Avoiding Recalled Items When Shopping For Secondhand Children's Items

SAN FRANCISCO (CBSSF) -- Parents spend an average of $10,000 to $15,000 a year for a child under two-years-old, so buying baby gear secondhand is a necessity for some.

But that could be risky, if your don't know what to look for.

For example, an early model "Bumbo" seat was recalled because children were seriously injured or killed after falling out and it's just one of thousands of dangerous, even deadly, kids products sold secondhand after they were recalled.

While eBay and Amazon use technology that blocks people from selling recalled items, sites like Craigslist only have policies in place and recalled items often slip through the cracks, even though it's illegal to sell them.

Amanda Bower weeds out unsafe items for the consignment event, Just Between Friends, and said, "Some of the most recalled items are actually things children sit, sleep or play on."

Here's a list of things to consider before buying anything secondhand:

1) Expiration dates (for car seats) or manufacture dates (for cribs)

2) Choking/strangulation hazards (small parts/strings)

3) Falling hazards (things with no straps)

4) Car seats (Think twice about buying secondhand because you don't know if they've already been through a car accident.)

For everything else head to CPSC website to check before every secondhand purchase