FAQs about:

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Vegan Life

Q. What is The SV Market?

A. The Super Vegan Market is an online supermarket that we filled with thousands of vegan products! Being vegan ourselves, we know what it’s like to spend time online attempting to confirm products are vegan before we make a purchase. At The SV Market you can shop assured that all of the products you buy are plant-based. Because vegan is a lifestyle and not just a diet, we offer everyday household (For the Crib...ington), toiletries (Farm’acy) and beauty items (Yass) in addition to healthy, vegan yummers (Snack Attack) and pantry stuff (Cheffin It Up). Scroll through our shopping categories to add something amazing to your cart or search for something specific anytime!

Q. What is vegan?

A. Basically, being vegan means that you eat a plant-based diet. You intentionally do not consume food that contains animal flesh (meats, fish/seafood) or items/things that animals produce (examples: milks/creams, cheese, eggs, honey, etc.) Because animals and their body parts are also used to make non-food items, veganism asks us to be aware of what we use and purchase in our daily lives, and to consider whether an animal was used, tested on, and/or harmed to make a product for our use (leathers, furs, soaps, detergents, cosmetics, etc. etc. etc.--unfortunately, the list goes on.)

Q. What is 'raw vegan'?

A. Raw veganism is a diet which combines veganism and raw foodism. It excludes all food of animal origin, and all food cooked above 46 degrees Celsius (115 degrees Fahrenheit). A raw vegan diet includes raw vegetables and fruits, nuts and nut pastes, grain and legume sprouts, seeds, plant oils, sea vegetables, herbs, and fresh juices. There are many different versions of the diet, including fruitarianism, sproutarianism, etc. Although some advocate a diet of only fruit, or only vegetables, generally it is agreed that a well balanced raw vegan diet, containing moderate amounts of all of the above foods, is the best for good health. Sometimes the definition of a raw vegan diet is loosened to include vegan diets with at least 75% raw foods.

Q. Why be/go vegan?

A. Your body gets its energy from food. Think about it: Are you going to feed it food that is living and full of nutrients or something that is dead and decaying? Within the first few weeks of a plant-based diet, you’ll likely notice that you physically feel better and that the products you had been eating before made you feel worse. You’ll also be doing your part for the environment and the world. Livestock and agro farming are the largest contributors to pollution worldwide, and while we grow enough food to feed 17 Billion people, so much goes to feeding livestock that 1 Billion people are left starving or underfed. So being vegan will not only be good for you, but it’ll be good for everyone else too.

Q. I have diabetes/heart issues…

A. We are not doctors and do not promote any products for medicinal use. Please consult your doctor or health professional concerning anything health-related.

Q. What is NOT vegan?

A. “Food” or any product made from the flesh or any other parts of an animal. That includes: ”pork”, “beef”, all “poultry”, fish, “seafood”, and “ingredients” produced by animal byproducts like dairy--milk, cheese, cream, butter, yogurt, sour cream, half & half, eggs, and honey. Sometimes, items you’d never expect are not vegan, and vice versa. Which of these products do you think is vegan, and which one is not: Bac-Os or Natural Red #4 food dye? Take a look, you might be surprised.

Q. What are animal products?

A. An animal product is any material derived from the body of an animal. Examples are fat, flesh, blood, milk, eggs, and lesser-known products, like isinglass and rennet. For a more comprehensive list of animal ingredients found in both “food” and non-edible products, check this Animal "Ingredients" Dictionary.

Q. What’s a byproduct?

A. Things that animals are used to make. The list goes on and on. Here are some examples:

  • Whey (cow’s milk) is often found in protein powders, baby formula, and baking mixes.
  • Gelatin (animal skins and bones) is collagen that turns liquids into jiggly, puffy, gummy, near-solid substances, like marshmallows, chewy candies, and meringues.
  • Isinglass (fish bladders) is a gelatin used to make jellies, glue, and to filter yeast particles from beers and wines.

Check out the Animal "Ingredients" Dictionary for more info.

Q. So there’s vegan liquor?!!

A.There sure is! There are even well-known brands, like Patron and Jameson, that are vegan. We don’t have alcohol in stock, but we have sparkling waters, juices and mixers on deck, including craft cocktail starters and ingredients by Stirrings. The Thirst Is Real!

Q. How can non-food products be vegan?

A. Animals and animal parts are used in the production of all sorts of household and personal goods--from boar-bristle hair brushes, rabbit-wool sweaters, and sheepskin-leather car interiors, to bone charcoal and animal fat in tattoo ink, and fish scales used to create shimmery nail polish. Even popular fabric softeners are commonly made from boiled animal fat -- let that sink in...no pun intended.

Q. What words should I look for on ingredient labels to find products that are not vegan?

A. There are so many ingredients to be aware of, which is why we did all that hard work for you when we built The SV Market! When you shop at The SV Market, you can be sure that all of our products are 100% vegan, but if you have the time/desire/opportunity, we urge you to do your own research! For a very thorough list of animal ingredients (and explanations/definitions), we recommend this compilation by Peta.

If you think that a non-vegan product has slipped into our inventory, we urge you to leave us a message asap! Thanks for contributing to our super vegan community!

Q. Is vegan a more expensive diet than meat?

A. It can sometimes seem that way because the meat and dairy industries are heavily subsidized, so the true costs of eating meat are almost never shown to the consumer. Fruits and veggies get the short end of the subsidy stick. We also tend to forget that while we might pay less today for our burger than we do for our salad, the price we pay later in life to our doctor is much higher. Plus always eating out is expensive no matter what diet you choose, that’s why we provide vegan ingredients you can use to prepare great plant-based meals at home!

Q. Wtf does subsidize mean???

A. Subsidies are tax dollars that we have paid our government that they then pay out to large corporations and industries to ensure they have a competitive advantage over everyone else. The idea is that these huge industries are so fragile and important that they need the support of our tax dollars to make sure they don’t topple. The real effect is that they undermine the ability of smaller companies and newer industries to thrive. Subsidies give all of the advantages to the companies that need it the least while forcing those that need it the most to play on an uneven field.

So basically...when the Big-Agro industries are subsidized, the government is using our money to pay for companies that wouldn’t be able to financially survive on their own. Other examples of heavily subsidized industries are oil/gas, auto/aviation, military machinery, and large financial institutions.

Q. What's organic?

A. Or·gan·ic

/ôrˈɡanik/

adj. - (of food or farming methods) produced or involving production without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides or other artificial agents.

Q. What's wrong with pesticides?

A. Pesticides and herbicides are produced to kill or harm living organisms. That is why, when you ingest food that has pesticide residues or use common household products with ingredients produced with pesticides, you might get sick. StopPoisoningUs.org has a really informative article on 5 Common Pesticides in Food and How They Can Impact Your Health.

Q. What does GMO mean?

A. GMO stands for “genetically modified organism”. Genetic modification is the process of forcing genes from one species into another entirely unrelated species. Unlike cross breeding or hybridization—both of which involve two related species and have been done without ill effects for centuries—genetic engineering forcefully breaches the naturally-occurring barriers between species.

Example: Corn + DNA from soil bacteria that is naturally immune to RoundUp herbicide + e.coli bacteria + soil bacteria that causes tumors in plants (which enables the plant’s cell wall to be breached) = RoundUp Ready Corn (one of several RoundUp Ready crops engineered by Monsanto).

Other examples of GMOs include strawberries and tomatoes injected with fish genes to protect the fruit from freezing, goats injected with spider genes to produce milk with proteins stronger than kevlar for use in industrial products, salmon that are genetically engineered with a growth hormone that allow them to keep growing larger, dairy cows injected with the genetically engineered hormone rBGH (also known as rBST) to increase milk production, and rice injected with human genes to produce pharmaceuticals. Nasty, right? In essence, big Agro has been artificially altering food to sell more of it, despite all the evidence that it’s making everything sick--the very definition of ‘a toxic relationship’. For more facts and figures (not fake news), visit GMO Awareness.


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Being SVIP at The SV Market!

Q. Why should I sign up for The SV Market membership and be SVIP?

A. Because The SV Market is super vegan! Like any great superheroes, we do good for the benefit of the people. When you sign up to be SVIP, we make sure you have access to thousands of incredible plant-based products, at ultra-competitive prices, and never have to worry about the cost of shipping! That’s right--The SV Market SVIPs get free shipping! On top of that spectacular savings, we don’t require you to meet a minimum order, which is virtually unheard of in the worldwide web of online retailers. At The SV Market, we know what it’s like to feel compelled to overspend just to “save”. We live this vegan life and in turn, do this vegan work because we truly care about the health and well-being of the universe, so you can shop with ease, knowing that you’re getting the real deal!

We have reduced our profit to $0 on the majority of our products so that we can provide the best deals to our SVIPs. This is the only way we can provide free shipping to compete with Amazon. They use big money to pay off the Post Office and we slash profits. *Shrug* We hope our SVIP squad see us as a service that does the hard work of compiling and confirming vegan products and then sells them basically at cost. There are thousands of quality vegan products available to our customers and even more exclusive items and experiences available to SVIPs.

One of the most exciting aspects of the Super Vegan Market is our partnership with Seasoned Vegan restaurant in Harlem, NY. They are currently expanding SV Foods--a line of delicious vegan ingredients to help you Chef It Up at home, and we are the exclusive vendor of those products! The perks don’t stop there--The SV Market SVIPs are also welcome to a 5% discount when they dine at Seasoned Vegan! (Some restrictions apply.)

Q. How much does it cost to be SVIP?

A. Due to COVID-19 economic challenges, we are currently offering SVIP memberships for no cost. Sign up today!

Be SVIP!

Q. How do I end my SVIP membership?

A. To make changes to your SVIP membership, login to your account and select "Manage Memberships". From there you'll have the option to view/edit contact info, view transaction history, and cancel your SVIP plan.

If there's something that we can do better for you, please send us a message! Our team at The SV Market would love to improve your experience whenever possible!

We can help you set up a payment system that works for you and may even be able to pause your SVIP benefits, as needed. Just let us know what we can do better for you!

Please note: Any membership and subscription fees already paid will not be refunded, but you will retain access to membership benefits through the period that has already been paid for.

Q. Why is there a fee to be SVIP?

A. Our mission is to offer the lowest prices on as many vegan products as possible. We do this by reducing our profits on most items to $0. The minimal profits we make on the other items are used to offset the cost of shipping, therefore making free shipping available on as many products as possible. Because shipping isn’t ever really free. (Message!) Your SVIP membership fee is basically a contribution to the “free shipping” pool, and the best part of all: most SVIPs recoup their fees in savings in just 1-2 visits!

Due to COVID-19 economic challenges, we are currently offering SVIP memberships for no cost. Sign up today!

Be SVIP!


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Products and Shipping

Q. Why are so many products sold in bulk?

A. These days, with shipping costs so impossibly high, and companies like Amazon benefitting from their relationship with the USPS, shipping smaller products can be very costly. So to keep costs low for our customers, bulk is the most effective. On top of that, it’s also more environmentally friendly and is ideal for bigger families, people who don’t want to have to order the same things all the time, camps, schools, offices, events, community groups, co-op markets, food pantries, block associations, book clubs, small business & restaurants.

Q. Can you explain the product quantity?

A. Yes, good question! Because many of our products are sold in bulk, it is important to know exactly how much you are ordering. Each product is listed in the following order: name | size of unit (total number of units). For example, if you were to order Natural Value Scouring Pad Sponge | 2-pack (Case of 24), you would receive a total of 48 sponges because they come 2 to a pack, but are sold in a case of 24 units. Here’s another example: Santa Cruz Applesauce | 4 oz six-pack (Case of 12). This applesauce is perfect for school lunches because it comes individually packaged in 4 ounce containers, and there are six to a pack. Because this product comes in a case of 12, you would receive a total of 12 six-packs. Doing the math, that’s 72 applesauce containers. Not all of our products are sold in bulk, however, and you will see that reflected in the product title. Examples of single unit products include: Shikai Borage Children’s Lotion | 8 oz bottle -or- Herbatint 1n Black Hair Color | 1 Kit.

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to contact us before making your purchase. We’re happy to help!

Q. Is there a minimum order?

A. Not at all! Feel free to order as little or as much as you’d like! The SV Market SVIPs enjoy free shipping on all purchases, with no minimum order.

Q. Why doesn’t the picture match the name of the product?

A. We make every effort to represent products as accurately as possible, but still, sh*t happens :) If you encounter a mistake like this, it is most likely that the product name and description are correct even if the picture is not. Please contact us or email thesvmarket@gmail.com if you would like to double check before completing your purchase.

Q. Do I need a wholesale certificate to shop at The SV Market?

A. Nope! Anyone with an internet connection and a dream of “going ham” in a super-vegan supermarket can shop here! Some of our products are sold in bulk, which may be better suited for large families, restaurants, parties/events, camps/residential facilities, etc., so be sure to note the quantity of the product you intend to purchase.

Q. Do you sell your products wholesale?

A. We do sell some items in bulk, but you don't need a wholesale certificate to shop at The SV Market.

Q. Which products have free shipping?

A. All SVIPs get free shipping on all items. PLEASE NOTE: At this time, The SV Market only offers free shipping to addresses within the contiguous 48 states.

Q. Where can I get your items in my local area?

A. We do not currently have any retail locations, but maybe with your support that can be a part of our future!

Q. Is everything vegan?

A. Yes! We are vegan-owned and operated, so when we decided to build a super-vegan supermarket, we devised a system to double- (and sometimes triple-) check products to make sure that they are free of any animal or animal-derived ingredients. Non-food products have also been confirmed as coming from manufacturers that produce organic, environmentally-friendly goods. If you see any products you believe to be non-vegan, please send us a message--each one teach one!

Q. What about allergens?

A. Some items we sell are made in facilities that do handle some allergens for other items that may include nuts, dairy, gluten or other such things. If you or the person you're purchasing products for has serious allergies, please reach out to the manufacturer for confirmation.

Q. Do you ship outside of the domestic US?

A. As of now, we service the contiguous US through our various warehouses, which allows us to provide fast ship times and multiple locations from which we can supply products. If you have trouble routing your order to any address, click here.

If you are outside of the US, please send us a message letting us know where you are, so that we can work on getting the SV Market right to your doorstep!

Q. What happens with back ordered or sold out items?

A. If an order is received and that item is out of stock, we will notify you and cancel the order. For orders with more than one item, any in-stock items will be shipped, you will be notified, and the out of stock items will be canceled.

Q. I tried to order and for some reason I received an error message. What can I do to get my order through to you?

A. Unfortunately, we can only take orders online. We suggest you try clearing your cookies and maybe restarting your browser and maybe your phone/laptop. Finally, if none of that works, we suggest you try another device.

Q. Can I cancel an order once it’s been placed?

A. Due to FDA food tampering laws, and because we are dealing with consumables, some returns are unacceptable. As long as the product has not been shipped we can update shipping information of the product. See our full return policy here.

Q. How can I track my order's shipping progress?

A. When your order ships, you will receive a confirmation email detailing the carrier used and a tracking number that you can use to find the most up-to-date information regarding your order. You can access your order information, shipping addresses, and more by logging into your account.

Q. How soon will you send my package from the time I place my order?

A. Once an order is placed, the order is shipped within 2 to 3 business days. We ship M-F, 10am-5pm PST. Orders can be in transit anywhere from 1-5 business days depending on the address it is shipping to. Payment for products and shipping are billed at the time the order is placed.

Q. What are your return policies?

A. Click here.

Q. How can I rate or review a product I have purchased?

To leave a rating or review for a product you have purchased, go to that product page. You will see a button that says: “Write a review”. Once you click that link, a form will appear that will allow you to choose a star rating and write a detailed review.

Q. How can I sell on your site or recommend additional products I would like to see at The SV Market?

A. If you have a vegan product line that you’d like to sell at The SV Market, send us a message!

Q. Do you restock items that are sold out?

A. Restocking depends on availability from the manufacturer. We apologize if that causes any issues.


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Logging In and Using Your Account

Q. How do I register for an account with The SV Market?

A. The Login/Register buttons can be found in the top navigation menu (mobile/desktop). Desktop users have an additional Login/Register button at the top right of their screens. When you click ‘Register’, you will be prompted to enter your first and last name, an email address, and a unique password.

Q. How is an account different from SVIP?

A. Having an account makes the checkout process quicker, as your shipping info will be stored and is accessible when you login. When you decide to be SVIP, you get the extra special benefits of:

  • Free Shipping on all items
  • Special Members-Only Discounts & Experiences
  • 5% off Meals at Seasoned Vegan
  • Access to Seasoned Vegan Products upon launch

Sign up to be SVIP!

Q. How do I reset my password?

A. Click on the Login button, and select the “Forgot your password?” link. You will be asked to enter your email address, and as long as you have an account registered to that email address, you will receive an email with a link to reset your password.

Q. Do I need to login to look at products or see special membership prices?

A. No, just start filling up your cart and you’ll be able to see our huge vegan product selection and prices right there!

Q. I am SVIP, but where is the free shipping option?

A. You will have the chance to access free shipping at Checkout. First make sure you're logged into your account. Next, select ‘Cart’ at the top right corner of your screen. This will let you see any items that have been added to your cart. From there, select ‘Proceed to Checkout’. Once you confirm your shipping address, select "Continue to shipping". Pick anything in the "Shipping method" selection--this will be updated to free shipping on the next page. Select "Continue to payment" at which point you'll see a box for a "Discount code". If you’re using a laptop/desktop, you will have the option to enter a discount code before this point. Enter "FREESHIPPING" to unlock your SVIP benefits. If the code is not available to you, you may not be logged into your account. Make sure you are logged into your account, repeat the steps above, and you should be good to go!

Q. Can I finish shopping without making an account?

A. Yes! You can checkout as a guest, but won’t have access to free shipping, SVIP deals and discounts, and may be prompted to input your shipping info, etc. every time you make a purchase at The SV Market.


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Your Info

Q. How can I update my payment information?

A. The SV Market does not store your credit card info, so you always have the option to use a new payment method at checkout. If you need to update the card used to pay for your SVIP benefits, you can do that on the Manage Memberships page, accessible once you're logged in and in "Your Account". You'll see an "Update Payment Info" section. Follow the prompts to provide a new billing method.

Q. How do I change my email or shipping information?

A. Once you are logged in, select ‘Your Account’. There, you can view/edit/delete shipping addresses and view order information.

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