One Kings Lane Targets Designers with Trade Specialist Program

May 18, 2016  by in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, Industry   

OKL began in 2009 as a pioneering get-it-while-it's-hot flash sale site, and while shoppers loved the concept (the company was valued at $900 million in 2014), it was not ideal for designers, who depend on consistent inventory.

Suki LaBarre, OKL Studio Director, explains, “We provided access to great home decor product, for a limited time only and at a discounted price. That business model made it challenging for us to work with the trade community, because the inventory we had available was changing constantly.” The new To The Trade initiative aims to address that.

The brand is emerging as a décor hub, rather than merely a flash sale site.

What sets the program apart, says LaBarre, is the Trade Specialist, a team member who works one-on-one with designers to source items, match specifications and address product questions. The specialist gathers product—a virtual, personal sale—specifically for the designer’s project, from a single item (say, a Turkish rug) to an entire home. The process runs between five days and two weeks, depending on the scope of the project. Designers also receive an automatic 10 percent discount off branded, vintage and exclusive furnishings, without a minimum purchase or volume requirement to shop the site’s inventory of 40,000 SKUs, with about 1,000 new items added weekly. 

“Over the last few years, our focus has remained on the product and optimizing our assortment to be the best offering possible, and with that came more steady access to inventory,” says LaBarre. “We have evolved into a home decor destination that is a consistent and reliable resource for our customers. This new inventory approach has finally allowed us to start engaging with the trade in a more direct way.”