO and Board Member of OneCoast and Monica Loving will be President and Board Member of HomeStyle. Nancy Lee will be Senior Vice President of HomeStyle and will be responsible for HomeStyle marketing and vendor relationships.
For more information, visit www.onecoast.com.
