Looking for a bargain on a crib, sleeper or other baby gear through Facebook Marketplace or another resale site may come with risks parents can't easily spot from a listing photo.
A new Consumer Reports investigation found banned or restricted baby products listed on Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Mercari and Craigslist, including some infant sleep products that have been linked to infant deaths. The organization gave all four platforms its lowest rating for preventing unsafe or prohibited products from being listed.
The findings come amid broader scrutiny of online marketplaces and product safety. Earlier this year, Consumer Reports also found banned and restricted baby products being sold by third-party sellers on Amazon, Target, Walmart and Temu.
What Consumer Reports found
Researchers searched the platforms for four categories of products that are banned, restricted or widely considered unsafe:
- Drop-side cribs
- Padded crib bumpers
- Infant inclined sleepers
- Infant in-bed sleepers
Facebook Marketplace had listings for all four product types. eBay had listings for padded crib bumpers, drop-side cribs and infant in-bed sleepers. Mercari had listings for padded crib bumpers and infant in-bed sleepers, while Craigslist had infant in-bed sleepers.
One category stood out. Consumer Reports found 50 infant in-bed sleepers among the first 65 Facebook Marketplace listings it reviewed and stopped counting after reaching 50.
Infant in-bed sleepers were effectively banned under federal law in 2022, and Consumer Reports said some of the products it found have been associated with infant deaths.
Safety checks didn't always catch risky products
Consumer Reports also tested how the platforms handled potentially unsafe listings.
Researchers created a listing for a used car seat. Such seats can pose safety risks if they were previously involved in a crash, have expired or are missing parts. Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist and Mercari provided no additional warnings during the listing process.
eBay required the seller to select that the item was "new" after a photo was uploaded, though the description could still indicate that the car seat was used.
Researchers also created a listing for a generator resembling a recalled model. None of the four marketplaces required a model number, making it harder to determine whether the product was subject to a recall. None blocked the listing.
Reporting dangerous products produced mixed results
Consumer Reports found significant differences in how easy it was for shoppers to report potentially unsafe items.
eBay allowed users to report a listing as recalled or unsafe, explain the issue and receive updates. The company removed a padded crib bumper reported by Consumer Reports within 30 minutes, though it did not remove a reported infant in-bed sleeper.
Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist and Mercari did not remove the products Consumer Reports reported to them.
What parents should do before buying
Consumer Reports recommends asking sellers for:
- The manufacturer name
- The model number
- The manufacturing date
Parents should then check recall databases and manufacturer websites themselves rather than assuming a marketplace has verified the product.
The organization also recommends exercising extra caution with used car seats and infant sleep products because damage, missing parts or a product's history may not be obvious from photos. When possible, inspect items in person and avoid products with missing parts, visible damage or an unclear history.
Federal law prohibits the sale of recalled consumer products, including those sold through online resale marketplaces.
How the companies responded
Consumer Reports shared its findings with the four marketplaces in July. Facebook Marketplace, eBay and Mercari responded, while Craigslist did not.
According to the report, eBay and Facebook Marketplace updated their prohibited-products policies after the concerns were raised. Mercari said it plans to add a feature allowing users to report products as recalled or banned.
Consumer Reports is urging marketplaces to strengthen screening before listings go live, proactively identify prohibited products already on their platforms and improve systems for reporting potentially dangerous items.
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com, or on X @athompsonUSAT.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Consumer Reports finds banned baby gear on major online sites
