Last updated on August 19th, 2022 at 11:07 pm
Another article popped on from Forbes Magazine about toxic and recalled toys online. Many bargain hunters will have themselves a challenge this year with regard to toy safety. Store buying is probably the safer (but not fool proof) buying method for now, but millions of people purchase toys from the popular auction site eBay.com during the holiday season. With 6 million new auctions listed a day, it’s nearly impossible to monitor what toys are up there and whether they are recalled toys.
- …checking the listing using the search function on the CPSC’s Web site. If the product code and date of production are obscured, send a message to the seller asking for more information. Checking the seller’s history can also reveal whether he or she has sold toys to satisfied customers in the past.
- eBay isn’t the only place where dangerous toys are lurking on the Web. The MarkMonitor study found around 340,000 instances of “cyber-squatting,” or registered domains intended to impersonate a legitimate brand. … When those shady pages hijack toy brands, they’re much more likely to sell recalled versions of the items.
- A small retailer trying to save money might go to the site and purchase stock for their stores. This alternate distribution channel represents another real risk for consumers. (Check with small store owners about their recall procedures
Bottom line is Internet Buyers Beware. Keep up to date with the CPSC recall list, buy from reputable websites and do your homework.
