Safety Sells

By Cathy Yeomans
NARTS Product Safety Committee Member

When my son was about four years old, he walked into the kitchen one morning and proudly told me that while I was taking my shower he had gone outside and rode his big wheel in the parking lot, and he didn't even get hit by a car! It was as if all I had tried to teach him about safety was just a bunch of noise. As a parent it sent terror through my heart thinking about what could've happened. As a store owner, there needs to be terror in your heart at the thought of some small child or infant, in an unsafe crib or recalled car seat that you sold because you didn't have time to check on it.

Some feel let the buyer beware! Others say, "My kids grew up with draw strings and they never strangled themselves." Do you think the lawyers of a family that just lost a child will see it that way? OK, it wasn't your store that sold the unsafe and hazardous item. However, that doesn’t change the fact that there is yet another news story about the dangers of second hand shopping. As an industry, it hurts us all.

This is where SAFETY SELLS. We need to do all we can to assure our customers that shopping with us is safer than a garage sale. Assure them that you have done your homework. In fact with Garage Sale Season upon us, it's the perfect time to get some publicity by using the easy fill-in-the-blanks press release that NARTS has designed for us. Send one to all the media in your area. Sponsor an event that will attract attention to your store while promoting product safety. What a great way to let people know you're out there and you care.

"I DON'T SELL KID'S THINGS," you say, but as part of the resale industry the negative publicity of one hazardous item sold is damaging to the image of all resale stores. As a NARTS member we're asking you to do your part. Have a round-up in your parking lot where people can bring their old cribs, car seats, hair dryers, etc. Contact a local tree trimming company and ask them to donate use of their chipper to destroy the hazardous products. Take an afternoon to visit the other stores in your area and drop off Product Safety Info. Be creative. This is an opportunity to rise above the old second hand image.

We are educated, consumer conscientious businesses. Our standards are high. As we continue to demonstrate our commitment to product safety, the image of resale will continue to improve. The work we do for our customers is valuable, resale is no longer just a depot for junk. If we don't work together to educate the public about the benefits of our business, no one else will. Product Safety is Important! If that’s not enough reason, it is a good opportunity to draw media attention to your store. Don't let it pass.

Cathy Yeomans manages a Volunteers of America thrift shop in Rochester, NY. Cathy has been a supportive member of NARTS since 1999 and is a member of the NARTS Product Safety Committee.