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Buyer, Beware of Recalled Goods on EBay

Online auction stalwart warns users to screen carefully

By Jonas Oransky,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 3, 2007 12:03 PM CDT

(Newser) – After the recent recall of 21 million toys, eBay has cautioned its shoppers about buying tainted goods—and warned sellers of them they may be kicked off the site. The internet phenom says it’s unable to police all items in its marketplace, but will be providing tip sheets and links to a recall database. Indeed, eBay has little legal liability, AP reports.

An anecdotal search turned up 111 listings for Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway, a toy recalled for excessive lead. The website listed 559 million items last quarter—a combined value of $14.46 billion. Watchdogs say they’re working on new ways to police recalls, but for now, eBay’s pledge that such items are “strictly prohibited” will have to do.

A Chinese girl looks at the Barbie dolls on display for sale inside a department store in Beijing in this Aug. 28, 2007 file photo. U.S. toy giant Mattel issued an extraordinary apology to China on Friday, Sept. 21, 2007 over the recall of Chinese-made toys, saying most of...
A Chinese girl looks at the Barbie dolls on display for sale inside a department store in Beijing in this Aug. 28, 2007 file photo. U.S. toy giant Mattel issued an extraordinary apology to China on Friday,...   (Associated Press)
Two of the five Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway product line items being voluntarily recalled, 'Toad', left, and the black cargo car, right, photographed on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2007, in Providence, R.I. RC2 Corp.'s 'Knights of the Sword' series toys and some of its Thomas and Friends items,...
Two of the five Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway product line items being voluntarily recalled, 'Toad', left, and the black cargo car, right, photographed on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2007, in Providence, R.I....   (Associated Press)
The Beethoven LifeGem Diamond. The world's first celebrity/historical figure diamond created from a lock of Beethoven's hair. To be auctioned on eBay for $1,000,000.00. Proceeds will be donated to help underprivileged children around the world. (PRNewsFoto/LifeGem)
The Beethoven LifeGem Diamond. The world's first celebrity/historical figure diamond created from a lock of Beethoven's hair. To be auctioned on eBay for $1,000,000.00. Proceeds will be donated to help...   (Associated Press)
In this photo released by eBay, President and Chief Executive Officer of eBay, Meg Whitman, left, stands with Niklas Zennstrom, CEO and Co founder of Skype, the global Internet communications company, in central London, in this Monday Sept, 12, 2005 file photo.  EBay Inc. said Monday it will acquire Internet...
In this photo released by eBay, President and Chief Executive Officer of eBay, Meg Whitman, left, stands with Niklas Zennstrom, CEO and Co founder of Skype, the global Internet communications company,...   (Associated Press)
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