The risks of buying unbranded, cheaply churned-out, fake etc imports - not just Temu
Summary: La discusión aborda los riesgos asociados con la compra de importaciones no marcadas, genéricas o falsas, resaltando que el problema no se limita solo a plataformas populares como Temu. countessalmirena y varios otros participantes intercambian puntos de vista sobre la calidad, seguridad y posibles implicaciones legales de estos productos. darko1961 y the_dutchess_of_dork abren el debate compartiendo sus experiencias personales y preocupaciones. Las respuestas de springyzone, twyngwyn, y sandypebbles enriquecen la discusión con ejemplos concretos y recomendaciones. A lo largo del debate, se subraya la importancia de estar informado sobre los productos que se compran y los riesgos asociados con ellos.
Children’s hoodies made of highly flammable material - bought through Temu
It’s resulted in serious injury to a child.
Hillcrest jumping castle tragedy - jumping castle bought direct from a Chinese manufacturer in 2015
The jumping castle was insufficiently tethered with only 4 pegs instead of the 8 for which there were star pickets on the inflatable. The owner of Taz-Zorb saved heavily by buying from a Chinese company who certainly weren’t accredited as meeting Australian standards … nor did she hire an engineer to assess the inflatable. Saving a dollar, killing a child…? Six children died as a result.
Oh - and the Chinese company appears to have assured the woman buying the inflatable that it met Australian standards. I’ve referred before to this practice of false assurance by Chinese sellers; “face” is gained by the seller because the foolish Australian buyer is easily persuaded to believe an unsubstantiated assurance that could relatively easily be disproved.
Please post any relevant news items here. If we can stop even a handful from not taking the risk…
countessalmirena
OP8 months agoOngoing thread - ongoing issues. (In other words, please don’t lock this thread!)
Yesterday there was another terribly destructive house fire very likely caused by a lithium battery of dodgy origin. Anyone buying unbranded lithium batteries or chargers, or fake branded ones (churned out as cheaply as possible in a Chinese factory), is … well, I was going to be diplomatic, but let’s say it as it is; anyone doing that is behaving like a penny-pinching fool who ignores red flags and risks lives.
Heres’s the link to the ABC article: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-08/lithium-ion-battery-house-fire-caroline-springs-warning/106114446
And here’s the article for those who don’t want to click into the link - because it says everything that I and others on these boards have been saying, in the interests of preemptively saving homes and lives.
I’ll highlight the most important sections by bolding them and inserting alert emojis.
❝Lithium-ion battery suspected to have sparked Caroline Springs house fire
Extensive damage was done to a home in Caroline Springs after a blaze on Sunday night. (ABC News)
In short:
Fire services are urging people to ‼️⚠️buy lithium-ion battery products from reputable manufacturers after a house fire in Melbourne's west on the weekend was suspected to have been caused by a lithium battery.
The frequency of fires sparked by lithium batteries has risen dramatically in recent years.
Authorities have reissued the advice ahead of the Christmas shopping period and have reminded product owners to follow safety guidelines for charging lithium-ion batteries.
Victoria's fire services have reissued warnings over lithium-ion battery products after yet another fire was suspected to have been sparked by a lithium battery on the weekend.
Fire services say they are now frequently dealing with fires started by lithium-ion powered products – such as e-scooters, e-bikes, power tools, power banks and mobile phones – as they have become more common in households in recent years.
https://youtu.be/jKbNIw9_szg?si=H8rxovUp0uq5otMT 🎥 (7.30 Report Video link)
Lithium-ion batteries are becoming a constant menace for fire services across Australia. (ABC News)
On Sunday night a man was taken to hospital with burns to his face after a fire ripped through a family home in Caroline Springs in Melbourne's west.
Fire Rescue Victoria said a ‼️⚠️battery charging in the garage was likely to blame.
"As fire services we are seeing an increase year-on-year of responding to ‼️⚠️lithium-ion battery fires as a result of those products flooding the market at the moment," Country Fire Authority deputy chief officer Trevor Owen said on Monday.
Five people evacuated the home in Caroline Springs before the roof collapsed. (ABC News)
"[These fires] can become very volatile and very dangerous very quickly."
Authorities have repeatedly warned ‼️⚠️the products are vulnerable to "thermal runaway" – when battery cells burst, overheat and let off toxic and flammable gases.
In early 2024 state fire departments said lithium-ion batteries had caused more than 1,000 fires in the past year. The waste and recycling industry says the products are causing more than 10,000 fires a year in waste management trucks and facilities.
Victorian fire authorities have said they are responding to almost one lithium-ion battery fire every day. (ABC News)
Fire authorities issued their warning on Monday morning ahead of the Christmas period, ‼️⚠️urging people to buy products from reputable manufacturers and to always buy compatible batteries and chargers rather than using generic replacements.
"Make sure you're looking for products that have the ‼️⚠️regulatory compliance mark on them so you know they meet Australian safety standards," Mr Owen said.
"And ‼️⚠️stay away from cheap products from overseas that you don't know the origin of."
Safety authorities say Australians should check battery products for this Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM). (Supplied: Electrical Equipment Safety System)
Firies say charging risks can be minimised
Fire services said there were some basic things lithium-ion battery owners could do to reduce the risk of fires.
These include:
Energy Safe Victoria has also issued adviceon how to charge lithium-ion batteries safely.
A Carlton apartment was badly damaged by fire after a mobile phone power bank exploded last year. (ABC News)
Fire Rescue Victoria deputy commissioner Joshua Fisher encouraged people to charge devices away from main living areas if possible.
"Seriously consider not charging the device in your home if you can," he said.
"So if you have a garage or you can charge it outside … away from flammable materials such as bed sheets, couches, carpets – anything that may be flammable, move it outside."
Explosion of lithium-ion battery fires
The waste and recycling industry says it's fighting up to 12,000 fires a year caused by discarded lithium-ion batteries.
He also encouraged the installation of smoke alarms throughout households and in garages to give early indications of a fire.
"We want people to be safe this Christmas. Make sure you follow the manufacturer's recommendations for charging and for use," he said.
"If you see any of those factors where the battery may be starting to fail, through the swelling, smells, the noises that you may hear, immediately stop using it.
"If it's safe to do so, take it outside to a safe area and call Triple Zero."❞
sandypebbles
·8 months agoI’ve said it before and I’ll say it again
Those choosing to buy these death traps should be as heavily fined as those that sell them
Won’t happen of course and the ‘I didn’t know’ and ‘everything is made in China(insert lol) excuses will abound
Too bad for everyone else who has to suffer because of these irresponsible fools
countessalmirena
OP1 year agoThat’s another issue with this stuff: how to dispose of it. Plastic possibly/probably containing toxins into recycling bin??? Into hard rubbish to contaminate the land? Oh, for a hungry toxin-and-plastic- munching monster…!
twyngwyn
·1 year agohttps://apple.news/AJLDyi0WPTk-fQhzh4nDdMQ
ambercat16
·1 year agoTalking about the pot calling the kettle black - I'd be interested in just how much tax Mr Harvey pays? And remember the COVID jobkeeper handouts he was happy to take despite making huge profits over the period?
springyzone
·1 year agoI agree with you in that I bet he has his accountants using every tax loophole known to man. But I still think he has a point.
I'd rather see an Australian based millionaire or a few of them, than all our money going directly to China.
sandypebbles
·1 year agoBut they're cheap !!!!
But I'm cranky with eBay!!!
Shein And Temu Products Found To Contain Dangerous Levels Of Toxic Chemicals
springyzone
·1 year agoI refuse to buy from those companies and I've told the family & some friends that the products might contain toxic chemicals.
But I suspect the majority of Australians aren't listening. They think if they buy direct from China, they are just cutting out the middleman and they are being smart. They never realise the items may not come up to Australian standards.
sandypebbles
·1 year agoNothing smart about using either of those sites and having your information sold to the Chinese government
And about the only standards the garbage those sites churn out would be up to is bin and/or toilet
Not that I would flush that kind of carp
davewil1964
·1 year agoNot that I would flush that kind of carp
Environmental responsibility is always good to see.
We have signs on buses around here imploring people to only flush what a toilet is designed to flush.
springyzone
·1 year agoAnd that is another major worry, for sure.
People don't seem to care.
countessalmirena
OP1 year agoI think I know which supermarket is being referred to.
There’s no doubt in my mind that governments too often do what is convenient at the time rather than what is right.
Re fast fashion - I hope that we can turn this trend around. Quality items made from organic fabrics that have no toxic treatment either in the textile production stage or the post-production stage should be a priority and we need to lean into garments that last.
etb321
·1 year agoThe hoodies are fluffy, warm, and super cheap. Very cute when shaped with bear or bunny ears, or in this case, a unicorn horn. However, wearing one is akin to covering yourself in napalm.
countessalmirena
OP1 year agohttps://amp.9news.com.au/article/e6d8d4c5-a535-470a-81c5-7725bb032326
❝Temu beach tent recalled over safety fears
A recall has been issued for a children's pop-up mini beach tent which is sold on Temu.
The product, which is made by Yiqisheng Outdoor and features a small built-in pool, has been recalled as it does not comply with the mandatory standard for portable swimming pools.
"The products do not have the required warning signs," Product Safety Australia said in the recall notice.
"Risk of serious injury or death from drowning if consumers are not aware of these hazards."❞
These have the identifying numbers SKU10835 and SKU10834.
springyzone
·1 year agoI would hope that any consumer with half a brain would realise there was a risk of possible drowning if infants are anywhere near even a small pool, but it is a worry when these sorts of items are getting into the country and they don't comply with mandatory standards.
The trouble is, so many young people (and to me, anyone in eg their 30s is young😄) are falling for Temu and Shein and anyhting promising them ridiculously low prices.
And even some older people. My hairdresser was singing the praises of Temu. She ordered some sort of table runner for Christmas and it was advertised as silk or some such thing and she received the item quickly but it was synthetic and she complained. She said she was immediately given a refund & apology so now she is very impressed.
For me though, the question is what else are they falsely advertising? I'd say a lot. People just don't seem to care that little by little, all manufacturing in Australia is being killed off.
springyzone
·1 year agoHorrific.
Mind you, saying that it was non-compliant just because it failed to include a fire warning label is a cop out in my opinion.
Far too many children's clothes carry those labels & in my opinion, a lot of kid's clothes should just not be allowed to be made with those materials, full stop.
It does say some materials are outright banned, but not enough.
countessalmirena
OP1 year agohttps://amp.abc.net.au/article/104787390 (for the above).
It’s horrific.
When Daniella Jacobs-Herd turned eight, a long fluffy glow-in-the-dark unicorn hoodie was the perfect birthday present from her grandmother.
Daniella was still wearing her favourite Temu-purchased jumper at her mother Hannah's birthday party six months later, in July 2024.
"I'd been trying to get it off her because she was getting a bit big for it, but she wore it religiously because she loved it," Ms Jacobs-Herd said.
"It was above her knees when the incident happened."
Daniella was airlifted to Queensland Children's Hospital from Hervey Bay.On a chilly evening in the family's backyard in Hervey Bay, three-and-a-half hours north of Brisbane, a gust of wind blew sparks onto Daniella's jumper as she stood near a fire pit.
It ignited "in a split second".
Medical staff at Brisbane's Queensland Children's Hospital told Ms Jacobs-Herd her daughter had severe burns to 13 per cent of her body, including her face, right arm and the right side of her chest.
The incident laid bare the risks of using one of Australia's most popular online shopping platforms, and what consumer advocates say is the reactive nature of current laws to protect Australian consumers' safety.
Failing to meet standards
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) found the jumper was non-compliant with the mandatory standards governing the safety of children's nightwear because it failed to include a fire warning label.
In Australia, all children's nightwear and some daywear must undergo fabric testing and display the appropriate fire label.
Some garments are so flammable they don't meet any of the four fire hazard rating categories, and therefore cannot be sold.
davewil1964
·1 year agoLittle girl facing 10 years of treatment due to a Temu supplied jumper trying to incinerate her
countessalmirena
OP1 year ago$80 buy at Temu and Shein?
❝On the surface, it is possible to assemble a reasonable outfit from ultra fast fashion sites. But look to the seams and you’ll find a mess of raw edges, loose threads and wonky lines❞
Anyone who believes Temu and Shein offer value for money should read this.
twyngwyn
·1 year agoI found this interesting: might have to watch Netflix......
Amazon Dirty Secrets Laid Bare in New Documentary
imastawka
·1 year agoBuy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy | Official Trailer | Netflix
twyngwyn
·1 year agojust watched it......should be shown in schools.....what are we doing?
springyzone
·1 year agoMy worry with that article is to read just how they are produced and the sort of wages those workers are getting. They are being paid not by the hour but by the number of garments made, so of course they have to rush it if they want to keep their jobs.
And of course Australian buyers might be happy enough with it. Many people are doing it tough & they are not after a garment that will last years, they are after something just for the next year or even just for a few months.
This is particularly so with children's clothes. A raw edge or the occasional loose thread isn't going to deter people if the price is very low.
But these are the very people who would scream if their employer tried to lower their own wage to eg $5 an hour.
I don't know what the answer is. I have a distant ancestor who was in the fashion trade, making trousers and later skirts and from all I have read, the quality was top notch. That's what they were known for. But the company was eventually sold off a few decades ago, for the very reason that a lot of people (especially young people) don't want to pay high prices, even for top quality clothes, because fashions these days change a lot from year to year.
But it is a shame our own industries are closing down at a rapid rate.
countessalmirena
OP1 year agoI have posted previously about eBay’s letting sellers include mention of warranty - especially with Chinese sellers. It’s a no-brainer that any such “warranty” is misleading … mere words that pass wind in the buyer’s general direction. eBay (in my opinion) won’t act to prevent this unless the benefits of its current activity as things stand in China become less profitable and with less long term benefit than punitive legal action taken against it in respect of this behaviour by a powerful legal entity.
It would probably take a tragedy with a provable case.
As for the counterfeits, I have given up hope that eBay Australia can or will do anything about them on a more than individual case (and even then, ha).
Back to a news item that illustrates one of my greatest concerns … that is, that Chinese exporters / sellers will lie to your face about safety standards, certification, quality and genuineness.
❝Safety Certification Concerns
Dispatches Reporter Ellie Flynn also found that the online marketplace, which has been advertising its bargain basement items to UK customers with a widespread advertising campaign, sells equipment that is advertised as carrying the approval of safety certification organisations who questioned the validity or authenticity of those claims.
Electrical product tester and certifier, VDE, told the programme that two pliers carrying its name had not been certified by the institute.
Flynn discovered the tools on Temu’s platform advertised with photos of safety certificates seemingly issued by VDE, whose mark is trusted by electricians internationally. However, the institute’s Hendrick Schäfer said that the photos had been altered to superimpose the name of the Temu merchant onto the document of a genuine certificate holder.
He said: “This certificate was a copy. It was illegal…they faked the original certificate and just overwrote the name on the certificate with their own names. This will have definitely consequences for this manufacturer.
“If the certification is not correct…the insulation of these handheld tools is maybe not properly done and the result could be an electric shock and in the worst case, electric shock could lead to death.”
In response to the certification of the pliers, Temu told Dispatches: “We do not allow forgeries and will take action against any sellers involved if such cases are found.
The programme also found that medical products were listed on Temu as “FDA certified” and “FDA approved,” in reference to the US federal medical regulator. However, the FDA does not issue certificates and told the programme that it had not approved any of the products Flynn drew their attention to.
On Temu, she also found carabiners, used by rock climbers, tree surgeons and construction workers, carrying the safety mark of the “UIAA” (the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation). However, a safety standards representative for the federation closely examined the products and could not find a manufacturer’s mark on them, making it impossible to determine their provenance. Nick Galpin said that in order for safety equipment to be granted permission to use the organisation’s safety label, it must contain a manufacturer’s mark, clearly and indelibly on the products.
He added: “The UIAA would not have their mark, ever, on a carabiner or certified product that did not hold the manufacturer's mark.”❞
– https://www.channel4.com/press/news/truth-about-temu-dispatches-thursday-30-may-8pm-channel-4
davewil1964
·1 year agoYeah, but...
Australian buyers are renowned for choosing cheapest price, regardless of provenance.
Ichabod (Hebrew: אִיכָבוֹד ʾĪḵāḇōḏ, "without glory", or "where is the glory?")... perfect description for a cat/.
countessalmirena
OP1 year agoYes to the first part of your post.
Smack smack smack smack for the second part. 😱😁 I loved the name Ichabod for its quirkiness … but I was of course aware of the less than glorious meaning. That’s why I added “Sebastien” as his middle name. 🎖️🐈
chameleon54
·1 year agoI have been involved in a number of legal actions over the past two years trying to hold a $600 million dollar property investor and one of our biggest supermarket chains accountable for illegal activity. In the process we have discovered a document which shows they have covered up a problem which has resulted in a very large number of life threatening accidents. ( several people have already been killed in similar accidents elsewhere with other Companies )
We have already initiated a State Government Ministerial review of the case, but Governments just want to buck pass and not take the major companies on. Other Government agencies that are supposed to deal with these matters are swamped, under resourced and simply cant cope with their case loads. There are also cosy arrangements between some government agencies and big companies. Regulation is often inadequate or not enforced until the case is won in a major court.
Cost to fix the accident problem permanently is $1.5 million dollars. ( chicken feed for these companies ) They have needed to be dragged kicking and screaming the whole way and have until now, point blank refused to fix the problem. We are weeks away from potentially lodging a case in the Federal Court against them and it is only now they are considering taking action. This is mainly due to " embarrassment " and media coverage the case would cause for the supermarket chain.
. Cost to take them to the Federal court is estimated at $50,000 with potential $100,000 lawyer fees on their side which we could be up for if we lose.
We have had Pro Bono legal help so far and are looking at no win no fee lawyers and Barristers if we go to court, but it is a truly frightening scenario. We have been warned they could use delaying tactics and appeals to lock the case down for years and basically bleed us dry financially.
We have extensive experience in this type of thing and are pretty " battle hardened " but the emotional toll of court proceedings is not for the faint hearted. How would the devastated family of some child who choked on a dodgy toy and has no experience in this type of thing ever get justice ?
This is how the big Companies " get away with it "
chameleon54
·1 year agoJust another comment on above post. The major supermarket chain involved has taken a strong public position supportive of Government policy such as the Voice and undermining Australia Day. ( just look to the USA to see how that is playing out now ) Governments look after their mates and dont rock the boat when there is the potential for bad publicity. The whole system is rigged in favour of the large Corporations. Government and big business mates closing ranks when there is a problem coming from " the little people "
domino-710
·1 year agoTrying to figure out what the US government has to do with the Voice or Australia Day.
If - as big as you state this is - reason would suggest the information - backed by proof - the Media would be the place to start.
springyzone
·1 year agoI'm sure you're right. Big companies, on the whole, their bottom line is profit.
They will only do what they legally have to do and I have read before that delaying tactics can be used, sometimes till the problem goes away eg a person dies.
I don't see ebay as being any different.
Temu will be no different either. Their bottom line is to take over some of our markets and probably get a lot of our information on the way. I suspect that they use the cheapest possible materials but even so, they sell at a loss or would do, except I am betting the Chinese government subsidises them eg with postage.
And if they use materials that contain harmful chemicals? No hope of any legal redress there, not against a Chinese company.
the_dutchess_of_dork
·1 year agoForgot to add, there's also some seller's misrepresentation of item location so buyers who are wary of purchasing from China may end up doing so anyway.
the_dutchess_of_dork
·1 year agoHi Countess,
I have been appalled lately by the proliferation of listings for counterfeit items. Ebay pays lip service to addressing the problem through the authentication program but that only covers luxury designer labels and sneakers.
These products are lower value. Obviously they violate copyright and deceive consumers but you also have to wonder about safety standards. For example, two of the items which come up again and again are Wednesday Addams Monster High dolls and Taylor Swift merchandise including advent calendars. These items have small parts which represent choking hazards, particularly if manufacturing standards and materials are inferior. Also, in the past cheaper toys were found to contain lead-based paints.
It is extremely disappointing to see negative feedback accumulating while ebay continues to endorse the sellers. One example of a seller described as "One of eBay's most reputable sellers" and "Consistently delivers outstanding customer service" has a feedback rating of 95.7% with 333 Negative and 345 Neutral feedback in the past 12 months.
These are the types of products grandparents are likely to purchase as Christmas gifts, "Oh, my granddaughter loves Taylor Swift".
Let the buyer beware is all well and good if you know what to look for but how is an inexperienced buyer supposed to know items are fake and potentially unsafe, particularly when many sellers use images of the genuine branded items?
Ebay is capable of developing the most sophisticated innovative systems so why can't they find a way to weed out dodgy items with a history of negative feedback?
springyzone
·1 year ago👍
Best post I have seen in ages!
This has been a particular sticking point of mine.
Buyers who come to the forum are often told-why did you buy from a bad seller, why did you buy from a Chinese seller etc
How casual buyers are supposed to know a seller is 'bad' when they have the ebay endorsement
"One of eBay's most reputable sellers" and "Consistently delivers outstanding customer service", I do not know.
A score of 95% can look pretty good in the real world.
Ebay could do a lot more to deal with some of these sellers. If boardies here can see a problem with a seller, ebay's system should be able to flag them too.
the_dutchess_of_dork
·1 year agoThank you, springyzone
This infuriates me because it tarnishes the ebay "brand". Too many buyers think ebay is a single entity rather than a collection of individual sellers. When they have a bad experience with a shonky seller they think ebay is an untrustworthy marketplace. It is an afront to the majority of sellers doing the right thing. My own experiences with ebay sellers have been overwhelmingly positive. I have encountered almost zero sellers who are incompetent or dishonest and many many sellers who are outstanding and go above and beyond.
I once had a listing removed - I think for keyword spamming - because in the description I compared one thing to another. Yet these sellers are listing counterfeit items and misrepresenting item location while ebay not only turns a blind eye but leads buyers to believe they are reputable. Even when listings are reported, ebay usually does nothing.
Personally, I'm surprised copyright holders like Taylor Swift and Mattel aren't more proactive about inferior products being sold under their names but I guess it would be a full-time job shutting them down, only for them to return under a new ID.
These sellers are only likely to multiply in the leadup to Christmas so I suspect there will be a lot of disappointed kids on Christmas morning.
springyzone
·1 year agoYou are right, it does tarnish the ebay name, which is a shame because, as you said, so many sellers here are actually good.
I realise that savvy buyers have 'the tools' as people here say, to investigate before they buy. To look at feedback or where the seller is registered and so on.
But it seems to me that if ebay itself could use 'the tools' a little more forcefully, it could cut down on some problems.
I was just reading another thread about someone who seems to have been on ebay a while but is upset at the false warranty they received.
Maybe that is another area ebay could clamp down on-no mention of warranties unless a seller is a registered, authorised seller of that product.
No business is ever perfect, but ebay could be a little bit better.
countessalmirena
OP1 year agoBad davewil, bad bad bad.
Ichabod is meowing “Forgive him; he has not felt my paw on his hand”.
But back to business…
Battery-operated items from Temu tested by Choice fail Australian safety standards
Choice tested the low-cost toys for compliance with battery safety laws after observing some products on the platform appeared “concerning”, [Andy Kelly, Choice’s deputy director of campaigns] said.
“The price point does make you wonder whether the products are actually compliant with the mandatory standards that we have,” he said. “When we did the test, it basically confirmed that all of them had failed at least one requirement of the button battery regulation.”
davewil1964
·1 year agoBad davewil, bad bad bad.
Depends on one's paradigms
darko1961
·1 year agoI recently read two articles on automated kitty litter boxes purchased on Aliexpress where the poor cats head got caught in the mechanism and unfortunately died.
davewil1964
·1 year agoUnfortunately?
countessalmirena
OP1 year agoToxic chemicals in items bought on Shein, Temu, etc.
Shoes, caps, nail polish - all containing carcinogens at dangerous levels - in spite of the spiel from representatives of Shein and Temu and AliExpress stating products are strictly tested to ensure they meet product safety standards. Ha.
Buy at your own risk.