Lurkers out there. Anyone else get an "informative" anonymous email?

[#1]

Am I the only one who has received a letter informing me of CPSIA? It read...

"Are Your Bows CPSIA Compliant? Do you even know anything about the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act?"

No name, and the address was cpsia@yahoo.com

If you aren't planning on complying and think you won't be turned in by "friendly" competition, I think this is the perfect example that there are other sellers out there watching.

In my opinion, if this email were only friendly in nature, they would have at least included links about how to help change this crazy law, let's band forces sort of attitude.

Interesting. Anyone else?

Kelly

[Former_Member]

You are right jak. If it were me sending that email, I would have written it a bit differently, unless, their intent was to shock the op into action??

[NotMyTreeStore]

Maybe you're right, hullabaloo. I just feel so on edge about this whole thing that it's just hard to see. Grrrr...

[Former_Member]

I don't see why people would do this because they aren't going to get any gain from it but being cruel and loving being like that. I have been on the other e site for years and like Faye said they can get nasty. Can you belive it all started with bows? That's how long I have been around. lol

I just wouldn't answer them or give them any satisfaction. Until you get something from esty or some agency of the gov I would let it go.

[GoldenBubblesSoap]

creepy, but I haven't received any...yet

[Former_Member]

I feel left out.... oh well. :D

[susiedees]

i might even notify cpsia of this. if this is a threat they may follow up and try to trace the email.

you have not done anything wrong until the 10th of feb. i would keep selling and perhaps post a short note on my website that you were working on the testing.

hopefully this law will be changed by then.

[PincushionCrazy]

Friendly competitors who are trying to be helpful would normally sign their name and provide contact information so that you could get in touch with them.
Sounds like the goon squad to me.

[Former_Member]

It sounds like we are in agreement, it wasn't just me being paranoid. All the more reason that I need to make sure that I am following code, regardless of how insane it is! (In August that will be a different story if final product testing is still the only way.) I was kinda hoping I wasn't the only one that had received an email such as this, because I was hoping I was not being singled out.

[FayeMaloneDesigns]

Craftychris,

Do we need to send you a bunch of weird emails, I'd hate for you to feel slighted..Just kidding.

[Former_Member]

:D LOL! I get enough emails from the viagra people to wonder if I'm missing out on something gooooood. LOL!

[Former_Member]

VintageEmbellishment says:
I have read that the consumer and environmental groups that are behind this law have noted the opposition to it on Etsy and they are intending to turn noncompliant sellers in on the anonymous whistle blowers site that is set up by this law....
_________________

I will go one step further to state that I have received at least one convo from a seller asking me to "join in" on turning in non-compliant sellers...why they asked me when my shop is obviously not child-related, I don't know.

But yes, there ARE people out there watching all of those "I'M GOING TO SELL NO MATTER WHAT THE LAW SAYS!!!!" threads. So be careful what you say on these forums about non-compliance 'cause it can be used against you.

[FayeMaloneDesigns]

Kreated..

I agree with you, I have seen several people on these threads intimating that.

[Former_Member]

Yup, Faye---these forums are public..and searchable by Google...and can be used against a seller if someone decides to "turn them in" as proof of selling illegally.

[Former_Member]

susiedees says:
i might even notify cpsia of this. if this is a threat they may follow up and try to trace the email.
_________________

I doubt they'd look at this in a negative light---since they are ones behind this law.

[Former_Member]

KreatedbyKarina says:
VintageEmbellishment says:
I have read that the consumer and environmental groups that are behind this law have noted the opposition to it on Etsy and they are intending to turn noncompliant sellers in on the anonymous whistle blowers site that is set up by this law....
_________________

I will go one step further to state that I have received at least one convo from a seller asking me to "join in" on turning in non-compliant sellers...why they asked me when my shop is obviously not child-related, I don't know.

But yes, there ARE people out there watching all of those "I'M GOING TO SELL NO MATTER WHAT THE LAW SAYS!!!!" threads. So be careful what you say on these forums about non-compliance 'cause it can be used against you.
------------------------------------
That in itself is just beyond scary. Handmade sellers so nasty and awful to actually band up to 'kill off' the competition. Are they so greedy, or just really think we sell harmful items?

[Former_Member]

yeah...THAT'S gonna help the cause. Let's all turn on each other and rat each other out. Geez..............that's really sad and pathetic. I'm going to be compliant til August, but I would NEVER target someone else who wasn't. It's sad that this whole fiasco is bringing out the worst in some people.......

[Former_Member]

I would NEVER, it's just nasty hateful tactics. I'm pulling my baby bibs off, I can't afford the rediculous testing cost and no one is going to buy a OOAK baby bib for $2525.

[NotMyTreeStore]

I've heard it mentioned before that sellers might "turn in" their competition for non-compliance. I don't even see how that's possible. Since retailers aren't *required* to submit compliance certificates to people who buy their products (as one fabric store already stated), how could one seller know, without question, that another seller was in non-compliance? Besides the fact that there are stringent laws already on the books to make sure that children's products do not contain lead from compoents, anyway (thus there's no lead to be found), who is to say that any children's seller did not get official "testing" with a gun? Who knows, for sure, what other sellers are or are not doing? False accusations can bring charges of libel or slander, too - nothing to take lightly, either.

What sour grapes to threaten to turn in other sellers. How do people sleep at night with the mentality of "well if I can't do it then I'm not going to let her do it either."

[NotMyTreeStore]

Oops - I meant "components." Don't want anyone to take me to task for a type-o.

[herflyinghorses]

That't just so sad that people would turn others in. You don't know what that person's circumstances might be. Maybe this is their only source of income and they have no choice but to take the risks.

I got an email a few days ago but I'm in Canada and I will continue to sell to fellow Canadians and overseas unless Etsy tells me otherwise. I don't think the person realized that I'm in Canada.

[Former_Member]

That's very strange.

[Former_Member]

Maybe we should look at all our hearts and start investagating them. lol

my god we are all staring in a sci fi movie..

[Former_Member]

More like the Twilight Zone......

[Former_Member]

Disheartening to say the least.

[Former_Member]

lol...Outer Limits