Terms of Purchase
WFS Ltd. (“WFS”) is a distributor of MRO products to businesses, and such products are to be used for business purposes only. We reserve the right to restrict sales of products unless business verification has been performed.
Limited Warranty
The warranty and return policy for all products sold hereunder (the "Products") is determined by the original equipment manufacturer and/or supplier. All products sold by WFS are warranted only to the extent of the manufacturer’s/supplier’s warranty, and only to purchasers ("Buyers") for resale or for use in their business in Canada.
Products are warranted against defects in workmanship or materials only in accordance with the individual manufacturer’s warranty policy. Manufacturers of certain Products, such as fasteners, do not provide a warranty period.
Any part which is determined by WFS to be defective in material or workmanship and returned to a WFS branch or authorized service location as WFS designates, shipping costs prepaid, will be repaired or replaced, at WFS sole option, as the Buyer’s exclusive remedy.
Warranty Disclaimer
WFS has made a diligent effort to illustrate and describe the Products in its catalogues accurately; however, such illustrations and descriptions are for the sole purpose of identification, and do not express or imply a warranty or condition that the Products are merchantable, or fit for a particular purpose or that the Products will necessarily conform to the illustrations or descriptions. The Products are sold to Buyers on an "as is, where is" basis, and no warranty or condition or affirmation of fact, express or implied, other than as set forth in the limited warranty above is made or authorized by WFS. Any and all representations and warranties, express or implied, legal, statutory, conventional or otherwise with respect to the Products (including, implied warranties as to merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose), whether pursuant to the Sale of Goods Act of any province or otherwise, are hereby expressly excluded and disclaimed.
Limitation of Liability
Any liability for indirect, special, exemplary, punitive, consequential or incidental damages (including loss of profits, loss of business opportunity, or loss of goodwill) is expressly disclaimed by WFS. WFS’s liability in all events for all damages, losses and causes of action (whether in contract, tort or otherwise) shall be limited in the aggregate to, and shall not exceed, the purchase price paid by the Buyer for the Product in question.
Product Suitability
Many provinces and locations have laws, codes and regulations governing sales, construction, installation and/or use of products for certain purposes, which may vary from those in neighboring areas. While WFS attempts to ensure that its Products comply with such codes, it cannot guarantee compliance, and cannot be responsible for how Products are installed or used. Before purchase and use of a Product, please review the Product, and applicable national, provincial and local laws, codes and regulations, and be sure that the Product, as well as its installation and use, complies with them.
Cross-Reference Information
Product cross-reference comparisons do not imply that all products compared are available, or in the case of functional equivalency, that past performance and other characteristics are comparable. For critical applications, review specifications prior to purchase.
Manufacturers’ Warranties and Sales Literature
Most of the Products listed in WFS’s catalogues are warranted to the end users by their manufacturer. As applicable, such warranties may supersede or exclude other stated warranties. Copies of such warranties are supplied with the Product or are available from the manufacturer. As a service, WFS will obtain copies of warranties from the warrantor and will furnish them free of charge to customers who request them. Address requests to: 123 COMMERCE VALLEY DR E, SUITE 700, THORNHILL, ONTARIO L3T 7W8. Requests must include the WFS order number and the manufacturer and model number of each Product for which a copy of the warranty is requested. WFS may also furnish sales brochures and other literature of the manufacturer. WFS assumes no responsibility for such warranties or sales literature by performing this service.
Sales Policy
Terms. By placing an order, Buyers accept and agree to WFS’s terms and conditions, including the limited warranty, which are subject to change from time to time without prior notice. The current terms and conditions, including the limited warranty, can be obtained at www.wfsltd.com.
Wholesale Only
WFS offers its Products for sale to Buyers for use or consumption for business purpose in Canada, and only in accordance with manufacturers’ specifications, requirements, recommendations and warranties. By placing an order, Buyer is representing that it is purchasing for business and not consumer purposes. Business identification may be required from Buyers. Possession of a catalogue does not constitute the right to purchase from WFS..
Prices are listed in Canadian currency and are subject to change without notice. Quotations on large quantities are available on request. Contact your WFS branch or sales representative for further information.
Sales Tax
WFS is required to charge goods and services tax and applicable provincial sales tax on items for which a sales tax exemption certification has not been provided. When ordering, please provide any valid exemption certificate.
Payment Terms
For Buyers with established credit, terms are net thirty (30) days from date of shipment. If credit is not established, please include payment with order or purchase through Visa, MasterCard or American Express. All payments must be in Canadian dollars. WFS shall have the right to set-off and deduct for any sums owed. If Buyer fails to make payment within thirty (30) days, WFS may defer shipments until such payment is made, or may, at its option, cancel all or any part of unshipped order. Interest will be charged on overdue accounts at 2% per month (26.82% compound per annum).
Credit Balance
Buyer agrees that any credit balance issued will be applied within one (1) year of its issuance. If not applied or requested within one (1) year, any balance remaining will be subject to cancellation, and WFS shall have no further liability.
Product Availability and Special Orders
Products are subject to availability at time of order. Some special order items as indicated in the catalogue must meet manufacturer's minimum order quantity requirements at time of order, and may require additional shipping time.
Order for Export by Buyer
WFS’s policy is to offer Products only for delivery, use and resale within Canada. Buyer shall immediately notify WFS in writing if any order for Product is intended for export from Canada. WFS has discretion as to whether to accept or reject such orders. In any event, Buyer acknowledges that WFS is prevented under contract from selling Products for delivery in the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, Panama, the Persian Gulf region, the People’s Republic of China, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, India or Japan. Buyer represents that it shall not export Products purchased from WFS to such countries.
Where Products purchased from WFS are to be exported, Buyer assumes sole responsibility for arranging the export of the Products from Canada and their importation into other countries and shall at all times comply with all applicable laws in relation thereto, including but not limited to export control laws, rules and regulations of Canada WFS will not be the exporter under any circumstances. Buyer shall not export Product purchased from WFS without first obtaining all necessary written consents, permits and authorizations and completing such formalities as may be required by any such laws, rules and regulations. Buyer further represents and warrants that it will not export or divert Products to any country or to any person to which or to whom export from Canada is prohibited under applicable laws, rules and regulations.
Force Majeure
WFS shall not be liable for any damage, cost or loss of profit of Buyer or any delay or failure in delivery or for any failure to perform caused by a force beyond its control, including, but not limited to, an act of God, action or failure to act of any government or governmental board, commission, department, bureau or authority, confiscation, war, blockade, insurrection, invasion, quarantine restrictions, riot, sabotage, acts of the public enemy, flood, fire, explosion, epidemic, landslide, lightning, earthquake, storm, accident, strike, lockout, work slowdown, work stoppage, differences with workers, embargo, power failure or shortage and any delay or failure of supplies, equipment, labour or transportation.
Freight Policy
Freight is F.O.B. shipping point. WFS reserves the right to charge freight and handling fees, including, without limitation, fees for small orders, rural and/or rush deliveries or special handling.
Title and Risk of Loss
Title and Risk of Loss in the Products pass to Buyer at the time of shipment from WFS If Product is damaged in transit, Buyer must file a claim with the carrier. If Products are undeliverable for 2 days, carrier will return them to WFS and additional charges may apply.
Return Policy
Any cancellation or return must be approved by WFS (at its discretion), be accompanied by proof of purchase, and may be subject to restocking or other charges. Any returns due to shipping errors, damage or loss must be reported to WFS immediately. For returns not related to damage or loss during shipping, product must be returned within 30 days of shipment and be in original package and re-saleable condition. Returns can be made to WFS, however, WFS will only accept returns on products purchased through WFS. Some exceptions may apply. Return Policy Instructions.
Assignment
Buyer shall not assign any order or any interest therein without the written consent of WFS and any such actual or attempted assignment shall entitle WFS to cancel such order upon notice to Buyer.
Modification of Terms
No addition to or modification of terms and conditions shall be binding on WFS unless agreed to by WFS in writing, and WFS’s acceptance of any order shall not be construed as assent to any additional terms and conditions.
Privacy Policy
Our Privacy Policy applies to our websites and brands, including www.grainger.ca, www.wfsltd.ca, and any other website, mobile application, or other online service that links to this Policy (collectively, our “Service”). You can read the full version of the Privacy Policy and find a summary below.
How Do We Use Personal Information And How Is It Collected?
We collect many categories of personal information. The categories we collect may include: Contact and profile information; comments and suggestions, chat and opinions; Payment and transaction information; Location information; Information provided by social networks; Information provided by third parties; Information about fraudulent or criminal activity related to your account
This personal information is collected from you in many ways, which are described in the full Policy. A few examples include:
Any part which is determined by WFS to be defective in material or workmanship and returned to a WFS branch or authorized service location as WFS designates, shipping costs prepaid, will be repaired or replaced, at WFS sole option, as the Buyer’s exclusive remedy.
- When You Submit Personal Information To Us. We collect personal information about you when you register for an account, make a purchase, sign up for marketing communications, or send it to us.
- When You Use Our Service. We collect some personal information about you automatically as you use our Service and visit our branches.
- From Our Third-Party Partners. We may also collect personal information from our third-party partners who help us to provide the Service or from other third party partners to supplement or enhance our information.
We may link or combine information that we collect about you from various sources to help ensure a consistent user experience regardless of how you interact with us – online, in-branch, on mobile, or on social media.
We use personal information to provide our Service; to fulfill your requests, process transactions and contact you; to send you personalized advertising and promotional content and materials; to analyze and improve our Service and our business; and for other reasons described more fully in our Privacy Policy.
To Learn More about the information we collect and how we use it, or see our full Policy.
How Do We Share Information?
We share information in a variety of circumstances to provide our services, respond to your requests, improve your experience, and otherwise conduct our business. For example, we may share information:
- With our affiliates and companies in the W.W. Grainger family of companies, both within and outside of Canada, who may use your information in the same way as we can under this Privacy Policy, and with our third party services providers who may be located outside of Canada
- With third parties to fulfill your orders or requests, such as when you choose to engage in promotional activities we provide with third party partners
- With select third parties, so that they can provide you with information and marketing messages about products and services you may enjoy, unless you opt out
To Learn More about these and other ways in which we may share your personal information, please see our full Policy.
What Choices Do You Have?
We want you to understand your choices regarding how we may process your personal information. Depending on how you use the Service, these choices may include the following:
- Interest-based advertising. Visit the Network Advertising Initiative’s online resources, and/or the DAA’s resources to learn about how you may opt-out of certain interest-based advertising. Some of these opt-outs may not be effective unless your browser is set to accept cookies. Furthermore, if you use a different device, change browsers or delete cookies, you may need to perform the opt-out task again. You may also have the choice to opt-in to certain interest-based advertising operations, depending on your jurisdiction of residence.
- Cookies Settings and Preferences. You may disable cookies and other tracking technologies through the settings in your browser. You may also have the choice to opt-in to certain types of cookies depending on your jurisdiction of residence.
- E-mail Settings and Preferences. If you no longer want to receive marketing e-mails from us, you may choose to unsubscribe at any time. You can also set your e-mail options to prevent the automatic downloading of images that may contain tracking technologies.
- Opt-Outs. You may contact us to opt out of the use of your personal information for marketing purposes and/or the provision of your personal information to our business partners for such purposes.
Please be sure to check the full Privacy Policy for more information about your choices.
Questions About Our Privacy Policy?
For more questions about our Privacy Policy, please feel free to email us at privacyofficer@grainger.ca
GRAINGER PRIVACY POLICY
As a wholly owned subsidiary of Acklands-Grainger, Inc. (collectively with WFS, "Grainger," "we," "our," or "us"), we are committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how your personal information is collected, used, stored, processed, transferred and disclosed by Grainger.
This Privacy Policy applies to our websites and brands, including www.grainger.ca, www.wfsltd.com, and any other website, mobile application, or other online service that links to this Policy (collectively, our "Service").
By accessing or using our Service, you signify that you have read, understood and agree to our collection, storage, use and disclosure of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy and our Terms of Access.
Click on the links below to jump to each section:
- What Information Do We Collect About You and How Do We Use It?
- Information Automatically Collected Through Cookies and Other Tracking Technology.
- Third Party Data Collection and Interest Based Advertising
- How We Share Your Information
- Your Choices and Control Over Your Information
- How We Store and Protect Your Information
- Children’s Privacy
- Links to Other Web Sites and Services
- How to Contact Us
- Changes to Our Privacy Policy
1. What Information Do We Collect About You and How Do We Use It?
We collect personal information about you when you voluntarily submit information to us when you use our Service. This can include information you provide to us when you register for an account, make a purchase, post a review, send us messages, subscribe to our mailing lists, newsletters or other forms of marketing communications, participate in a survey, click on an ad, redeem a promotion or use some other feature of our Service.
We collect certain information automatically when you use the Service, such as information about the pages you look at on our Service, the actions you take on our Service or the device you use to access our Service.
We may also collect information about you from third parties if they have your consent to provide us the information or otherwise as permitted by applicable law.
The categories of personal information we collect may include:
- Contact and profile information
- Comments, chat and opinions
- Payment and transaction information
- General Location information (e.g. Province, City)
- Information provided by social networks
- Information provided by third parties
- Information about fraudulent or criminal activity related to your account
Keep reading to learn more about the information we collect and how we use it.
2. Information Automatically Collected Through Cookies and Other Tracking Technology.
When you use our Service, visit our branches, read our emails, or otherwise engage with us through a computer or mobile device, we and our third party partners, automatically collect information about how you access and use the Service and information about the device you use to access the Service.
We use this information to enhance and personalize your user experience, to monitor and improve our websites and services, and for other internal purposes.
We typically collect this information through a variety of tracking technologies, including cookies, Flash objects, web beacons, tracking pixels, embedded scripts, location-identifying technologies, and similar technology (collectively, “tracking technologies”).
Information we collect automatically about you may be combined with other personal information we collect directly.
Keep reading to learn more about the information we collect and how we use it.
2. Information Automatically Collected Through Cookies and Other Tracking Technology.
When you use our Service, visit our branches, read our emails, or otherwise engage with us through a computer or mobile device, we and our third party partners, automatically collect information about how you access and use the Service and information about the device you use to access the Service.
We use this information to enhance and personalize your user experience, to monitor and improve our websites and services, and for other internal purposes.
We typically collect this information through a variety of tracking technologies, including cookies, Flash objects, web beacons, tracking pixels, embedded scripts, location-identifying technologies, and similar technology (collectively, “tracking technologies”).
Information we collect automatically about you may be combined with other personal information we collect directly.
3. Third Party Data Collection and Interest Based Advertising
Interest Based Advertising
We participate in interest-based advertising and use third party advertising companies to serve you targeted advertisements based on your browsing history. We permit third party online advertising networks, social media companies and other third party services, to collect information about your use of our websites and mobile apps over time so that they may play or display ads on our Service, on other websites, apps or services you may use, and on other devices you may use. Typically, though not always, the information used for interest-based advertising is collected through cookies or similar tracking technologies, which recognize the device you are using and collect information, including click stream information, browser type, time and date you visited the site and other information. We may share a common account identifier (such as an email address or user ID) with our third party advertising partners to help identify you across devices. We and our third party partners use this information to make the advertisements you see online more relevant to your interests, as well as to provide advertising-related services such as reporting, attribution, analytics and market research. See Your Choices and Control Over Your Information, below, to learn more about how you may control interest-based advertising.
Social Media Widgets and Advertising
Our Service may include social media features, such as the Facebook Like button, Google Plus, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Instagram, X (f/k/a Twitter) or other widgets. These social media companies may recognize you and collect information about your visit to our Service, and they may set a cookie or employ other tracking technologies. Your interactions with those features are governed by the privacy policies of those companies.
We display targeted advertising to you through social media platforms, such as Facebook, X (f/k/a Twitter), and others. These companies have interest-based advertising programs that allow us to direct advertisements to users who have shown interest in our Service while those users are on the social media platform, or to groups of other users who share similar traits, such as likely commercial interests and demographics. We may share a unique identifier, such as a user ID or hashed email address, with these platform providers or they may collect information from our website visitors through a first-party pixel, in order to direct targeted advertising to you or to a custom audience on the social media platform. These advertisements are governed by the privacy policies of those social media companies that provide them. If you do not want to receive targeted ads on your social networks, you can adjust your ad preferences through your settings on those networks. If you do not want to receive targeted ads on your social networks, you may be able to adjust your advertising preferences through your settings on those networks. For example:
- Facebook. To learn more about your advertising preferences on Facebook, click here.
- X (f/k/a Twitter). To learn more about privacy controls for personalized ads on X (f/k/a Twitter), click here
- LinkedIn. To learn more about advertising preferences on LinkedIn, click here.
Cross-Device Linking
We, or our third party partners, may link your various devices so that content you see on one device can result in relevant advertising on another device. We do this by collecting information about each device you use when you are logged in to our Service. We may also work with third party partners who employ tracking technologies, or the application of statistical modeling tools, to determine if two or more devices are linked to a single user or household. We may share a common account identifier (such as an email address or user ID) with third party advertising partners to help recognize you across devices. We, and our partners, can use this cross-device linkage to serve interest-based advertising and other personalized content to you across your devices, to perform analytics and to measure the performance of our advertising campaigns.
Third party partners.
The following is a sample of the third party service partners we work with to provide cross-device linking and advertising services. We will strive to update this list if or when we work with new partners which offer you choices about the collection of your information, but as partners change and new technologies become available, this list is likely to change over time and may not always reflect our current partners. You can contact us at the contact information in Section 9 if you have questions about our third party service providers.
Google Analytics and Advertising.
We use Google Analytics and Google Universal Analytics to recognize you and link the devices you use when you visit our site or Service on your browser or mobile device, login to your account on our Service, or otherwise engage with us. We share a unique identifier, like a user ID or hashed email address, with Google Universal Analytics to facilitate the service. Google Analytics allows us to better understand how our users interact with our Service and to tailor our advertisements and content to you. For information on how Google Analytics collects and processes data, as well as how you can control information sent to Google, review Google's site “How Google uses data when you use our partners' sites or apps” located at www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/. You can learn about Google Analytics’ currently available opt-outs, including the Google Analytics Browser Ad-On here.
We may also utilize certain forms of display advertising and other advanced features through Google Analytics, such as Remarketing with Google Analytics, Google Display Network Impression Reporting, the DoubleClick Campaign Manager Integration, and Google Analytics Demographics and Interest Reporting. These features enable us to use first-party cookies (such as the Google Analytics cookie) and third-party cookies (such as the Doubleclick advertising cookie) or other third party cookies together to inform, optimize, and display ads based on your past visits to the Service. You may control your advertising preferences or opt-out of certain Google advertising products by visiting the Google Ads Preferences Manager, currently available at https://google.com/ads/preferences or by vising NAI’s online resources at http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices.
Google Maps/Google Earth Additional Terms of Service.
We use Google Maps/Google Earth to help enhance your experience on our site or as you use the Service. Unless your browser is configured to prevent interaction these tools may automatically collect information about your location, including through IP address, GPS and other sensor data that may, for example, provide Google with information on nearby devices, WiFi access points and cell towers, in order to display relevant geographic information to you. This information is governed by the Google Maps/Google Earth Additional Terms of Service and the Google Privacy Policy. For more information regarding Google’s currently available opt-outs, click here.
Google Advertising.
To learn more about your ad settings through Google, click here.
Adobe Marketing Cloud Device Co-Op.
We participate in the Adobe Marketing Cloud Device Co-Op to better understand how you use our website and apps across the various devices you use, and to deliver tailored content and advertisements. Go to https://cross-device-privacy.adobe.com to learn more about how Adobe links your devices and to manage your choices relating to this linking of devices.
Media Math
To learn more about Media Math and/or how to opt-out of certain advertising, click here.
Bing Ads
To learn more about Bing Ads, click here.
Demandbase.
Uses tracking pixels, web beacons and cookies to receive data from you to deliver personalized ads to you, including delivering interest-based advertising to your device(s) on our behalf. Demandbase may link your various devices so that content you see on one device can result in relevant advertising on another device. Demandbase participates in the Digital Advertising Alliance’s (“DAA”) AdChoices program and includes the AdChoices icon in its ads. You can click on the icon to learn more about the ad and to opt-out of receiving ads from Demandbase in future. Your opt-out choices only apply to the particular browser and device from which you have opted out and only to the applicable advertising channel. If you delete, block or otherwise restrict cookies or change your cookie preferences, or if you use a different computer or Internet browser, you may need to renew your opt out choice.
User Experience Information
On some of our Services, we use third party tools to monitor user experience information. These tools automatically collect usage information, including mouse clicks and movements, page scrolling and any text keyed into website forms. The information collected does not include passwords, payment details, or other sensitive personal data. We use this information for site analytics, optimization and to improve website usability. We do not permit this information to be shared with or used by third parties for their own purposes.
5. Your Choices and Control Over Your Information
By submitting personal information to WFS, visiting our Sites, or using our Services, you acknowledge and agree that you have consented to the collection, use, and sharing practices set forth in this Privacy Policy as they relate to your personal information. You may withdraw your consent by following the instructions set forth in this Privacy Policy. You may also contact our Privacy Officer as set forth below. However, withdrawing your consent may limit your ability to use our Services and access our web content. You may not have the full functionality of our Services, and WFS may not be able to offer you some of the personalized products and services that depend on this type of information to function.
Profile and data sharing settings: You may update your profile information, such as your user name, address, or billing information, and may change some of your data sharing preferences by emailing us at privacyofficer@grainger.ca.
How to control your email preferences: You can stop receiving promotional email communications from us by clicking on the “unsubscribe link” provided in such communications. We make every effort to promptly process all unsubscribe requests. You may not opt out of service-related communications (e.g., account verification, transactional communications, changes/updates to features of the Service, technical, safety, and security notices).
Accessing, modifying or deleting your information: If you have any questions about accessing, reviewing, modifying, or deleting your information, or if you want to remove your name or comments from our website or publicly displayed content, you can contact us directly by emailing us at privacyofficer@grainger.ca. We may not be able to provide you with access to or to modify or delete your information in all circumstances due to legal or contractual restrictions, and access to your personal information may be subject to legal exemptions recognized in applicable law.
Additional Rights: As required or permitted by law, you may be entitled to additional rights, including: (i) the right to control the dissemination of your personal information; (ii) the right to receive computerized personal information collected from you in a structured, commonly used and technological format and to have this information transferred directly to another organization; (iii) the right to be informed of and submit observations regarding automated decision-making; and (iv) the right to request information about data processing.
Cookies, tracking and interest-based advertising preferences:
Cookies and Flash cookies. Most browsers allow you to adjust your browser settings to: (i) notify you when you receive a cookie, which lets you choose whether or not to accept it; (ii) disable existing cookies; or (iii) set your browser to automatically reject cookies.
Blocking or deleting cookies may negatively impact your experience using the Service, as some features and services on our Service may not work properly.
Deleting cookies does not delete Local Storage Objects (LSOs) such as Flash objects and HTML5. To manage Flash cookie settings and preferences, you must use the settings manager on Adobe’s website or by clicking here. If you choose to delete Flash objects from our Service, then you may not be able to access and use all or part of the Service or benefit from the information and services offered.
You may also have the choice to opt-in to certain types of cookies, depending on your jurisdiction of residence.
Interest-based advertising. To learn about interest-based advertising and how you may be able to opt-out of some of this advertising, you may wish to visit the Network Advertising Initiative’s online resources, at http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices, and/or the DAA’s resources at www.aboutads.info/choices.
Cross-device linking. Where applicable please note that opting-out of receiving interest-based advertising through the NAI’s and DAA’s online resources will only opt-out a user from receiving interest-based ads on that specific browser or device, but the user may still receive interest-based ads on his or her other devices. You must perform the opt-out on each browser or device you use.
Mobile advertising. You may also be able to limit interest-based advertising through the settings on your mobile device by selecting “limit ad tracking” (iOS) or “opt-out of interest based ads” (Android). You may also be able to opt-out of some – but not all – interest-based ads served by mobile ad networks by visiting http://youradchoices.com/appchoices and downloading the mobile AppChoices app.
Some of these opt-outs may not be effective unless your browser is set to accept cookies. If you delete cookies, change your browser settings, switch browsers or computers, or use another operating system, you may need to opt-out again.
6. How We Store and Protect Your Information
Data storage and transfer: Your information collected through our website may be stored and processed in the United States or any other country in which WFS, Grainger or its affiliates or service providers maintain facilities. If you are located in Canada or the European Union or other regions with laws governing data collection and use that may differ from U.S. law, please note that we may transfer information, including personal information, to a country and jurisdiction that does not have the same data protection laws as your jurisdiction, and you consent to the transfer of information to the U.S. or any other country in which WFS, Grainger or its parent, subsidiaries, affiliates, or service providers maintain facilities and the use and disclosure of information about you as described in this Privacy Policy. While in a foreign jurisdiction, your personal information may be subject to the laws of that jurisdiction and may be accessible to law enforcement or other authorities.
Keeping your information safe: Security of your information is very important to us, and we have put in place safeguards to preserve the integrity and security of information we collect and that we share with our service providers. However, no security system is impenetrable and we cannot guarantee the security of our systems 100%. In the event that any information under our control is compromised as a result of a breach of security, we will take reasonable steps to investigate the situation and, where appropriate, notify those individuals whose information may have been compromised and take other steps, in accordance with any applicable laws and regulations.
7. Children’s Privacy
WFS does not knowingly collect or solicit any information from anyone under the age of 16 on this Site. In the event that we learn that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under age 16, we will delete that information. If you believe that we might have any information from a child under 16, please contact us at privacyofficer@grainger.ca
8. Links to Other Web Sites and Services
The Services may contain links to and from third party websites of our business partners, advertisers, and social media sites and our users may post links to third party websites. If you follow a link to any of these websites, please note that these websites have their own privacy policies and that we do not accept any responsibility or liability for their policies. We strongly recommend that you read their privacy policies and terms and conditions of use to understand how they collect, use, and share information. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or the content on the websites of third party sites.
9. How to Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or the website, please contact our Privacy Officer at the following address:
Privacy Officer, Grainger
123 Commerce Valley Drive East, Suite 700, Thornhill, ON L3T 7W8
privacyofficer@grainger.ca
If you wish to make a request to access, edit, or delete your personal information, please click contact our Privacy Officer.
10. Changes to Our Privacy Policy
We may modify or update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect the changes in our business and practices, and you should review this page periodically. We will update the ‘last modified’ date at the bottom of this page when we post changes to this Policy. If you object to any changes, you may close your account. Continuing to use our Services after we publish changes to this Privacy Policy means that you are consenting to the changes.
Effective Date 02/2024
Return Policy
All returns must be approved by WFS Ltd.
30-day Return Policy
Purchases can be returned for up to thirty (30) days from the date of purchase unless otherwise noted. Additionally, the following terms apply:
- Proof of purchase from WFS is required for all returns.
- Returned items must be in original packaging, unused, undamaged, and in salable condition.
- WFS’s 30-day return policy does not apply to products sold on a final sale basis.
- Customer will be responsible for all return shipping charges unless WFS or the manufacturer is at fault.
- Depending on the type of product, returns may be subject to a restocking fee. Any applicable restocking fee will be communicated prior to return.
Final Sale Items
Items sold on a final sale basis include (i) custom items; (ii) sourced product; (iii) clearance/while supplies last items; (iv) any other items WFS may designate as a final sale.
Returns After 30 Days
WFS does not accept returns outside of the 30-day policy unless otherwise noted. WFS will make a good faith effort for prompt correction or other adjustments with respect to any product which proves to be defective within the warranty period.
Returns Process
For product returns, contact WFS at 1-800-265-4681, esales@wfsltd.ca or visit your nearest WFS branch location.
- When contacting WFS about a return please provide the purchase date, the invoice number and the item number to help our team locate your order. This information is available on the packing slip or order confirmation email.
Returned product will be inspected by WFS. A credit will only be issued for returns that meet all stated criteria. If, upon inspection, the returned product does not meet the stated criteria for returns, WFS will contact the purchaser to confirm return of the product to purchaser at purchaser’s expense. Please allow up to 48 hours processing once the returned product has arrived at a WFS facility.
Accessibility Policy
WFS Ltd. is committed to providing equal treatment and opportunity to people with disabilities with respect to accessing services, accommodation, and employment in a way that respects their dignity and independence. WFS is committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).
Thank you for visiting WFS Ltd. We value all of our customers and strive to meet everyone’s needs.
- WFS’ Accessibility Policies Click here for download (.PDF)
- WFS’ Multi-Year Accessibility Plan Click here for download (.PDF)
- Summary of Accessible Customer Service Policy Click here for download (.PDF)
- AODA Notice and Feedback Process Click here for download (.PDF)
- AODA Accessible Customer Service Feedback Form Click here for download (.PDF)
Forced Labour Report
2023 Annual Report
| Reporting Entity Legal Name | Acklands-Grainger Inc. | WFS Ltd. |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Reporting Year | 2023 | 2023 |
| Business Number | 889701272 | 864651203 |
| Identification of Joint Report | Yes | Yes |
| Reporting Obligations in Other Jurisdictions | No | No |
| Entity Categorization | Corporation | Corporation |
| Sector / Industry | Wholesale/Retail Trade | Wholesale/Retail Trade |
| Identification of Joint Report | Yes | Yes |
| Location | 123 Commerce Valley Dr. E., Suite 700, Thornhill ON L3T 7W8 | 730 North Service Rd., Windsor, ON, N8X 3J3 |
In 2023, the Grainger organization enhanced the process and tools that support our Supply Chain Transparency program. As a distributor of products, our focus has been centered around our vendor partners whose products we sell in Canada. Details of specific actions and tools are outlined below.
A. Business Structure and Activities
Acklands-Grainger Inc. (d/b/a “Grainger Canada”) and WFS Ltd. (“WFS”, and collectively in this report referred to as “we”, or “us”) are Canadian B2B distributors of industrial products focused on the maintenance, repair, and operations (“MRO”) industry in Canada. Collectively, we offer over 500,000 SKUs to support the needs of our Canadian customers, and are among the largest MRO distributors in Canada.
Grainger Canada is a corporation amalgamated under the Canada Business Corporations Act and employs approximately 1600 employees across Canada. Grainger Canada operates from over 40 Canadian locations, which includes branches, distribution centres, service centres, and office locations. A list of branch and service centre locations can be found at All Branches - Grainger, Canada. Grainger Canada is a wholly-owned subsidiary of W.W. Grainger, Inc. (“Grainger US”, and collectively with Grainger Canada and WFS, “Grainger”), a publicly listed company domiciled in the United States. Grainger Canada’s business solely focuses on Canadian business and targets the needs of customers in Canada.
WFS is a corporation amalgamated under the Ontario Business Corporations Act. WFS operates from four retail and warehouse locations in South-Western Ontario, and employs approximately 250 employees. A list of WFS locations can be found at https://www.wfsltd.com/en/locations. WFS is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Grainger Canada, and focuses on servicing the MRO needs of customers primarily in the South-Western Ontario corridor.
Both Grainger Canada and WFS are distributors of finished products, and do not engage in any manufacturing activities. We share a broad overlap of products with one another, and also with our parent company, Grainger US. While we have many local vendor relationships in support of our business, we also share vendor relationships with Grainger US, and may also source from Grainger US for supply of products that we sell in Canada.
Vendor partners whose products we distributed include many of the national brand manufacturers of tools, hardware, safety and cleaning suppliers, but also include niche manufacturers of specialty industry-specific products. Many vendor partners have supply chains that are global in nature. When we onboard a new vendor and new product into our assortment for distribution, we collect a wide variety of information about the vendor and the product, including the vendor’s operations and the origin of the product. Such information assists in our ability to identify forced labour and child labour risks within our supply chain using a risk matrix. More information on our Vendor Risk Matrix is presented below.
Based on available 2023 data, our product vendor sourcing activities are summarized in the tables below. Table 1 summarizes the approximate percentage of annual product purchases sourced domestically or from outside of Canada. Table 2 summarizes the country or region of origin for the products sold in 2023.
Table 1. 2023 Product Sourcing*
| Sourcing Region | Grainger Canada | WFS |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 58% | 86% |
| International | 42% | 14% |
Table 2. Country/Region of Origin of Products Sold in 2023*
| Product Country/Region | Grainger Canada | WFS |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 6% | <1% |
| USA | 42% | 64% |
| East Asia | 34% | 24% |
| Europe | 5% | 5% |
| Mexico and Central America | 5% | 3% |
| South Asia | 3% | 1% |
| Southeast Asia | 2% | <1% |
| Middle East | <1% | <1% |
| Oceania | <1% | <1% |
| South America | <1% | <1% |
| UK | <1% | <1% |
* Data has been summarized by Region where multiple countries of origin exist. Numbers are presented based on available data. Unavailable data excluded from our calculations include vendor origin or product country of origin data that is in the process of being updated or verified.
B. Policies and Due Diligence Processes
a. Foundational Policies
Grainger’s Business Conduct Guidelines (“BCGs”) sets forth our expectations on how we do business as an organization. Ethics and integrity are cornerstones of our BCGs. In 2023, we formally memorialized our commitment to a responsible supply chain, including conformity with all applicable rules and standards related to sourcing, manufacturing and labour, and the International Labour Organization (“ILO”) convention and its forced labour indicators. Our BCGs apply to all employees, as well as other stakeholders of our business.
Supplementing the BCGs, the Grainger Human Rights Principles apply to all employees. This statement provides more detail regarding our philosophy on how we will conduct our business and our commitment to uphold and respect internationally recognized human rights standards in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, and ILO convention.
We expect our vendors to source responsibly and to ban the use of forced/child labour in any of their operations and supply chains. In operationalizing these commitments, we contractually require that all of our vendors adhere to the Grainger Supplier Code of Ethics, which were updated in 2023 to include the guiding frameworks and definitions to the ILO convention. The Supplier Code of Ethics focuses on key areas of ethical sourcing, including human rights and labour standards, and health and safety standards. Under our vendor contracts, we have audit rights that may be exercised to ensure vendors adhere to their contractual commitments.
b. Due Diligence Procedural Activities
In 2022, Grainger engaged one of the top auditing/professional services firms to assess our existing practices around ensuring ethical sourcing from our vendors. Based on their recommendations, Grainger implemented the following actions throughout 2023 in order to enhance our supply chain transparency program.
We created a Vendor Risk Matrix unique to the Grainger organization to categorize our product vendors.
This involved considering the following factors:
- Core Vendors vs. Indirect Procurement. Grainger’s purchase of goods from vendors for the purposes of distribution to our end user customers far exceeds the goods and services that Grainger itself consumes to operate business. Therefore we elected to focus our diligence enhancement efforts on our product vendors, as we believe this would be impactful in more broadly addressing forced/child labour risks in our overall supply chain.
- Private Label vs National Brands. The vast majority of products we distribute are National Brand products, however we also offer certain products under Grainger Private Labels. We have taken an approach to perform diligence on Private Label vendors and National Brand vendors in separate categories, as there are different considerations at play. The larger volume of National Brand products we distribute means that these vendors represent the majority of our supply chain risk. Private Label products make up a smaller portion of the products we sell, however our level of risk exposure, visibility into the supply chain, and ability to influence any required changes may be greater within the Private Label supply chain.
- Import vs Domestic. Vendors whose products we import into North America generally have higher risk priority.
- Country/region. Risk is based on known risk of forced/child labour using industry indices such as the US Customs and Border Protection’s Withhold Release Orders list, the Global Slavery Index, and the Sheffield Index, as developed by the Sheffield Hallam University (UK) and regarded as one of the most credible indices regarding forced labour by country/region. Examples of higher risk countries/regions include China, Vietnam, India, Taiwan, and Malaysia.
- Product Risk. Risk is based on the “Better Trade Tool” developed by the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs, which identifies higher risk profile products imported by Harmonized Tariff Schedule code. Examples of higher risk product categories include electronics, footwear, garments, textiles, leather goods, and gloves.
We explored and adopted third party audit certification standards.
- We determined which widely accepted and credible audit schemes could be acceptable to Grainger for an independent audit. The factors we considered included: (i) the 11 ILO Forced Labour indicators; (ii) high credibility by non-government and government organizations; (iii) high adoption rate from vendors and other stakeholders; and (iv) types and frequency of independent audits conducted by service providers in countries of interest. The audit schemes we accepted are SMETA, SA8000, BSCI, WRAP and SLCP, meaning if, in response to a forced labour audit request, a vendor provides us with an audit report certified under one of these schemes, we will accept the audit results.
We explored and implemented technology solutions to improve vendor monitoring, supply chain mapping, risk assessment, and auditing.
- An RFP was issued to select a 3rd party service provider for software/tools to enable enhanced support of our supply chain transparency activities. Evaluation criteria included capabilities for: (i) vendor screening; (ii) supply chain mapping; (iii) self-assessment questionnaires (SAQ); (iv) review, validate, remediate functions; and (v) audit functions.
- Two service providers were selected for their strengths in different areas:
-
Two service providers were selected for their strengths in different areas:
- One service provider (“Platform #1”) was selected for strengths in screening and supply chain mapping (Tier 3+). Platform #1 is a commonly used and well-regarded solution in supply chain risk intelligence, and is one of the tools used by U.S. Custom’s and Border Protection agents to screen shipments for potential risk. It uses a variety of data including import / export records, suppliers flagged for risk of forced labor, and a robust supply chain mapping tool that allows us to assess risk down to the subcontractor level. Platform #1 was launched in mid-2023 to enhance screening of new vendors and existing vendors.
- A second service provider (“Platform #2”) is a well-regarded supply chain assurance provider, and was selected for more enhanced review + validate + remediate SAQs capabilities, and to conduct audits where needed. Platform #2 was launched in conjunction with our pilot supplier audit activities in mid-late 2023, as further described below.
We implemented a due diligence audit process to screen potentially higher risk vendors.
- Using the newly refined vendor risk matrix, we categorized our product vendors into risk categories.
- Private Label Vendors. We identified approximately 24% of Private Label vendors that posed a higher risk of forced/child labour. Using the Platform #2 solution, pilot audits were commenced with the top 25% of these vendors via SAQ questionnaires to confirm whether they had undergone any third party risk audits. 42% of these vendors confirmed a valid third-party audit from an approved audit certification scheme (as previously stated, SMETA, BSCI, SA8000, SLCP, WRAP are the audit schemes Grainger will accept). 11% confirmed having completed an audit, but not from an approved audit certification scheme. 47% have not been audited. We have prioritized implementing a further pilot to audit the unaudited vendors for third-party audits in 2024.
- National Brand Vendors. We identified approximately 17% of our National Brand vendors that posed a higher risk of forced/child labour. A protocol was created to define the diligence process to be followed, which includes requesting supporting documentation from the vendor, reviewing the vendor’s process and procedures relating to mitigating the risk of forced/child labour, and triggers for requiring third party audits. These diligence protocols are being implemented in 2024.
To summarize our diligence and risk assessment activities for 2023, Grainger undertook the following actions:
- Created an organization-specific risk matrix to aid in categorizing and triaging our product vendor network;
- Defined and adopted third-party audit standards acceptable to the organization;
- Investigated and selected new software tools to enhance vendor supply chain diligence;
- Identified the pool of higher risk suppliers to undertake further diligence; and
- Implemented the use of our new software tools to investigate a subset of the higher risk vendors within our supply chain.
C. Direct Remediation Activities
a. Measures taken to remediate forced/child labour.
Other than our program to identify risks and surveil our product vendors, Grainger has not taken any direct measures to remediate any forced/child labour in 2023.
b. Other than our program to identify risks and surveil our product vendors, Grainger has not taken any direct measures to remediate any forced/child labour in 2023.
Grainger has not taken any direct measures to remediate the loss of income resulting from measures taken to eliminate the use of forced/child labour in 2023.
D. Training Activities
In our BCGs, we added clarity to express our commitment to a responsible supply chain that includes our expectations that (i) our vendors source responsibly and ban the use of forced/child labour in their operations, and (ii) that our employees adhere to internal sourcing policies. All Grainger employees are required to annually certify to their commitment to adhere to our BCGs.
In early-mid 2023, we launched an RFP to select a training program service provider to create a forced labour training program for our employees. We selected a reputable global provider of workplace learning solutions to create a training course for our businesses.
We identified the initial cohort of employees that would be required to undertake this training, which includes our employees engaged in vendor management and stewardship, product procurement and merchandising, and product compliance. Completion of training is expected in 2024.
Approval and Attestation
In accordance with the requirements of the Act, and in particular section 11 thereof, I attest that I have reviewed the information contained in the report for the entity or entities listed above. Based on my knowledge, and having exercised reasonable diligence, I attest that the information in the report is true, accurate and complete in all material respects for the purposes of the Act, for the reporting year listed above
Full Name: William Chung
Title: Secretary, Board Director, Grainger Canada, WFS Ltd.
Date: May 31, 2024
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I have the authority to bind Acklands-Grainger Inc. d/b/a Grainger Canada and WFS Ltd.