Pottery Barn 2011 Annual Report Download - page 20

copyrights and trade dress rights for our products, product packaging, catalogs, books, house publications,
website designs and store designs, among other things, which are also used by our subsidiaries under license. We
hold patents on certain product functions and product designs. Patents are generally valid for 14 to 20 years as
long as their registrations are properly maintained. In addition, we have registered and maintain numerous
Internet domain names, including “williams-sonoma.com,” “potterybarn.com,” “potterybarnkids.com,”
“pbteen.com,” “westelm.com,” “wshome.com,” “williams-sonomainc.com” and “rejuvenation.com.”
Collectively, the trademarks, copyrights, trade dress rights and domain names that we hold are of material
importance to us.
EMPLOYEES
As of January 29, 2012, we had approximately 26,900 employees of whom approximately 6,700 were full-time.
During the fiscal 2011 peak season (defined as the period from October through December), we hired
approximately 9,700 temporary employees primarily in our retail stores, customer care centers and distribution
centers.
AVAILABLE INFORMATION
We file annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, proxy and
information statements and amendments to reports filed or furnished pursuant to Sections 13(a), 14 and 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The public may read and copy these materials at the SEC’s
Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. The public may obtain information on
the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC also maintains a
website at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding
Williams-Sonoma, Inc. and other companies that file materials with the SEC electronically. Our annual reports,
Forms 10-K, Forms 10-Q, Forms 8-K and proxy and information statements are also available, free of charge, on
our website at www.williams-sonomainc.com.
ITEM 1A.RISK FACTORS
A description of the risks and uncertainties associated with our business is set forth below. You should carefully
consider such risks and uncertainties, together with the other information contained in this report and in our other
public filings. If any of such risks and uncertainties actually occurs, our business, financial condition or operating
results could differ materially from the plans, projections and other forward-looking statements included in the
section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and
elsewhere in this report and in our other public filings. In addition, if any of the following risks and uncertainties,
or if any other risks and uncertainties, actually occurs, our business, financial condition or operating results could
be harmed substantially, which could cause the market price of our stock to decline, perhaps significantly.
The changes in general economic conditions over the past few years, and the resulting impact on consumer
confidence and consumer spending, could adversely impact our results of operations.
Our financial performance is subject to changes in general economic conditions and the impact of such economic
conditions on levels of consumer confidence and consumer spending. Consumer confidence and consumer
spending may deteriorate significantly, and could remain depressed for an extended period of time. Consumer
purchases of discretionary items, including our merchandise, generally decline during periods when disposable
income is limited, unemployment rates increase or there is economic uncertainty. An uncertain economic
environment, such as the one we experienced during the 2008-2009 economic downturn could cause our vendors
to go out of business or our banks to discontinue lending to us or our vendors, or it could cause us to undergo
additional restructurings, any of which would adversely impact our business and operating results.
We are unable to control many of the factors affecting consumer spending, and declines in consumer spending on
home furnishings in general could reduce demand for our products.
Our business depends on consumer demand for our products and, consequently, is sensitive to a number of
factors that influence consumer spending, including general economic conditions, consumer disposable income,
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