Spokane7
47°Quick links: NCAA tournament • Gonzaga hoops • Easter photo contest • Washington Legislature • Idaho Legislature
People in the Inland Northwest love garage sales. If they’re not driving around rown scoping out other people’s stuff, they’re probably throwing a sale of their own.
For parents, these sales often mean great deals on used kids’ clothes, toys and nursery furnishings. Throwing a garage sale can also be an efficient way to make a little extra money while getting rid of stuff that the children have outgrown.
If you’re thinking of having a sale before the end of the summer or considering selling items on Craigslist and eBay, make sure your product is safe. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recently launched a campaign called Resale Roundup, which now makes it illegal to resell anything that has been recalled by the manufacturer.
“Those who resell recalled children’s products are not only breaking the law, they are putting children’s lives at risk,” Inez Tenenbaum, chairwoman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, said in a press release. “Resale stores should make safety their business and check for recalled products and hazards to children.”
A 1999 CPSC study found that nearly 70 percent of resale stores sold at least one recalled or otherwise hazardous product, according to the press release.
The commission already keeps an eye on thrift stores to make sure recalled items aren’t being sold. Although it won’t be sending inspectors to garage sales any time soon, according to a recent story from McClatchy News, the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s new law will make sellers on eBay or Craigslist more accountable.
Garage sale shoppers and others who frequently buy items on Craigslist and eBay should also be on the lookout for dangerous recalled products by checking out the CPSC website.
Here’s a list of the agency’s Top 10 most dangerous products for children:
999 W. Riverside, Spokane, WA 99201
P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210
Main switchboard: (509) 459-5000 • (800) 338-8801
Newsroom: (509) 459-5400 • (800) 789-0029
Customer service: (800) 338-8801
© Copyright 2010, The Spokesman-Review
savvydad on September 15 at 2:51 p.m.
Any reputable reseller knows whether the items they are selling fall under recal laws. It is the duty of each store to make sure their products are safe. My wife runs a resale store and part of what I do to help her out is to check the recall list on every item that comes through the door. It is not a matter of covering ourselves but a matter of safety. We take these matters seriously and so should everyone else.
As for garage sales it is definitely buyer beware. Not that sellers are trying to sell recalled items, they most likely don't know. A good idea is if you are looking for a specific item such as a stroller or crib, check the recall website under those categories and make a list. Better safe than sorry!
Happy bargain shopping!
Flag as inappropriate
jonp on September 16 at 6:22 a.m.
I agree with Savvydad's comment above, it's definitely buyer beware at garage sales. Who knows if others are going to know or care what they sell? Your best line of defense is to use common sense in buying secondhand items.
As for secondhand stores for resale items, storeowners should definitely be liable for their actions. I run an online garage sale website and we definitely caution both buyers and sellers and make this news loud and clear. We've even gone as far as dedicating a chapter about it in our latest garage sale guide book.
Flag as inappropriate
jonp on September 16 at 6:24 a.m.
I should mention that our garage sale site is tagsellit.com if anyone is interested in checking it out.
Flag as inappropriate