Click on one of the questions below to learn more about becoming a member of Buy CanadianFirst.
1. Who can become a member? 1. Who can become a member?
Any manufacturer of Canadian-made consumer goods, or retailer selling Canadian-made consumer goods can become a member of BuyCanadianFirst.ca. All products uploaded to our site must bear the “Made in Canada” or “Product of Canada” label (according to standards set forth by the federal government at time of publication). If you are a food processor, please contact our Food Marketing Specialist for membership information. Karen Hope can be reached at The Marketing Edge. 2. How do you qualify a product as being “Made in Canada”?We base ourselves on the guidelines set forth by the federal government, which stipulate that any product of which 51% of the total value has been added in Canada can carry the “Made in Canada” or “Product of Canada” label.
Since January 1, 2009 however, revised guidelines for food labelling have been put into place by the federal government, clarifying the meaning of “Made in Canada” or “Product of Canada” for consumers. BuyCanadianFirst.ca has adjusted its Terms and Conditions accordingly. If you are a food processor, please contact our Food Marketing Specialist for membership information. Karen Hope can be reached at The Marketing Edge. 3. What if I mistakenly add a product that is not made in Canada?
Mistakes happen. As soon as you discover the error, please remove the product from your member console. If this happens repeatedly (up to 3 times) and the erroneous listings are reported by consumers or representative of BuyCanadianFirst.ca, we reserve the right to terminate your account permanently, and offer no refund of membership fees. 4. Will BuyCanadianFirst.ca ever be transactional?
For now, the site is not transactional. But we may at some point carry inventory for specific products. 5. Do I need bilingual versions of my product names and descriptions?
Our fondest wish is for this site to reflect Canada’s identity as a bilingual country. Although we do not force members to post bilingual texts, those members who do will receive greater visibility for their products. Luckily, we offer translation services at very reasonable prices. Please contact your Buy Canadian First account manager about using our translation services. 6. I only carry a few products that are made in Canada. Is there a minimum?
No, there's no minimum! Although if you have less than 10 products, contact us for a custom membership package. 7. What do these icons mean? Can I use them in my product listings?All our icons can be purchased separately for use in your product listings, and will give your products greater visibility. Contact us for more information about pricing and terms of use.
Gift Idea icon
Eco-friendly icon
Recycled icon
Super Canadian icon 8. I see manufacturers of some products that I sell listed on the site. Can I add my retail location to their listings?
Contact your manufacturers directly and ask for permission. They can add your location to the listings in question. If you would like your company to stand out, you can always purchase a membership of your own and have more control over how your products will be displayed on our site. 9. I'm an online retailer with an affiliate program. Can I still add my products?
Absolutely. Simply inform us of the forms we must complete, and identify which Canadian-made products should upload. Contact us to start the process. 10. Can I include a map link to my store locations?
Our site does not currently feature a mapping functionality for brick-and-mortar points of sale. However, if you have such a feature on your own site, you may add that URL to your listing under "Find a store near you now". 11. I'm a retailer with multiple locations. Do I have to list all locations?
You can certainly list the brick-and-mortar locations separately. If your website features a store finder tool, you could also add that URL to your listings under "Find a store near you now". In a future site update, there will be a listing of Canada's biggest retailers for you to choose from. 12. Can I upload multiple pictures for each product?
Currently, we can only accommodate one picture per product. But more features to enable this, and other functionalities are coming soon! 13. My products come in a range of colours. Can I add swatches?
For the time being, you can only describe the available colours in the product details. In the next phase of our website development, you will be able to upload swatches or photos of the same product in all available colours. 14. Can I upload multiple products at the same time?
Not until the next development phase of the website, sadly! Right now, products are uploadable one at a time through the member console — but a template feature is available to make your life even easier! If you don’t have the time to do this yourself, please contact your Buy Canadian First account manager, who can arrange to have your products uploaded for you for a small fee. 15. I'm an artisan. Can I showcase my pieces too?
Absolutely! Contact us for more information about the right membership package for you. 16. Can you send a message to members and subscribers on my behalf?
At this time, it is not possible to push messages on your behalf. However, if you would like to advertise on the site or through our newsletter, please contact us. 17. I'm a retailer and the products we sell are listed by other members. How can I make mine stand out?
There are different ways that you can do this: consider upgrading your package or using different, more creative ways to describe your products. Contact your account manager to help with your strategy. 18. I don't have a website, but would like to add my products to this site. Is this possible?
Of course! We accept members who only have brick-and-mortar stores. Ideally though, you should be able to ship across the country. 19. My products are listed. Can I also have banners run on the site?
Fantastic idea! Contact us for pricing details. 20. What type of reporting is included with my membership package?
The reporting feature allows you to know how many people have been on the site, how many times your products have been viewed and how many clicks each product received. In a future site update, you will also have a consolidated view of comments and ratings given by the consumers on your products. Contact us to become a member of Buy Canadian First. |
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Buy Canadian First -- Made In Canada 
Member Information
This icon is for products made by Canada's aboriginal people.
This icon is for products included in our Gift Guide.
This icon is for products made from eco-friendly ingredients and materials.
This icon is for products made from post-consumer materials.
This icon is for products 100% Made in Canada — from the materials and ingredients to the packaging or labelling.
