- $5.29 - Russo's (Salad for lunch)
- $3.15 - Target (Sugar for the afternoon)
- $15 - RueLaLa (ticket to event at their headquarters)...
Boston University |
Rue La La |
 BU Alumni Associationalumni@bu.edu bu.edu/alumni |
So I had all these really great questions in my mind to ask the CEO during his Q&A segment, and I totally chickened out. BUT I did muster up the courage to ask one of the lovely Rue La La representatives that we were chatting with afterwards, and here's how it went down...
Me: Do you take into account any other than the actual merchandise that you're purchasing for the boutiques? Such as the source of the product? For example if it was manufactured in a "free trade zone" or if the company producing it has a history of social injustices and unfair treatment of their workers?
La La Rep: I am actually not sure....
(She then smoothly pulled in a gentleman from merchandising who actually tried to answer my question)
Me: Repeated my question
Other La La Rep: Some long explanation, but to sum it up...
Their image is very important to them and therefore the images of the brands they do business with is also very important to them.
Me: Okay so let's say Nike wants to hold a boutique? Is that a company that you would be willing to do business with, even though they have a thoroughly muddied reputation of exploiting their employees?
La La Rep: It is something that would definitely be discussed but what it all comes down to is if it makes financial sense (in summary).
Me: Sigh. Yes, well it always seems to come down to the dollar and cents, even though it shouldn't always.
Rep: Agreed...and then seemed uncomfortable.
(Then politely excused himself and ran away...literally retreated from the party entirely. I couldn't tell if he just went back to his desk or ducked out of an emergency exit, it was hard to say from my angle)
Other suggestions I threw out there...
- offering a carbon offset for shipping
- offering a "green" shopping day where eco-friendly merchandise if featured.
If I had another change I would ask the CEO, it would have been eye opening for a lot of the people in the room, employees and otherwise. Or at least I hope it would be because clearly I was the ONLY "treehugger" (for lack of a better term, although I don't always love that label, it's very misleading) in a mass of business people, most of which were more interested in the recent buy out of Rue La La by some larger corporation (sigh), how they decided on 11AM for their boutique release time and their projected rate of growth. Soooo not my language...I was more wondering if they used soy based inks on their receipt jackets and if their boxes are made with post-consumer waste.
Anyways, I didn't walk away from the event empty handed. Not only did I learn a lot about the company but I also got a metal water bottle and a $25 credit towards a future purchase on the La La. OH and I got some insider information...
- They are rolling out more mobile shopping applications (for other devises other than the iPhone);
- Employees call it "RUE," not "The La La" as I affectionately call it;
- The site will be "neutralized" making it more appealing to both sexes; and
- They have very nice/open offices in Boston, and seems like a great place to work.
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