The Source

IT’S A DIGITAL WORLD

E-commerce Dept. celebrates a decade online with great plans for the future

As Roots ushered in the New Year on a high point, both in terms of its e-commerce plans for the coming months and impressive website traffic and sales, www.roots.com shows no signs of slowing down.

 

The holiday period proved that Canadians are increasingly comfortable with shopping online. Roots promoted Cyber Monday in Canada for the first time in November using social media and an online public relations campaign, leading to record-breaking results. During the Christmas season, the Roots E-commerce Department celebrated its 10th anniversary with more shoppers browsing on roots.com than usual and using the site to look for gift items before going into stores.

 

Roots is in the vanguard of companies using the ever-growing online world of social media. It’s moved from just blogging and announcing information on Facebook, to performing customer service through social media accounts and allowing customers to set up user profiles on roots.com. In January, Roots hit 10,000 Facebook fans and several thousand Twitter followers. It plans to keep engaging consumers online by providing them with Roots news and promotions, and more interesting information on the web.

 

“We will continue to integrate content from roots.com into Facebook and other social websites. This allows us to broadcast information to users everywhere about things like what products people like to the websites that are most helpful to them,” says James Connell, Senior Director, E-Commerce and New Media.

 

The E-Commerce Department has many initiatives planned for 2010. These include making roots.com easier to use, integrating the site more with retail stores, and allowing Roots customers and fans to access information no matter where they are. Social media will continue to be a vital tool for Roots as smart phones begin to take over from home computers and laptops as the primary way for consumers to retrieve information.

 

The biggest project for 2010 will be the evolution of the ‘never-lose-a-sale’ program. Customers in stores will be able to buy an item that’s located at another store or online and easily have it shipped to their home. If an online customer wants an item that’s sold out online, the system will check to see if a store has it and it will be shipped to them from that store.

 

In the future, the E-commerce Dept. will focus on making roots.com more integrated with all parts of the business. The goal is to allow the site to act as a central point for information for customers and staff, create more personalized marketing campaigns, and a more intuitive website with enhanced product imaging and use of video. It will also explore more options for mobile users.

 

“Analysts believe that within the next five years the majority of Internet traffic will come from mobile devices and our home TVs will be integrated with the Internet,” says James. “Those two changes alone can revolutionize e-commerce and allow us to further enhance both the in-store and online shopping experiences for our customers and fans.”

 

Roots first delved into the world of e-commerce in December 1999 when it began selling a limited selection of leather bags, sweats and watches on roots.com for customers in North America. In the past decade, it has greatly expanded its product base, and added Interac payments and enhanced imaging, all of which make roots.com more flexible and easier for customers to use.

 

LEE STRIPED SCARF IS IN STYLE

Roots accessory gets a celebrity mention in InStyle

 

 

Diane Kruger, star of the hit film Inglourious Basterds, was recently asked by InStyle magazine to name a great gift under $50. The Source was delighted to see that Kruger chose a scarf from Roots.

 

In the online article, the Lee Striped Scarf in Cayenne figured prominently next to a picture of the actor. Clearly, Kruger isn’t the only fan of these scarves as the Lee Striped Scarf was sold out online before the holidays.

BACK ON THE SILVER SCREEN

Roots bags and apparel highly visible in new film

 

 

Building on its longstanding tradition of getting its products in the entertainment spotlight, Roots now has a new Canadian movie to add to the list.

 

At the initiative of Melinda McDonald, VP of Wholesale and Business Development, Roots leather bags and apparel figure prominently throughout the upcoming Canadian film Textuality. Its cast and crew were also outfitted in the Roots Eco Bamboo Jacket and Toque.

 

Filmed in Toronto, Textuality tells the story of two people attempting to begin a romance, who must first exit the multiple relationships they were managing through their BlackBerry phones  before they met. A cross between Calfornication and You’ve Got Mail, Textuality is a comedy about how technology can make it easier for Generation Y to feel connected, yet harder to truly connect.

 

Produced and written by Canadians Marc Rigaux and Liam Card of Strident Films, the romantic comedy stars Carly Pope (Californication and 24), Jason Lewis (of Sex and the City) and Eric McCormack (Will and Grace).

THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT

Roots outfits star-studded cast and crew of film and TV programs

 

 

In recent months, true to form, Roots has been active in the film and television world, adding one film and three TV programs to its already illustrious list.

 

The cast and crew of The Other Guys were outfitted in more than 500 Roots Dark Midnight Full Zip Hoodies, which have the film’s name embroidered on the front in gold. The Other Guys is an upcoming action/ comedy movie starring many famed actors, including Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Wahlberg, Will Ferrell, Eva Mendes, and Anne Heche.

 

For Nurse Jackie, a comedy TV series starring Edie Falco, more than 200 Black Zip Polos were ordered for the cast and crew of the show’s second season. The show’s name is embroidered on the front of the garment.

 

The daytime talk show, The Bonnie Hunt Show, ordered more than 200 Dark Midnight Zip Polos with the show’s logo embroidered on the front for the cast and crew of its second season.

 

As part of its ongoing work with Roots, Jimmy Kimmel Live reordered 75 Dark Midnight Full Zip Hoodies. A long-running souvenir, these sweatshirts are gifts for celebrity guests who visit the ABC late night talk show.

All orders were coordinated by Los-Angeles based Roots representative Wendy Goodman, and Senior Product Coordinator in the Business-To-Business Department Mary Jane Saliba.  All the apparel was made in Canada.

   

TAKING PRIDE

Store manager praises her team for exemplary effort during holiday period

Recently, Rachel Roos, Manager of the Roots store in Newmarket, Ontario, contacted us, saying she was so impressed by the way her team performed during the holiday period that she wanted to share her appreciation with readers of The Source. Here’s an excerpt from her letter to her staff:

 

 

 

(L to R): Shannon, Cassandra, Taylor, Julia, Jennifer, Jenna C.,Rachel, Dana and Debra. Missing in photo: Sherry, Shanika, Laura, Katie, Jessica and Jenna W.
 

Dear Newmarket Team (Cassandra, Dana, Debra, Jenna C., Jenna W., Jennifer, Jessica, Julia, Katie, Laura, Shanika, Shannon, Sherry and Taylor)

 

I’ve had the opportunity to work with fantastic staff over the past five years at various Roots stores (Pearson Airport; Hillcrest; Pickering; and Newmarket). Although there are many employees at every store that do a great job, I’ve never seen an entire team come together like I saw this holiday season in Newmarket.

 

As this is our busiest time of the year, there’s a fair bit of stress, in part due to the season’s challenging goals. There were moments we didn’t know how we’d get through the day and accomplish everything, from visual flips to something as simple as completing the stock, but we did it. We stayed positive and we supported each other when we needed to. (We also threw in a great sense of humour to keep us laughing!) 

 

I saw the hard work everyone put in – coming in on short notice; staying much longer than I originally scheduled for window changes (five windows can be quite challenging); keeping up with visual standards daily; focusing on conversion hourly; and two-minute meetings that turned into 10-minute meetings with the zone charts.

 

I know it often seemed like there was a number for everything. We had a Right to Play goal, a Gift With Purchase goal, a customer goal, a KPI (key performance indicators) goal, leather goals, and – let’s not forget – our budget goal. I know I raised my expectations by asking staff to know these numbers at any given time.

 

When we began, many of you looked almost overwhelmed. But you all came through, showing the willingness and confidence to learn new concepts and, in the process, vastly exceeding our financial targets for the holiday period. You all deserve recognition for this major achievement. I know it didn’t come easy.

 

Thank you for taking the time to find out what our customers were shopping for and showing excitement about it when you showed them our collection. I heard the enthusiasm you shared with customers when you would talk about a new leather colour by its Roots colour name; how much they are going to love the Mantra Pant; what Right to Play supports; or what new great colours we had the Grassroots Hoody in. 

 

You all truly ‘A.C.E.d’ it this holiday. Each of you has traits and ideas that make us such a well-rounded team. I appreciate all the roles that each of you play. Without one of you, it just wouldn’t be the same. Thank you for being so exceptionally dedicated this holiday season.

 

You’re an incredible team.

Sincerely,

Rachel

TEAMING UP AGAIN

Building on last year’s success, Roots and Moosehead launch new promotion

 

This year, Roots and Moosehead brewery have joined forces once again for a winter celebration of Canada with a special in-case beer promotion.

 

Beginning in late January, in beer stores across Ontario, every 24-pack of Moosehead premium lager includes a bonus, limited edition Roots toque inside.

 

The toques incorporate the Canadian flag, the Roots logo and the campaign’s slogan “Cheers” on one side, and the Mooshead logo on the other. Available in six assorted colours (green, brown, grey, black, navy and red), the toques allow customers to wear them whichever way they like.

 

 

 

In November, the two companies collaborated for the first time to create a special holiday gift set which included a limited edition Roots-Moosehead scarf, two bottles of Moosehead lager and two Moosehead glasses.

 

“This first promotion proved to be a great success,” says Patricia MacInnis, Business-To-Business Account Manager at Roots who has been working with Moosehead for six months. “Within three weeks, we had a 97% sell-through and we expect the toque promo to be just as popular with customers.”

 

The Roots and Moosehead partnership is a natural fit, as both believe in making quality products that reflect the spirit of Canada. To launch the current campaign, the two companies produced a radio commercial currently on-air. Lobby displays are also present in beer stores in the Toronto region.

 

What’s next? A spring/summer campaign featuring Roots-Moosehead T-shirts.

GLOBAL APPEAL

Co-Founders visit Roots operations in the Far East

As part of the continuing development of Roots in Asia, Co-Founders Don Green and Michael Budman recently were in Hong Kong and Taiwan visiting various Roots locations and doing numerous interviews with local media. While they were in the flagship store in Taipei, Michael and Don met with journalists, introducing the Right To Play collection in addition to the Canada Collection By Roots. So far, both collections have met with highly favourable feedback and generated strong sales in Asia.

 

This year, Roots will be pursuing its expansion in the Far East including in China where it recently opened a new location in the city of Chengdu.

AHEAD OF THE TREND

Media may only now be discovering it, but Roots has long been making handbags lightweight and practical

Last month with great fanfare, The Globe andMail featured an article on the front page of its business section declaring the supposed new trend towards lighter, more functional handbags for women. According to staff journalist Marina Strauss, designers have only recently begun to satisfy the need for sensible purses.

The article came as a total surprise to Roots leather specialist Karl Kowalewski.

“It’s interesting that they [The Globe and Mail] say designers are only starting to realize this trend now,” says Karl. “Roots has been making lightweight bags for more than five years.” The Flat Bag collection, which includes the company’s top selling Village Bag, is designed to be both compact and practical.

While competitors have only recently shifted to lighter materials, Roots has long been a proponent of light, durable leather. The Flat Bag collection comes in a variety of leathers including Prince Leather, which is only 1.3 mm thick. Karl worked directly with tanneries in Italy to ensure that the leather was strong enough for daily use and devel-oped to become more beautiful with age. Other bags that use Prince Leather include the Olivia Bag and the Carla Bag.

As another way of making bags lighter, designers are shying away from heavy accessories in favour of pleating, shirring and quilting. The design team at Roots has traditionally eschewed ornate detailing and focused on functional hardware. While Roots has always used fabric linings, other companies are only now making the switch, replacing heavier suede and leather.

The Globe and Mail journalist highlighted British research that stated the weight of the average handbag has dropped 57% to 1.5 kg over the last two years. The Village Bag, filled with a wallet, cell phone, iPod, car keys and several other items found in most women’s purses, weighed in at 1.2 kg.

Roots has always designed its handbags with functionality in mind. Many bags in the Flat Bag collection come with a generous, fully adjustable 1.5-inch strap to minimize neck and back strain. Other bags are designed for a specific purpose. With seven compartments, the new Pony Express Bag can hold a netbook along with daily necessities.

Evening bags have also become more functional, with more stores selling handbags that convert to clutches. This too is not a new concept to Roots. The upcoming Cargo purse, a compact bag available in suede or leather, includes a removable strap to transform it into a purse suitable for night time use.

 

STEPPING UP FOR HAITI

Roots supports Caribbean nation devastated by January earthquake

 

 

 

In the wake of the humanitarian disaster in Haiti caused by a massive earthquake, Roots was quick to contribute to relief efforts. As part of the ‘Roots Cares’ program, Roots initiated a company-wide fundraising campaign. For each dollar donated by employees, Roots matched it with another dollar. With the Canadian government doubling each dollar raised, the Roots initiative generated a total of $68,000 for the Canadian Red Cross (CRC) (including the matching funds from Ottawa) for use in the quake-ravaged nation.

 

In addition, Roots launched the ‘Help Haiti’ leather bracelet as another way to raise money for the cause. Made in the Roots factory in Toronto, the bracelets retail for $5 with 100% of the proceeds going to the CRC. Such cause-related bracelets have proven effective in the past. Roots sold similar bracelets in 2004 to raise significant funds for victims of a massive Caribbean hurricane and again in 2005 for survivors of the tsunami in South Asia.

 

Given that the quake in Haiti left many people with only the clothes on their backs, Roots also donated clothing. In partnership with the Canadian Wildlife Federation and coordinated by Anne Marie Hargreaves, B2B Account Manager, Roots donated 1,500 units of adult, kids and babies clothing.

 

At the same time, many Roots stores organized their own fundraisers for Haiti. Allison Fortier, Manager of the Place d’Orleans store in Ottawa. Allison collected money at the Russell Association for Performing Arts (RAPA), the community-based theatre group she belongs to, raising $150.

 

Roots also lent its support to an initiative organized by a member of Canada’s Haitian community. Daniella Etienne of Universal Music Canada held a benefit in Toronto in late January with performances by local DJs. Roots donated a Banff leather bag (retail value: $338) for use as a silent auction prize.

 

Meanwhile, in a different kind of charitable initiative, this one to bring some holiday cheer to disadvantaged residents in Toronto, the Roots head office held a food drive in December. Beginning with the semi-annual Sample Sale and lasting for an additional week, the company collected 840 lbs. of non-perishable food items from employees and customers which Roots donated to the Daily Bread Food Bank, that fights hunger in Toronto.

WALKING TALL

Calgary employee takes part in Olympic Torch relay event

In conjunction with her role as Rodeo Queen of Cochrane, Alberta, Nicole Schlaak, a keyholder at Calgary’s 17th Avenue store, participated in the 83rd day of the Olympic Torch Relay. Nicole, who has worked at Roots since 2007, is currently in her third year at Mount Royal University, studying Business Administration.

 

The Olympic Torch for the Vancouver Games was first lit in Olympia, Greece and reached Victoria, BC in late October. On February 12, after a 106-day, 45,000 km journey across Canada, the torch will complete the last leg of its odyssey when it will light the Olympic Cauldron at Vancouver’s BC Place, marking the official start of the 2010 Winter Games.