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Cross-border e-commerce comes with safety risks

High volume online shopping makes it difficult for US regulators to keep track of overseas manufactured items, effectively putting customers at risk.

E-commerce has enabled popular products such as fidget spinners and vaping machines to win huge numbers customers without the help of any big brands.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) took a year to put new safety standards on hover boards after it entered US markets. Five months later, ten hover boards were recalled as their lithium ion battery packs were likely to catch fire or explode without warning.

Should buyers beware or can cross-border e-commerce be made safe for consumers?

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