FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) about Shopping on 1000 Markets

The following are the most common questions about shopping on 1000 Markets. If you questions are not answered here, you may report a problem or get additional help by clicking here.

Why should I shop at 1000 Markets?

Great Products – 1000 Markets provides a rigorous Search function and a comprehensive Category system that make it easy to find the products that interest you. Whether you are looking for the perfect gift, a particular kind of necklace, or hand-turned wooden bowls, you can quickly find what interests you. Personalized services from our Merchants make shopping a special pleasure, with features like gift-shipping, custom orders, and monogramming. Our artisans, passionate about what they do, take pride in the personal touch, the person-to-person connection with their clients.

Buy Direct – When you shop on 1000 Markets you are buying directly from the merchant who made the product. This is a great way to shop because you are dealing directly with a specialist who has put their name on the product. Plus, there is no middleman so you can be sure you are getting the most for your money and you can be proud you are supporting small artisan businesses.

Convenience & Security— 1000 Markets uses Amazon Payments to process all major credit cards. Your financial information is secure and s backed by Amazon.com, the most trusted retailer in the online word. Checkout is fast and easy, particularly if you already have an account with Amazon. If you log into your existing Amazon account, you have quick access to all of your credit cards already on file with Amazon.

Service – At 1000 Markets, you can have every expectation of a professional, congenial buying experience, superior shop management, and a strong refund policy, backed up by Amazon’s A-to-Z Guarantee.

Quality- Our site’s shop approval process is designed to make sure that every shop is professionally run and conforms to high shop management standards. Our staff and merchants participate in educating themselves and other merchants through an ongoing series of best practices documents, easy access to the staff of 1000 Markets, and through their professional and informational forums. We emphasize constant improvement in customer service and satisfaction.

Guaranteed – Every purchase on 1000 Markets is protected by the Amazon A-to-Z Guarantee, which ensures you get what you ordered as it is described. (Some restrictions apply. Read the details.)

What exactly is a 1000 Markets “Shop”?

On 1000 Markets, you buy directly from the individual shopkeepers. Each shop is managed by an independently-owned artisan business. Our merchants range from solo artists to small businesses. In each Shop there is at least one person who is intimately involved in all aspects of the business, from design to production to marketing to quality assurance. This person is often the face and personality of the business, which contributes to its handcrafted nature and to the total buyer experience. Each shop is unique and carries its own inventory and policies, and also has its own blog.

What is a “Market”?

A Market is a way to shop by theme. They are more than just collections of products; they are full of people and stories. They have voices and personalities, and they are a gathering place where merchants affiliate their businesses—to sell products and create community. You can shop in each distinctive market, and each market has its own blog where you can meet the artisans, see some highlighted creations, or read interviews and look through pictorial essays. You can view all the individual shops that participate within that market or you can choose to just view certain collections. You can also search within a specific market. The choice is always yours. You may browse all of our marketplaces by visiting our Browse Marketplaces page.

How should I explore 1000 Markets?

It’s really your choice. Start at the homepage. Shop by category, try a search, browse markets, and explore our shops. Really in an adventurous mood? Look for our “Easter Eggs”: These are little surprises at the bottom of some pages titled “Didn't find what you were looking for?”

Do I need to register before shopping at 1000 markets?

No, you don’t need to register or create an account before shopping. The first time you make a purchase at 1000 Markets, you will be asked for your email address and a shipping address and we will create an account for you at checkout. You will immediately receive a request to verify your email. Once you confirm your email, you will become a Registered Shopper. On future orders, you will use the username and password you set up during the sign-up process.

What forms of payment are accepted at 1000 Markets?

On 1000 Markets, you may pay with any major credit card. All of our payments are processed by Amazon Payments, so if already have an Amazon account, you may use any of your credit cards already on file.

What is the Amazon A-to-Z guarantee?

In a nutshell, when you use Amazon Payments for qualified purchases on 1000 Markets, the condition of the item and its delivery are guaranteed under the Amazon A-to-Z Guarantee.  (Just like when you use the Amazon.com website).

Why does 1000 Markets Use Amazon Payments?

Amazon, in addition to being one of the world’s largest online retailers, is also one of the most trusted and reliable providers of payment processing services. They take major credit cards, and they process them with the industry’s best security and fraud prevention techniques and back it up with guarantees. Our partnership with Amazon Payments ensures a smooth, safe transaction. And, if you already have an account with Amazon, checkout is that much more quick and easy. (If you don’t yet have an Amazon account, we make it easy to sign up.)

Do I need an Amazon account to shop at 1000 Markets?

If you do not already have an account with Amazon, you will be able to create one at checkout. If you already have an Amazon account, use your existing Amazon account email and password to complete the purchase for the items in your 1000 Markets shopping cart. If you do not have an Amazon account, the process of creating one at checkout is very simple. You will be asked for your email. Check “I am a new user.” Fill in the required information on the next screens. You will create a password, enter credit card information and your proper billing address. It’s as easy as that. You will be returned to 1000 Markets after to complete your checkout.

Do I pay sales tax when I purchase from 1000 Markets?

If it is mandated by the laws in your State and if your merchant has activated the sales tax feature, you will see sales tax information in your order summary at the time you place the order.

How do I make a purchase at 1000 Markets?

Add items to your Shopping Cart by clicking on Add to Cart. When you are ready to check out, just click on “Checkout.” You will be asked to specify a shipping address and you will have an opportunity to add notes to the merchant about special requirements, sizes, or anything else you would like say. You can also remove items by clicking the red “X” next to the product. Once you click Pay for Order you are sent to Amazon to check in and select your payment method. Then you are sent back to 1000 Markets, where you will see your completed order. Shortly thereafter you will receive a series of confirmation emails from 1000 Markets, the merchant, and Amazon. Once the merchant has marked your order as shipped, you will receive another email indicating that it has been shipped.

I forgot my password! What do I do?

Simply visit the Lost Password page to take care of this problem.

Where's my Order?

If you placed an order, but haven’t heard anything from the merchant, you should contact the merchant directly to request the status of your order. Your purchase receipt in your inbox has links you should use to review your order and visit the merchant’s shop (where you can contact the merchant). If you do not hear from the merchant in a timely manner, feel free to contact our support team for further assistance.

Can I make a special request or place a custom order?

Many of the merchants on 1000 Markets invite special requests or customer orders. You should visit the merchant’s shop and contact them directly. For some items you purchase, the description instructs buyers to indicate a size, color, or other features in the “notes” field when you place your order. You should feel free to use the notes field on orders to communicate with merchants, although if you aren’t sure if the merchant can comply, you should arrange your special requests in advance of purchasing.

Can I save my “Favorites”?

If you are a shopper, one of the benefits to having an account with 1000 Markets is that you may collect a list of favorites while browsing the site. This lets you set aside links to your favorite products so that you can find them easily when you are ready to make a purchase. You must be logged in to your account, but once you are just click the “Add Favorite” button while viewing a page. You can view and manage your favorites using the Favorites menu at the top of the page or on your My Account page.

What happened? A product disappeared from my shopping cart!

Products in the Shopping Cart are not reserved for you until you have completed the Checkout process. Since our products are almost all one-of-a-kind, leaving an order for too long in your Cart may mean that another shopper purchases it. If this happens, you may contact the merchant to see if they are planning to restock that product. Sometimes an item may disappear from the cart if a merchant edits or updates the product listing during your visit. In this case, search for the item and Add to Cart once again.

Can I ship to more than one address in the same shopping cart?

At this time, each order is shipped to a single address. If you wish to send items to different addresses, simply add items to your cart and go through the checkout process for each unique address.

What if I need to ship my order to a different address for a gift?

Simply fill in the “ship to” address at the stage of your order that calls for an address. If your current address is not where you wish to ship, select Add Location and designate that new address for your order. You may wish to add a note to the merchant during checkout to clarify that your purchase is a gift. This way you can ask the merchant to omit any packing slips or receipts that might give you away.

Do you have a gift wrapping service?

Merchants who offer a gift wrapping service will make note of this in their item description. They will oftentimes also provide a photograph showing how they wrap their items.

May I leave feedback?

Since each of our merchants has to go through an approval process to join 1000 Markets and are professionals accustomed to giving the highest level of customer service, we feel that a feedback system is not necessary. Of course, should a transaction go awry, any buyer or merchant is able to contact the 1000 Markets team for help. We hope buyers will share their insights with us by sending an email to the merchant, the team, or by posting on merchants’ walls.

How do I cancel an order?

If your order hasn’t shipped, just contact the merchant to discuss their cancellation policies.

I got a message from Amazon that my payment did not go through. Is my order cancelled?

Yes, your order will be cancelled if Amazon cannot process your payment.  You will receive notification from Amazon.  A payment may not be processed for several reasons, most of which are easily resolved.  The most common problem is a card or expiration date that is no longer valid. Verify that your card and expiration dates are current. If you still cannot complete your purchase, you may contact Amazon to help resolve the problem.  If it is on the side of the Merchant, we will notify the Merchant (and send you a note as well), ask them to remedy the situation and then contact you when you can repurchase.

May I return an item?

Each merchant has their own shipping and refund policies, which you can read when you are in their shop by clicking on the Policies tab. If you have questions about a merchant’s policies, it is best to contact them with your questions prior to placing an order. When you buy an item from a seller at 1000 Markets, you should expect a high standard of customer service, both before and after you receive your order.

How do I get a refund?

Because you buy direct from each merchant, each merchant may have different policies. Be sure to read the merchant’s policies. Merchants can create full or partial refunds for buyers, including original shipping costs. The funds will be deposited back in your credit card account, and Amazon.com will send you confirmation of the refund via e-mail.

Can I purchase 1000 Markets gift certificates?

Currently, 1000 Markets does not offer gift certificates. We are working on a way to make this happen.

I live outside the United States. Can I buy from 1000 Markets?

We are working on international support and will definitely make an announcement when it is available.

Can I enroll in automatic email updates for 1000 Markets news?

As a shopping enthusiastic at 1000 Markets, you may elect to receive emails about special events, features, and promotions on the site. Just fill in your email address in the footer subscription box. Our special promotional and holiday emails are designed to show you some of the best shops and markets on our site.

How do I report problems or get additional help?

You may report a problem or get additional help by clicking here.