All Businesses Have A Duty Of Care To Their Customers

During the journey to ToyFair we had conversations that included two typical topics.

Typical, that is if you are a Brit who works in the toy trade.

The weather, and the cavalier attitude of some 3rd party platforms with regards to customer welfare.

This combination of topics brought us, indirectly, to events on the evening of November 28th 2021.

That night the tribute band Noasis prepared to perform at the Tan Hill Inn, Britain’s highest pub.

Despite a severe weather warning, a third of the 180 fans due, actually made the effort to attend the gig.

Noasis had already felt a commitment to their fans to risk the trip and performed the gig.

Then, everyone found that they were unable to leave the venue due to the severe snow storm.

At this point, the Tan Hill Inn realised they had a duty of care to their customers and let everyone stay for a 3-day-lock-in! Yes, they had to roll with it!?

Happy days. And good for them for getting in the national press.

And the point of all this? I am getting there.

My better half Fiona, has seen some of the world’s biggest acts live, performers I know I will never see. Jackson. Queen (with Freddie), as well as the likes of Blondie and Springsteen. I happily accept there is no chance of me seeing acts of that stature. Because...

1. Some of these greats are no longer with us or performing

2. If they can, it will only be at a massive concert I couldn’t cope with.

3. I wouldn’t pay the money it would cost to attend such a concert now.

Moby and Badly Drawn Boy on consecutive nights at the Eden Sessions were as big a concert and as much as I would pay to see someone live.

However…

I have happily paid to see a good tribute act like Noasis (despite in my youth thinking it was the saddest thing possible).

The Illegal Eagles sell out Venue Cymru, our local theatre, within hours every year (and are bloody good).?

I have seen Livewire (AC/DC) and Limehouse Lizzy (Thin Lizzy) with 1000?other people at Manchester Academy and had a great night.

Everyone knew what to expect, and loved what they got.

In the case of Tan Hill Inn, Venue Cymru, or Manchester Academy, if they provided a bad product, the customer would complain and rightfully demand a refund. And they as a 3rd Party would never book the band (the seller of the product again).

Worst case scenario, you have a good story to laugh about for years.

Like the time Fi and I saw that dreadful Van Morrison act in Llandudno - Oh wait, no.

It actually was him, and he was that bad, and Fi will remind me every time we hear him on the radio or TV.

Anyways, apart from Van the (actual) Man, most of these acts I have seen recently have been fakes.?

But they sold themselves as such, provided damn good value, and never risked anyone’s safety.

Also, the venues (providers of the marketplace) openly advertised the acts as tributes, and accepted payment for the performance on the understanding that the customer knew they were not actually going to see the real Freddie, Michael, or Liam..

This brings us to our good friends at 3rd party marketplaces.

Don’t they, morally, have a duty of care to their customers?

Apparently not!

Even if an actual licensed product for an IP has not been produced, major 3rd party marketplaces deem themselves absolved of all responsibility of selling fakes.

I doubt a legit indy retailer would sell a fake like that in the photo above, but any who did would likely (and rightfully) be jumped on by trading standards.?

Conversely, whilst Amazon is a handy resource for sellers across the world, it appears to display scant regard for customer safety.

They will happily ping their legit EU sellers demanding documentation or closure of account (hands up any suppliers who have received 1000’s of DOC requests - oh just all of us then), whilst simultaneously selling fake, untested, (most likely) unsafe products, but taking no responsibility for the product.?

Oh, come on.

Look at just a few of the reviews for the piece of #### in the photo at the head of this article!

“Delivered 5 mins ago and already broke.”

“Very cheaply made, glue all over the eyes. Now little lad crying his eyes out. Totally garbage..”.?

“The eyes are hot glued on and are hanging on for dear life. Shocking quality and falling apart....”

As a trade, we can expect consumers to rankle at prices, but we owe it to them to explain that if something appears ridiculously cheap (or doesn't officially exist), then chances are, it is unsafe tat.

Also, if you want people to trust you enough to put their life in the hands of your vanity project, and blast them out of our atmosphere, why not exercise a duty of care to the customers who provide the funding for that project in the first place.

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Over 33 years as wholesaler / distributor I have forged close working relationships with retailers throughout the UK and abroad.

Whilst there may be a market for supplying FBA sellers / data-feed retailers that is not the direction in which we want to go.

We prefer to help genuine independent retailers grow their businesses by supplying quality brand name and character toys, games and puzzles that your customers and their children want to buy.

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