The Hidden Safety Risks of Your Amazon Order | WSJ

[@Chimpertainment]

What nobody in this comment sections seems to understand is the Magformer brand had to go through product safety testing that the knockoffs DID NOT go through because of how Amazons marketplace works. Magformers product has been safety tested and would not cause the same problems as the knockoffs. You wouldn't have to worry about kids swallowing the magnets in the first place with a safety tested product. Thats the whole point of this video. This online marketplace is allowing products to slip through that are unsafe because of the sheer amount of products being sold and Amazons lack of motivation to enact safety protocols. And all the people saying its the parents fault. How is it their fault when the video shows these knockoffs that are EXACTLY the same as the safe product? Is every consumer supposed to be an expert on how every single product they buy is sold? Nobody does that! The truth is people take for granted the regulations that exist for the products we buy and now make the assumption people should know better when a new market like Amazon undermines the old system.

[@watsonwrote]

One thing I would update in your comment is that the fake product LOOKS exactly like the legit one, but it isn't exactly the same. I think the people who need to be educated by your comment are going to read that section and assume the knock-offs are "exactly the same as the safe product so what's the issue"

[@MaximC]

You're talking as if those used in original product are not magnets, too. Legally "safe" is not necessarily completely safe, we introduce poison front perfectly "legally safe" products everyday. Take food, take water, anything, take gas that leads us to effects of climate change. Etc.

[@trancendental5373]

I've argued with people on and on about this. A portion of the American population is brainwashed to think that any and as regulation is bad. Stupid.

[@TyeTaylor]

@@watsonwrote I thought that for a second I had to re-read his comment to see who's side he was on lol

[@techlifts7873]

I totally agree and I think Amazon's responsibility should be to remove the copycats from their website and enforce copyright laws, despite the losses they would take from slower sales.

[@mjlyco9752]

You don’t see counterfeit items at Target or Macy’s. Amazon should be held liable for all illegal and counterfeit items sold on their platform. Watch them fix the problem quickly and watch Main Street retail be able to compete again.

[@alfredoalcantar8691]

MJ Lyco still done by Chinese

[@Holistic_angst64]

Hiker here and someone in a Facebook group just posted about how Amazon is selling knockoff Darn Tough socks that have almost the exact same packaging. The only thing that makes the packaging different is the price label on the back- legit ones have a paper sticker with the size, style, and price/barcode on the back. The knockoffs have it printed on to the actual packaging. Why this is important? Because Darn Tough has a No BS lifetime warranty on their socks- if you wear them out, they'll send you a new pair free of charge. So if you unknowingly purchase a knockoff pair of darn tough socks on amazon then experience a product failure and send them back to the company for a free replacement pair, the company itself is losing money

[@Holistic_angst64]

@@ytngw it is illegal. Theft of intellectual property and trademarked logos or names is no small potatoes

[@Holistic_angst64]

@@ytngw exactly. Which is why you should ALWAYS check and double check your items before purchasing them to avoid buying counterfeit items

[@Holistic_angst64]

@@ytngw and companies that sell knockoffs using the same brand name as what they're copying on their knockoff items is theft of intellectual property

[@zhizunbao333]

"fake review" is Amazon's problem

[@yokaidigital3033]

Yeah they are everywhere on the site I remember recently a book fake review on Amazon and if you knew anything about that novel you knew the review had nothing to do with the book itself

[@soon1429]

sometimes they even offer something for a 5 star review like a giftcard n stuff

[@psiloki9054]

I've been offered free products for good reviews. I've known people who were offered money if they removed a bad review they left. There's a website that uses an algorithm to figure out the likely hood of fake reviews of any product you find on amazon. The average amazon product has at least 45% fake reviews and that's sick.

[@LindsayC33]

US-China Decoupling YES!

[@Jjudes9665]

The other problem is Amazon does not allow any ‘derogatory’ reviews to be put up by unsatisfied customers. People only see ok or excellent fake reviews, not the reviews that actually tells other buyers the truth about a product. I’ve had my reviews banned several times for ‘not being satisfactory’ when I’ve not been happy about poor quality.😡

[@watsonwrote]

What about the levels of lead and cadmium in adult products? I don't want toxic metals around my house

[@Jaffjv]

Matthew Watson small children are much more likely to stick things in their mouths that they’re not supposed to and the toxic metals get ingested. Your electronics all have toxic metals in them, doesn’t mean they’re unsafe... so long as you don’t eat them

[@elianna838]

Stan lead can be absorbed via skin contact. Just by holding something with lead, your body is absorbing it.

[@watsonwrote]

@@Jaffjv I'm not pressing my skin against traces sealed inside PCB boards. I'm talking about lead paint in products that we touch and can absorb into out skin, or flake off and breathe. There's a difference between the insides of batteries sealed within their container and breaking open a battery and shaking its contents all over your kitchen table. If we're buying shirts and bed sheets and phone cases that US factories would get shut down for producing, don't you think consumers would like to know about that and be protected from it?

[@Gamerad360]

You already have them.

[@xxzoruaxv]

Charles Yeo You think you’ll be able to see the warning sign of toxic metals in claire’s makeup for kids? Ya no they don’t really care unless if it disrupts that money

[@muzkat101]

When I learned that Amazon was stealing ideas from startup entrepreneurs' ideas and products features on Amazon; Amazon allowing cheaper knock-offs of those products, I cut my ties with Amazon... that was over 10 years ago - I'd never sell another product on Amazon again.

[@Michael-te6tb]

Hydden N. Plainsyght yup, still the same

[@jaytee7786]

Amazon is still thriving without u

[@haizeabezala]

@@jaytee7786 Well, people can also thrive without Amazon. If you lose trust, you lose it all.

[@FrancisJamal]

Seriously, this ceo chris tidwell just delivered the best response i have ever seen to an outbreak about malfunktioning toy and his emphasis on testing and resulting trust i have seen about anything ever. This is the kind of response every outlet should deliver if confronted with a problem! Thats why companies who refuse reporters inquiries have already failed in my opinion! Verry adequat and professional aproach! Good guy!

[@news4kandsnews4kands63]

Agree, but this CEO should have required WSJ to include physical break apart comparison video of both the counterfeit and original toy parts.

[@Julenium]

Most of these commenters blaming the parents for not keeping a better eye on their children probably didn't watch the whole video... The first example they used was a pretty bad one, but if you watch the whole video, they go more in depth about the testing done on some toys and how they contain too much lead or other toxins. It's also about third party sellers who imitate products which are not tested properly before being listed. Watch the whole video first, and then feel free to comment otherwise you just look like an idiot

[@virginiacampodonico5215]

Who opened the BOX? THE CHILD?

[@SPCEMN3]

To be fair, the video is terribly conceived and edited. It takes over 5 minutes to get to the damned point. I don't think this is the viewers' fault.

[@francisco4benites]

Julenium well if they didn't go into the stupid Amazon owner and his story I think alot of people would have watched to see what happen but when your watching something bad happen and you want to know how and than it switches to something else you normally switch off

[@whatever.1765]

Virginia Campodonico how was the parent supposed to know?

[@girlscanbedrummers5449]

@@whatever.1765 Because they don't know they're an idiot lol

[@mothersgauri4137]

There's another side to this that I have to question. If your child goes into the yard and swallows a stone or a sharp piece of glass or anything else, who do you blame ??? For some reason it seems we have become a society that has no understanding of taking personal responsibility. ANYTHING can be dangerous if misused. I can understand when there are dangerous toxins involved, irresponsible misrepresentations, malfunctioning items due to negligence ,etc. But it just seems we've gotten way off track in so many ways . How can you guarantee that if you walk out your door, a tree branch will absolutely never fall on your head ? And if it does, you HAVE to find someone to sue?? We do our best, but there is nothing that is absolute. I'm just mentioning this as it seems that there needs to be some sort of balance in all of this ?

[@user-gv1fe5sz2p]

Liberals and conservatives are getting fed up with this company and it's about time. Both sides have a common enemy and hopefully will take action.

[@Gamerad360]

Yeah, finally they realize these Chinese companies are to blame.

[@billymetzitzah2224]

I agree but they won't

[@robinrobin4088]

? Consumer is a consumer. Anyway they no longer have a receipt or return label. Kohl's is x town Ups. X town We have to print a label or pay $1 Next the messed up my order They promised I would be able to buy the cell at sale price. I received a pressure cooker I no longer shop at stores that will not accept USPS or have a return label and receipt in the box In fact several years ago and Amazon rep (in USA) told me not to buy from a third party Or at least buy from manufacturer (hopefully)

[@robinrobin4088]

See the vid about products from a dumpster, clearance sales, Goodwill, etc Ew

[@robinrobin4088]

My recent experience , horrible

[@melodramatic7904]

This really scares me because even though I do my research, but my husband uses price as his sole determinate when buying anything so I can see him buying these knockoffs that are dangerous for our children.

[@JigglypuffTutorials]

melodramatic7904 dump the husband if he goes for the cheapest option everytime

[@doctorstrange3449]

jigglypluff yeah

[@rorscach1]

If you show him this video, he should change his mind. SHOULD.

[@Trecherousbeast]

@@rorscach1 the problem is that you don't know which products are the safe ones. Some knockoffs I've seen are REALLY close to what the original looks like, just recently I saw a post on Facebook about fake medicine for dogs. On the cover of the medicine they got EVERYTHING right except for the brand name. The color pallette, box shape, box size, even the DOG on the box was exactly the same! If you had just glanced at it, you wouldn't know the difference. If you were buying from anywhere else, then buying cheap wouldn't be a problem, but because Amazon isn't properly moderating their products, there is a risk.

[@TomNook.]

Imagine valuing price over your own children's safety 😪

[@TalesOfGod]

So long as you are being cautious then you should be fine. Don't leave toddlers/children alone with their toys that can be taken apart should be common sense. I am more worried about the false reviews that are constantly becoming more popular with sellers. In China, there are even some companies that excel in giving fake reviews.

[@kaeya8674]

TalesOfGod # oh dang :(

[@melodramatic7904]

@@kaeya8674 yeah I saw a whole video about how there are places in China who are really good at putting their competitors out of business by posting fake reviews and even reporting the product as defective or unsafe.

[@avantgauche]

the item that hurt the child was fake how was the mother supposed to know that it was fake and unsafe. Amazon is liable not the parents. Amazon makes it easy to sell fakes and dodgy goods and just shrugs when kids get hurt in this one area amazon could put its foot down but hurt kids don't hurt their bottom line enough to do so.

[@Gamerad360]

@@avantgauche Take 30 seconds to see what company you are buying from and read their reviews.

[@303Lyons303]

Thank WSJ for keeping us safe. Glad to hear Amazon removed the products as well.

[@lyricslounge9745]

WSJ great video ! Please do same with alibaba and aliexpress

[@darren6972]

Or wish.com. In my opinion, they are the worst. I would be shocked if over 30% of their products would pass safety testing

[@whatever.1765]

I’ve been seeing a bunch of people buying jewelry from AliExpress but I’m too scared of lead and other toxins to do it :(

[@zhengzhenggu9474]

I have been buying almost everything from Amazon for my child - from formula to toy. I tried to buy the most expensive ones - from seller = brand name. Now, I have no comfort at all if the toys that brought are even genuinely actual manufacturers... not counterfeit... how would I know? How can I tell? Where is Amazon’s corporate social responsibility to keep our children safe????

[@rainbomg]

Aa Oh try buying on Walmart.com or target.com, you can see on the listing if the “seller” is Walmart or target. If it isn’t, DONT BUY IT. Most reviews are fake and you could be handing your kid lead, which has no safe level of exposure. You can look at the Walmart or target website help sections to find product recalls. I suggest doing this monthly bc kid stuff is the bulk of the recalls. This is simply the easiest way to have some autonomy that I know of

[@wolf3755]

Good old brick and mortar stores, that you can trust, and support your community

[@gauloisrefractaireenexilvo4366]

In today's World, Amazon must spend more on compliance and safety of their Customers. They have an unlimited offer in the marketplace, the good, the bad and the deadly, and like any other shop owner they must take responsibility and be held liable for what they sell. It might be about time to reverse the flywheel momentum.

[@SuperFlamingBanana]

I think that if you are selling one of those products you should be fined and that money can be use to find other offenders.

[@Prussia_is_not_yet_lost.]

These magnetic blocks are still availlable on amazon as for the date today. The seller may have changed his name.

[@jenniferpiper4293]

I literally just found the same thing myself only one month later. I paused and searched hoping I'd not find them available. Most everything anymore comes down to the almighty dollar. Very little value left in the consumer industry. Things are not built to be repaired and last over time anymore. They are made cheap deliberately counting entirely on replacement. It is truly a shame, so very wasteful.

[@teslatacos5131]

Parent leaves child alone with toys he can fit in his mouth... real smart. There are many things a child can eat that can harm them, how about we take some responsibility as parents and watch our kids better ??

[@mattao18]

@@raymreed This feels like several moments that started with purchasing off brand sight unseen from the internet. I like to save but some things - your bed, parmasean cheese... kids toys with magnets - feel like one not to try and cut corners. Now that we moved past that : How long does it take a child to eat 13 pieces of plastic?

[@thesurvivalistprepper6100]

Kids now are basically Left 4 Dead these parents are mostly spun out on illegal or pharmaceutical drugs and a focus only on themselves with Instagram and other social media they don't even have time to properly dispose of diapers I've seen this with my own brother's wife who is from a very wealthy family and she's a millionaire herself but you can't buy class as they say

[@laughingc0w]

Not a parent, but it’s physically impossible to watch someone every second. One sec is how quickly a kid gets into trouble More importantly, the vid explains that some sellers outright lie about toxic levels of heavy metals in their products. No one gets independent lab testing for every product that comes into their home. If you mistakenly buy a counterfeit product, then you have no idea if it’s safe or not

[@chieh887]

yep, an irresponsible parent... but build a safety selections system is important

[@JustComeflywithme]

Thank god someone said it.

[@wasabi42]

it should be common sense to not leave a curious child, unattended, with something with small parts. issues like this are well within the consumer’s control. it’s not the world’s job to protect your baby.

[@thesurvivalistprepper6100]

I love seeing the comments they're quite refreshing

[@송관석-r2z]

Lol if you're trying to sell products meant for babies, you absolutely should be sure if it's safe for them. This goes for the toy manufacturer s AND amazon. I think it's reasonable for parents to leave children with toys such as magformers. They're quite large so the danger they pose is not intuitive.

[@송관석-r2z]

Maybe you should watch and comprehend the entire clip before commenting...

[@wasabi42]

송관석 i wasn’t trying to say that amazon isn’t responsible at some level. they were the ones who marketed it as safe, and that’s on them. but it’s ultimately the consumer’s choice to buy the product, and frankly, people should be doing more research.

[@tompain2751]

Unfortunately,common sense is not so common any more!

[@redseasplitter]

WSJ revised the safety products for Amazon for Free 😂🤣

[@wakeup3581]

This sounds like a parent problem. I don’t even have kids and I know that kids can choke on anything they can put in their mouth.

[@verde-od7il]

Well said!

[@theflaca]

AMAZON: THE WORLD'S LARGEST POLLUTION MARKET PLACE.

[@strictlyaesthetic9202]

Eating the magnets is not the intended purpose of the toy. If the child was injured while playing with the toy as intended.. I would sympathize..

I prefer eBay. Direct from the seller with feedback & guarantee.

[@petradach4453]

Excellent video! Thanks WSJ for flagging this issue

[@mariocardenas721]

Hey, here's a crazy idea. Teach your kids not to swallow inedible things. I was taught, you were taught, most of us were. Kids will be kids and make mistakes, but don't be an irresponsible parent and just point fingers at one party. All parties share some of the blame. Some more than others. And admittedly, there should be more oversight, but not just by the companies, but by parents too. Is the concept of negligent parenthood far-fetched? Nope. Also, a little cynical I admit. Some kids will get harmed and die from certain products. There are statistics about these kinds of things. Pools and pool covers are extremely dangerous to toddlers. We don't just ban them or take action against the company. The best and most effective method to keep your children safe is teaching them to be so. Second thing we can, inform the companies, government and public of the potential dangers of said products. I personally believe we are doing just that in our society. Is it enough? Idk. Honestly, who could? That's where statistics comes in.

[@SGALAXIA]

Look, you can walk into a 99cent store, dollar general, or other similar discount stores and find unsafe products for sale. Why aren't those stores being scrutinized? This is BS. Consumers are supposed to educate themselves prior to making a purchase, it is not the responsibility of the store. If you have a food allergy does the grocery store get blamed for your lack of competence if you failed to read the ingredients on the side of the box and eat said food that your allergic to? NO!

[@tnndll4294]

It's NOT Working! The chinese knockoffs of Magformers are still on Amazon. One of them sold by "DreambuilderToy" even has an "AMAZON'S CHOICE" label on it.

[@zhizunbao333]

Sure IMDEN product is not safe when swallowed by kids, is the product from Magformers safe for kids to swallow? It's the parent's responsibility, not Amazon's, to make a judgement using common sense,on whether their kids too young or too stupid to play this toy. I think it's an Intellectual Property issue, not safety issue. Too much unnecessary Safety regulation only increase cost and leads to monopoly.

[@trend6527]

Magformers are too big to swallow and too hard to be broken in small pieces by a kid.

[@geraldarcuri9307]

Amazon's "virtuous cycle" with third party retailers has become a nightmare. It is backfiring because of poor quality products and lousy customer service. It's not just safety concerns.

[@craigparker3434]

This can't be blamed on Amazon. These parents are to blame. Toddlers will put anything in their mouths.

[@arachnid33]

The scariest thing is that even if parents decide not to purchase toys from amazon, many teachers buy classroom toys and supplies for cheap in bulk from amazon.

[@riripari2042]

I'm sorry about the child's injury but there's age restrictions to toys for a reason. There have been countless stories by now about young kids swallowing magnets. You'd think people would catch on to that by now.

[@lovethyself2781]

Nice joke by Bezos: Amazon is a collection of principles 😂

[@abc123fhdi]

How big are the magnets in the real product? I would like to see how hard it is to break the real product or if the magnetic is inside the entire product and made of a tougher plastic.

[@news4kandsnews4kands63]

Exactly. WSJ video of comparison breaking of original vs conterfeit toy would be more helpful.

[@christophertidwell4905]

123abc there is a huge difference. I would be happy to review with you or have you review for yourself. That testing process is called torque test. Please reach me at [e-mail]

[@toby16custom]

Great piece of journalism from WSJ

[@usts6su19]

Fortunately in Europe we test products before they can sell them , as an American I think that is a shame for a developed country like USA 🇺🇸 to don't have a prevention program like in EU 🇪🇺

[@elainelouve]

In the EU we can buy the same hazardous stuff though, Amazon, Wish, Aliexpress, etc. also deliver here. It doesn't matter how good the quality control in the EU is, if people buy directly from China. Amazon has a lot of 3rd party sellers and counterfeit products.

[@jamielancaster01]

I buy from Amazon a lot but I don’t buy any third-party items!

[@jenniferpiper4293]

I'm not trying to challenge you. I am curious as a member, how can you be sure?

[@MirzaAhmed89]

Watch your kids so they don't swallow toys.

[@rgurung351]

Mirza Ahmed I think that’s easier said then done. Kids play with toys majority of the time they are awake. I don’t think parents have so much free time in their day to just stare at their kids. This is a safety issue, and it should be solved where it began- Amazon.

[@torispaide1347]

@@rgurung351 In the case of products with toxic amounts of lead/other metals? Sure, yeah Amazon should be on top of that. With kids swallowing magnets? No, that is not Amazons problem at all.

[@TNDCBaby]

@@torispaide1347 Did you see the toy? The magnet should not have been able to get out of it, unless that kid completely dismantled it. It seems he didn't and the product was just a cheaply made knockoff, which gave him access to the magnets.

[@Fuq2]

Or dicks.

[@rgurung351]

B. Rippy Even if you are a stay at home parent, it is IMPOSSIBLE to be with your kid 24/7. There is so much work maintaining a home- you don’t need to be career driven to be busy. Having kid is a big decision, so yeah definitely make the decision based on how much you want kids. Personally, I don’t see it happening for me.

[@thesurvivalistprepper6100]

Amazon actually does a pretty good job with their customer service but the company is so big it's hard to control

[@MaxBrix]

So the same product purchased somewhere else would be safe? I don't want other people choosing what I can buy or from whom. I have raised kids with magnets in my house. Instead of relying on society to be responsible for your kids do it yourself. I do support laws restricting the use of toxic materials.

[@Max-nt7ho]

Amazon should ban all counterfeit sellers, not just remove the unsafe/counterfeit items.

[@ShyLuna44]

In the first place I wasn’t giving my very little amount of money to the richest person in the world that doesn’t pay taxes and the more I watch about their practices no one else should either!! From how they treat their employees to literally selling trash and now not following any rules to keep the public safe, they should be shut down immediately!

[@jeanwilliams7200]

Unsafe products are taken down off the store shelves at your local market and big retail and pet food stores all the time. You just don't hear about it in the news. goto the government site that list the recent recalls you will see just how many products there are that you didn't even know had been recalled.

[@mattsprayberry0]

First let me say this I do feel sorry for the parents and the young boy who is going through but the parents let their young kid play with small magnets most likely unsupervised that are a hazard to anyone who ingest them and now he is screwed up for life and the parents are trying to blame someone else for their mistake. They didn't do their research on this product they didn't their job as a parent by watching their child play with small parts that are a choking hazard but I guess if it makes you feel better to blame someone else go ahead.

[@1stGruhn]

Keep up the solid reporting: this is real journalism.

[@Leppalimes]

Is the definition of "unsafe" anything that a toddler can cram down their throat? These parents are acting like the toys have developed artificial intelligence and are relentlessly digging themselves down childrens' esophogi.

[@S2Tubes]

That's one problem, the other being lead, and other toxic substances used in paint. In China, those safety concerns are ignored in favor of making them cheaper.

[@thesurvivalistprepper6100]

When I was a kid I shoved the I from my stuffed animal into my nose and had to have it removed at the doctor don't think I'm a lunatic kid as usual it was the parents fault from conception my parents fought everyday when I was in the stomach including every day when I was out of the stomach and by only five years old my mom had the bright idea to steal Us in the middle of the night when my dad was at work and move across the country 3000 miles away and during that Journey when I lost my best friend and my ID is when I was acting out and of course I put that in my nose I was left alone for hours my mom was a mess manic basket case and then they want to say something's wrong with me go figure that's all parents it's a sad story

[@theundomesticatedmom6440]

While I realize everyone is saying it’s not the parents fault, as the parent of 5 children myself, children are individual, and you absolutely know if your child is the type of kid to put things in their mouth all the time, and not buying small toys that fit in their mouth, toys with parts that can easily break off, toys with magnets or watch batteries, is honestly a no brainer. Don’t buy any of these toys for your child if they put things in their mouth. Of course toy makers should be responsible enough to put on the box that it has small pieces, or magnets, but with that one...I feel like it’s kind of obvious...

[@AS-ye4yx]

In my opinion this isn't an Amazon issue. It's a parent issue. Kids can swallow ANYTHING around the house.

[@miked3723]

Actually none of these products are unsafe because my children aren't stupid and I know how to parent.

[@watsonwrote]

Pretty sure the dangerous levels of lead and cadmium are unsafe no matter how smart and great everyone touching them is.

[@miked3723]

@@watsonwrote lead and cadmium are safe if you don't ingest them, actually.

[@trisxq2546]

The child isn’t stupid he’s just really young and curious. It was the parents fault for giving the child toys they can swallow

[@MASTEROFEVIL]

At least someone here has common since unlike some people

[@watsonwrote]

@@miked3723 I was a painter for a number of years and even though cadmium yellow and its cousins have the best color intensity, I refused to buy watercolors with cadmium because even getting the paint on my skin risked absorbing the carcinogen. I could also touch my face unconsciously and risk getting it in my mouth. I only knew one artist willing to work with cadmium paint. Also any exposure to products with unsafe levels of lead is dangerous. Cheap paint flakes and the particles can be inhaled. We also absorb quite a lot through our skin. Bonus heavy metal facts: Cadmium and lead are dangerous because of the way they interact with our biology. They replace some important structures in cell proteins and are thus very difficult to remove, all the while imparing function. This is especially destructive on growing brains which is why people who grew up in houses with lead-based paint have more behavioral problems and lower IQ. The fact that violent crime rates have fallen since the introduction of unleaded gas and reduction of lead in homes is likely not a coincidence.

[@peoplevidsinfo9529]

Amazon isn't god. It is hardly better then wish. I don't buy from them because its literally the same. I preper quality period. I'll pay a little extra for that.

[@youzhenzhang8415]

I have a question, if it's sold by Amazon itself (not a third party seller fulfilled by amazon) are those properly regulated and tested for safety and quality?

[@Nugz89]

You can be the safest parent on the planet and you kid will still get hurt, not as much, but will still get hurt. And as Amazon being a multi billion dollar company should thoroughly check every time and not just list it because it's sellable. If they don't have to pay taxes then they should do right by their customers and make sure they're getting the best safest item at the price they pay.

[@crazyrichwumao]

They keep saying “Amazon’s products”. Unless it has Amazon name on it, these are somebody else’s products. Such sloppy reporting.

[@lawofparsimony]

good work wsj. some good journalism here.

[@sweetaddictiontoawesomenes6831]

Get rich (The real American Dream) And if you have to harm someone in the process... So be it, i have found that it is true , so sad! The American way now is to have stuff, no matter where's come from, the obsesion to get a product is almost sickening.

[@fen4ri]

Man, Amazon shouldn't be allowed to skirt around the laws! They skirt around labor laws as well too... All because they're such a corporate giant smh

[@electricmagnetic]

Bezos talks like he's always holding back a burp.

[@CJinsoo]

I appreciate the insights from the gentleman in the video, but I doubt that Amazon, one of the most innovative companies in the world, is also incapable of policing its own rules. How do box retailers do it? Amazon doesn’t have the resources? Maybe the issue is that Amazon doesn’t WANT to police its own rules? Because to do so conflicts with the virtuous wheel, i.e., you don’t make as much money. I haven’t been concerned about safety, but about knock-offs or unpackaged (return) items over the past year. If I want more assurance that I am receiving the product that I expect, I’ll go to Walmart online., or drive to Walmart.

[@peterharper9703]

Human safety should be above all else. Ever hear the phrase “Safety First!”?

[@mariew4422]

Love this thanks for the reminder to be safe while shopping👌We do things that seem normal like shop on amazon etc because evryones doing it,t it's like going to Walmart u dont think much about it. Only thought is "am I gonna get a cheap product" when you go on those sites not "am I gonna get something that's gonna kill me or a loved one uk.thanks 4 opening our eyes

[@johnbailey3351]

Twenty years ago I briefly roomed with a Walmart buyer during a deployment to the Balkans. They ensured, or at least tried to ensure, quality in what they put in their stores. Increasingly what I buy on Amazon does not work or work well. If it is selection versus product quality, I will vote for quality.

[@mothersgauri4137]

Be sure to always check if product is made in China. Nothing against the Chinese people, but reality has shown what is happening with these cheap products.

[@abethepunk]

I wonder what Wish or Alibaba's toy selection is like.

[@fontanasurron]

That's where amazon junk comes from.

[@jeanwilliams7200]

I'd say 95% worse then Amazon. Add eBay to that list.

[@HappyMadScientist]

This is why playgrounds are no fun anymore and toys are as weird and boring as heck. I had a variation of those magnets when I was about 8yrs old and my mom woulda skinned my hide if I let them around my little siblings and they ate one. Also, I took them apart and made darts outa them so they would stick to the fridge. More government is not the answer. It's the parent's fault they don't watch their kid close enough.

[@rosafabian9267]

The problem is not supervision. A toy that has illegal levels of toxic metals or chemicals is not affected by whether a parent is watching the child. And even with a stay at home mom, it is impossible to watch a child every second of the day, and not good for their development.

[@Sxchiko]

Amazon issue is many are from overseas with no consumer rules enforcement using local addresses.

[@jenniferpiper4293]

Out of curiosity, while watching, I paused and perused Amazon. Most of the products in this video that had been "removed from inventory" are currently available for purchase.

[@babywhale5783]

everything that's listed that's "banned" is still on the market today, only revised with another name and diff pictures.

[@coll4455]

That baby sleep mat is still available today!!! The one that can cause them to suffocate. I actually thought about it because my son who is just 5 months old sleeps on his side but something just didn’t look safe about it so I never looked into it

[@rainbowbunniie]

I know this video is about copycats selling cheap knock off products on amazon often unsafe versions (which isn’t okay) but I really hate when they try and use examples like the kids swallowing the magnets. That’s not the companies fault that’s because of stupid negligent parenting. Things like that are why toys I played with as a kid like the original Polly Pocket or Littlest Pet Shop were totally changed because some lazy parents couldn’t watch their kids and blamed the company. I never would have swallowed the small toys or been given them if I was still young enough that I didn’t know better. Parents are just not expected to have any common sense any more. If you can’t watch your kids or know when they’re old enough to have certain toys you don’t belong having them.

[@throttleblip1]

It's 2019 nobody knows anything about anything

[@sanjaybhatikar]

I have canceled my Amazon Prime subscription. I believe this is the right decision for my family and community. I hope more people will choose to reclaim life from "big tech". Peace!

[@gen_li7725]

The question now is with counterfeit items being so close to the real thing, how do we know when what we are getting is the real thing anymore? I rather go back to doing gift shopping in person at retailers who only sell real and safety tested products and mailing them myself when I have to.

[@howitworksforme]

OMG! I BOUGHT THAT MUSIC SET FOR MY CHILD 9 MONTHS AGO!

[@charleesamuelson6152]

That's why you never buy knock-offs

[@thefleet1554]

People choose the cheaper product over a well known brand. People need to learn that they compromise on the reliability, safety, and quality they get when choosing. Amazon gives the selection and it's up to consumers to choose.

[@lydiaduncan712]

So many parents need to see this!

[@MasonsTurtle]

The WSJ may have indirectly saved many lives with their work here.

[@reroutinglife5792]

Kids are the parents responsibility.

[@thesurvivalistprepper6100]

Yup

[@thesurvivalistprepper6100]

But most parents are caught up thinking about themselves or something else rather than their own kids

[@seanarmstrong7767]

Leah Olmsted So true... Sad to hear when a child is harmed in any way but in most cases it’s not the toy manufacturers fault...Kids can easily choke to death on a q-tip in the bathroom trash..who’s to blame then, the can, the cotton swab, the bathroom, hefty trash bag company? Accountability begins and ends with parents! Pay attention to what is given to children, and also what children are doing at all times..Only takes a split second for a child to make a giant mistake!

[@soundsoftheinternet68]

Me: *holding contraption that looks like a metal detector* Contraption: *BEEP BEEP BEEEEEP* Me: AHA! MY SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS DETECTOR HAS DONE IT AGAIN! GOD IM GOING TO BE SO RICH!

[@Mamaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

You know what else is unsafe? Rocks, crumbs, chips, marbles, Legos. If you leave a toddler unattended and know they are mouthy, things can happen.

[@melvincollins8104]

When I was a kid, kids could play with giant lawn darts or BB guns.

[@saumitrachakravarty]

Things that are overtly unsafe is paradoxically safer than those having covert danger lurking within it. Children, from early on, usually develop a sense of precaution while dealing with clearly dangerous products but lets their guard down while handling something cute with trouble hidden inside. Don't we all? For example, child-safe playgrounds are shown to be more dangerous for kids in terms of severity and frequency of injuries than makeshift junkyard playgrounds.

[@honeybdream]

After the video on Amazon selling food from the garbage & this video, I'll pass‼️💸

[@megnelli]

Amazon is a digital landlord that values fast and cheap for the most profit.

[@user-ne2bb5nh7t]

Amazon will never do anything significant about this because their very model depends on having so many sellers. Basically, anything you want to buy you have to find the original brand that made it and search for them on Amazon.

[@HangNguyen-ih8rf]

Buying from amazon is like flipping a coin....50% chance you get the real deal 50% counterfeit. I been debating to cancel my prime...been a fan since they were only selling books back then in college. They are now out of control.

[@davidb2206]

SUPERVISE your kids at all times. Around swimming pools. Around upper floors and steps. What they are eating. You have to SUPERVISE and not leave unattended. Otherwise, don't have them. Some children get severely burned due to inattentive parents every year.

[@alixnight5318]

Why doesn't Amazon have a department that focuses on safety tests to bring more credibility to items listed on their platform? Even with a huge backlog, it'd make me feel better if products had a badge verifying they pass safety tests. Especially in a category so vulnerable as children's products. It's never good press that children are being harmed by products.

[@COPPERMOUNTAINCOINS.]

The fall out of the trade war, you have to buy cheap knockoffs instead of high cost knockoffs, just buy American!!!

[@COPPERMOUNTAINCOINS.]

@@rajpat89 and that's the rub, America was an industrial powerhouse but greedy corrupt politicians sold that industry off and now America suffers for it. That's why we need the trade war and we need to win it.

[@nicolaslemay]

This video make me realized pretty much stopped ordering on amazon because of the low quality this site offers. I had too often products so bad that they were unusable, even prime products. If I need a new iPhone 7 sceeen, I want to find one good, not take hours searching through countless listing to find one good. Also, the comments on amazon don’t help much, which often reviews looking fake. I started again going to store around me, because they offers a little bit of filter and quality compare to that Fast Ali Express that became Amazon.

[@rltome]

I stop buying off Amazon years ago

[@Xergecuz]

There are several scams in Amazon, and all being pulled by chinese vendors, including posting super cheap products that never arrive, fake reviews and low quality products. I've bought name brand like Sony and Samsung on Amazon and never had a problem, but I will sometimes buy random products from chinese vendors and 50% of the time there is an issue with the product.

[@yokaidigital3033]

I feel bad for the child in the story but why do parents never read the standard warning that there are small objects that child may swallow.

[@thanezollman5269]

For every one switch pro controller on amazon there seems to be 4 fake ones that look almost exactly the same but dont have the switch logo and seem super sketchy

[@lepidoptery]

that "virtuous cycle" sounds like pure pr bs (also I can't believe anyone acts like this was a revolutionary idea), especially when amazon is only the direct seller some of the time. amazon's costs going down = increased profit for amazon, it doesn't mean anything for the customer, because amazon just charges marketplace sellers a percentage.

[@chickentikkasauce1301]

Why is Amazon called out in the title? Are they the only seller with these kinds of items? I read an anti Amazon article in the WSJ today as well. No agenda here at all, huh?

[@TNDCBaby]

It is because they are the largest company to allow 3rd party vendors and their reach is massive. Why would you pick David as an example when Goliath is the one who gets th emost business an dhas the largest impact?

[@chickentikkasauce1301]

T C how much larger are they than their competitors? And why wouldn’t you discuss their competitors at all if this isn’t just about the WSJ and Amazon? Amazon gets made up to be Goliath but they still have half of WalMarts revenue. It’s awfully convenient for the WSJ to go after their competitors - yes, WSJ does compete with Amazon on publishing and ad revenue.

[@TNDCBaby]

@@chickentikkasauce1301 When it comes to 3rd party sellers amazon has opened up the floodgates. Last I read they had millions in comparison to walmart's few thousand.

[@chickentikkasauce1301]

T C Amazon could have a trillion third party sellers. That’s besides the point. They’re not the only ones with third party sellers, so to talk about these issues in terms of Amazon being bad when in fact, their competitors aren’t any better, is disingenuous. You ignored my point that Amazon is still tiny compared to WalMart. The WSJ is writing hit pieces and creating propaganda. This isn’t journalism - it’s more personal because WSJ is attacking a direct competitor. Love or hate Amazon, the WSJ has lost journalistic integrity. Not completely surprising since it’s owned by Murdoch.

[@TNDCBaby]

@@chickentikkasauce1301 I didn't ignore anything. I'd been pretty clear that the focus seemed to be non compliance with 3rd party vendors and Amazon being that much larger is probably one reason for the focus. The other difference is probably them allowing so many unvetted sellers. It's not a hit piece. They gave the good and the bad of it. Amazon is still amazon. At most people might be more careful with 3rd party buying and it sounds like Amazon is doing some tweaking to try and fix things but like most companies that bottom line is the bottom line. It's nothing new.

[@xjlonelystar]

The thing I don’t understand even if the parents bought it from the legit company how would that help?

[@elianna838]

The legit company has had to comply with the rigorous US governmental regulations for kids toys since they are likely to sell on US soil. 3rd Party sellers on Amazon are sending you products sent directly from China. The US government cannot regulate China’s manufacturing, so the toys arriving at your door directly from China will likely have Lead, Cadmium, and Asbestos. To eliminate the risk, it is better to buy from a local US toy store. Every item sold in a US toy store will not carry Chinese knock off brands nor will they care Chinese toys with Lead and Cadmium. All US toy stores will sell products that comply with US regulations, so you can be safe knowing that if you purchased a toy from a physical toy store in the US, it won’t have toxic levels of Lead, Cadmium, or Asbestos.

[@xanvong1501]

If you don't want to play with your kids, so watch them ! Toys or electronic devices are not a babysitter.

[@rosafabian9267]

Watching a kid play is not a solution to high levels of lead and toxic metals in toys that have not been approved because of glaring safety problems.

[@napoleonibonaparte7198]

Jeff getting bald over the years...

[@famousmidnight]

100% parents fault (one the first item). Kids put all types of things in their mouth.. I almost died from choking on a peppermint when I was like 12 We gonna ban peppermints? It shouldn't be Amazons job to test everyone's product.. that's the manufacturers job to do if they want to sell in the US. These test are extremely expensive.

[@mariagmartinho]

The issue is that the Amazon selling structure as it is right now, enables products which would not pass such tests to enter the market.

[@pshim570]

Like all big business, your health and safety is the lowest priority. Money is their god. Once again , convenience is the path to garbage. Self Sourcing & procurement seems to be the only path out of this nightmare. SUPPORT LOCALS!!! Or make it yourself ❤

[@jeanwilliams7200]

Also, how may of us own a car that has been recalled for a known issue that has lead to a death. How about whirlpools recall of stoves turning on by itself which can and has created fires. Didn't hear that in the news. People want to blame Amazon for it all but it's "buyer beware" Not the other way around. Take some responsibility before you buy something inead of acting like a bunch of children who " just want and need it now" acting incompetent is no excuse