Best-selling products recalled, Amazon's best-selling home products have problems

As giants of e-commerce platforms, Amazon and Walmart have been competing with each other non-stop, with each having its own strengths in terms of product areas and sales strategies. However, in recent years, the two platforms have also encountered a lot of "troubles", such as Amazon's suspected antitrust violations and Walmart's products not meeting regulations... Recently, problems have arisen with products on the two platforms.

Amazon recalls 129,000 home products

On April 7 , the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Canada's Bestar announced the recall of about 129,000 wall beds . It is understood that the reason for the recall is that the product has serious impact and crushing hazards. In addition, Bestar has sold about 53,000 units in Canada .

In fact, there were cases of safety issues with the product in 2018. In July 2018, a Bestar wall bed fell on a 79-year-old woman, causing her spinal injury and death. Currently, Bestar has received reports of another 60 incidents where safety issues have resulted in wall beds falling off and hitting consumers, causing bruises and other injuries.

It is understood that the recalled products involve multiple models of Nebula , PUR, Versatile, Edge, Cielo, Audrea, Lumina, Orion and Novello Full and Queen Wall Beds , and are sold on multiple e-commerce platforms, including Wayfair , Costco, Cymax and Amazon .

Data shows that the product was sold at a price between $ 1,650 and $2,200 between June 2014 and March 2022. The company is currently directly contacting all known buyers , and various e-commerce platforms are also recalling this product in large quantities . It is worth noting that the brand of the recalled product is Bestar , a home furnishings giant on the Amazon platform .  

Bestar is a long-established Canadian furniture manufacturing company founded by Jean-Marie Tardif in 1948. At that time , the company mainly produced beautifully assembled craft furniture such as coffee tables, solid wood rocking chairs and bookcases. In 1970, in order to gain greater benefits from the market, Bestar changed its manufacturing process. In the following years, the company continued to expand its factory area and implement automation.

Bestar became a listed company in 1986 , which means it has a longer history than other home furnishing brands . After going public, the company mainly provides assembled furniture for audio, video and office furniture for families and small businesses. After the launch of the products, they were favored by consumers and welcomed by the market.

On the company's official website, you can also see many positive reviews left by many buyers: "I am very satisfied with my Bestar desk. It is comfortable and helps me improve my work efficiency when I work from home. With Bestar's office furniture, we were able to turn a small space into a pleasant, convenient and modern workplace... "

Since then, the company has been committed to product research and development, production line optimization, and promotion of new marketing concepts. Thanks to these efforts, Bestar 's products have been able to quickly enter the market and be delivered quickly, and the market has expanded accordingly.

Currently, the company's products include full Murphy beds, L-shaped standing desks, drawer dressers, storage cabinets, etc. After this product recall, Bestar will compensate consumers for the reinstallation costs.

It is understood that the cost of the upper wall bed is expected to be between $170 and $207, while the cost of the lower wall bed is relatively higher, between $338 and $414. If consumers cannot find a quote within this range, they should contact Bestar.

As a long-established home furnishing retailer, the large number of product recalls will have a certain impact on the company. This is another reminder for related sellers: keep a good check on the quality of their products.

Accidents of furniture tipping over are frequent

In recalls involving product safety, there are many cases of furniture tipping over and causing injuries. In addition to the recall of the above-mentioned best-selling home furnishing products, there have been many cases in the past where accidents occurred for many brands, such as chairs that can easily cause people to fall and bed safety rails that can easily cause people to be pinched.

Regarding cases of personal injury and death caused by the tipping over of furniture, televisions, and electrical appliances, according to the CPSC's survey report from 2018 to 2020, it is estimated that approximately 23,000 consumers suffer varying degrees of injuries due to tipping over each year , of which nearly 44% are minors under the age of 18.

According to statistics, there have been 581 reports of deaths caused by furniture and other products tipping over since 2000. Especially for furniture products that need to be fixed, if the product quality and safety are not fully guaranteed, tipping accidents are very likely to occur. In addition, furniture products are generally heavy, and people who are hit may face the risk of serious injuries.

When searching for product reviews on folding beds, tables, hanging chairs, etc. on Amazon, you can find comments such as "Not stable enough, prone to sliding with a slightly larger amplitude", "No corresponding protective measures, easy to get scratched", "Not firmly fixed, there is a risk of falling off", etc. Home furniture will more or less raise questions about quality and safety.

Relevant sellers should also take this as a warning. If it involves products such as hanging and fixing, they must be cautious about stability to ensure quality and safety. At the same time, detailed instructions on installation and placement should be provided. If necessary, corresponding supporting protective equipment such as anti-falling and anti-injury can be provided.

Product quality and safety issues never go out of date, but in addition, the consistency between description and reality is also a key point that sellers need to pay attention to. Recently, another e-commerce giant Walmart's products have product descriptions that do not match, and there is false advertising, and it is facing prosecution by the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC).

Walmart fined $3 million for false advertising

Walmart reportedly describes dozens of its branded textiles as bamboo products, including towels, bedding, and one bath towel set with a label that says "100% bamboo." In order to promote its sustainable philosophy, Walmart also touted the environmentally friendly process used in the production of its "bamboo products," which is beneficial to environmental protection and pollution reduction, while these products are actually made of rayon.

The Federal Trade Commission said rayon is a generic term for recycled or artificial fibers made from cellulose, and that the manufacturing process involves the use of hazardous chemicals, regardless of the source of the cellulose. Walmart was ordered by the court to immediately stop its green claims and other misleading advertising, and was fined $3 million .

In response, a Walmart spokesperson said the company takes the FTC's claims seriously and is working to strengthen its product description program. It also stated that it expects its suppliers to provide products that comply with all laws, including those related to labeling.

Earlier, the Federal Trade Commission issued warnings to 78 retailers, including Walmart, for false advertising of bamboo products .

This high fine also serves as a warning to sellers. Labels, promotions and other product descriptions must strictly abide by the facts. False propaganda must not be used to expand product advantages. Seeking truth from facts is the correct way to go.

Whether it is product quality or labeling, it all comes down to product compliance, because it is not uncommon for non-compliant products to be recalled and fined, and in serious cases, there may even be a threat of account suspension. Regardless of the platform or category, sellers must put products first.

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