Buying used toys, cribs or gadgets? How to check for recalls first

What's happened

Recalls keep coming in the run-up to the holidays. On October 22, 2026 alone, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) posted recalls including about 3,332 Costway convertible high chairs sold at Walmart, Target and Costway.com from May 2023 to July 2026 for $84 to $100. They lack a passive restraint, so a child can slip through and become trapped or fall. The same day, it recalled light-up princess costumes sold on Amazon because children could easily reach the button cell batteries, which can cause internal burns and death if swallowed.

Every CPSC recall notice carries the same warning: "Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall" or a voluntary recall done with the CPSC. Even so, recalled items can still show up at yard sales, thrift stores and on marketplace apps.

Who's affected

Anyone buying, selling or giving secondhand goods, and parents in particular. Baby gear has its own rules. The federal crib standard covers new and used full-size cribs, and has applied to cribs sold from June 28, 2011. A crib made before then may not meet it. The 2011 rules also ended the sale of traditional drop-side cribs.

Sleep products are a common theme. On October 15, 2026, the CPSC listed a recall of Papablic convertible bedside sleepers, with owners told to stop using them, take them apart, destroy the mattress and fabric, and send photos to get a refund. Products like these often get passed between families, so a quick check matters.

How to check in two minutes

• Find the label. Note the brand, model number and date of manufacture, usually on a sticker underneath or on the back.
• Search CPSC.gov/Recalls. You can search by product or brand and filter by date, hazard and category.
• Search SaferProducts.gov. It's the CPSC's public database of reports about unsafe products, so you can see problems people have reported even if there's no recall.
• Car seats are separate. They're handled by NHTSA, at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

A worked example

This is an illustration, not a real case.

Priya spots a convertible high chair on a marketplace app for $35, about $55 less than new. She asks the seller for a photo of the label, searches the brand on CPSC.gov and finds it on the October 22 recall list. She doesn't buy it. If she'd already owned one, the remedy is a free replacement from Costway, with a prepaid label to send the old chair back.

What to do if you own a recalled item

1. Stop using it right away, as recall notices tell you to.
2. Read the remedy on the recall notice. It may be a refund, a replacement or a free repair. Some firms ask you to mark the item "Recalled," send a photo and throw it away before they refund you.
3. Don't sell or donate it, even after a recall.
4. Sign up for alerts through the CPSC's recall emails, and fill in product registration cards for baby gear so the maker can contact you.
5. Report a problem at SaferProducts.gov if a product hurt someone or nearly did.

FAQs

Can I get a refund from the person who sold it to me used?

Go to the firm doing the recall, since that's who provides the remedy. Check the notice for the proof it asks for. Costway, for example, asks for a receipt or a photo of the chair.

Is a hand-me-down crib OK?

Only if it was made on or after June 28, 2011, has all its parts and hasn't been recalled. Check the label for the date.

What about lead in old toys?

Older toys may not meet today's standards. If a toy has no label or brand at all, it's harder to check, so be cautious, especially for babies who put things in their mouths.

Sources: CPSC: recalls and product safety warnings, CPSC, October 22, 2026: Costway high chair recall, CPSC, October 22, 2026: light-up princess costume recall, SaferProducts.gov, 16 CFR 1219.1: full-size baby crib standard, 15 U.S.C. 2068: prohibited acts