Feds say Amazon's responsible for recalling dangerous products

ATLANTA - Amazon is the world's largest online retailer. The e-commerce giant is a marketplace where products come from all sorts of third-party sellers. The federal government has announced it's also responsible for the safety of the products it sells.

In a recent decision, the Consumer Product Safety Commission voted unanimously that Amazon has a legal responsibility to not sell items on its platform that have been shown by the CPSC to be unsafe or dangerous. Amazon, it writes, is considered a distributor. The government says that more than 400,000 products are subject to the order. They are products ranging from faulty carbon monoxide detectors, hairdryers without electrocution protection, to children’s sleepwear that violate federal flammability standards. The commission says these products are substantial hazards to the public.

Here are some facts associated with a 2021 lawsuit where the commission said Amazon sold unsafe products. 

Amazon said when the products were discovered, it notified consumers, told them to stop using them, and offered refunds. The CPSC said Amazon didn't actually use the word "recall." It's a word that expresses urgency. Amazon argued that its job is fulfillment - a third-party logistics provider. The government disagreed, telling the company, no, you are a distributor.

Amazon is required to submit a plan showing how it will notify customers in the future of dangerous products. The e-commerce store says its appealing this decision and is ready to head to court.

Here is the 2021 lawsuit that led to this federal demand to better monitor what it sells: