Drop-side cribs, even with millions of recalled products dating back 10 years, just won’t disappear. While retailers have changed their product selections and daycares and hotels removed all hazardous models, drop-side cribs can still be found over the internet, according to a story from USA Today. In general, used baby furniture is risky, because of wear and tear or past recalls, but purchasing it over the internet is even riskier. A parent searching for a deal has to wade through fuzzy or blurry photos, read through descriptions that may not be fully accurate, and has to determine whether or not a crib has a drop side.
EBay and Craigslist, in this regard, are the greatest offenders. More than a month after drop-side cribs were banned, eBay still manages to have advertisements for such products – and even with blockers in place, sellers of such items can slip through them. eBay, however, has since put a stop to crib auctions.
Craigslist, on the other hand, does not have proper blockers in place and, instead, relies on users to flag listings. Although the site did update its “prohibition notices and information page,” listings for drop-side cribs can go up and will stay posted unless flagged.
If saving money in purchasing baby products is a primary concern for you, think first about where you obtain secondhand items and their quality. As furniture, in particular, should be examined and tested for sturdiness and faulty hardware, items from internet listings are the least reliable. Thrift and consignment stores and hand-me-downs are better, and while not ideal for baby furniture, they allow you to see the product in person and examine it closely – not rely on a photo or description. Ideally, clothing and toys are better secondhand purchases, while furniture is the most reliable when new and not recalled.
