The holiday season this year is going to be very different. We may see a lot of empty shelves in stores, a reduced demand for toys, and a shortage of the hot holiday toys, all stemming from the toy recalls that we've seen in the recent past.
By this time of the year, toys meant for the 2007 holiday season have already been manufactured. However, these toys may or may not see the light of day. A lot of toys are still being held in the place of manufacture, China.
Other toys have been shipped from China, but are being withheld at the US ports, awaiting a green signal from the US government authorities.
It's heartening to see that various authorities, both government and private, are working together to ensure that dangerous and faulty toys do not enter the US market. The Toy Industry Association, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, various toy manufacturers and toy retailers are all in a scramble to sort out the issue and make sure that good quality toys do reach the shelves in time for the toy retailing season.
The reasons for the lapse in standards concerning toys could be many. One thing is rising prices - toy manufacturers have been very resistant of late to an increase in their toy prices. The escalating prices of raw materials, fuel and other factors have all led to an increase in the cost of production of the toys. So, guess what goes down if the cost goes up and the profits have to remain the same? The quality, of course. Sub-standard materials, shortcuts in the production process and maybe a lapse in management led to the cheaper lead paint being used in the recent spate of toys that have been recalled.
Another point to note is that many of the factories in China, especially the smaller ones, are makeshift with no proper regulation from authorities. The established factories too, may subcontract jobs out to make their production more cost effective. However, it's not fair to point fingers at China and say that they were the only reason for the recalled toys. Pressures from the toy manufacturers to keep their prices as low as possible definitely prompted the factories to opt for cheaper and less safe production processes. Also, we musn't forget that a lot of the toy recalls were due to design flaws, and not only lead paint.
It is really important for the toy recall to be controlled, and this can only be achieved if everyone in the toy industry, as well as the end consumer works together. Checkpoints can be placed and toy testing can be conducted at several key places including at the production facilities, by the toy manufacturers, by the TIA, by the CPSC and by the toy retailers.
What do the toy recalls mean for the end consumer? Well, prices are going to go up atleast by 10-15% by next year. And will this holiday season be low key? Let's wait and watch.
By this time of the year, toys meant for the 2007 holiday season have already been manufactured. However, these toys may or may not see the light of day. A lot of toys are still being held in the place of manufacture, China.
Other toys have been shipped from China, but are being withheld at the US ports, awaiting a green signal from the US government authorities.
It's heartening to see that various authorities, both government and private, are working together to ensure that dangerous and faulty toys do not enter the US market. The Toy Industry Association, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, various toy manufacturers and toy retailers are all in a scramble to sort out the issue and make sure that good quality toys do reach the shelves in time for the toy retailing season.
The reasons for the lapse in standards concerning toys could be many. One thing is rising prices - toy manufacturers have been very resistant of late to an increase in their toy prices. The escalating prices of raw materials, fuel and other factors have all led to an increase in the cost of production of the toys. So, guess what goes down if the cost goes up and the profits have to remain the same? The quality, of course. Sub-standard materials, shortcuts in the production process and maybe a lapse in management led to the cheaper lead paint being used in the recent spate of toys that have been recalled.
Another point to note is that many of the factories in China, especially the smaller ones, are makeshift with no proper regulation from authorities. The established factories too, may subcontract jobs out to make their production more cost effective. However, it's not fair to point fingers at China and say that they were the only reason for the recalled toys. Pressures from the toy manufacturers to keep their prices as low as possible definitely prompted the factories to opt for cheaper and less safe production processes. Also, we musn't forget that a lot of the toy recalls were due to design flaws, and not only lead paint.
It is really important for the toy recall to be controlled, and this can only be achieved if everyone in the toy industry, as well as the end consumer works together. Checkpoints can be placed and toy testing can be conducted at several key places including at the production facilities, by the toy manufacturers, by the TIA, by the CPSC and by the toy retailers.
What do the toy recalls mean for the end consumer? Well, prices are going to go up atleast by 10-15% by next year. And will this holiday season be low key? Let's wait and watch.
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