Well there was me saying I hadn't had chance to see any new products, but then someone sent me a link to this item currently been sold on eBay in the UK.
Ok, so its not new, its another Bug-a-like I hear you say, well its more than that just that.
Been sold by an irresponsible seller for a start, who is only out to make money, has no idea of regulations, standards, safety or any will to think about the fact that what they are selling is been used by babies and children. Never mind the fact that it infringes on Bugaboo's patents and design registrations, as they are a company that can fight to protect their own product. My fear is with the nieve shoppers that don't know the potential risks that such a product can be to their child for the sake of saving a few pounds.
Well I couldn't just sit back, so I thought I would raise a few questions with the seller/company on eBay:
Dear miwheels2010,
You state that this item conforms to British standards, which standard? Do you have a test certificate? And which test house was it tested in?
In relation to the car seat, which test have you tested this to? And again with which test house?
Also have the fabrics been tested to conform to FR regulations?
I thought these were some simple questions to test the water with the seller, and this was their reply:
Hi yes its the en1888 cert tested in china also have the cert supplied by the german company the car seat has not been tested an it states in the intrction booklet that the car seat is not for use in car. only on the main frame of the stroller can the car seat be used the fabric is fr regulated and also it is fire protected fabric Thankyou
- miwheels2010
So mudling my way through the poor spelling, it wasn't hard to realise that this seller has no morals orconcern for their potential customers. How can they list part of the item as a car seat if it can't be used in a car? I had to write back for more information:
Dear miwheels2010,
A en1888 cert is not a British Standard, its a European standard that it has been tested to, so your listing is misleading, and you have not tested to British Standards.
Which test house has certified this in China?
What is the regulation/standard that you have tested the fabrics to? As the German company will not have done this as its not a European requirement, its only a UK requirement, so I do not believe you.
Why do you call the car seat, a car seat, if it cannot be used in a car? Again very misleading, and potentially dangerous to any child that might be put in a car with your unsafe item.
Everyone wants to make money, but you are making money by putting childrens lives at risk by selling an unsafe item, never mind the fact that it is bound to break any number of patents and design registrations relating to the Bugaboo.
And this was their response to this reply, not even covering all of the questions I raised with them:
ok we will changeit to european standards car seat is listed in its instruction pack an what do you mean i am lieing about the fabric? an if you are so clever why dont you take it up with the company miwheels in germany tnx
- miwheels2010
Can you sense me getting more and more annoyed with them? How dare they not use a spell checker, its no wonder they haven't a clue about pushchair standards and regulations, when they can't even type, how could I have set my bar so high hoping that they might actually care?
Dear miwheels2010,
There is no point taking it up with the German company, as its not a regulation that they need to conform to. It is a regulation that YOU need to conform to as you are the seller in the UK, all responsibility for conformity to UK standards is yours, so if a child is injured by this item or how it is used then it is you that will be prosecuted, not the company in Germany.
Just as the EN1888 certificate is issued to the German company this will not cover you to sell it in the UK, you need to have a certificate with your company name and address on it.
Just because you state in the instructions that it is not to be used in the car is not enough in my opinion, as you are clearly listing it as a car seat. And you can't call something a car seat if it can't be used in a car. You should call it the pointless seat.
You obviously have no idea of the regulations, standards or any desire to protect those that you sell to, or use your product, but I am sure trading standards will be interested.
I've just read the questions at the bottom of his eBay page, yeah ok, I was hoping maybe just a bit too much to see that mine were put up, but the question about if its compatible with the Maxi-Cosi car seat has got to me even more, where they state yes, but it also comes with a car seat!!!
How can people sell products for children and have no concern over the safety?
I hope we can get rid of sellers like this before someone does get hurt.
I'm not expecting another reply from the seller, but I have reported it to eBay, and also asked a friend at a big brand to help get Trading Standards straight onto them as he gets on well with his local officer and can stress how dangerous this is.
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