Buyer Beware - Deceptive New "Made In USA" Label

As I was doing research last night for SmartToyChoice.com, I came across a new "Made in the USA" label for a car seat that I thought was incredibly deceptive.

After all the toy recalls China last year, this new label gives the warm and fuzzy feeling that you are buying a nice, safe USA made product - BUT do you notice the small print below the large USA flag? WITH GLOBAL COMPONENTS

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with products made in whole or in part outside the US but the super large US flag and the really small print for the global components seems quite deceptive to me!

Evenflo Discovery Car Seat Recall

This week the Evenflo Discovery Car Seats were recalled. As we prepare to expand the SmartToyChoice.com service to include other children’s products and car seats, I am reminded of why we created the personalized recall notification service. While entering the past car seat recalls (from 2007 on) most of them state that the manufacturer will notify registered customers of the recall or send them the repair kit.

But will all owners of the car seats BE notified?

One recall for the Viva car seat by miaModa was recalled because the car seats were sold without a registration card – so did the owners of these car seats still register them?

Or what about my scenario – I bought a Peg Perego infant car seat in 2002, just before my daughter was born and I promptly mailed in my registration. In 2004, we moved. In 2005, I used the car seat again for my son when he was born. Then in 2006, just before we moved again, I gave the car seat to my friend who was pregnant. Before her daughter was born she took the car seat to the fire station to have them help install it. They asked her if she had installed the repair kit from the recall. She called me to ask if I had – I had NO idea the car seat had ever been recalled. Did my registration get lost in the mail? Did I not receive the recall notification because the time expired on the mail forwarding?

SmartToyChoice.com allows you to see exactly what you have registered. If you move, you can easily update your address for all of your SmartToyChoice.com registered products. If your email address changes but you do not update your SmartToyChoice.com account, we will be notified when we send the quarterly email and will follow up with a post card to your home address in your account (before the time limit expires on the mail forwarding!)

The Words of a Five Year Old on Toy Recalls

As I prepared the SmartToyChoice.com Quarterly Newsletter today, my five year old daughter oohed and aahed over the pictures of toys I included in the newsletter. She would say - "Oh Mom - the Cinderalla Car looks so neat - and I would respond - "sorry, that has been recalled." Then she would say - "Oh Mom - look at that neat coaster" (referring to the Magtastik Wonder Coaster) and I would respond - "unfortunately that toy has been recalled too." After the third toy she asked about and I responded that it was part of a toy recall, my daughter exclaimed - "DON'T THEY MAKE ANY TOYS THAT AREN'T RECALLED!"

Plan Toys - The Green Company Recalls Toy Penguin

Yesterday, Plan Toys - Green Toy -Green Company, recalled their Toy Penguin due to a report of the head detaching and sharp connectors posing a laceration hazard. This recall from a "Green" Company supports the following SmartToyChoice "Ten Toy Recall Myths":


Only "toxic" toys are recalled
Not true. While lead paint in toys made the headlines in 2007, they accounted for only 41 of the 81 recalls, which was for just 4 million of the over 27 million toys recalled. The other 23 million toys recalled were due to magnets small enough to be swallowed, toys causing lacerations, severed fingers, burns, and loss of hearing.

Visit http://www.smarttoychoice.com/dsp/dsp_toy_recall_myths.php to read more toy recall myths that are untrue.

Easter Products Recalled from Hobby Lobby

Easter Egg Toys sold by Hobby Lobby are the second recall issued this week after the massive toy recall of over 2 million MEGA Brand Magnetic toys by the Consumer Products Safety Commission on March 17th. The Camouflage Eggs and Spinning Egg Top Toys, sold at Hobby Lobby stores since the beginning of 2008 were recalled today due to excessive lead. Almost 200,000 Battery Operated Puzzle Vehicle Sets sold through QVC since September 2002 were recalled on Thursday for excessive lead.

Update on Mega Brands Recall of MagnaMan and Magnetix Jr and Magtastik Toys

When I was updating the SmartToyChoice.com toy recall database for the Mega Brands Recall of MagnaMan, Magnetix Jr, and Magtastik toys, I noted that there was a discrepancy between the toys listed on the CPSC recall announcement and the Mega Brands recall website.

I contacted the manufacturer regarding the difference in toys listed and their reply was that Mega Brands recalled the entire line of toys so their site had the complete list of toys recalled.

If you are not already using the SmartToyChoice.com personalized toy recall notification service (as our database reflects the complete list of recalled toys), please note the following toys were left off the CPSC toy recall announcement - MagnaMan Drazor, MagnaMan Izor, and MagnaMan Captain One Eyed Jack - Mag Jr. Promo Pak, and Magnimals Bumblebee, Chick, Bunny, and Lamb.

Over 2 Million Toys Recalled Today

Over 2 million MEGA Brand Magnetic toys were recalled by the Consumer Products Safety Commission on March 17th. Various Magnetix Jr., Magtastik and MagnaMan Magnetic toys sold between 2005 and 2007 are recalled by the federal government due to magnets. The magnetic toys are recalled because there have been reports of the magnets detaching from the toys.

I URGE parents to use caution. I have heard too many times - my child doesn't put things in their mouth - but does their little sister? their little cousin who comes over to play? or in my case - my two year old goes on all of my five year old's play dates - and he still puts things in his mouth. So please keep in mind even if your child doesn't put things in their mouth, a child who is in your house might.