National gift and home sales and marketing firm OneCoast is launching a new company called SnapRetail on Jan. 1, 2010. SnapRetail is aimed at helping retailers improve their sales to consumers by providing them with today's "new marketing" tools — e-mail marketing, social networking and Web commerce.

SnapRetail will offer an expanded online marketplace, SnapRetail.com, to enable retailers to research and source products, and will include lines from other sales agencies and vendors not affiliated with OneCoast. SnapRetail will be headed up by CEO Ted Teele and based in Pittsburgh.

In addition, beginning April 1, SnapRetail will offer the Traffic Builder marketing system, which provides retailers with automated e-mails direct to their customers promoting brands they carry. It also provides content for customized, on-demand e-newsletters and Twitter and Facebook posts. Vendors can provide content for their retailer customers for free, whether or not they have a sales relationship with OneCoast, and choose which retailers qualify to use it. Participating stores can try the service for several months free, before being charged a fee, which is yet to be announced.

"SnapRetail's goal is to assist retailers in making money by improving the 'sell through' of the lines they carry. In other words, our goal is to make retail a snap!" said Teele.

Meanwhile, OneCoast will split its existing rep business into two separate companies, effective Jan. 1, 2010. OneCoast will handle national accounts, including what was known as ND One and the company's collegiate business. A new company, HomeStyle will handle the company's regional sales and key accounts. While Teele will still be involved with both companies, John Keiser will serve as CEO of OneCoast and Monica Loving takes over as president of HomeStyle. OneCoast anticipates adding staff as a result of these changes, not subtracting any, according to Teele.