Vendor Policy

Vendor Policy

SmartWorld (SW) is a market network where you can sell sustainable, non-toxic items in the categories of beauty, health, grocery, kids, pets, cool stuff and more, directly to buyers in the U.S. and beyond. Our desire is to help you grow your business, build a new kind of community and set a standard that can change the way all manufacturers insure the sustainability and safety of products for people, pets and the environment. We choose for everyone to have a good experience at SW. Please read this policy to learn about the rules of the road for selling your products.

This policy is a part of our Terms and Conditions . By opening a store on SW, you’re agreeing to this policy and our Terms and Conditions.

What Can be Sold on SW

SW is a first-of-its-kind marketplace. Shoppers come to SW to find items that are sustainable and safe for themselves, their family and the Earth.

Our Product Guidelines serve as the standard by which products shall be measured. They are:

• No toxic chemical or chemical compound can be present in any product or its ingredients.
• No toxic chemical or chemical compound such as BPA (Bisphenol A) can be present in product packaging.
• No product or element of a product may contain a known carcinogen. (Example: Fire retardant chemicals used in the manufacture of polyurethane foam, including infant car seats and foam mattresses, are known to be carcinogenic. Products such as these may not be sold on SW.)
• No product may originate from unsustainable manufacturing or production processes. This includes employing child labor, involuntary workers, discriminatory practices, polluting the Earth and cruelty to animals.
• All food products must be Non-GMO and may not contain residues of glyphosate.
• No food product may contain high fructose corn syrup.
• All food products must be produced without the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides or non-organic fertilizer.
• Meat and meat products must be hormone-free and free from antibiotics (sick animals must be held back from slaughter until they are well).

Trust and transparency form the bedrock of SW’s marketplace and community of Vendors. We invite the most creative, conscientious and forward-thinking people to sell products on SW. That means you care about being good to yourself and others. SW will not audit or approve third-party manufacturers or suppliers. If you sell items that are not made by you, or source ingredients or component parts to create your product(s), we expect you to consider the following standards when choosing manufacturers or suppliers with whom to work:

1) Sustainability. Work with manufacturers or suppliers who strive to refrain from harmful impact to the environment. Wherever possible, meet your maker! Ask questions and decide if the products are truly clean, green and non-toxic. We are all counting on you to be thorough and discerning.

2) No child labor. Manufacturers with whom you choose to work should follow local laws and rules regarding the conditions to which workers are subjected. Ask questions.

3) No involuntary labor. We do not support the use of involuntary labor, including prison labor, to create products.

4) Humane working conditions. We expect manufacturers to provide humane working conditions for their employees and refrain from any form of physical or psychological coercion or intimidation.

5) Non-discrimination. We expect employers to uphold a policy of intolerance for discrimination on the basis of gender, race, religious beliefs, disability, sexual orientation, age, or otherwise, in relation to hiring, wages, benefits, termination, or retirement.

SW will review all products and may ask a vendor to furnish information which substantiates claims made about the values attributes or production process of a product. A Vendor account may be suspended, pending the outcome of a review of products which may be in violation of our Guidelines.

Selling Local

One of the great features of SW is its “Shop Local” search engine. When a customer types in their zip code and search terms, a list of matching products within 50 miles will be displayed. The Map Icon can be used to find the Vendor’s exact location on Google Maps.

Our mission at SW is to help people. Other companies have a “Fee Avoidance” policy where your account can be suspended if you conduct transactions outside of their website. They do not want to lose revenue. SW encourages it!

We hope that you and your local buyer can meet and deal with each other directly. Customers can save money on shipping. Vendors don't have to pay SW a percentage of the sale! Parties can haggle about the price and enjoy all of the things that make in-person selling fun. (Please bear in mind that SW will not bear any responsibility for in-person transactions, conducted outside the purview of SW. Y'all play nice.)

An important benefit to communities can come through local production and distribution of organic food, value added products and sustainable crafts. SW can be a lightning rod for bringing conscientious people in small communities closer together. Keep the change!

What Can't be Sold on SW

Even if they otherwise meet our guidelines, there may be prohibited items that are not allowed to be sold on SW.

SW may elect to suspend listings which are found to violate our terms and conditions or policies. All fees charged by SW are non-refundable. SW may elect to suspend or terminate your account for any violations.

Keep in mind that the public or other members may report listings that appear to violate our policies or Guidelines. We must all be vigilant and watch over our community, keeping it clean and safe.

SW may remove any listings that violate our policies. SW may choose to suspend or terminate your account for any violations. Should this occur, you will still be responsible for any outstanding fees. (An example of an outstanding fee can come from the miscalculation of the weight of a package. If you underestimate the weight of a package, the label you printed and used to ship the package will have an incorrect shipping fee. The USPS or FedEx will re-calculate the fee to ship the package and will create a balance due. That information is delivered to SW which then creates a Payment Due invoice on your account.)

By selling on SW, you agree that you will:

1. Provide honest, accurate information in your store.
2. Honor your Refund and Return policies.
3. Accurately represent your items in Descriptions and listing photos and or videos.

Shipping Guidelines

In order for you to fully appreciate the requirements for packaging your products and the necessity of considering the exact dimensions for your product packaging, please review the USPS Guidelines and FedEx Guidelines.

Communicating with Other SW Members

You can use “Ask a Question” (“AQ”) to communicate directly with your buyers or other SW members. AQ is a great way for buyers to ask you questions about an item or an order.

AQ may not be used for the following activities:

1. Soliciting in the form of advertising or promotions, requests for donations or spam
2. Hassling or vexing another member
3. Contacting anyone after they have asked you not to
4. Interfering with a business transaction or the business of another Vendor.

Interference

Interference occurs when a member intentionally interferes with another member’s store in order to drive away their business. Interference is strictly prohibited on SW. Examples of interference include:

1. Contacting another member via SW AQ to warn them away from a particular member, store, or item;
2. Posting in public areas to demonstrate or discuss a dispute with another member;
3. Purchasing from a seller for the sole purpose of leaving a negative review;

You may receive a buyer’s contact information or other information as the result of entering into a transaction with that buyer. This information may only be used for SW-related communications or for SW transactions. Using this information for unsolicited messages unauthorized business is strictly prohibited. Without a buyer’s written consent, you may not add any SW registered member to your email or any mailing list or store or misuse any payment information. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy .

Creating and Uploading Content

As a member of SW, you may create and upload a variety of content, including listings, text, photos, and videos. In order to keep our community safe and respectful, you agree that you will not upload content that is:

1. Abusive, threatening, defamatory, or harassing;
2. Obscene or vulgar;
3. In violation of someone else’s privacy or
4. False, deceptive, or misleading.

Building a Positive Reputation Through our Reviews System

Reviews are the best way to build a reputation on SW. Buyers can leave a review including a one to five-star rating and a photograph of their purchase, within 60 days after their item’s expected delivery date. Buyers can revise their review, including the photograph, any number of times during that 60-day period.

On the rare occasion you receive an unfavorable review, you can reach out to the buyer or, if the review is less than 3 stars, leave a response.

Reviews and your response to reviews may not:

1. Contain personal or private information;
2. Contain untoward language or imagery;
3. Contain ads or spam;
4. Relate to occurrences outside the Vendor’s control, such as a shipping carrier, SW or a third party; or
5. Hamper the value and benefit of the Reviews system.

Provide Great Customer Service

We expect our Vendors to provide great customer service. By selling on SW, you agree to:

1. Process your orders timely. Vendors are obligated to ship an item or otherwise complete a transaction with a buyer in a prompt manner, unless there is a darn good reason why they can’t. Respond to AQs in a timely manner.
2. Honor the promises you make.
3. Resolve disagreements or disputes directly with the buyer. In the unlikely event that you can’t reach a resolution, SW can help through our case system. Read about your rights and responsibilities regarding cases.
4. If you are unable to complete an order, you must notify the buyer and cancel the order. Read about how to cancel an order in here.

Cancellations/Refunds

If you are unable to fulfill an order, you must notify the buyer via their email address. If the buyer already submitted payment, you must issue a full refund of the proceeds you received. You are encouraged to keep proof of any refunds in the event a dispute arises.

You may cancel/refund a transaction under the following circumstances:

1. Both you and the buyer agree to cancel the transaction prior to shipment. You may issue the buyer a full refund of the proceeds you received from PayPal via the PayPal refund procedure found here.
2. The buyer did not receive the item(s) ordered, even though you provided proof of shipping. You may issue a refund for the item.
3. Both you and the buyer agreed that the buyer could return the item for a refund, you have received the returned item and issue a refund to the buyer for the item. (Refunding shipping is optional.)

If the conditions for issuing a cancellation/refund have been met, a refund must be issued. Failure to do so may result in the closure of your store. If you have any questions about the correct procedures or any grey area, which may arise from the refund request by the buyer, please contact info@smartworldmarket.com. Please do not let time go by before addressing the concerns or requests of your customer. Good communication is the key to maintaining peace in your valley.

We strongly recommend that every vendor spell out the Refund/Return Policy for their store. This is protects you from indiscriminate requests for a refund. You must spell out clearly the guidelines necessary for receiving a refund from your store. They should include:

1. Factory defects;
2. Damaged/broken;
3. Product does not match the description given;
4. Product was shipped more than 2 weeks after the product was ordered.

1. Care must be taken to require that the product be returned in its original packaging and, if not damaged, must be in resellable condition.
2. If a product arrives damaged, the customer must take a picture in the presence of the deliverer (USPS/FedEx). If the product was dropped off damaged, a picture must be taken and it is the responsibility of the customer to report the damage to the deliverer (USPS/FedEx) prior to requesting a refund/return.
3. If the product arrives damaged but there is no apparent damage to the packaging, a picture must be taken of the product and the same procedures must be followed as those listed in B.

SW’s Dispute System

We ask buyers to contact a Vendor directly and attempt to resolve any outstanding issues before opening a dispute on SW. For this reason, it is important that you fill out your store policies and regularly respond to AQs from your buyers.

Buyers may file a dispute for a non-delivery or a not-as-described item. You must respond to any open disputes within seven days.

A Non-Delivery occurs when a buyer places an order and submits payment, but does not receive the item. The following are examples of Non-Delivery disputes:

1. An item was never sent.
2. An item was sent to an address that is not on the SW receipt.
3. There is no proof that the item was shipped to the buyer’s address.

An item is Not-as-Described if it is different from your listing description, photos or video. The following are examples of Not-as-Described disputes:

1. The item received is a different color, model, version, or size than is shown in the photo or described in the listing.
2. The item received has a different design or material.
3. The item was advertised as authentic but is not authentic.
4. Vendor fails to disclose the fact that an item is damaged or is missing parts.
5. A buyer purchased three items but only received two.
6. The condition of the item is misrepresented. For example, the description at the time of purchase said the item was “new” and the item is used.

Not-as-Described disputes 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:

1. The item(s) were ordered for a specific date or event.
2. A deadline was agreed upon by the buyer and Vendor.
3. The item(s) are rendered useless after that date.