Amazon found responsible for third-party sellers’ hazardous products

Despite not being the actual seller, Amazon will be held responsible for hazardous products that third-party sellers offer via the company.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has decided in a unanimous vote that Amazon is a distributor for the products and if the items are defective or don’t meet federal safety standards, Amazon is legally responsible for recalls.

The decision comes from a complaint that was filed against Amazon in 2021 that the company distributed hazardous products through the “Fulfilled by Amazon” program.

Amazon considers itself a conduit between the sellers and shoppers, CNBC reported. It had said in the past that it pays millions each year to make sure that items are safe and compliant.

The CPSC said that more than 400,000 items are covered by the decision, including faulty carbon monoxide detectors, hairdryers with no electrocution protection and children’s sleepwear that doesn’t meet flammability standards.

Amazon is now required that it must have a plan to notify customers and the public about the products and “remove the products from commerce by incentivizing their return or destruction.”

CNBC reported that about 60% of sales through Amazon are through the Amazon marketplace.

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