SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 21, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Overstock.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:OSTK) has finalized plans to open a new Customer Care call center in Grays Harbor County, Washington, bringing at least 150 jobs to the region by May of 2017. The lease, which was approved Wednesday in a special meeting of the Port of Grays Harbor Commission, will encompass 20,000 square feet of space in a building housed inside the Satsop Business Park in Elma, Washington.
“Overstock is excited to become a part of the Grays Harbor community with our newest Customer Care center,” said Overstock.com Senior Vice President Carter Lee. “It’s a win-win situation. Overstock is bringing jobs to the region while at the same time increasing our ability to provide the award-winning customer support that is synonymous with our brand.”
The online retailer selected the Grays Harbor site to help boost economic recovery in the region, which has unemployment levels higher than state and national averages. Once the location for the new facility was decided upon, Overstock worked closely with state and local officials to find a site that could provide the required high-speed telecommunication and flexible tech office space needed.
“This is an exciting opportunity for the Grays Harbor community and an ideal place for Overstock to expand its operations,” said Gov. Jay Inslee. “The addition of 150 jobs will provide a significant boost to the local economy. We’re all looking forward to Overstock investing in Washington, and in Elma.”
Overstock will be taking over an entire floor of a state-of-the-art office building built on the site of a former, never activated nuclear power plant. The company will almost immediately begin upgrading the facility and individual workstations in preparation for the May opening.
Local hiring will begin in February, and will encompass both entry-level and leadership positions. Initially the location will house only a Customer Care call center, however Overstock anticipates creating satellite teams with other functions.
According to the Washington State Employment Security Department, Grays Harbor County’s unemployment rate as of October 2016 was 8.5 percent. That figure is more than 3 percent higher than the state’s overall unemployment rate, and nearly 4 percent higher than the country’s unemployment rate, as cited by the state’s monthly employment report for November 2016. The unemployment rate is the ratio of the estimated number of unemployed divided by the civilian labor force.
About Overstock.com
Overstock.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:OSTK) is an online retailer based in Salt Lake City, Utah that sells a broad range of products at low prices, including furniture, rugs, bedding, electronics, clothing, and jewelry. Additional stores within Overstock include Worldstock.com, dedicated to selling artisan-crafted products to help developing nations around the world and Main Street Revolution, supporting small-scale entrepreneurs in the U.S. by providing them with a national customer base. Other community-focused initiatives include Farmers Market and pet adoptions. Forbes ranked Overstock in its list of the Top 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in 2014. Overstock sells internationally under the name O.co and regularly posts information about the company and other related matters under Investor Relations on its website.
O, Overstock.com, O.com, O.co, Club O, Main Street Revolution, Worldstock and OVillage are registered trademarks of Overstock.com, Inc. O.biz and Space Shift are also trademarks of Overstock.com, Inc. Other service marks, trademarks and trade names which may be referred to herein are the property of their respective owners.
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements include all statements other than statements of historical fact. Additional information regarding factors that could materially affect results and the accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained herein may be found in the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2016, which was filed with the SEC on November 3, 2016, and any subsequent filings with the SEC.