Guideleines for WNYRaw Group Co-Op Orders

  1. Co-Op dates will be announced on the WNYRaw yahoo group list. All information will also be listed in the Files section there. Look at the Files section for summary of the planned co-ops.
  2. The location and time for the pick-up will also be announced as above.
  3. All suppliers will enter information of products, available for that date, into the Price List Database (including size/weight and price).
  4. Enter the items you want to purchase into the Orders Database. (Unless the supplier specifically says otherwise in their listing in the distribution summry file.)
  5. Once that co-op order has been closed, you will be contacted from the supplier with final totals and payment options. Payments are due before suppliers order from distributors.
  6. The individual suppliers information for invoicing and payment options will be listed in the Files section for all co-op orders. Click on the link for the current co-op order. Then scroll down the list to locate the suppliers you have ordered from.
  7. Please notify supplier in a timely manner if you want to cancel or modify your order. Suppliers are not obligated to change orders after payment, but may be able to make last minute accomodations.

Guidelines for splitting cases.

Some cases the supplier will split for you. Check with the supplier. Fresh products and products labeled as pre-split (like 4x10lbs) are the most likely to be split by a supplier. Frozen items that are not pre split are always buyer split instead of supplier split.

If the supplier will split the case, go ahead and just put just the amount you want into the orders database. The supplier may not include that item in your order if other orders do not make up a full case. To encourage others to help you fill the case, also list your item in the split database. Items split by the supplier can go to diffrent cities.

If the supplier will not split the case, you must split with people in your own city, or work out other transport to them. Place an order for the full case in the database, and split as you desire. You may use the split database to encourage others to help you split the case.

Guidelines for wishlist

The wishlist database helps our suppliers know what new products to look for and add to their offerings. Try to describe the item as fully as possible. If you know of a distributor or other supplier that has the item, please include that information.

Guidelines for WNYRaw Group Co-Op Transports

  1. Look in the files section for details as above.
  2. Make sure you (or your representative) will be available to pickup on the day of the transport.
  3. If ordering some way besides through the co-op, let the supplier know that you want the product delivered through the co-op transport , and let the co-op know what you ordered by making entries in the orders database. We use the orders database for routing packages even if the supplier does not use the database.
  4. Use the real name of the person picking up your order in the database. Transporters may request legal ID if there is any confusion.
  5. The transport fee is between you and your transporter. Pay the transporter in cash at the time of pickup. People who frequently do the transport run themselves should not be charged for transport. People who do not take a turn doing transports should pay a reasonable share of gas and fuel costs.
  6. Make sure at least one person at each pickup point has a cell phone number that they have given to the transporter. This is an emergency contact, in case there is some delay in reaching the pickup point.
  7. Call the pickup point person, or the transporter if you can not pick up on time, and see if they are willing/able to make other arrangements.

    8. Failure to Pick Up:

    You must be at the agreed pickup point at the agreed time. If you do not show up, and you did not make prior arrangments with your transporter (such as a private agreement to deliver or hold the products) then you are giving the product to your transporter. It is the transporter's discretion to use, gift, or dispose of the abandoned products. They may not have room to store your perishables, so they can't be held responsible for them after the agreed time.

    Other problems:

    Note that nobody is making a significant profit here, and can't afford to bare the burden of risk by themselves. A level of trust and understanding is required of all of us. Everyone will try to make reasonable arrangements when the unforseen occurs. We can discuss problems in the group. The only power the group has is to ban members from discussion and ordering, so don't expect binding resolution to problems here.