Online is the fastest-growing channel at wholesaler One Coast, company says

A multi-channel wholesaler of gifts, home décor products and supplies for college book stores, One Coast has served 9,000 retailers in the past year on its web site, its fastest-growing channel, the company says.

One Coast serves more than 60,000 retailers overall, including 15,000 registered to buy on OneCoast.com, which was launched about two years ago, a spokesman says. One Coast clients range from J.C. Penney Co. Inc. and Neiman Marcus Group to small retailers with $25 million or less in annual revenue.

The company also sells through eight product showrooms in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Seattle, Dallas and Denver.

One Coast says growth at its web channel, where sales rose 600% year-over-year in the first six months of this year, is being spurred by the rising expense of traveling to trade shows. “Buyers get the red treatment at shows, but it’s expensive so we’re seeing an upswing in wholesale products web sites,” the spokesman says. The company does not report sales figures.

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