Buyer Policy
Buyer Policy
SmartWorld (SW) is a market network where you can buy sustainable products with confidence, directly from sellers (Vendors) in the United States. Whether you are looking for organic, eco-friendly or non-toxic products in virtually any category, we want you to enjoy the SW shopping experience. Please read the entire Buyer Assurance Policy to learn about your rights, protections, and the best way to enjoy our Services.
This policy is a part
of our
Terms and Conditions. By shopping on SW,
you’re agreeing to this policy and our
Terms and Conditions.
Understanding SW’s Limitations as a Venue
SW provides a venue
for buyers to find, learn about, and enter into transactions with Vendors in
the United States. Please note, however, that SW is not a part of that
transaction. By shopping on SW, you understand that:
- You are not purchasing directly from SW, but from a
Vendor on SW. Think of it as like shopping at your local mall;
- SW does not pre-approve Vendors and does not provide
any guarantee or endorsement any items sold on SW or content posted by Vendors
(such as images or content used in listings or store policies); and
- Every Vendor on SW has their own processing schedule,
shipping methods, and store policies.
As a Registered Member of the community, you have the opportunity to
report an item or a store that violates any of SW’s
policies. Reporting is confidential. Send correspondence to info@smartworldmarket.com
Communicating with SW Vendors
You can use SW’s Ask a Question (“AQ”) tool found with any product offered by
a Vendor to communicate directly with Vendors as soon as you
register. AQs are a
great way to ask Vendors any questions you have about an item. AQs may
not be used for the following
activities:
- Sending advertising, promotions, requests for
donations, or spam;
- Hassling or vexing Vendors;
- Contacting a Vendor after they have explicitly asked
you not to.
Interference
Interference occurs when a member intentionally interferes with a Vendor’s store in order to drive traffic away their business. Interference is strictly
prohibited on SW. Examples of interference include:
- Posting in public areas to demonstrate or discuss a
dispute with a Vendor;
- Purchasing from a Vendor for the sole purpose of
leaving a negative review.
Purchasing an Item on SW
When you make a
purchase from a store on SW, you are supporting an independent business. Every
store contains unique listings, policies and processing times. When making a
purchase from a seller on SW, you agree that you:
- Have read the product description and store policies prior
to making a purchase;
- Have provided accurate shipping information to the
seller.
Leaving a Review of an Item
Reviews are a useful
tool to discover more about a Vendor’s products and reputation. Please use good judgement when leaving a
less-than-good review. By this we mean PLEASE give a Vendor an opportunity to
correct any shortcoming that may have occurred, prior to marking them for life
with a bad review. A bad review should be a
last resort as it is black mark on a Vendor or their product(s) and
will have a severe negative impact on their ability to transact business.
You can leave a review, including a one to five-star rating, within
30 days of making a purchase. You may edit
your review any number
of times during that 30-day period.
Vendors may respond to a review. We reserve the right to remove reviews that violate
our policies or Terms and Conditions.
Reporting a Problem with an Order or Returning
an Item
Although SW is not legally
involved in a transaction between a buyer and a Vendor, we offer a messenger
system in the unfortunate event your transaction with a Vendor does not go as
expected. You can use SW’s messenger system to arrive at a mediated,
non-binding resolution with the Vendor in the event of a non-delivery, or if a
product you receive is different from the description in the listing. (Click the “Messenger” link to learn how to open communications with a Vendor.) You can Messenger
under the following conditions:
Non-Delivery
A Non-Delivery occurs when a buyer places an order and submits payment, but the
seller does not ship the item or does not ship the item to the correct address.
The following are examples of Non-Delivery cases:
- An item was never sent.
- An item was sent to an address that is not on the SW receipt or was not verified through “Ask a Question” or USPS/FedEx address
verification.
- There is no proof that the item was shipped to the
buyer’s address.
Not-as-Described
An item is Not-as-Described if it is materially different
from the seller’s listing description or photos. Here are some possibilities of
Not-as-Described cases:
- The item which you received is a different color,
model, version, size or number.
- The item(s) design or material is different from
advertised.
- The Vendor failed to disclose damage or missing parts
to an item.
- The condition of the item is different from that which
was advertised, e.g. the description said the item was “new” and it is in
fact used.
Not-as-Described cases
can also be filed for late delivery. In order to qualify as late delivery, the
buyer must provide proof that all of these conditions have been met:
- The item(s) were ordered for a specific date or event.
- A deadline was agreed upon by the buyer and seller.
- The item(s) are rendered unusable after that date.
Ineligible Transactions
The following are not eligible for SW’s Messenger system:
- Items that have been purchased
directly from a Vendor, not through the website.
- Prohibited Items.
- Transactions where payment is not made through SW’s payment
platform.
- Items that are returned without a return agreement.
- Items that have been altered, used, worn, or washed
after receiving them.
- Items that are received after the agreed-upon delivery
date due to shipping delays.
- Cancelled transactions that have already resulted in a
refund.
Requesting a Cancellation
Buyers may request
that a seller cancel an order by contacting the Vendor directly.
Returning an Item
Each seller has his or
her own return policies, which should be outlined in their Store Policies. Not
all Vendors accept returns.