by HIGH POINT, N.C. — The American Home Furnishings Alliance conducted an analysis of clothing storage furniture available on top e-commerce sites earlier this year and concluded from its research that tens of thousands of unsafe units are being sold to unsuspecting consumers.
“The prevalence of products failing to comply with federal safety standards for clothing storage furniture has created an unlevel playing field for those companies that produce, import and sell products that comply with the law,” said Bill Perdue, AHFA vice president of regulatory affairs.
AHFA announced results of its market surveillance as National Furniture Safety Week commenced this week. The Oct. 5-10 observance sheds light on home safety issues involving furniture and the simple steps homeowners can take to prevent accidents and injuries.
The market surveillance focused on chests and dressers manufactured in China and selling for under $300. AHFA purchased 31 products from four different online sources. The products were assembled and evaluated by two independent testing labs between May and July.
“Our findings indicate widespread noncompliance with the requirements of ASTM F2057-23, the stability standard created by the STURDY Act in 2022,” Perdue said. “While AHFA members and other law-abiding companies are designing, testing and labeling their clothing storage furniture in compliance with the required standard, many overseas factories are turning a blind eye to this U.S. safety regulation. The e-commerce sites that market products from these third-party sellers are not exercising sufficient oversight, and, as a result, they make it easy for sales of unsafe products to continue.”
Of the 31 products purchased by AHFA, eight were found to be outside the scope of the STURDY Act, either because the units were under 30 pounds or because they had less than 3.2 cubic feet of storage capacity.
Of the 23 products deemed to be within the scope of the STURDY Act, all 23 were noncompliant. These products were purchased from Amazon, HomeDepot.com, Lowes.com and Vevor.com (a home improvement site). However, many could be found on multiple e-commerce sites, although under different product names.
The 23 units ranged in price from $81 to $285, and all failed one or more of the three stability tests required by ASTM F2057-23. Additionally, most failed to include the required tip-over warning label that advises consumers to anchor chests and dressers to the wall.
Three of the units tested were fabric storage pieces marketed as dressers for holding clothing or other items. One of these — a 12-drawer unit about 38 inches high — earned the “Amazon’s Choice” designation, which alerts shoppers that the piece is “highly rated, well-priced and available to ship immediately.”
The failing products frequently were described in marketing copy with words like “sturdy and stable,” having an “anti-tip design,” and being suitable for holding large TVs.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has reported a steady stream of CSU recalls this year, including one for a unit AHFA tested as part of its market surveillance: the Gizoon six-drawer dresser sold on Amazon and recalled on Sept. 3.
Altogether the agency has recalled 13 wooden dressers — a total of over 66,000 units. Seven were sold exclusively on Amazon. Two were sold exclusively on Walmart.com, and two were sold exclusively on Wayfair.com. The remaining two dressers were sold on multiple online platforms.
Additionally, the agency has recalled 11 fabric dressers since January — a total of over 233,000 units. Seven were sold exclusively on Amazon, two on Walmart.com and one exclusively on Wayfair. The remaining recall involved a product sold on both Amazon and Walmart.com. Also, one fabric dresser sold on Walmart.com was recalled a second time when units were found to still be available from liquidators and in thrift stores.
Consumer Reports magazine also has conducted market surveillance of third-party sellers this year. The publication’s researchers evaluated over 100 listings for baby products sold on four major online platforms. In its Feb. 19 report, the magazine looked at how safety information was displayed and whether third-party sellers were identified. The focus was on products subject to federal safety standards, including cribs, pacifiers and pajamas.
Consumer Reports concluded: “Current laws and regulations haven’t kept pace with this new marketplace reality, leaving consumers vulnerable when shopping online. Right now in the U.S., it’s unclear whether online retail platforms are legally responsible for the products sold on their marketplaces, especially those offered by third-party sellers. This lack of clarity creates a risk for consumers.”
AHFA supports the CPSC’s efforts to recall noncompliant clothing storage units, Perdue said. “But we also appeal to the online platforms to more thoroughly vet third-party sellers and ensure federal safety standards are being met before allowing them to sell on their sites.”
