Toys available online may have been subject to recalls.
Buying toys online can pay off for parents looking for a discount, unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to find dangerous recalled items for sale on the Internet. These items are being sold not only internationally, but from U.S. addresses as well.
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act bans the sale of recalled products, even at yard sales or thrift shops. Major online retailers such as Amazon and eBay utilize technology that blocks people from selling an item that has been recalled. Unfortunately, other sites, like Craigslist often miss recalled items, though their site polices state that users may not sell them.
The mechanisms that many online retail sites, particularly auction sites, are unable to flag every item that has been recalled. Some of the toys sold online have been recalled over five years ago, making tracing them more difficult.
“When shopping for children’s products online, it’s advisable to do a little research,” says Reno defective product attorney Matthew L. Sharp, “checking to see if a product has been recalled before purchase can prevent injuries and save lives.”
Toys are recalled for a variety of reasons. Some recalled toys contain toxic chemicals, small pieces that can cause children to choke or components that could cause fires.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 172 toys were recalled in 2008, thirty of which contained lead. This number dropped dramatically over the next several years and just 30 toys recalled in 2014, only one of which contained lead.
The CPSC maintains an up-to-date database of recalled toys, along with other children’s and infant’s products, such as cribs, clothing and car seats. Eleven children were killed because of toys in 2012 alone.
The more information that sellers are required to provide when selling a toy online, the greater the chance that recalled toys will be flagged, before they make their way into the hands of a child.