How to Check for Product Recalls When Shopping Online

Online shopping creates specific recall checking challenges: product listings do not display recall status, third-party marketplace sellers may list recalled products, and the volume of products makes manual checking easy to skip. These steps make it practical.

Before You Buy: Quick Recall Check

Step 1: Note the brand name and model number from the product listing.

Step 2: Search at Recalls.gov by brand or product name. The search returns relevant CPSC, FDA, NHTSA, and USDA recall notices.

Step 3: If you are buying from a third-party seller on Amazon, eBay, or Facebook Marketplace, also check CPSC.gov/Recalls directly, the Recalls.gov aggregator occasionally has a slight lag.

This adds two to three minutes to the purchase decision for higher-risk products (children's items, appliances, personal care products) and is worth doing.

Amazon: First-Party vs. Third-Party Sellers

Amazon's own retail operation (items sold and shipped by Amazon) is subject to recall monitoring and removal obligations. Products from Amazon's direct inventory that are recalled are removed.

Third-party marketplace sellers on Amazon are subject to Amazon's policies but compliance varies. Amazon has taken steps to improve recall screening, but recalled products occasionally appear in third-party listings. When buying from third-party sellers, verify the specific product recall status yourself.

eBay and Facebook Marketplace

These platforms have more limited screening capabilities for recalled products. Sellers are prohibited from listing recalled items under platform terms, but enforcement relies heavily on reporting.

Before buying any used or new product from these platforms:

• Check Recalls.gov with the model name and number
• Ask the seller to confirm the serial number before purchase if the listing does not include it
• Be particularly careful with children's products, cribs, and car seats, categories with high recall rates

Signed Up for Retailer Alerts?

Major retailers including Target, Walmart, and Best Buy offer loyalty program notifications that can include recall alerts for products you have purchased through your account. This is separate from manufacturer and agency alerts but provides an additional layer.

Logging into your retail account history after a recall is announced is a quick way to check whether you purchased something during an affected production period.

When You Receive the Product

After delivery, take two minutes to:

• Note the model number and serial number from the label
• Check it one more time at Recalls.gov, the window between purchase and delivery can sometimes include a newly announced recall
• Register the product with the manufacturer if registration is offered