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New Rules Could Shut Down Consignment Sales
The blogosphere is buzzing right now with concern that federal rules set to go into effect Feb. 10 could shut down thrift stores and consignment sales selling children's products.
Toni from Upscale Resale alerted me to the concern today about the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, which requires products for children 12 and under be tested for lead and phathlates. Read more about the new rules here and what they could mean for sales in this Los Angeles Times story.
The 2009 spring and summer sales in the Triangle starts in the next couple of weeks with the Kids Exchange Consignment Sale at the N.C. State Fairgrounds. The public sale starts Jan. 23.
But most of the Triangle's other sales are scheduled for after Feb. 10 so the new rules could have a chilling effect, not to mention what it means for thrift stores as well. Kelly of Divine Consign tells me she's thinking about moving her sale up to the week of Feb. 2. It will be held at the Stonehenge Shopping Center off Creedmoor Road. Michelle with Twice as Nice in Apex also is thinking about moving her sale up to early February.
I'm working to get more information about what the rules could mean for local sales. If you run a local sale or are concerned about the new rules, I'd love to talk to you. Just send me an e-mail.
An Update: Thought I'd share a little update from interviews I had today with the Consumer Product Safety Commission that might shed a little bit of light on the issue:
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is considering possible exemptions Tuesday, but any final decision they made wouldn’t take effect until sometime after Feb. 10 and a public comment period.
“We have heard loud and clear the concerns from consignment stores, thrift stores and small businesses,” said commission spokesman Scott Wolfson. “We are currently looking into what our options are as an agency. We cannot violate the intent of this law which is to make children’s products safe.”
Said Julie Vallese, director of information and public affairs for the commission: “I don’t think that the toy police will descend on the nation on Feb. 10. But the [commission] is committed to enforcing the law that Congress wrote.”
Sarah Lindenfeld Hall
Sarah is in charge of content for TriangleMom2Mom.com and writes about family-friendly events, local moms groups and other topics for the site.
She lives in Raleigh with her husband and three-year-old daughter. Sarah has written for newspapers since she was a teenager living in snowy Central New York. After graduating from the University of Virginia, she traipsed a bit around Europe and Mount Airy, N.C., before settling down in the Triangle. She moved here in 1999 to take a job with The News & Observer. She once aspired to play flute professionally. More recently, her daughter started crying when she played it.
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That is the most ridiculous thing I"ve ever heard. Recycling outgrown kids' stuff through resale is the ultimate in supporting a "green" world, which is so fashionable right now and which the government supposedly supports. I wish they'd quit trying to protect us from ourselves and get on with some real work.
Hmm. No "toy police will descend on the nation on Feb. 10. But the [commission] is committed to enforcing the law that Congress wrote.” So, is the CPSC saying, its ok as long as you don't get caught? and if you do, you will be fined? well, how sad is that? The folks affected are more moral than that - thank goodness (tho I will miss them immensely and blame the gov't for their removal) . These folks comments I've seen/heard on this are saying they will get out of the business (of accepting items affected by this) rather than risk getting caught, and they can't afford the cost of the testing. So, don't think the CPSC is done here yet. Being told they aren't REQUIRED to certify their inventory is lead free is nice - but if they are still open to fines for selling something that MAY have had lead, then they really havent avoided anything, b/c that is a backwards way of saying they still need to test enverything. They need to clearly state that resale operations and other affected small businesses (crafters, clothing and accessory makers, even yard salers) can be assured they wont be fined! I hope folks who enjoy these resale stores and sales and crafters take the time to contact their representatives - a loud uproar might just get their attention, b/c they don't seem to understand the impact of this law. It's the Law that needs to be changed somehow, soon....b/c CPSC only enforces it. I'm sure those smart politicians could do it if they tried! :-)