Greater Regulatory Activity from CPSC – Importer Liability for Product Safety

Two days ago, the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) filed suit against Spectrum Brands, a company that imported a Black & Decker coffeemaker and failed to report that it was unsafe when customers complained, then continued to sell the recalled goods after the recall was announced. Usually when these lawsuits are filed, I know who … Read more

Private Label Compliance for FBA Sellers: Going Global

There is a huge opportunity globally to expand into private label in new marketplaces. First, CA and the US are only 24% and 17%, respectively, in percent of private label market share. That is a HUGE opportunity, when compared with locations in Europe, which are 32-46%. But, much more exciting is the very low private … Read more

Private Label Compliance for FBA Sellers: Getting Started

Search for how to make money on Amazon FBA, and there are many results and suggestions, one of which is for building out a private label business – you too can make $100k on Amazon! Essentially, you find a top seller on Amazon, you look on Alibaba for a supplier who can produce something similar, … Read more

Innovators: compliance for Kickstarter

So, you’re on Kickstarter, you’ve come up with a really neat idea, and you want to start production now that you’ve gotten funding. You’ve found a good lawyer, you’ve got your CPA, you’ve found a Customs broker, and you’re ready to start production! But how do you decide which producer should mass produce your product? … Read more

Useful Links for product compliance testing, certification, or labeling in US, CA, and EU

If you’re a small seller or vendor, you may not be aware of the many regulations that your product may be subject to. Here are a few links to get you started. Any support you need in evaluating your products or determining next steps, use the Contact form. Note: Food and Drugs are deliberately excluded … Read more

Another one bites the dust: Office Depot’s $3.4M Compliance Mistake

Read about Office Depot agreeing to pay 34 million dollars in civil penalties.  “Office Depot sold about 150,000 Quantum chairs nationwide between May 2006 and August 2009, for about $350 each, and about 1.4 million Gibson chairs nationwide between 2003 and 2012, for about $40 each. In addition to paying the $3.4 million civil penalty, … Read more

100% Bamboo: Why textile sellers need to care about product labeling and the FTC

Read about the four national retailers agree pay penalties totaling 126 million “The companies have agreed to pay the following civil penalties to settle the FTC’s charges: Sears ($475,000), Amazon ($455,000), Macy’s ($250,000), and Leon Max ($80,000).  The penalties reflect how long the companies continued to sell mislabeled textiles after receiving an FTC warning letter … Read more