Established in 1999, and launched as a live entity in January of 2000, IWOOT (as we have become known) has grown to become one of the UK's leading on-line retailers. It all started in a pub, was set up in a bedroom with one laptop a phone, a modem, and a cat, and now has offices in London, and a vast bespoke (and highly efficient) warehouse in Manchester.
We work in an environment that is constantly having to evolve and adapt to both emerging technology, and a changing marketplace. The culture and ethos of our brand runs through every part of the company, even the filler in the parcels we send out is 'on brand'. We are here entirely for the benefit of our customers, and our goal is to consistently strive to over-perform for them. We're not content with being the best, so much as revelling in trying to be even better.
The Management TeamWorking with the directors (for appropriate contact details click here) are:
- Kieran Clinton-Tarestad - Head of Finance
- Sagar Vadher - Head of IT
- Cass Boon & Sally Bridson - Customer Service Supervisors
- Amy Goodwin - HR Manager
- Simon Cowen - Head of B2B business unit
- Melissa Glenister - Senior Buyer
- Sergio Anna - Operations Manager
Our people and our attitude to our customers are key to the company's future. At present we have over 45 full time staff and we are always looking out to recruit the best of the best. During peak times our staff numbers increase considerably as we are invaded by a strong contingent of international travellers and other well-wishers.
The IWOOT CrewWe're a pretty scruffy lot, and we don't wear suits as they restrict our movement when we pogo stick around the office. We wear huge smiles and creative hats to bounce ideas around the room. We're a quirky bunch that are passionate about the IWOOT brand. We're enthusiastic to achieve, to strive to be better than the very best and driven by working in a fast paced changing environment. We are here entirely for the benefit of our customers, and our goal is to consistently strive to over-perform for them.
The IWOOT Way
The phrase 'Mission Statement' is all a bit Business Speak, and not very IWOOT at all, but for want of a more casual description, here is ours.
- We are not the biggest or flashiest company, but we are the best at what we do.
- We believe in attention to detail and the nitty gritty of doing a job well.
- We believe in treating people as individuals.
- We believe in providing the coolest products and the very best in customer service.
- We believe that great ideas can come from anyone, and we commit to supporting them whether they succeed or not.
- We believe in being informal, but professional.
- We believe in growing a successful and profitable company
- We believe in looking after each other.
We spend a great deal of time scouring the planet for stuff we think you'll really, really want. We probably look at not far off ten thousand products every year, and from that boil it down to a few hundred that we think are really good. We aim to launch about 40 new products every month (this goes up and down depending on the glut or derth of products out there, and the time of year). Our goal is to provide you with a truly great collection of fun, interesting and novel products that you'd be hard pushed to find in one place anywhere else on earth. Once we've got our hands on them we strive to ensure you see them at their very best, that we write about them clearly and often stupidly, that you can see videos of them where possible, and read customer reviews - to get someone else's opinion. We then ensure that shopping for them is easy and quick, that the prices are as keen as we can make them, and that they are delivered to you in perfect condition and so fast you'll scarcely believe it. Our Customer Services team are award winning and our pride and joy. They will look after you every step of the way, and are more than happy to give you advice (though not on cooking) and help you with any problems you may encounter (though that doesn't happen often). If we do something wrong, we'll fix it fast, and make sure it doesn't happen again. If we'd never made any mistakes we wouldn't be as good as we are now, and nor would we be so good at fixing them! The only reason we're here is for our customers, and we never forget that.
IWOOT Going GreenAt IWOOT we are well aware that, like most companies, we're bound not to be that green - simply heating our offices is not wildly planet friendly, but the IWOOT Crew would revolt if we kept them freezing in winter and frying (some chance) in summer. Nevertheless, there are plenty of ways in which we can minimise our impact on the planet, and here are some of things we're doing to render us, if not carbon neutral, then at least put us in a low gear... Read more
