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Basic Info About eConscious Market
1.
2. How does eConscious Market™ Work?
3. How is Your Model Different From Other Online Charitable Malls?
Our Corporate Structure
4. How Can eConscious Market� Give Away a Minimum of 10% and Still Stay in Business?
5. Is eConscious Market™ a For-Profit or a Non-Profit?
6. Why are you a Sub-S and What Does it Mean?
7. What is a For-Benefit or Hybrid Company?
Products and Companies
8. Is eConscious Market™ Independently Owned?
9. What is the Criteria for Business to Be Featured?
10. How Do You Decide What Products to Sell?
11. How Can Companies or Vendors Sign Up With eConscious Market™?
12. What is Progressive Sustainability?
Non-Profits
13. What is Triple Bottom Line Economics?
14. How Do I Choose a Non-Profit to Donate to?
15. Featured Non-Profits - What if I Don’t Feel Like Choosing?
16. Why Can't I Swap Charities?
17. What is the Criteria for Non-Profits to Be Featured?
18. Can I Choose a Charity That is Not on Your List?
Donations
19. How Can Non-Profits Sign Up?
20. Calculating Donations - If I Spend More Money, Does My Chosen Charity Receive More?
21. How Often Will Donations be Distributed to Non-Profits?
22. Can Customers Receive a Tax Deduction?
23. Why Do My Orders Come From Several Different Places?
Orders, Returns, Shipping, and Customer Service
24. Customer Service
25. Returns
26. If I return my item, will my chosen charity still receive a donation?
27. Order Fulfillment: How It Works
28. Mailing List
29. What are the benefits of becoming a member?
30. If I Buy a Gift Certificate for a Friend, Will I Still Get My 10% Member Discount?


1. (back to top)


2. How does eConscious Market™ Work? (back to top)

How it works:

1. Browse through our selection of thousands of eco-friendly and socially responsible products.
2. If you have decided to purchase something, CHOOSE A NON-PROFIT any time before you check out.
3. 50% of the net profits from that sale will be directed to your chosen non-profit.


If you do not choose your own Non-Profit, 50% of the net profits will go to the Featured Non-Profit.

Please visit the About Us section or continue reading through the FAQs for more detailed information.

3. How is Your Model Different From Other Online Charitable Malls? (back to top)

eConscious Market™ is a for-benefit, online retailer and not a commission-based affiliate program. To the best of our knowledge, the average online affiliate mall is donating between .5 and 3.5% of your purchase to charity. In contrast, eConscious Market™ donates 50% of our Net profits. Our model will result in higher donations and a much greater portion of each sale to your chosen organization.

4. How Can eConscious Market� Give Away a Minimum of 10% and Still Stay in Business? (back to top)

You�re right, it�s a lot! As a for-benefit company, not merely a for-profit, one of our main reasons for being in business is to maximize charitable donations.

eConscious Market� spent many months trying to figure out how to donate the most money possible to non-profit organizations and remain economically viable. Because there are no legal or tax structures specifically designed to facilitate the socially beneficial work of hybrid companies like ours, we had to be creative.

eConscious Market� is a Subchapter-S Corporation under the IRS tax code. Typically, corporations, under the IRS code, may receive tax deductions for charitable donations, but only up to 10% of their taxable income. However, eConscious Market� wanted to donate significantly more than that!

For that reason, we decided to utilize the sub-s election so that we could donate a minimum of 10% of every purchase and up to 50% of our after-cost profits to charitable organizations. The subchapter-s election allows the corporation to pass the donations and deductions through to shareholders. Since individuals (the shareholders), are allowed to donate 50% of their adjusted gross income (AGI) and still receive a tax deduction for the donation, our problem was solved! In addition, our Bylaws require that net profits are split in this manner, and that the appropriate donations to the non-profits chosen by our customer are made, thereby ensuring that our philanthropic mission will be fulfilled.



5. Is eConscious Market™ a For-Profit or a Non-Profit? (back to top)

The legal status of eConscious Market™ is that of a for-profit corporation, incorporated under the name, Metta, Inc., in the state of Pennsylvania. eConscious Market™ is a closely held corporation and is not publicly traded.


6. Why are you a Sub-S and What Does it Mean? (back to top)

eConscious Market™ spent many months trying to figure out how to donate the most money possible to non-profit organizations and remain economically viable. Because there are no legal or tax structures specifically designed to facilitate the socially beneficial work of hybrid companies like ours, we had to be creative.

eConscious Market™ is a Subchapter-S Corporation under the IRS tax code. Typically, corporations, under the IRS code, may receive tax deductions for charitable donations, but only up to 10% of their taxable income. However, eConscious Market™ wanted to donate significantly more than that!

For that reason, we decided to utilize the sub-s election so that we could donate 50% of our after-cost profits to charitable organizations. The subchapter-s election allows the corporation to pass the donations and deductions through to shareholders. Since individuals (the shareholders), are allowed to donate 50% of their adjusted gross income and still receive a tax deduction for the donation, our problem was solved! In addition, our Bylaws require that net profits are split in this manner, and that the appropriate donations to the non-profits chosen by our customer are made, thereby ensuring that our philanthropic mission will be fulfilled.



7. What is a For-Benefit or Hybrid Company? (back to top)

The terms for-benefit or hybrid, are words that have recently come into use to describe a for-profit company that operates with the main purpose of benefiting society, rather than merely maximizing shareholder profits. For-benefit or hybrid companies are also referred to as operating in the Fourth Sector (government, the private sector, and the nonprofit sector being the first three).

Hybrids come in all shapes and sizes and, just like nonprofit organizations, are part of the global movement towards fixing human created problems. For example, hybrids might work to clean up and preserve the environment, ensure social justice, alleviate hunger, protect children or animals, and so on.

Many citizens, in the US and abroad, have come to realize that the traditional corporate model created for the sole purpose of making money, has created many social ills, destroyed the environment and human health, and has increased poverty and inequality around the world. eConscious Market™, and others in the for-benefit business community, are doing what we can to create the conditions for a less destructive existence for all of earth’s inhabitants.

There are no official legal or tax structures that designate a company as a “for-benefit” or a “hybrid.” More than anything else, the intention of the founders, and the operating practices of the company, determine whether it is a for-benefit.

8. Is eConscious Market™ Independently Owned? (back to top)

Yes! eConscious Market™ is owned by its founders, employees, and by a small number of other socially minded investors. We are independently owned, and are not a subsidiary of any Company.


9. What is the Criteria for Business to Be Featured? (back to top)

Here is an overview of the "triple bottom line" characteristics eConscious Market™ looks for when researching and selecting vendors*. We choose companies that incorporate some or all of the following:

Social Standards:

• Fair-trade Certified
• Sweat Shop Free
• Free of child labor or forced labor
• Made locally
• Pay a Living Wage
• Support and work with local communities
• Independently-owned
• Raise awareness, aim to educate
• Preserve culture and heritage
• Support non-profit and educational organizations

Environmental Standards:

• Environmental stewardship
• Source organic
• Source local
• Source renewable
• Recycle and reuse
• Use renewable energy in operational and/or production facilities

Economic Standards:
• Understand and respect supply and demand economics
• Promote conscious capitalism
• Support local economies

**The information contained in each vendor's profile has been provided to eConscious Market™ by the individual vendors. eConscious Market™ does not claim to be a 3rd party certifier.



10. How Do You Decide What Products to Sell? (back to top)

After years of researching thousands of products and companies, we have carefully selected manufacturers, artists, and vendors who stand out in the field of environmental or social responsibility.

The companies and designers featured in our marketplace are actively implementing processes throughout their operations to minimize their impact on the planet. Although there are no metrics or standards for sustainability in many of these industries, we have gathered information that will help you decide if the company is doing enough to meet your values as a conscious consumer. These companies are taking action to do the right thing, we're here to highlight their efforts and inspire even more.

All of our vendors are moving towards greater and greater degrees of sustainability. So, rather than turning vendors away who may be outstanding in one category but not so great in another, eConscious Market™ has decided to highlight the good stuff and encourage change in the areas that need it. The term we use to describe the products and vendors featured on our site is: “progressively sustainable”.

It is our mission to support progressively sustainable businesses by providing distribution for their products and educating our consumers about the benefits of purchasing these products.

11. How Can Companies or Vendors Sign Up With eConscious Market™? (back to top)

If you would like to feature products in our marketplace and are making strides as a socially and ecologically responsible company, please send us an electronic catalogue and/or link to your website along with contact information and a short bio about how your company is implementing sustainable practices into its operations. Please send to MGerson(at)eConsciousMarket(dot)com


12. What is Progressive Sustainability? (back to top)

What you currently see on the site are just a few of the remarkable companies whose products we will soon be featuring. We have discovered that there are many hundreds of business owners who are truly leading by example in incorporating consideration for both planet and people into their strategies and operations.

Even so, the words “green” or “eco” are quite often diluted or meaningless because of "green-washing" attempts by businesses who are not truly socially or environmentally responsible. Just because a company says they're green, doesn't always mean they're actually doing anything different.

The companies and designers featured in our marketplace are different - they are actively implementing processes throughout their operations to minimize their negative impacts on the planet and to create positive ones. Although there are no metrics or standards for sustainability in many of these diverse industries, we have gathered information that will help you decide if each company is doing enough to meet your values as a conscious consumer. These companies are taking action to do the right thing. We're here to highlight their efforts and inspire even more.

All of our vendors are moving towards greater and greater degrees of sustainability. So, rather than turning vendors away who may be outstanding in one category but not so great in another, eConscious Market™ has decided to highlight the good stuff and encourage change in the areas that need it. The term we use to describe the products and vendors featured on our site is: “progressively sustainable”.

It is our mission to support progressively sustainable businesses by providing distribution for their products and educating our consumers about the benefits of purchasing these products.

13. What is Triple Bottom Line Economics? (back to top)

Triple Bottom Line Economics is a new way to measure corporate value. Traditionally, corporations focus on one type of bottom line that drives their business: financial. Now that consumers are starting to realize that their environment and neighbors are deeply affected by the globalization movement, corporations are beginning to be held accountable for the social and environmental repercussions of their business operations. Triple Bottom Line measures corporations for three different values: economic, environmental and social value.

Broadly, the term triple bottom line is used to measure the whole set of values, issues and processes that companies must address to minimize negative impact and create economic, social and environmental sustainability.

14. How Do I Choose a Non-Profit to Donate to? (back to top)

There are many ways to browse our database of non-profits, or you can search and choose a specific one directly. You can access our extensive database of non-profit organizations by clicking on the big “GIVE” button. You can then browse through the list of non-profit organizations by category, or search by topic, region, or non-profit name.


15. Featured Non-Profits - What if I Don’t Feel Like Choosing? (back to top)

You only have time to shop today? That's ok. If you don’t feel like choosing a non-profit, your donation will automatically go to that day’s featured organization. However, we highly recommend browsing through our list of non-profits when you do have the time. The non-profits listed on eConscious Market are doing some of the most inspirational, incredible work anywhere and we know you'll enjoy getting to know them.


16. Why Can't I Swap Charities? (back to top)

When you enter eConscious Market™ through a link on a non-profit organization's website or in an electronic Newsletter, your donation automatically goes to that organization. The "swap charity" feature will be disabled during that visit.

17. What is the Criteria for Non-Profits to Be Featured? (back to top)

At eConscious Market™ we believe that there is no one solution. We recognize that thousands of non-profits around the world are doing exceptional work towards creating a world that is just and sustainable.

We welcome all non-profit organizations that seek to promote harmony, well-being, environmental health, sustainability and compassion for others. If you’re doing great work, we’d love to have you!

All of the non-profit organizations featured on eConscious Market™ must be registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations in the U.S., or their country’s equivalent.


18. Can I Choose a Charity That is Not on Your List? (back to top)

No, but if you would like to nominate a non-profit organization please do so. If it meets our criteria, and the organizations agrees, we will add it as soon as possible.

Due to the overwhelming number of charitable organizations worldwide, we have only been able to contact a limited number so far - but our list is constantly growing! Please feel free to let us know about any charitable organizations that you think should be included. We would be happy to contact them. If you can, please provide specific contact information. Better yet have them contact us! liz (at) ecomkt (dot) com.


19. How Can Non-Profits Sign Up? (back to top)

To sign up your organization, or to recommend a non-profit, please contact our Chief Giving Officer, Liz Brown, at Liz (at) ecomkt (dot) com or by phone at 720-284-1406.


20. Calculating Donations - If I Spend More Money, Does My Chosen Charity Receive More? (back to top)

YES! The more you buy the more we give. Donations are pro-rated based on the amount each customer spends.

Your chosen organization will receive a proportional share of the total "charity pool." The proportion is dependent on the size of each purchase made on behalf of that organization.

In other words, eConscious Market™ will first pay the expenses necessary to operate the business. The left over money will be designated as net, or after-cost, profits. From that amount, half will be distributed to shareholders as shareholder returns. The other half (50% of net profits) will be designated as the charity pool.

The money in the charity pool will then be distributed to each non-profit that customers have chosen over the year. The amount each non-profit will receive is pro-rated based on the amount each customer spent when choosing that organization.


21. How Often Will Donations be Distributed to Non-Profits? (back to top)

Donations will be made yearly. eConscious Market™ has committed to donating 50% of our annual total net profits. In January, following the close of the calendar year, we will calculate Net profits to determine the size of the charity pool and make distributions to each of the selected charities by March 15th (the due date for Corporate Tax Returns). The amount of donations made will be made public and posted on our website.


22. Can Customers Receive a Tax Deduction? (back to top)

We believe that because the charitable donations are made by eConscious Market™, the company will receive the tax deductions. It is our understanding that customers will not receive tax deductions for purchases made through eConscious Market™. However, we suggest that you speak with your personal tax advisor regarding the tax deductibility of any portion of your purchases.



23. Why Do My Orders Come From Several Different Places? (back to top)

eConscious Market™ operates on a drop-ship model. What this means is that we do not have a warehouse or store any merchandise. When you place an order with eConscious Market™ , we send that order electronically to the manufacturer or warehouse where that item is stored. That company then ships the item(s) to you. eConscious Market receives notification that the item has been shipped so we do keep tabs on the companies we work with to ensure that the process is running smoothly.

This model reduces our costs and is part of what allows us to donate such a significant portion of our profits to charity. In addition, by allowing products to remain in the distributors' or manufacturers’ warehouses, rather than being trucked from them, to us and then to you, drop shipping reduces our carbon footprint by producing less greenhouse gas emissions.


24. Customer Service (back to top)

Because eConscious Market™ does not actually manufacture or warehouse any items that we sell, it is often best to contact the manufacturer of that product directly.

It’s very important to us that our customers are happy and have great experiences when speaking with the manufacturers we feature. If you have any trouble contacting one of the manufacturers or getting the information you need, we are happy to help solve your problem.

Please contact us by going to the "Contact Us" section of this website and filling out the form. We will do our very best to get back to you within 24 hours.

If you prefer to talk by phone, it’s best to put a phone number where you can be reached in your email.




25. Returns (back to top)

Because eConscious Market™ operates on a drop-ship model, and we do not actually manufacture or warehouse any items that we sell, returns must be made directly to the manufacturer. If you have any trouble with a return to a manufacturer, please don’t hesitate to contact us for assistance.

Return information will be included with your item, and can also be found in the Vendor Profile section of the product page for each product.


26. If I return my item, will my chosen charity still receive a donation? (back to top)

Sorry, no. Charitable donations are contingent on purchases.


27. Order Fulfillment: How It Works (back to top)

eConscious Market™ operates on a drop-ship model. What this means is that we do not have a warehouse, manufacture or store any merchandise.

When you place an order with eConscious Market™ , we send that order electronically to the manufacturer or warehouse where that item is stored. That company then ships the item(s) to you. eConscious Market receives notification that the item has been shipped so we do keep tabs on the companies we work with to ensure that the process is running smoothly.

This model reduces our costs and allows us to donate so much of our profits to charity. In addition, by allowing products to remain in the manufacturers’ warehouses, rather than being trucked from them, to us, and then to you, this model reduces our carbon footprint by producing less greenhouse gas emissions.

28. Mailing List (back to top)

Join our mailing list! We will keep you up to date on new developments and new sales at eConscious Market.

We take our inboxes and our privacy as seriously as you do. We will never sell, trade or otherwise give away any of the personal information that you provide to us.


29. What are the benefits of becoming a member? (back to top)

You don’t have to be a member to shop at eConscious Market™, but the benefits are pretty great!

There are several reasons why you might want to become a member. First, we offer a 10% discount on select purchases to members. You will also receive a special eco-friendly gift along with your membership - a stainless steel water bottle printed with "Giving. It's the New Getting." There will also be steeper discounts on select items throughout the year.

Also, the more of our costs we can cover with membership fees, the more money will be donated to charity! Membership means helping support our new brand of socially conscious, community building, philanthropic business. You get discounts, periodic updates, and non-profits get more donations!

Yearly memberships cost $30.00 (includes S&H).


30. If I Buy a Gift Certificate for a Friend, Will I Still Get My 10% Member Discount? (back to top)

Member discounts are not offered on gift certificate purchases. If you purchase a $100 gift certificate, it actually costs $100. However, when a member spends a gift certificate, they will receive the 10% member discount when they purchase MEMBER DISCOUNTED items.