Appalled at amazon seller

[BuddingBaker]

So we're stuck indoors for no-one knows how long and DP and I decide to get our 12 month old DD a foam play mat for the living room as a nice little colourful, soft place for her to play. Bit of browsing and I find a lovely one on amazon for a reasonable price, sounds perfect. Each tile has a picture on it (plane, trumpet, car etc) and it looks like just that - a picture printed on the tile. I look through description, no mention of small parts or pieces coming apart from the tiles, even recommends the mat for tummy time and learning to crawl. Absolutely no age warnings. Perfect, so I order and it arrives next day.

I laid it out straight away for DD thinking each tile was one whole piece and spend a couple minutes wondering why I have a circle piece and no corners before realising it's the 4 corners joined together as the textured surface makes it really hard to see the join line between pieces. Think nothing of it, leave DD to play with them while DP and I get on with bits and bobs in the same room to keep an eye on her. She is very excited and starts pulling the tiles apart from one another, not a problem as description said it's all large pieces etc. Then she starts choking. I rush over and get this small piece of foam out of her mouth, then look around and realise that the tile she was playing with has several small pieces of foam to make up the image, DP picks up the tiles and finds at least one small piece of foam in each one, most of which are smaller than the piece DD decided to eat.

Back on amazon and I look at other foam tile sets. Alphabet ones also have tiny parts and come with a warning of not suitable for under 3s, I double check description for the one I have, no such warning. I message amazon about it as I am somewhat angry that there was no warning about small parts, or even acknowledgement of them as it isnt immediately obvious that they arent solid tiles, particularly if they havent already been taken apart. Amazon say to email the seller about it and ask for a refund as well, so I do and wake up this morning to find an email saying it is 'impossible' for a 12 month old to choke on any part of these tiles as they are too big (30cm x 30cm)

This has really annoyed me. Not only are they completely denying the fact that their product has small parts (probably because I'm pretty sure trading standards would require a warning which they dont have) but they are dismissing the fact that my DD has found a small part and then choked on it. I dont think I would be as annoyed if it weren't for all the reviews from people saying they leave their 7 month old playing on it while they go cook dinner etc etc because there is no warning and I hate the idea of a child being left unattended as a result, picking up one of the smaller pieces and choking without an adult around to help. I have emailed the company back with several photos of the small pieces but recieved no response and amazon don't seem to be doing anything about it. Is there any where else to report it to make sure they acknowledge and warn people of the choke risk? At the moment the description actually encourages using it for young babies.

[BuddingBaker]

This is the piece DD choked on - the whole thing fit in her mouth! - and all the pieces that are around the same size or smaller

[Isadora2007]

I’m sorry but I find it hard to understand how you were unaware that the foam parts would not come out? Did you believe the foam inserts were glued in? They’re clearly not made from one sheet of foam as they’re not printed on... but I’m wondering how you imagined they fitted together. And I’m finding it very hard to believe that on putting it together you didn’t find any parts coming out and yet your 1 year old managed to get parts out instantly?

Sorry that you had a fright etc but I’m sure some common sense would have helped prevent this rather than an amazon warning.

[PennyGold]

What a ridiculous mat for a baby?!
It could have been a lot worse! Thank goodness she's okay.
I'd complain too that is not suitable for a baby.

[playthestation]

I laid it out straight away for DD thinking each tile was one whole piece and spend a couple minutes wondering why I have a circle piece and no corners before realising it's the 4 corners joined together as the textured surface makes it really hard to see the join line between pieces.

I can't make head nor tail of this part. I do however agree with the fact that you have to exercise a level of personal responsibility toward your own child. I don't disagree that things should not be sold without warning and I would take that issue up with trading standards so the seller can't continue to do it, but the matter of you leaving a small child alone with small parts is fine to you I am afraid. You are presumably an adult and are expected to make decisions not just go by what a random amazon seller says.

[IckleBear]

You should have checked that they don't come out really! If your baby got them out then don't see how you didn't...
But for sure the seller should write about the pieces and give a refund.

[goldpartyhat]

Check the listing. If it says contains small pieces, not suitable for under.... ... then it's as described.

Amazon are really good about refunding though, and should refund you.

[BuddingBaker]

Now the tiles have all been taken apart it's a lot easier to see the join line between pieces but when they arrived it was difficult to spot the join and the tiles looked like solid foam pieces - you can kind of see this with the train. To be honest as the description stated they were just large 30cm 30cm tiles with no mention of small pieces and none of the reviews mentioned or pictured smaller pieces I didn't think to check, especially as anything with small parts is meant to have a warning when you buy and on the product and this had neither. They didnt come apart when I handled them to lay out the mat and I suppose I assumed the tiles were either printed or foam pieces glued together as it was encouraged to use them for tummy time and babies learning to crawl. As I said, it took me a while to realise a circle tile was actually four corners as it's such a close fit.

DD loves to pull things apart and will persistenly try to pick up images and patterns on her toys and clothes etc even if they dont come off. I didnt try to take them out as I didnt think they could come out but I'll be more cautious in the future. I accept that I should have checked them thoroughly and will do so with everything I get her in the future, but I would never leave her alone with small parts. She wasnt alone when she was playing with this, she was in the same room with us while I sorted laundry and DP tidied. It took all of a few seconds for her to break the first piece off a tile and put it in her mouth and start choking but luckily we were so close and reacted quickly.

Other people have posted reviews saying it's great for occupying their child while they go cook etc which really worries me.

Definitely be reporting to trading standards, thank you

[BuddingBaker]

This is the posting on amazon. No mention of small parts

[BuddingBaker]

This is the email I sent the seller and their reply saying it is impossible for a 12 month old to choke on as the parts are too big. Amazon said they cant refund unless the seller agrees.

[HigherFinish]

“This mat consists of tiles with the shapes”

“Contains large pieces that challenge kids to learn”

It’s there in black and white

[HigherFinish]

spend a couple minutes wondering why I have a circle piece and no corners before realising it's the 4 corners joined together

No idea what this means

[anonymum95]

I'd have read that as the pictures coming apart to be put back together..

[Stevienickssleeves]

You should contact trading standards

[Nonnymum]

It looks like jigsaw puzzle mat to me, rather than a play mat for a baby.

I'm glad your baby is OK OP

[willowpatterns]

It clearly says that there are 9 pieces. There are 9 tiles. The advert is misleading.

I'd contact trading standards if I were you.

[Nonnymum]

It may not be clear in the description but it dies call it a puzzle mat, which implies there will be pieces to put together it also says good for hand eye coordination which implies there will be pieces to pick up.
But it should also make clear that there are small parts. And could be anchikong hazzard

[BuddingBaker]

HigherFinish - sorry for the confusion. Basically there's edge pieces and 4 corners as well so it has smooth edges and the 4 corner pieces are rounded. They came joined together as a circle. Hopefully the picture will help.
Also, I dont see it there in black and white. Contains large pieces doesnt clearly indicate that there are also small pieces and can easily be interpreted as the tiles themselves, as they are large pieces contained in the set. The mat consists of tiles with shapes doesnt suggest in any way that the shapes come off, just that the tiles feature different images.

anonymum95 - I read it as the tiles themselves are the puzzle pieces because they also have pictures of using them to make cubes, houses etc.

The issue is there's no clear indication that there are small pieces. Even the seller themselves have said there are only large pieces when I contacted them and completely deny the possibility of a 12 month old being able to choke. The image isnt that clear so this is exactly what the seller said to me via email;

Hello,

We are sorry for the inconvenience,

However, it is impossible to choke this product by a 12-month-old baby as each tile is size 30cm x 30cm. These are too big for infants. Still, do help us out with the image of the product so we can check and can assist you much better

Regards

[BuddingBaker]

Sorry, forgot to ad picture of the mat with the corners

[BuddingBaker]

Let's hope it works this time

[GirlCalledJames]

The seller is likely to be a drop shipper who has never seen the product themselves. Keep writing back and escalate it to Amazon if you need to.

[YippeeKayakOtherBuckets]

Well to be honest if you’re buying cheap shit from China for your baby you should give your head a wobble anyway.

It’s exactly like the sort of crap you’d get from Wish etc.

[playthestation]

As i said previously there is a level of responsibility on you as well OP.

I think you have 2 issues:

1. The description- contact tracing standards.

2. Checking things before allowing your baby to have them, irrespective of a sellers description.

Just out of interest, do you still have the lives of paper that came inside the package? It does say not for under 3's in it in the listing. The image isn't correct but I presumed it's a standard images as the tiles come in various designs?

[playthestation]

*piece of paper.

Sorry it's not the listing either; it's a review. Still, there would have been one in with your product.

[Weregoingonanadventure]

The seller wont have seen the product. To them, it's just squares of 30cm by 30cm.
However, the description is quite clear that it's a puzzle and can develop hand eye coordination because they can pull pieces out and put them back in etc. Its really quite obvious.... however, they haven't included a warning so, because of that technicality, you should be able to get a refund.
Send them the pictures of all the pieces removed and of the piece she got down her throat.

[BuddingBaker]

Have reported to trading standards and I will definitely be more careful in the future.

Just to note, this wasn't 'cheap shit from China', it's actually quite expensive compared to similar foam tile sets I've seen in my local shops that normally go for about £2.50 for a pack of 10. Why does it have to be expensive to be suitable for a baby?

Playthestation - there was no piece of paper that came with it, just clear plastic wrap in a plastic postal bag in a box with my invoice.

Wregoingonanadventure - I get that they probably wouldnt have seen the product but they are still responsible for making sure they follow trading standards and have to advertise that there are small parts and it's unsuitable for young children if that is the case. At the moment, it's quite open to interpretation so they need to be crystal clear. They have directly told me it's impossible for a baby to choke on and have not responded after I sent them photos.