Calling All Retailers Who Sell Children’s Products!

Marianne of Polkadot Patch Boutique is vocal about a retailer’s responsibility as it relates to CPSIA and has allowed us to cross-post the entry below.

It’s time to rally up on April 1st and support the cause to Amend the CPSIA.

With the passage of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), now more than ever, children’s retailers need to band together with their manufacturers and suppliers. Retailers need to be fired up and supporting manufacturers to get the CPSIA law amended in order to save their wholesale businesses, and subsequently many retail businesses.

There is an underlying belief that retailers are out of the loop on this law or that it doesn’t affect them. That couldn’t be any further from the truth. Although some retailers may still not fully comprehend the ramifications of this law on their businesses, they all need to know how much this law directly affects their business via their manufacturers.

Right now more than ever, retailers need to be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with their manufacturers, holding up signs, calling and writing Congressional committee members and spreading news to media outlets and blogs about the far-reaching implications of this poorly written law. Without supporting change for manufacturers, ALL retailers in the children’s industry are in jeopardy.

Whether a retail store is 1000 square feet or 10,000 square feet, the shelves need to be stocked. It doesn’t matter if a store niche is traditional, new age, contemporary, punk, or urban; a variety of products will be needed from numerous manufacturers.

Retailers in traditional brick and mortar stores and in e-commerce stores should be letting their manufacturers know how they will fight to amend this law with them because retailers want products that will appeal to their customer base. Successful business partnerships should strengthen during good…and bad times. And right now, manufacturers need the voices of retailers lobbying for change.

It is mutually beneficial for both retailers and manufacturers to preserve the variety of products being sold. While at this time the general public is largely unaware of the impact of this law on them, it will become apparent to them when their favorite stores are no longer offering a variety of children’s products.

Without an amendment to this law, every children’s retail store stands to become a clone of each other because they will all be left with just a limited selection from the same pool of “compliant” manufacturers and products. That also translates to many niche retailers closing their doors rather than compromising their unique selling proposition to become just another children’s store selling only the same “compliant” products. Imagine the lack of diversity of products on the shelves if the law isn’t amended.

What can retailers do NOW?

1. Communicate with your manufacturers and vendors. Share how you are working alongside them to amend the law. Ask them how you can support them with CPSIA. Discuss with manufacturers what you will need as a retailer to sell their products. There is a lot of confusion with the current stay but retailers are still liable for non-compliant products as well as the manufacturer. Let your manufacturers know AS SOON AS POSSIBLE if you are requiring GCC’s (General Certification of Conformity) or “proof” in the form of an official documentation that their products are in compliance with the lead and phthalates requirements. Have a conversation regarding the manufacturer’s products and determine where each stands in regards to testing, labeling, and general compliance. Be informed and expect your manufacturers to be as well.

2. Be vocal. Tell your customers about CPSIA and spread the word with small manufacturers and fellow retailers who may not be fully aware of the implications of the law. Send them links to the Amend The CPSIA website and other online resources (Ning, Facebook, Change.org) . Encourage everyone to share their concerns regarding the law as loudly and frequently as their voices can be heard.

3. Attend the Amend the CPSIA rally on April 1st if you are able. If you are unable to attend, watch the live video stream on Amend the CPSIA website on April 1st at 10:00 AM EST.
4. Share two correspondences a day and share how this law will affect your business and that of your manufacturers. Use statistics and numbers as much as possible to make the story even more real!

5. In fact, do everything on this list!

The CPSIA rally and briefing on April 1st are critical to get bi-partisan support to amend the law as well as bring even more attention to the cause through media outlets. The collective voices of manufacturers, trade associations, and retailers WILL be heard by Congress.

Each person at the rally will represent hundreds of small businesses (manufacturers and retailers alike) who couldn’t attend in person and the voices will be loud and strong. This rally and briefing will empower many to continue the charge to amend the CPSIA, and we are looking forward to being a part of it