Last week I set up a poll asking if government needed to do more to stop the sale of unsafe products on online platforms. Thanks to everyone for voting and to those that added thought provoking comments.
With the poll closing for business last Thursday, the consensus was that the Government does indeed need to do more, with a whacking 98% of votes saying yes.
This wasn’t a complete surprise to me as I have a healthy amount of regulator connections which have seen first-hand on many occasions the harm caused to consumers (the young, vulnerable, and elderly) when buying online anything from electrical goods to toys. 🎮
This whole conversation was perfectly timed as the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) issued a safety message last week warning UK consumers of the product safety risks when buying online. The Chief Exec of OPSS is quoted as saying that there is too much evidence of non-compliant products being sold by third party sellers urging consumers to be cautious and identify exactly whom they are buying from.
This is the first time that UK government has addressed publicly the potential pitfalls of buying from online platforms and third party sellers so I will be watching with keen interest how this conversation plays out as we move towards Christmas and then into the New Year.
Across the Atlantic in July of this year, the US Consumer Safety Regulator decided to sue Amazon asking the business to recall hazardous products from being sold on its site including flammable children’s pyjamas, faulty carbon monoxide detectors and hair dryers that had the capacity to cause electrocution. ⚡
Quite a step in itself with the then Chair of the Consumer Safety Committee stating at the time that the lawsuit sends a message to Amazon and other online marketplaces that selling dangerous and defective products that harm Americans will not be tolerated. 🗽
So, my takeaways are…
Consumers: When buying online, make sure you know exactly who you are buying from, do the research on the product to check that it’s not been subject to a recall, check out any reviews and ratings and see how easily it is to return an item and get a refund.
UK government: words are one thing but now might be the time to follow up with meaningful action in the UK to hold online platforms as well as businesses that sell on them to account.
Business: If any of this resonates with you, please do contact me and we can talk……
