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We welcome your ideas

This site will enable you to submit your ideas for new products and services to the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company. If you have an new and unique idea that fits with our objectives, we would like the chance to work with you. Please take a look around and familiarize yourself with our company, brands, mission, policies and processes.

Who is Scotts Miracle-Gro?

Scotts Miracle-Gro is dedicated to a beautiful world with industry-leading lawn, garden and outdoor living products and services. Through our innovation focus, strong retailer relationships and drive to improve the consumer experience, we have been instrumental in growing the $8 billion global consumer lawn and garden market.

If you have an existing product or service to sell

This site is designed for the submission of new ideas or concepts only. If you have a product or service that is already being sold in the market, please submit your information on ScottsVendors.com.

Corporate Profile

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE: SMG) is the world’s largest marketer of branded consumer lawn and garden products.

Our Business

We operate primarily in North America, along with businesses in Europe, Asia Pacific, and other parts of the world, and employ more than 8,000 associates. The company was founded in 1868 in Marysville, OH. Read more

Our Brands

In the U.S., the Company’s Scotts®, Miracle-Gro®, and Ortho brands are market-leading in their categories, as is the consumer Roundup® brand, which is markted in North America and most of Europe exclusively by Scotts. Outside of North America, the Company has various popular brands, including Miracle-Gro®, Evergreen®, KB®, Celafor®, and Substral® Read more

Corporate Office

Scotts Miracle-Gro is headquartered in Marysville, OH, approximately 30 miles northwest of downtown Columbus.

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company
14111 Scottslawn Road
Marysville, OH 43041
937-644-0011


History

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company was founded in 1868 by O.M. Scott as a premium seed company for the U.S. agricultural industry. In the early 1900s, the Company began a lawn grass seed business for homeowners. In recent times, a significant milestone was the merger of Scotts, the leading lawn care brand, with Miracle-Gro, the leading gardening brand, in 1995 to create The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company. Read more

Our Retail Partners

Scotts Miracle-Gro brands are sold through the world’s leading home improvement retail companies and mass merchandisers. Other key channels include large hardware chain stores, independent hardware stores, garden centers, and food and drug stores.

Answers to many common questions

Will my idea submission to Scotts be handled confidentially?

Your idea and any information you include in your idea submission to Scotts will be handled non-confidentially. You should not include any information in your idea submission to Scotts that you want to keep confidential.

If Scotts is interested in more information about your idea, Scotts will contact you. If, at that time, you and Scotts decide to share information on a confidential basis, we can consider entering into a formal, written (paper; not electronic) confidentiality agreement under which both you and Scotts would contractually agree to keep certain information confidential. Unless and until a formal, written (paper; not electronic) confidentiality agreement is signed by you and Scotts, no information you share with Scotts will be treated confidentially.

Should I protect my idea before submitting my idea to Scotts?

We recommend that you consult your attorney to answer any questions about protecting your idea BEFORE submitting an idea to Scotts. There are a number of reasons why this is advisable, including the following:

  • You will have no opportunity to be paid for Scotts’ use of your idea if you have not protected your idea with valid and enforceable patent rights.
  • Since your idea submission to Scotts is made on a non-confidential basis, your submission may make it impossible for you to later seek patent protection at all.

Why should I should only share non-confidential information at this time?

Scotts made these decisions in an attempt to prevent misunderstandings between idea submitters and Scotts.

Scotts is currently working on, has previously worked on, and in the future will work on many innovations, new products and services and improvements to existing products and services. Scotts has been around for over 150 years and has over 6,000 employees, thousands of suppliers and retail customers and millions of consumers that it communicates with on an ongoing basis. Many of them are creative and passionate about their homes, lawns, gardens and businesses, so they share many ideas with Scotts.

This creates a high probability that many unpatented ideas will be similar to ideas that Scotts has worked on, is working on, or will work on in the future. In such cases, the submitters of unpatented ideas may believe that a product or service offered by Scotts incorporates their ideas when, in fact, the idea came from one or more other sources.

What should I do if I have an idea that is not protected by patent?

Many valuable ideas are not protected by patent. The value of this type of idea is maintained by keeping it a secret. You should not disclose such ideas through this website, because Scotts will not treat these ideas as confidential (Scotts will not keep them a secret) and the terms and conditions you will have to accept in order to submit the ideas give Scotts ownership of such ideas.

You should consult your own attorney to determine whether your idea is valuable confidential information (e.g. a trade secret) and, if so, how to communicate your idea through this site without losing ownership of, or the value of, your valuable confidential information. For instance, generally describing the nature of your idea and providing Scotts with evidence of how well your idea performs may be adequate to allow Scotts to evaluate its interest in your idea without you having to disclose your valuable secret. In such cases, Scotts will contact you if Scotts is interested in additional information. At that point, you and Scotts could consider entering a formal, written (paper; not electronic) confidentiality agreement under which you could give Scotts more information and Scotts would agree to treat such information confidentially.

Will I receive compensation for my submitted idea? How much?

You will not be compensated for your idea unless BOTH of the following apply:

  • Scotts has interest in using your idea in a way that, without an agreement with you, would infringe your valid and enforceable patent rights; AND
  • You and Scotts have entered into a formal, written (paper; not electronic) agreement.
Every idea will be evaluated individually and will have a unique value. Therefore, there is no set amount for any given idea.Please see the Terms and Conditions for more information.

How long will it take to review my submission?

Please allow up to three (3) months for us to review your idea and provide a response

Should I submit product or material samples of my idea?

Please do not send any product or material samples to Scotts unless Scotts specifically requests them from you.

How do I submit an idea or concept?

Step 1: Agree to terms and conditions. In order to protect the best interests of both parties and avoid any future misunderstanding, we ask that you first review a set of Terms & Conditions. You will be required to agree to the Terms & Conditions before you can submit your idea.

Step 2: Enter information. You will be asked to enter contact and background information, a description of the idea, Intellectual Property details (if applicable), and an explanation of the problem it solves, the benefit it provides, proof that it works, and why it is unique or different. You will also be able to upload supporting files (if applicable).

Step 3: Submit information. You will be sent confirmation that your information was received successfully.

What happens next?

Your idea will be forwarded to and reviewed by the appropriate Scotts representative(s). The preliminary review can take up to 3 months. If there is interest in the idea, we will contact you to initiate further discussion or request addition information. If there is not interest at the time, you will notified of the decision and the idea will be stored in our database. Please be aware that we will not provide status updates, nor will we provide reasons for our decisions.

Effective Date: October 27, 2011

Privacy Notice

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (“Scotts”) respects your concerns about privacy. This Privacy Notice applies to personal information we collect on scottsinnovation.com (the “Site”).

This Privacy Notice describes the types of personal information we collect on the Site, how we may use that information and with whom we may share it. The Privacy Notice also describes the measures we take to protect the security of the personal information. We also tell you how you can reach us to ask us to update your preferences regarding how we communicate with you or answer any questions you may have about our privacy practices.

Information We Collect

You may choose to provide us with personal information through our Site. Here are the types of information you may submit:

  • Contact information, such as your name, postal address, telephone number, and email address
  • The names of any co-owners of your idea submissions

Information We Collect by Automated Means

When you visit our Site, we may collect certain information by automated means such as your operating system type, browser type, domain, and other system settings, as well as the language your system uses and the country and time zone where your device is located. The Web server logs also may record information such as the address of the Web page that referred you to our Site and the IP address of the device you use to connect to the Internet. They also may log information about your interaction with this Site, such as which pages you visit.

We may use third-party web analytics services on our Site, such as those of Google Analytics. These service providers help us analyze how users use the Site.

We may use the information collected through automated means for market research, data analytics and system administration purposes, such as to determine whether you’ve visited us before or are new to the Site, and for compliance with our legal obligations, policies and procedures. How We Use the Information We Collect

We may use the information we obtain about you when you visit the Site to:

  • Process, evaluate and respond to your idea submissions
  • Operate, evaluate and improve our business (including developing new products and services; managing our communications; performing market research, data analytics and data appends; determining and managing the effectiveness of our advertising and marketing; analyzing our products, services and Site; and administering our Site;
  • Protect against and prevent fraud, unauthorized transactions, claims and other liabilities, and manage risk exposure and quality
  • Comply with and enforce applicable legal requirements, industry standards and our policies and terms, such as our Terms & Conditions

Information We Share

We may share personal information we collect on the Site with our service providers who perform services on our behalf. These service providers are not authorized by us to use or disclose the information except as necessary to perform services on our behalf or comply with legal requirements. In addition, we may share personal information we collect on the Site at your request.

We may disclose information about you (i) if we are required to do so by law, regulation or legal process (such as a court order or subpoena), (ii) in response to requests by government agencies, such as law enforcement authorities, or (iii) when we believe disclosure is necessary or appropriate to prevent physical, financial or other harm, injury or loss or in connection with an investigation of suspected or actual illegal activity.

How We Protect Personal Information

We maintain administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect the personal information you provide on our Site against accidental, unlawful or unauthorized destruction, loss, alteration, access, disclosure or use and other unlawful forms of processing.

Links to Other Sites

The Site may provide links to other sites for your convenience and information. These websites may be operated by companies not affiliated with us. Linked websites may have their own privacy policies, which we strongly suggest you review if you visit any linked websites. We are not responsible for the content of any websites that are not affiliated with us, any use of those websites, or the privacy practices of those websites. Updates to Our Privacy Notice

This Privacy Notice may be updated periodically and without prior notice to you to reflect changes in our personal information practices or relevant laws. We will post a prominent notice on the Site to notify you of any significant changes to our Privacy Notice and indicate at the top of the notice when it was updated.

How to Contact Us

If you have any questions or comments about this Privacy Notice, or if you would like us to update information we have about you or your preferences, please contact us as indicated below.

To email us:
webservices@scotts.com

To contact us by postal mail:
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company
14111 Scottslawn Road
Marysville, Ohio 43041
1-888-270-3714
Acknowledgment - Step 1 / 9

Are you submitting your own idea or are you representing someone else? Select one:



 Terms & Conditions

I am submitting the idea on my own behalf

I am submitting to The Scotts Company LLC, an Ohio LLC (together with its parent, subsidiaries and affiliates, referred to as “Scotts”), an idea that I believe may be useful to Scotts in its business. In this document, the term “Idea” means the idea I am submitting to Scotts and any and all information that I disclose to Scotts about the idea in the submission, in follow up communications or otherwise.

I understand that Scotts does not receive unsolicited ideas except on the terms and subject to the conditions contained in this document. I agree to the terms and conditions contained in this document in exchange for Scotts receiving my Idea.

General

  1. I am not a minor. I certify that I am at least 18 years old at the time of this idea submission.
  2. To the best of my knowledge, the Idea does not infringe on any rights of another person or entity.

I am responsible for getting my own legal advice to understand and protect my rights before I submit my idea.

  1. I understand that if I disclose my Idea before I take action to protect my Idea (for example, filing a patent application) I may lose my ability to protect my Idea (for example, I may not be able to obtain a patent in the future).
  2. I acknowledge that Scotts has told me that I should consult my own lawyer before making this Idea submission to understand my rights to my Idea and how to protect them.

Scotts may do whatever it wishes with my Idea and not pay me, so long as Scotts’ actions do not violate my valid and enforceable patent rights.

  1. I understand and agree that my Idea will be considered non-confidential public information. I understand that this means Scotts will be under no obligation to keep my Idea a secret.
  2. I understand and agree that except to the extent that I have protected my Idea under patent law, Scotts may use my Idea for commercial purposes without compensating me.

Scotts has no obligation to me unless Scotts and I enter a separate and formal written agreement in the future.

  1. I understand and agree that Scotts is under no obligation to do any of the following:
    1. Review, develop, pursue or use my Idea;
    2. Compensate me for Scotts’ review, development, pursuit or use of my Idea, except to the extent any commercial use of my Idea by Scotts infringes my valid and enforceable patent rights; or
    3. Provide me with an explanation in the event that Scotts decides to not review, develop, pursue or use my Idea.
  2. I understand that Scotts will have no obligation to me unless it undertakes obligations in a separate and formal written (paper, not electronic) agreement that is duly executed by Scotts and me. I understand and agree that this means that communications by email, in person, on the phone or by any other means will not create obligations to me on the part of Scotts.

Samples and other materials.

  1. I agree to not send any product or material samples to Scotts unless Scotts specifically requests them and has made arrangements to ship, receive and handle them in accordance with Scotts’ safety procedures.
  2. I understand and agree that Scotts is under no obligation to return any materials (presentations, photographs, drawings, samples, prototypes, reports, etc.) that I give to Scotts.

 Terms & Conditions

I am submitting the idea as a representative of a company or an individual

These Terms and Conditions apply when a representative (“Representative”) of a company (“Submitter”) is submitting an idea to The Scotts Company LLC, an Ohio LLC (together with its parent, subsidiaries and affiliates, referred to as “Scotts”), that Submitter believes may be useful to Scotts in its business.

When Representative electronically accepts these Terms and Conditions by clicking the “I Agree” button below, Representative is agreeing personally to the Terms and Conditions under the heading “Representative Terms and Conditions” below and is agreeing on behalf of the Submitter to the “Submitter Terms and Conditions” below.

In this document, the term “Idea” means the idea being submitting to Scotts and any and all information disclosed to Scotts about the idea in the submission, in follow up communications or otherwise.

REPRESENTATIVE TERMS AND CONDITIONS

  1. Representative certifies to Scotts that Representative is duly authorized by Submitter to agree to these Terms and Conditions by and on behalf of Submitter and to bind Submitter to these Terms and Conditions.
  2. Representative certifies that Representative is not a minor (i.e. Representative is at least 18 years old at the time of this Idea submission).

SUBMITTER TERMS AND CONDITIONS

  1. Submitter certifies that, to the best of its knowledge, the Idea does not infringe on any rights of another person or entity.
  2. Submitter acknowledges that it has been encouraged by Scotts to consult Submitter’s legal counsel before making this Idea submission in order to understand and protect Submitter’s rights to the Idea.
  3. Submitter understands and agrees that the Idea will be considered non-confidential public information. Submitter acknowledges that this means Scotts will be under no obligation to keep the Idea a secret.
  4. Submitter understands and agrees that except to the extent Submitter has protected its Idea under patent law, Scotts may use the Idea for commercial purposes without compensating Submitter.
  5. Submitter understands and agrees that Scotts is under no obligation to do any of the following:
    1. Review, develop, pursue or use the Idea;
    2. Compensate Submitter for Scotts’ review, development, pursuit or use of the Idea, except to the extent any commercial use of the Idea by Scotts infringes Submitter’s valid and enforceable patent rights (see Paragraphs 3 and 4 of Submitter’s Terms and Conditions above); or
    3. Provide Submitter with an explanation in the event that Scotts decides to not review, develop, pursue or use the Idea.
  1. Submitter understands and agrees that Scotts will have no obligation to Submitter unless it undertakes obligations in a separate and formal written (paper, not electronic) agreement that is duly executed by Scotts and Submitter. Submitter understands and agrees that this means that communications by email, in person, on the phone or by any other means will not create obligations to Submitter on the part of Scotts.
  2. Submitter agrees to not send any product or material samples to Scotts unless Scotts specifically requests them and has made arrangements to ship, receive and handle them in accordance with Scotts’ safety procedures.
  3. Submitter understands and agrees that Scotts is under no obligation to return any materials (presentations, photographs, drawings, samples, prototypes, reports, etc.) that Submitter gives to Scotts.
  4. Submitter acknowledges that Scotts does not receive unsolicited ideas except on the terms and subject to the conditions contained in this document. Submitter makes the certifications, acknowledgements and agreements contained in this document in exchange for Scotts receiving the Idea.


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