Best Buy to Pay $3.8M for Selling Faulty Products
Best Buy has agreed to pay a $3.8 million fine for selling recalled products from 2010 to 2015. In total, Best Buy sold about 600 recalled items over 16 different types of consumer products. Federal law prohibits any retailer from selling consumer products that have been publicly recalled. A spokesperson for the retailer tells The Wall Street Journal, “We regret that any products within the scope of a recall were not removed entirely from our shelves and online channels. While the number of items accidentally sold was small, even one was too many. We have taken steps, in cooperation with the CPSC, to help prevent these issues from recurring.”
Total Retail's Take: Fortune reports most of the products recalled were Canon cameras, Toshiba computers, and LG washing and drying machines. The products were recalled for many reasons, including "potential fire hazards" and "skin irritations." In addition, it's not as if Best Buy was unaware that it was selling faulty products. In 2014, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission called out the retailer for selling recalled products. In that case, Best Buy continued to sell the recalled items well into 2015. This isn't the time Best Buy wants consumers to think twice about shopping with the retailer (if there ever is a good time), especially with a growing consumer electronics market and the busy holiday season around the corner.
