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Why would I want to join Calgary RAW?
CalgaryRAW provides pet owners access to purchase a wide variety of high quality, human and pet grade meat products at near wholesale prices. Keep checking our site for updates as we add new suppliers & products as we find them.
How do I become a member?
Click the "join" button in the navigation bar on the side of the screen and follow the instructions. There are several steps that you will be guided through with page prompts and email messages. We are sorry for any confusion or annoyance this may cause. It is a one-time hassle and there is no way around the multi-step process that won't require the group having to buy computer software or pay licensing fees. Thanks for your understanding.
I don't live in Calgary proper. Can I still join?
Membership is open to anyone as long as they can make it to Calgary on pick up days to collect orders on time.
How much does it cost to join?
There is a $20 refundable volunteer deposit required by each member on an annual basis. This is a fully refundable deposit that will be returned to any and all members that meet the volunteer requirements for that calendar year.
The deposit for new members will be due at the time of the first order being placed and for existing members will be due when the first order in that calendar year is placed. If you are a returning member that has met the volunteer requirement for the previous year, then you have the option to roll the fee forward to cover the upcoming years fee.
How do I place an order?
Once you're a member you will have access to the list of products and the shopping cart. All orders are placed once per month and payment is due at the time the order is placed. Orders placed after the monthly closing date will not be processed until the following month.
How do I pay for my order?
To pay for your order you can use either Paypal or a Credit Credit. If you are setting up a Paypal account, you should sign up for one before you place your first order. Accounts can take up to a couple days to set up if you are linking your account to a bank account instead of a credit card. Sign up for Paypal buyer account at their site, https://www.paypal.com/.
What can I order?
Currently the group offers members various meat, bone and offal products from chicken, turkey, lamb, elk (seasonal), bison, pork, veal, emu, ostrich, rabbit and beef. Products are sold by the case-lot and different products come in different case-lot sizes. Some products such as ostrich will only be available on a seasonal basis. Currently prices start at .30 cents a pound and upwards.
All products sold on CalgaryRAW are sold by case lot and not by weight, however if case weights fall considerably outside of the posted ranges, CalgaryRAW reserves the right to charge on over-delivery and will issue refunds for under-delivery. Case weight ranges are estimates only and are subject to change without notice.
What does the handling fee cover?
The 5% handling fee is charged on all orders to cover the costs of running the group. There are paypal transaction fees, website hosting fees and price fluctuations on orders from suppliers that need to be recovered. All costs not covered by the handling fee are paid by group managers, usually Liz personally. The group is not being run for profit and when finances allow, members who commit the most time to the group, will be given a discount or credit on their orders at the discretion of group managers.
How does pick-up work?
It will be the member's responsibility to pick up orders from the location listed on the Calendar between times listed. In order to ensure accuracy, all orders must be checked and reported to the site volunteers before the orders leave the site. Refunds for missing product must be identified at the site and signed off by both a volunteer and the member before orders leave the pick up site.
Reported actions such as non-respectful behavior towards members working at the site, taking from other orders to fill your shortages and abandoning orders will result in members no longer being able to access the services of CalgaryRAW.
Where do I pick up my order?
Times and locations for pick-ups will be listed on the Calendar. Please keep in mind that there is NO cold storage at the pick up site. The quality of products cannot be guaranteed if not picked up between the specified times. Money will not be refunded if orders are not picked up at the specified times. If you are not sure you will be able to pick up an order that month DO NOT place an order. If you have placed an order and you cannot make a pick up please use the Yahoo group to have someone else pick up your order or purchase it from you. These arrangements are outside of the group and will not be the responsibility of CalgaryRAW or members working at the pick up site.
What if my order is incorrect?
All orders need to be checked by the pick up site volunteers before they leave the site. All shortages on orders need to be reported and confirmed by the site volunteers before the order leaves the site. Refunds will only be issued to members who report shortages with volunteers at the pick site. Shortages reported after the fact can not be confirmed or corrected by CalgaryRAW and for this reason will not be refunded.
Remember, all products sold on CalgaryRAW are sold by case lot and not by weight. If the case weights fall considerably outside of the posted ranges, CalgaryRAW reserves the right to charge on over-delivery and will issue refunds for under-delivery. Case weight ranges are estimates only and are subject to change without notice.
What is the volunteer requirement?
In order to keep the group running members are required to work a minimum of two shifts per calendar year. This is a mandatory requirement that must be met by all members in order to maintain an active status. Members who meet or exceed this requirement will be refunded the $20 volunteer deposit by the end of the fiscal period.
For more information on what members can do to help see the files section of the yahoo group, under Member Sign Up there's a complete listing of positions and a calendar so members can sign up for a certain job in advance.
Why is it mandatory that members volunteer for 2 positions per year?
CalgaryRAW is a group run by all members for the mutual benefit of all members. In order to cut out costly transportation costs, members are required to help out a couple of times a year with duties like product pick up and redistribution at the pick up site. It's a small commitment to make and it allows us to keep the prices as low as possible.
What can I volunteer to do?
There are numerous jobs available for volunteers. The group needs people to pick-up from suppliers and help with confirming orders at the pick up site. If you would like to volunteer to pick up, keep in mind that it requires people comfortable lifting 50lb boxes.
What are the order minimums?
There are no minimums placed on orders. Product is sold in case-lot sizes only. Different products have different case sizes. Any number of cases from any variety of products can be ordered and you do not need to place a monthly order to be a member of the group.
What if I don't need an entire case of one product?
Members are encouraged to use the Yahoo group as a way to connect with other members interested in sharing or splitting cases. Although CalgaryRAW is not responsible for these types of private arrangements, we set up the Yahoo group to make these type of arrangements more accessible to members.
What if my case doesn't weigh exactly what's listed on the site?
Cases sold on CalgaryRAW are sold by the case and not by the pound. Per pound prices are listed on the site for your convenience, but cannot be guaranteed by CalgaryRAW. Exact weights are not guaranteed from our suppliers and case sizes can and do vary. The case weights for each item listed on the site are the approximate weights given to us by each individual supplier, but cases can weigh more or less upon arrival.
Do I need to be a raw feeder to join CalgaryRAW?
No. If you are feeding a kibble or commercial raw diet we have a number of different recreational bones for sale on the site as well. If that�s the only product that�s of interest to you then there�s no requirement to buy anything else.
Can I make purchases for people that are not members of CalgaryRAW?
CalgaryRAW depends on the deposits and fees collected from members to cover the costs of running the group. Please keep in mind that there are costs associated with running the group and if they cannot be recovered through member fees, they have to be paid by CalgaryRAW administrators, usually Liz personally. A small portion of the handling fee generated from each transaction and any non-refunded volunteer deposits are required to keep the group running, so please encourage individuals interested in the group to sign up and become active members.
What about products like duck and deer? Why doesn�t CalgaryRAW carry them?
The concept of a buyers� group is to pool together for increased buying power. The more participating members the group has the more buying power is generated and that�s also what makes us an attractive client from a supplier standpoint. In order to obtain some of the more exotic products the group needs to be able to sustain a high volume demand on a month to month basis in order for the group to secure a supplier. Our suppliers prefer to deal in high quantities, which is, of course, why we are able to obtain wholesale prices.
What is the Yahoo group used for?
The Yahoo group is a forum for members to discuss orders. Members can use the Yahoo group to discuss sharing cases or arranging to have another member pick up an order for you. If a member has placed an order and for some reason cannot pick it up, or no longer wants the product then the Yahoo group can be used as a way to try and sell that product to other members. All such arrangements are outside of the responsibility of CalgaryRAW.
The Yahoo group is a management tool for the CalgaryRAW buyers� group only and we ask that there not be off topic discussion on this group. If you want to post photos of your pets, discuss health issues, or any other issues not relating to orders please visit the CalgaryRawFeeders Yahoo group.
All concerns relating to misplaced orders and refunds should be directly e-mailed to liz@calgaryraw.com. Please do not post these to the entire group.
Can I tell other people about CalgaryRAW?
Please do! The more members we have the more products we buy and the more we can potentially save. Having more members means the group can generate a more consistent demand for products, which is better for our suppliers and in turn better for us!
Site design and construction Anika Evans © 2007 CalgaryRAW