Own Your Decisions: From One of the Fastest-Growing Ecommerce Businesses in the Midwest
One Click Ventures is redefining the way people buy eyewear. Since the company’s founding in 2005, convenience and affordable eyewear has been the number one goal for Randy and Angie Stocklin.
We spoke with COO Angie Stocklin to find out how their small home business became one of the fastest growing ecommerce companies in the Midwest and Best Places to Work for in Indiana.
One Click Ventures is a fast-growing ecommerce company with three eyewear brands: felix + iris, Readers.com, and Sunglass Warehouse.
“We deliver a personalized shopping experience that bridges the online and offline brand interactions. Through our brands we are redefining the way people buy eyewear, by making it convenient, affordable and hassle-free to shop for prescription eyewear, reading glasses and sunglasses online,” Stocklin said.
What sets your company apart from its competitors?
“Any online store can sell product. It takes a dedicated team to build a brand, and commit to delivering superior service and a personalized shopping experience,” she said. Each of our three eyewear brands serves a different customer and has different value props:
- felix + iris helps people find glasses that meet their prescription needs, match their individual style, and fit comfortably.
- Readers.com gives people reliable reading glasses in a wide variety of powers and styles.
- Sunglass Warehouse provides quality sunglasses for an active lifestyle at an affordable price.
The path to building a successful brand:
Angie and her husband Randy founded One Click Ventures in 2005, launching a website called “MailFromSantaClaus.com” out of their home office. The following year, the couple moved their company into the fashion industry, acquiring SunglassWarehouse.com. One Click Ventures continued to grew quickly, eventually touting nine online brands in the affordable fashion and travel product industries.
By 2012, the One Click team moved into a 68,000-square-foot facility in Greenwood and Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels honored the team at its ribbon-cutting ceremony, where the Stocklins announced the company’s would double its workforce.
In 2012, the company was awarded one of Indiana’s Best Places to work and continued to hold that title in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
What is your next goal and how do you plan to achieve it?
According to Stocklin, the company is currently working on a six month effort to rebrand Sunglass Warehouse.
“We set off to redefine the brand identity and deliver a more targeted experience to a core customer segment. This rebrand positions us to move from a transactional business model to one that’s focused on building relationships.”
What challenges do you anticipate?
“Marketers are getting smarter. Digital marketing tools and customer analytics enable a highly targeted and personalized message. But customers are also becoming increasingly sophisticated. They know how to protect what data marketers capture. They understand that their email address, Facebook ‘like’, and online habits have real value,” she said.
“It is now up to marketers to use all the smart tools, but pair them with good-old fashioned customer service. Successful ecommerce brands in 2015 will standout with personalized touches that earn customers’ trust.”
Stocklin’s 5 Steps to Success:
As a quickly growing company, Stocklin understands the complex variety of factors companies must consider as they reach for expansion and success.
“You should lean on others for advice, but have the confidence and courage to trust your gut and know what your business needs.”
She narrows it down to 5 focus areas for business development:
- Research relentlessly.
- Get a thorough understanding of your market and your competition.
- Understand the problem your business is trying to solve, and establish a purpose that will drive your decisions.
- Create goals and define roles early in the process.
- Most importantly: Own your decisions.
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