Steve Pasierb is calling on retailers and consumers to be vigilant, and to check the seller before making a purchase.

A statement from Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Toy Association, reads: “Our hearts go out to the child and his family as they deal with a counterfeit toy situation that they should have never been put in. Toy safety is the US toy industry’s number one priority and one child hurt from a toy is one too many. The recent horrible incident in Wisconsin, where a young boy was harmed by illicit product, illustrates that counterfeit products are a safety concern and should not be sold anywhere, especially on online marketplaces. Often, when shopping on online marketplaces, consumers think they are buying from a reputable brand but are instead unknowingly buying from a third-party seller that ships directly to a consumer and bypasses federal safety laws. This marketplace system needs to be fixed so that no child is harmed by a product that is not meeting our strict standards.

Federal law requires all toys sold in the United States to comply with strict safety standards and all toys sold at reputable retailers comply with these requirements. Regardless of whether the product is bought in store or online, we expect that all toy companies and retailers selling in the US be held to this same high standard to ensure that our children only have access to fun, safe toys.

The Toy Association urges consumers to be vigilant when shopping and to be sure they know the seller they are buying from. When shopping online make sure you are buying from a known seller, especially in marketplace situations. If a deal seems too good to be true or you do not know the seller, the product may be counterfeit or an imitation. These products likely will not have been tested for safety. For more information visit playsafe.org.”