Update: Jardine Baby Crib Recall

13 May Update: Jardine Baby Crib Recall

The Jardine Baby Crib recall, announced on April 30, 2009 and covered previously in this blog, has consumers fuming. This latest post from the Consumerist, a social resource for all consumer woes, highlights the arcane, unusual, and backward practices involved with crib recall procedures. (It also includes one of the cuter baby pictures I've seen.)

Other consumers are disgruntled as well: this is the second recall of these cribs and many customers are noting that Jardine is requiring customers to ship the crib back to the company (via FedEx) and THEN receive a voucher for a new crib. Screws and all. Disassembling a crib is just as difficult and confusing as the original assembly was; keeping all the screws in the process, while watching the baby who used to sleep in the crib, is, by many accounts, impossible. Not to mention a child without a bed while waiting each day for the mail to be delivered.

We find this unacceptable. Product safety, especially when children are involved, is of paramount importance, and the recall process should be efficient, predictable, and easy. Requiring this much effort on the part of customers is silly, if not dangerous. Shame to Jardine and to any other retailer who complicate this necessary process!