TNFC Archived Policy Pages

MEMBER DISCOUNT and BENEFITS 2012

(pssst! You don’t have to be a member to shop here!)

By becoming a Member Owner of Tonasket Natural Foods Co-op, you are investing in a consumer owned business that supports local organic growers and local suppliers! Keep more of each dollar you spend in our local economy.

Current active and lifetime members are entitled to the following discounts and benefits
(You must be current and up to date in your dues payments):

1. You will receive a 2% discount on most of your purchases. The following items are not eligible for the discount: red tag sale items, consignment items, bulk orders, beer & wine, member dues, gift certificates, improvement fund donations, filtered water (from our tap), and phone calls.

2. You may order bulk foods at 20% above wholesale cost. The third Tuesday of each month is Member Appreciation Day and you may order bulk foods from UNFI (our regular weekly supplier) at 15% above wholesale cost.

3. All products on a “member sale” (items with regular price and member sale price) will also receive the 2% discount. Member sale items will be seen throughout the store, usually designated by white shelf tags.

4. Members may qualify for additional discounts by volunteering for store tasks or projects.

5. Members may serve on the Board of Directors.

6. Members may leave and receive messages and packages here.

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CO-OP BULK & SPECIAL ORDER POLICIES 2012

DEADLINE FOR UNFI’S ORDER IS 3 P.M. THURSDAY FOR MONDAY PICKUP

ALL ORDERS MUST BE PRE-PAID AND WILL BE ORDERED AT THE CO-OP’S EARLIEST POSSIBLE CONVENIENCE

20% OVER COST FOR MEMBERS
30% OVER COST FOR NON-MEMBERS
Note: Current members will pay 15% over cost for UNFI ORDERS on the 3rd Tuesday of the month only – no orders will be taken between 11 & 1:30

SHIPPING WILL BE ADDED WHEN APPLICABLE

PRICES WILL BE ADJUSTED WHEN YOUR ORDER ARRIVES

LIMIT – 2 FROZEN OR 2 COOLER ITEMS PER ORDER

IF YOUR ORDER IS EXTREMELY LARGE, YOU MAY BE ASKED TO PICK IT UP ON SUNDAY

ORDERS FOR SMALLER AMOUNTS OF ANY ITEM WILL BE A SPECIAL RETAIL ORDER USING THE RETAIL PRICE

A $50 WHOLESALE ORDER OF VITAMINS OR PERSONAL CARE ITEMS FROM ONE COMPANY WILL BE CONSIDERED A BULK ORDER

BULK POLICIES WILL ONLY BE APPLICABLE TO ORDERS FROM MULTIPLE COMPANIES IF EACH COMPANY’S ORDER MEETS THE BULK CRITERIA. IF SOME OF THE MULTIPLES DO NOT MEET THE BULK CRITERIA, THEY WILL BE CONSIDERED SPECIAL ORDERS AND TREATED AS SUCH.

THESE POLICIES ARE APPLICABLE TO FOOD, SUPPLEMENT, AND PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS ONLY. HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS FROM UNFI ARE ALSO INCLUDED. Novelty, household products, and various other products from other misc. companies may have special/different ordering criteria applied.

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MEMBER DISCOUNT POLICY Effective April 1, 2010

POLICY CHANGE:

In a continuing effort to maintain balance between the benefits of Membership, the store’s profitability, and the compensation and work-environment of the staff, the Membership discount program will change to a 2% discount on all Member purchases, effective April 1, 2010. This policy will be reviewed in conjunction with upgrades to the cashiering system, and further member benefits will be considered at that time.

Member savings from the “Member Specials” initiated last fall will hopefully expand, as Management continues to seek opportunities to pass wholesale bargains on to the Membership. As always, all Members are reminded that additional discounts are available for volunteer work at the store—please see Alice for specific opportunities and scheduling.

BACKGROUND:

All of the operating policies of our Co-op generally strive to achieve a fair and reasoned balance between three major interests: the benefits of Membership, the financial stability of the store, and the compensation of the staff who ensure the store’s daily operations. These three interests are often at odds with one another. For example, lowering prices and raising wages would be great for Members and staff, but detrimental to the store’s financial stability. Similarly, raising prices might be great for profits, but hard on Member’s wallets. Ultimately, it falls to the Co-op’s Board of Directors to set policies that achieve a reasonable balance between these three interests of the Membership, the store, and the staff.

The Co-op has a long history of operating at a financial loss—a fact that has often gone unnoticed because of the infusion of outside funding from Barter Faire grants, fund-raising events, the “give back” program, and so forth. These outside sources have been utilized to make many visible improvements that the store itself could not afford, such as the Garden Room addition, the new walk-in cooler, etc. While these improvements to the building and operating equipment of the store give the impression of prosperity, the reality is that store profitability continues to be a serious challenge that Alice and the Board continue to address.

The Board in recent years has been forced to confront the food industry trend of eliminating Member discount programs—indeed our Co-op held out for years while most all other operations discontinued their Member discount programs. While bucking this industry trend was good for the Membership’s wallets, the store could no longer afford the program. In an attempt to balance the three interests of Membership, store, and staff, the Board revised the Member discount policies in September of last year, eliminating the blanket 5% discount program and installing the once-a-month 10% Member discount cards. At about this same time, store management began actively seeking and offering “Member Specials,” through which bargains in the store’s wholesale prices have been passed on to the Membership on an ongoing basis.

While providing some relief to the store’s bottom line, the 10% discount card program has not proved to be operationally viable or financially beneficial. Operationally, the severe limitations of our current cashiering system have resulted in long check-out lines and occasional-but-unpleasant interactions with staff. (The installation of a “scanner” system will enable us to consider other options.) Financially, a result of the 10% discount card program has been the card’s use for high-volume purchases of low-profit food items, which has increased profitability pressure on the store—the exact opposite of the intention of the policy change. ------------------------------------

CO-OP BULK & SPECIAL ORDER POLICIES Effective April 1, 2010

20% OVER COST FOR MEMBERS 30% OVER COST FOR NON-MEMBERS
Due to increased costs of continuing to do business we have found it necessary to make this change. All utilities and taxes have increased. Our suppliers continue to add fuel surcharges to our orders based on rising fuel costs and shipping charges have continued to rise.

Ordering bulk on those items that you can use in quantity continues to be your best buy. (For example an item priced at $25.00 wholesale will cost a member $30.00 and a non-member $32.50. That same item purchased at retail will cost $40.35.)

We thank you for your continued support.
DEADLINE FOR UNFI’S ORDER IS 3 P.M. THURSDAY FOR MONDAY PICKUP
ALL ORDERS MUST BE PRE-PAID AND WILL BE ORDERED AT THE CO-OP’S EARLIEST POSSIBLE CONVENIENCE
SHIPPING WILL BE ADDED WHEN APPLICABLE
PRICES WILL BE ADJUSTED WHEN YOUR ORDER ARRIVES
LIMIT – 2 FROZEN OR 2 COOLER ITEMS PER ORDER
IF YOUR ORDER IS EXTREMELY LARGE, YOU MAY BE ASKED TO PICK IT UP ON SUNDAY
ORDERS FOR SMALLER AMOUNTS OF ANY ITEM WILL BE A SPECIAL RETAIL ORDER USING THE RETAIL PRICE
A $50 WHOLESALE ORDER OF VITAMINS OR PERSONAL CARE ITEMS FROM ONE COMPANY WILL BE CONSIDERED A BULK ORDER
BULK POLICIES WILL ONLY BE APPLICABLE TO ORDERS FROM MULTIPLE COMPANIES IF EACH COMPANY’S ORDER MEETS THE BULK CRITERIA. IF SOME OF THE MULTIPLES DO NOT MEET THE BULK CRITERIA, THEY WILL BE CONSIDERED SPECIAL ORDERS AND TREATED AS SUCH.
THESE POLICIES ARE APPLICABLE TO FOOD, SUPPLEMENT, AND PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS ONLY. HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS FROM UNFI ARE ALSO INCLUDED. Novelty and household products from other misc. companies may have other ordering criteria applied.

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DISCOUNT CHANGES Effective September 1, 2009

On September 1, Co-op cashiers will issue new 10% Discount Cards to Co-op Members. These cards will be good for a once-a- month 10% discount off all discountable items purchased at one time. This will replace the old 5% discount policy. You will have to show your card to receive your discount, on the day you choose to get it.

New and Better Volunteer Rates
Still need your 5% discount? Come in and volunteer at the store! We’ve cut the number of hours you need to work before you start getting a discount–check it out. Ask store management what volunteer positions and hours are available.

A Discount at the Evolution Health and Fitness Center
The store has negotiated with the Center for a range of discounts, depending on how many co-op members join the Center. You’ll get about 12% off if five co-op members join--and if 15 or more join you’ll receive a whopping 20% off. Be sure to take your co-op Membership Card when you sign up at the Fitness Center.

Special Sales for Members Only
Every month the store will feature an excellent sale on a nice selection from various categories in the store–just for members!

Bulk Orders for Members
Orders for bulk items can be placed at 15% above the wholesale cost, plus shipping.
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The decision to change the discount procedure was made by unanimous vote by the Board of Directors at the July Board Meeting, with the advice of a large number of interested co-op members and the store Management, in order to meet the challenges of a changing membership, the competition from other stores now stocking “organic” products, the changing economy, and the need to put the store on a better financial footing.

Got questions? Need more information? Pick up the FireStarter Special Edition or talk to Alice or Julie. Also, please feel free to call a Board Member if you’d like to discuss the Co-op’s financial status and this change the Board has made to improve it.