Privacy Policies & Legal Terms of Use

At Roots Canada Ltd., we believe your privacy is important. Please review the specific policies below to better understand how we work to ensure your personal information is kept secure.

Store Privacy Policy (updated july 2005)

At Roots Canada Ltd., we believe your privacy when shopping in our stores is paramount.  Our privacy policy was created to ensure we preserve the confidentiality, accuracy and security of your personal information.  This policy guides us in the collection, use, retention and disclosure of your personal information in all of our Roots stores. 

Below is our store privacy policy, which spells out our responsibilities and commitments to the secure protection and responsible use of our customers’ personal information entrusted to us.

To read the actual text of the Roots Store Privacy Policy: click here

MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED CUSTOMER QUESTIONS

What Type of personal information do stores collect?
Our stores collect personal information and personally identifiable transaction information (for example, what you bought). Such personal information may be collected from you in a number of ways:

• When you purchase merchandise from our stores, we collect transaction information related to your purchase (items purchased, the price you paid, the payment method you used, time and location).
• When you return or exchange merchandise we collect your name, address, and telephone number.
• When you fill out a special order, alteration or repair request or instruct us to mail product to another location, we may collect your name, address, telephone number or credit card information.
• When you fill out any in-store promotional surveys or contests, we may gather certain personal information, such as your opinions on specific products and/or services, in addition to identifying information, such as your name, address, telephone number, and email address.

Why is personal information required to process a return/exchange?
The Roots Return Policy is one of the most flexible in retail today.  At Roots, we accept returns with original receipt, with a gift receipt, without a receipt and there are no time limitations for returns or exchanges.  For Roots to continue to offer such a flexible return policy to our valued customers, we ask for personal information such as name, address and telephone number for the specific and legitimate purpose of fraud prevention.

How does Roots safeguard my personal information?
At Roots, the security of your personal information is a high priority.  We maintain appropriate safeguards and current security standards to protect your personal information, whether recorded on paper or captured electronically, against loss or theft, unauthorized access, disclosure, or misuse. 

How can I contact the Chief Privacy Officer?
Roots Canada Ltd. is responsible for all personal information under its control. Our Chief Privacy Officer is accountable for company compliance with the principles described by our Roots Store Privacy Policy. If you have any questions, concerns or complaints about the privacy policies stated here, you can:

Changes to the Privacy Policy
We reserve the right to change our privacy policy at any time.  Accordingly we recommend that you check this page periodically in order to review our current policies.

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Website Privacy Policy
Our Commitment to Privacy

Roots Canada Ltd.  and Roots America.com (“Roots”) value its customers and respects their privacy.

This privacy policy (this “Policy”) describes the personal information we may collect from you, the purposes for which we collect it, how we use it and when we may share it with third parties. This Policy also describes the choices you can make about how we collect, use and disclose your information. Roots will not collect, use or disclose your personal information other than in compliance with this Policy.

By using the www.roots.com or www.roots-direct.com websites and/or making online purchases of products, you agree to the terms and conditions of Roots’s Policy. If our Policy changes in the future, we will notify our customers and website users of any such changes by posting an updated policy on our website. Following the posting of such changes, your continued use of the www.roots.com or www.roots-direct.com websites will constitute your acceptance of these changes and you will be bound by such changes. If you do not continue to use the www.roots.com or www.roots-direct.com websites following a change to our Policy but take no other action with respect to your personal information, our use of that information will remain subject to our Policy as it was in effect prior to the change. You are responsible for regularly reviewing this Policy and any changes thereto.

Visiting Roots.com
We may also collect certain non-personally identifiable information from you when you visit our website, such as the type of browser you are using (i.e.: Netscape or Explorer), the type of operating system (i.e.: Windows or MAC), the domain name of your Internet service provider and your entire query (if any) that was entered into a search engine which led you to the current site and any other "click stream" data. This information is stored in our log files. We use the non-personally identifiable information that we collect to rate and improve the design and content of our website and to enable us to personalize your experience. We may also use this information in the aggregate to analyze how our site is used, as well as to offer you products, services and promotions.

Mailing List
You may opt to join our mailing list. When you submit your email address to use we assume that you want to be contact regarding promotions and offers at Roots. When you join our mailing list we respect your privacy and do not share your address with any third companies without your permission. If you at any time decide that you don't want to receive any future mailings, simply visit http://accounts.roots.com/ca/unsub.htm.

Our Privacy Policy
What kind of information does Roots collect?
For what purposes does Roots collect my information?
Does Roots share my information with third parties?
How can I exercise my choices about receiving promotional communications?
What are cookies and how does Roots use cookies on its site?
How can I access or change my personal information, withdraw my consent, or make inquiries or complaints in relation to this Policy and Roots’s privacy practices?
How long is personal information retained?           
How is personal information secured?

What kind of information does Roots collect?
We may collect personal information from you when you save or otherwise provide your personal information to us, such as by setting up a user account and password, logging in as a registered user of http://www.roots.comor http://www.roots-direct.com, searching for a product, making an order for a product, providing information in your account (and you might have more than one, if you've used more than one e-mail address when shopping with us), communicating with us by phone, e-mail, or otherwise or if you complete an entry form to  participate in a contest, promotion or survey, whether online or at one of our retail stores. As a result of these actions, you might supply us with personal information, such as your name, e-mail and postal addresses, phone number(s), credit card information, names of people to whom purchases have been shipped, including address and telephone numbers,  product interest information and financial information and in certain circumstances, your opinions and individual preferences. We may also maintain a record of your product interests and acquire information about you from our present and future affiliates or divisions, such as the Roots shop on Amazon.com, and the Roots shop on Sears.ca (collectively, “Roots Affiliates”).

Roots’s website is directed for use by adults.  Roots does not knowingly collect any personal information from children under the age of 13.  Those under age 13 should not use Roots’s website or provide Roots with any personal information.

For what purposes does Roots collect my information?
Roots may use your personal information to (i) process your order and to answer questions about the status of your order; (ii) send you or your friends, relatives or associates, products that you have ordered; (iii) maintain contact with you and provide you with ongoing personalized service; (iv) communicate with you (via e-mail, post or otherwise) and provide you with promotional materials and additional information regarding our products, services, surveys, contests, promotions and special offers; (v) help us learn more about your shopping preferences; and (vi) conduct marketing and performance research, to assist us in measuring our customer service, benchmarking our performance and to help us improve our shopping experiences and product offerings. As provided below, you may always choose not to receive promotional materials or marketing information.

Does Roots share my information with third parties?
If you visit or purchase products on the www.roots.com or www.roots-direct.com websites, participate in a contest, survey, promotion or special offer, or shop at Roots or any Roots Affiliate, we may share your personal information with that Roots Affiliate, so that it can communicate with you (whether by e-mail, post or otherwise) and provide you with promotional materials and additional information about its products, services, contests, promotions and special offers that may be of interest to you, or collect and use that information subject to and for other purposes contemplated by this Policy.

We do not sell or rent your personal information to non-affiliated third parties except as permitted by law. However, in the event of a sale of all or substantially all of our business or another similar transaction, we may transfer or disclose your personal information to a purchaser or prospective purchaser, who may collect, use and disclose such information for the purposes of evaluating the proposed transaction or operating and managing the affairs of the acquired business, or for other purposes identified in this Policy.

We may transfer personal information to non-affiliated third parties for processing pursuant to agreements that prohibit the third parties from using or disclosing the personal information other than for the purpose of processing and which impose security safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information.

We reserve the right to disclose your personal information as required by law, in response to legal process and law enforcement requests, and as necessary to protect the property, interests and rights of Roots and the Roots Affiliates and our users.

Roots’s website may contain links to websites operated by third parties.  These websites may collect your personal information.  This Policy does not apply to the practices of third parties and Roots does not assume any responsibility for, and by using this website and/or accessing a third party’s website from this website you release Roots of any responsibility for, the actions, practices and omissions of third parties.  Please check the privacy policy at each site you visit.

How do I exercise my choices about receiving promotional communications?
We want to communicate with you only if you want to hear from us. If you prefer not to receive promotional information from us or other Roots Affiliates, or if you do not want us to use your information to enhance your shopping experience, please let us know by calling us at 1-888-30-ROOTS or writing us at Roots Customer Service, 1400 Casltefield Ave, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M6B 4C4. Please be sure to include your full name and the e-mail address you used when you registered with or made a purchase from us. It may take up to 2 weeks to process your postal mail request, during which period you may continue to receive communications from Roots or other Roots Affiliates.What are cookies? How does Roots use cookies on its site?We may use “cookies” to track your preferences and activities on the www.roots.com or www.roots-direct.com websites or an Roots Affiliate’s website.  Cookies are small data files transferred to your computer’s hard-drive by a website. They keep a record of your preferences making your subsequent visits to the site more efficient. Cookies may store a variety of information, including, the number of times that you access a site, registration information and the number of times that you view a particular page or other item on the site. The use of cookies is a common practice adopted by most major sites to better serve their clients. Most browsers are designed to accept cookies, but they can be easily modified to block cookies; see your browser's help files for details on how to block cookies, how to know when you have received cookies and how to disable cookies completely. You should note, however, that without cookies, some of the website's functions will not be available, and the user will lose some of the benefits of the site.

How can I access or change my personal information or withdraw my consent, or make inquiries or complaints in relation to this Policy and Roots’s privacy practices?
Roots will ensure that the personal information it collects is as accurate, complete, and up-to-date as is necessary for the purposes for which it is to be used.  You are entitled to request access to and correction of your personal information collected by us. In order to make such a request, or if you have any questions or to make any complaint in relation to this Policy and Roots’s privacy practices, please contact our privacy officer by writing to:

Privacy Officer
Roots Canada Ltd.
1400 Castlefield Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
M6B 4C4
Canada

If you have consented to the collection, use and/or disclosure of personal information as identified herein, please note that you can also withdraw your consent at any time by communicating with our privacy officer as provided above.

How long is personal information retained?
We will keep your personal information only as long as is reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Policy or such longer period as may be required by applicable law.

How is personal information secured?
We have adopted appropriate measures to ensure the confidentiality of personal information and to safeguard personal information against loss or theft, as well as unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use or modification, in light of, among other things, the sensitivity of the information and the purposes for which it is to be used. Furthermore, each and every Roots employee, mandatory or agent must abide by this Policy.

Your California Privacy Rights
Beginning on January 1, 2005, California Civil Code Section 1798.83 permits customers of Roots who are California residents to request certain information regarding its disclosure of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes.

To make such a request in writing to:

Privacy Officer
Roots Canada Ltd.
1400 Castlefield Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
M6B 4C4
Canada

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Website Legal Terms of Use

Limitation of Liability
Roots.com Ltd., its affiliates and related companies ("Roots") take no responsibility for the accuracy or validity of any claims or statements contained in the information or related graphics of this site. Further, Roots makes no representations whatsoever about the suitability of any of the information contained in the information or graphics on this site for any purpose. All such information and related graphics are provided without warranty of any kind. Roots makes no representations whatsoever about any other Web site which you may access through this site. When you access a non-Roots Web site, you understand and acknowledge that it is independent from Roots, and that Roots has no control over the content on any such Web site. In addition, a link to a non-Roots Web site does not mean that Roots endorses or accepts any responsibility for the content, or the use, of such Web site. It is your responsibility to take precautions to ensure that whatever you select for your use by you is free of such items such as viruses, worms, trojan horses, and other items of a destructive nature.

IN NO EVENT WILL ROOTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, INCLUDING SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE OR REFERRED TO ON THIS SITE.

Use of the Site
While visiting the Roots site, you may not: post, upload, publish, reproduce, transmit, or otherwise distribute information or other material: (a) constituting or encouraging conduct that would constitute a criminal offense or give rise to civil liability; (b) which is protected by copyright, or other intellectual property right, or derivative works with respect thereto, without obtaining permission of the copyright owner or rightholder; (c) otherwise use this site in a manner which is contrary to law, including the posting or transmitting of any information or software which contains a virus, cancelbot, trojan horse, worm or other harmful or disruptive component.

Copyright
All materials published or otherwise accessible through this site including, but not limited to, news articles, text, photographs, images, illustrations, audio clips, video clips, software, and other materials (the "Content") are protected by copyright, and are owned or controlled by Roots and any others which may own copyright or the party credited as the provider of the Content. All visitors shall abide by all additional copyright notices, information, and restrictions contained in the Content. All visitors shall abide by all additional copyright notices, information, and restrictions contained in any content accessed through this site.

Trademarks
The trademarks, logos, and service marks, including but not limited to, "Roots", "Roots Canada", "Roots.com" and other names, logos, and icons identifying the products and services (collectively the "trademarks") displayed on the site, are registered and unregistered trademarks of Roots Canada Ltd. and others. Nothing contained on the site should be construed as granting, by implication, estoppel, or otherwise, any license or right to use any trademark displayed on the site without the written permission of Roots or such third party that may own the trademarks displayed on the Site. Your misuse of the trademarks displayed on the site, or any other content on the site, except as provided in these Legal Terms of Use, is strictly prohibited. You are also advised that Roots will aggressively enforce its intellectual property rights to the fullest extent of the law, including the seeking of criminal prosecution.

Confidential Information
You authorize Roots to collect from any party and to retain all relevant information relating to your use of this site, and you hereby authorize any party to provide us with such information. You understand and agree that unless you notify Roots to the contrary by e-mailing us, or writing to us using the address provided above you further authorize Roots to disclose, on a confidential basis, to any necessary parties with whom Roots has business relations all necessary information relating to your dealings with us and this site.

Recourse
If you are dissatisfied with the Roots site or with any terms, conditions, rules, policies, guidelines, or practices of Roots in operating this site, your sole and exclusive remedy is to discontinue using this site.

Indemnity
You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold Roots and its affiliates and related companies harmless from any and all liabilities, costs, and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, related to the violation of this Agreement by you or users of your account, or in connection with the use of this site or the placement or transmission of any information or other materials on this site by you or users of your account.

Miscellaneous
This Agreement, including any and all documents referenced herein, constitutes the entire agreement between Roots and you pertaining to the subject matter hereof. Roots' failure to insist upon or enforce strict performance of any provision of this Agreement shall not be construed as a waiver of any provisions or right. If any of the provisions contained in this Agreement be determined to be void, invalid, or otherwise unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such determination shall not affect the remaining provisions contained herein. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein. The parties have requested that this Agreement and all documents relating thereto be drawn up in English. Les parties ont demandé que cette convention ainsi que tous les documents qui s'y rattachent soient rédigés en anglais.

Roots has no obligation to monitor this site. However, you agree that Roots has the right to monitor this site electronically from time to time and to disclose any information as necessary to satisfy any law, regulation, or other governmental request, to operate this site properly, or to protect itself or its subscribers. Roots reserves the right to refuse to post or to remove any information or materials, in whole or in part, that, in its sole discretion, are unacceptable, undesirable, or in violation of this Agreement.

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