Recalled Crib Purchased from Craigslist

Updated on December 14, 2012
M.L. asks from Sacramento, CA
31 answers

I purchased a crib from craigslist and discovered the next after looking up the item code that the product had a recall. The person we bought it from did not respond to our phone calls. Now she has emailed saying that, they will send us recall repair kit. I do not want any recall repair kit. I just want them to give our money back & take the crib back. What do we do?

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J.E.

answers from Los Angeles on

although I bought my crib new, it had been "repaired" to remove the option of lowering the side. I can see where it was attatched, but the laws around cribs and safety just changed about a year ago. I dont think you were mislead, just accept the repair kit.

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D.M.

answers from Chicago on

Unfortunately "buyer beware" comes into play. As much as we think the seller's should do the right thing doesn't mean they will. best of luck to you.

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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

You should have bought one from someplace reputable. The saying is "Buyer Beware".

Almost all cribs have been recalled at one time or another.

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T.F.

answers from Dallas on

Nothing you can do except contact the manufacturer and get the repair kit.

Buyer beware..... especially on Craigslist. You should have googled the model BEFORE you bought it.

I'm sorry but you are out of luck on getting $$ back. Get the repair kit. It is possible that they were unaware of the recall.

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M.F.

answers from Houston on

You can't do anything, take the repair kit or buy a new crib. It sucks but you have to do your research on the product before you purchase on craigslist.

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

"Caveat emptor" means let the buyer beware!
It's the buyer's responsibility to check things out before buying.
Take the repair kit.

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A.C.

answers from Savannah on

Purchasing off craigslist (which I do) is no different than shopping at a garage sale, except you're saving gas money driving all over the place looking for something. Why would you expect a refund from a craigslist purchase? I am surprised she even offered to sned you a recall repair kit. You should have done your research. If I were you, I'd simply contact the manufacturer and get the repair kit. It will be a simple fix and will make it safe. It is what it is. If you want a refund policy or warranty, you buy from a store. If you want a good deal, you go to craigslist. The manufacturer will take care of the situation if you contact them.

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D.P.

answers from Raleigh on

Buyer beware! It's your duty as buyer to be informed of any recalls. In the future, you may want to do some research before forking over cash on a site like craigslist. Take the repair kit and use the crib. I am still using mine!

3 moms found this helpful

K.I.

answers from Los Angeles on

Nothing you can do.

That is the risk you take when buying things on Craigslist.

Crappy but true.

Use it as a life lesson. I agree with the other poster who stated that buying things off of Craigslist is similar to buying something from a garage sale. It was your responsibility to look up the order number BEFORE you bought it. If I were you I would take the repair kit...better than nothing!

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L.L.

answers from New York on

I could be wrong, but isn't Craigs List sort of a "purchase as is" website? I don't think the person who sold it to you is responsible for refunding your money and taking the crib back. (not saying ME personally- just in regards to how the site runs.) Good luck, how frustrating. It seems everything gets recalled nowadays.
Lynsey

1 mom found this helpful

A.S.

answers from Spokane on

You should have done the research before purchasing it. They're not required to refund your money. On the flip side though, it sounds like they knew this was a recalled model, especially if they have the repair kit. That should have been in the description of the crib when they offered it for sale. Take the kit and use it.

This is why cribs and carseats should never be purchased used. Unless it comes brand new in the case, you have no idea about it's history. And if you're buying it used, how can the manufacturer notify you of a recall? I understand you wanting to save money but sometimes, especially when safety is involved, it's just not worth it.

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L.D.

answers from Modesto on

Most people do not research recalls for things they own-unless it hits front page news most of us probably own a recalled item and don't know it.These people may not have known of the recall and when you called them I bet they sent away for the repair kit to offer you and that delayed their response. However, you did not do your research prior to purchase. When buying used items, it is "buyer beware". If it had been a used car would you have purchased a Carfax or looked into the Lemon law? Probably. We often do not research lower priced items and we should. Accept the repair kit and use it or buy a new crib. I bought a new "drop side" crib that was recalled two years later. I got the repair kit and used it for the second kid no problem. The repair kit just prevented using the "drop side" which is no longer allowed by law. So even if I bought a new crib, there would be no "drop side" option. Since I liked my crib anyway, and there would be no functional difference between a new crib and the repair kit crib I didn't see any point in wasting money on a new crib. You will never know if the sellers were straight with you or not, so don't dwell on it and move on. Enjoy your baby!

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S.F.

answers from Madison on

Cribs are being recalled because they have deemed that drop-side cribs are no longer safe. You will have to buy a newly manufactured crib (one made after the new law came into effect) if you want one that does not need the repair kit to make the drop-side of the crib stationary. Sorry I don't think there is anything you can do to get your money back.

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J.C.

answers from New York on

You're out of luck. Sorry.

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R.Y.

answers from New York on

You are probably out of luck there. I rarely use craigslist but I looked at some baby gear on there a while ago. I emailed someone about a car seat and asked her to check the expiration date...it was already expired. After that I bought a new car seat. Lesson learned. If it has to be safe (like a car seat or a crib), get it from a reliable source.

Now I trade baby gear only with friends or relatives or a reliable second hand shop where I can look things over in person. BTW, I have an older drop side crib from a relative and I never checked for a recall (well, we did 5 years ago when we got it but not since)--my last kid will be out of it in a few months. We just always keep the side up and lift the child over.

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K.P.

answers from New York on

Nothing- you purchased something "as is" from essentially an online garage sale. You would have to file a complaint through the website and probably be able to prove that they "knowingly" sold you something that was faulty, which is nearly impossible to do.

Your best bet is to either try the repair kit or just take it as a lesson learned and check the "item number" BEFORE purchasing things online.

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M.L.

answers from Houston on

The recalled cribs need the repair kit to be functional, a lot of parents selling older cribs may not even be aware the crib has been recalled, these sellers might not have been aware until you asked and they looked it up. Really, if you bought it used form a person on craigslist, it's your responsibility to do the research.

The repair kit will make the crib functional and that is the option they have given to you to make it right and you are refusing it, so law enforcement won't make them refund your money and take the item back if you try and do something legally since they are offering to make the item correct. However, had they not offered the repair kit, you could probably call CPSIA. It is illegal to sell recalled items and they could possibly go after the seller. They usually deal with larger sellers however. It is illegal for second hand stores to sale recalled cribs since they have to check model numbers and keep up to date on recall lists, but I don't think there is anything you can do from a regular person, or if it was a garage sale item.

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/thrift/thrguid.pdf

If you do not want the crib, you must get the repair kit before you resell it... or you must destroy it prior to putting it in the dumpster, so that another family wont get it and use it.

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T.L.

answers from St. Louis on

Have you contacted the manf to see if they are doing a repair kit or if they are replacing the crib all together. We bought a highchair and it was recalled later on, but Graco just replaced our entire highchair for us. It really turned out to be a good deal for us.

M.P.

answers from Provo on

Sorry but there really is nothing you can do except rewind time and do research as to what type of cribs have been recalled lately.
Sorry, but I agree with the other posters, nothing you can do. Plus my son's crib was recalled, I got the kit and everything is fine. You got the crib you wanted, right? Take the kit and call it good. Joy P. has some good points of view.

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M.E.

answers from San Francisco on

I know as parents we get pretty paranoid about safety but I agree with some of the other posters that the repair kit will solve the problem. Often when products are recalled it because user error has caused the crib to not work correctly. So if consumers are constantly making the same error, for whatever reason, they will eventually recall the item. All things child-related tend to be prone to recall - most thrift stores won't take anything having to do with children. Install the repair. When my kids were young Baby Bjorn front carriers were recalled because people were putting newborns in them (against the directions of the product) and the babies were slipping out. So they sent out a repair kit. If I were you I would call the manufacture and inquire about the recall and find out how confident they are in the repair. I think that you'll find that it's works just fine. Good-luck!

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M.H.

answers from Detroit on

I don't think you can do anything about getting your money back but if you take the repair kit they are offering you could sell the crib on craigslist with the recall repair kit. Just make sure you clearly state in the ad that it has been recalled and that you are offering the repair kit with it. I'm sure someone will buy it and repair it with the kit. You're not doing anything wrong as long as you have stated that it needs to be repaired.
That way you could make some of the money (or all) back to buy a different crib.

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T.V.

answers from San Francisco on

You purchased something USED or not from a store. If they are willing to send the repair kit you can't expect anything else from the person who sold you the crib. You might write the manufacturer and see if they are willing to help you. However, I don't think they would do anything more then provide the repair kit. So don't spend too much time being concerned if you don't want the crib, then go buy a new one and make sure about the warranty.

Blessings.....

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K.S.

answers from Kansas City on

Sorry, but you should've done the research before you bought the crib. That is on you.

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C.B.

answers from Rochester on

I am going through the exact same problem only the person I bought it from isn't returning my calls AT ALL. Even tho there is a "buyers beware" on Craigslist it is still stated in the rules that you have to abide by the law when selling and selling ANY item that is recalled (not been fixed) is 100% completely ILLEGAL and they could face major penalty I'm talkin like $15,000+ in fines. Child endangerment is not something to tread lightly on. Take her to court if you have to. Good luck!

C.W.

answers from Las Vegas on

You can't do anything about the person giving your money back. Did you pay close to the original price? You CAN take it back to the store without a receipt for a refund, I bought my daughter a crib that was recalled when she was 16 months (yea awesome, 16 months she could've died) I returned it to walmart without a receipt and they gave me my money back. If I bought it on craigslist for a fraction of the retail price, I would just cut my losses and buy another one but that's because I'd feel like I was profiting from something I shouldn't be profiting from lol.
I would try and email craigslist with this person's name and email address because it would worry me that they'd sell dangerous, safety hazard things in the future that won't be caught like you caught it. The fact that they had the repair kit and didn't give it to you in the first place makes me think they were selling it b/c they found out it was recalled which to me makes them scum (disgusting if someone would do that and put anothers child in harms way)

I do like Janelle's advice as well... my recalled crib did not have a repair kit, it was the one that was just throw it away or take it back to the store so they can refund you and throw it away themselves.

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J.B.

answers from San Francisco on

Why do you think the people you bought crib from should give you your money back??? You bought it USED OFF OF CRAIGSLIST.... AS IS, WHERE IS. That's the chance you, me and everyone else takes when buying something used if you dont' do the due dilegence in researching before you buy.

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A.T.

answers from Stockton on

i would find out what the recall is for and then either fix it - or take it to the dump depending on the issue. I have a "recall" crib that I bought new. It was recalled because it is a drop side crib and some people have managed to break the rails that allow the side to drop (hubby broke our last one). I sent away for the repair kit - it makes the crib a normal stationary crib. I am tall and bending down to put our baby in the crib with the side up is super uuncomfortable so - I check the rails regularly and don't let anyone but me move the side up and down. (for now)
If the problem with your crib is the same the manufacturer's kit will eliminate the issue.
I totally get it that you're mad and I'm certainly NOT defending the people that sold you this without the kit - very sneaky. On a practical note- if the kit does the job then you are done shopping and can relax.
I'm sure you can get your own repair kit from the factory - I never registered our stuff and got one easily with the model number and manufacture date off the bottom of the frame.
Your only option otherwise is mediation or small claims court - which sounds like more trouble than it's worth.

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J.P.

answers from San Francisco on

Sorry, that is what Craigs list is about. Second hand items. Otherwise you would have paid full price at a retail store.

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A.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

I disagree that there's nothing you can do. It is a federal crime to resell recalled baby items under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008. I sent a formal demand letter to the owner via registered mail, reported him to Craigslist legal department, and may take him to small claims court (just because the seller was such a jerk--calling me late at night and yelling at me on the phone that he wasn't going to refund the money.) I also e-mailed another seller on Craigslist to advise them of the illegality of their reselling the recalled bassinet.

I was snookered on 12/4/12 when I purchased an Eddie Bauer bassinet that I learned a week later was recalled. I paid $60 for it from a Craigslist seller, then another $37 for sheets (ordered from Amazon), $38 to rent a van to pickup the bassinet, and $30 in gas to drive the 78 miles roundtrip. The seller lived in a half-million dollar home in a gated community in Etiwanda and refused to refund the $60 (I purchased a total of $150 in baby items from them) unless I "returned" the crib, and then he would "mail" me a refund?? Yeah, right, I trust him--and then, he can resell it to some other unsuspecting person. I opted to chop it up for firewood, rather than try and repair it with a kit, and get it off the market--thereby protecting some other baby from possible suffocation.

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C.B.

answers from San Francisco on

If they're not willing to take the crib back, I don't think you can force them to do that. Can you get the purchase receipt and take the crib back to where they bought it?

J.P.

answers from Chicago on

It is illegal for anyone to sell a crib that has been recalled. However, I don't know what ramifications she could actually face now. (Her word against your word.) However.... I know you are worried because you are hearing the words RECALLED FOR SAFETY reasons and you immediately think there is no way that the crib could be safe. BUT... stop and think about if for a bit.... a company would not just send repair kits if they weren't 100% sure this would stop the problem. BECAUSE..... they don't want to have tons of lawsuits for injury or death of babies. Sounds reasonable, right? I mean companies would rather give the money back to the customers instead of giving them $ for lawsuits. These companies have tested the repair kits again and again to make sure the device is strong.... and I'm pretty sure that the reason your crib was recalled was because the drop side has a piece that can wear out. So... the repair kit does not allow this from wearing out. I am giving my daughther's teacher two of my cribs for free and I told her they were recalled. She is ordering the repair kits (for free from the co.) I was kind of nervous at first (even though I am giving them to her free) but she was fine with it because of what she explained to me (which I explained to you above.)

Good luck!

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