Foreign Seats being sold in US?!

[mom2jessnky]

This is my first ever post here, so Hi, I'm Dedi, I have 2 girls, Jess is 4.5yo 35# and harnessed in a Safeguard Go, Ky is 2yo 25# RFing Britax Marathon. I CL over on Car Seats at Ivillage, and we have a problem...

There is a store (on Ebay) and in the Metro Atlanta Area selling seats that are CLEARLY not US seats.

www.thebabyfactoryoutlet.com (click on Car seats)

I and few others have contacted the person who runs the store stating that they shouldn't sell those seats here, the person said it's fine they're approved for IMPORT. :mad:

I'm having an off day with the internet and cannot find any AHA! proof where it states you can't use a non US seat in the US because of XYZ.

Can anyone shove me in the right direction? I'd be eternally grateful.

:)

~* Dedi

[UlrikeDG]

Report it to NHTSA. 1-888-327-4236.

[jaded]

I reported the online store and the Ebay auctions to Safety Belt safe, I couldn't find a NHTSA contact at the time.

The guy also seems to think that the CPSC approves carseats in this country.

[mom2jessnky]

Does anyone know where these came from? (what country)

they aren't British. I know that much.

[QuassEE]

My guess would be that they're Chinese imports...

[mom2jessnky]

My guess would be that they're Chinese imports...

Yep I just found them. Chinese. not called Popular Baby. But I found one of the EXACT seats.

[jaded]

No, not Chinese. They'd definitely be European since he says they pass the EU standards. Not Britax, I checked all their foreign sites. And I tried to get a better picture of the brand name out of him, and he refused.

[canadianmom2three]

what is a 6 point harness anyway - the red one boasts that?
There is also a lot of other wonky looking things on there - some highchairs that look a little iffy...

[CDNTech]

I'm guessing a 6pt harness would be due to a split crotch strap?

Is it not sufficient enough that a seat *must* have a FMVSS 213 sticker on it to be legal to use in the US, which these would not?

Interesting how he has a picture of a Britax carseat (marathon I think) and calls it an Alphasport. :rolleyes:

[QuassEE]

I guarantee their origin is China. 99.99% positive. I'm not saying they're not EU seats, but their origin is China. Chinese goods flood the market here in Vancouver ('Hongcouver') and this situation is so familiar to me.. Sometimes they're knock-offs (scary!!) and a lot of the time they're walking out the back of the factories, unknown to the manufacturer who has contracted a Chinese factory to make their seats...

Your new Coach, Prada, D&G, Chanel, etc bag/sunglasses/wallet/jacket, etc you got off eBay? Guess where that came from...

-N.

No, not Chinese. They'd definitely be European since he says they pass the EU standards. Not Britax, I checked all their foreign sites. And I tried to get a better picture of the brand name out of him, and he refused.

[mom2jessnky]

The Company that makes at LEAST the red seat on the site is

Cixi Shijia Baby Carrier Co. it's a manufactuer in China.

The Red Seat (http://sharndy.en.alibaba.com/product/50198141/51981109/Car_seat_/infant_car_seat_popular_in_the_world.html)

this is what I found. took FOREVER to find it too. :dizzy:

[Mommy090804]

Wow!:jaw: I have to commend everyone for jumping on this one right away! The website for the carseats in horrible! Interesting how it avoids naming the seats.

I am curious to know what will happen... Is there any chance that this retailer will be fined or reprimanded, or will the seats just have to be removed? Does the NHTSA take the seats away? Is there a chance that the retailer still may be able to sell them "under the counter"? Someone please enlighten me...