POTOO’s Recall Monitoring Program

Online marketplaces have complicated a manufacturer’s ability to efficiently meet their obligations around product recalls. Traditionally, when a recall was issued, a manufacturer could lean on their retail partnerships to help facilitate their obligations. For example, if a manufacturer sold to Best Buy, they could depend on Best Buy to communicate with customers and take the recalled inventory out of the market. The number of sales channels between the manufacturers and customers was, for the most part, entirely transparent. With the rise of marketplace platforms like Amazon, distribution ecosystems have become increasingly complex. Each third party reseller is considered an independent retailer and most manufacturers have zero visibility or partnership with these entities.

When a recall is necessary, it is important that brands have robust data detailing which third party sellers carried the recalled products, how much inventory they were holding and how much of their inventory they shipped to consumers. When a consumer’s safety is at risk, it is especially important to have an on-call resource that can efficiently manage timely outreach to these selling entities to notify them of their obligations as a reseller of your products. As recommended by regulators such as the FDA, it is crucial that brands maintain distribution records to ensure proper notification, retrieval and disposal of recalled products.

Trusted by 550+ brands to optimize, protect and grow their online catalogs, POTOO Solutions provides mission-critical data for brands with recall sensitive products in the eCommerce marketplace. In 2021, 1 billion units were recalled across the Automotive, Pharmaceutical, Food and Beverage, Medical Devices and Consumer Products sectors (Sedgwick). POTOO’s Recall Monitoring Program allows brands to proactively track and document third party sellers that are obtaining and selling their product lines, allowing for instant communication outreach with these sellers in the instance of a recall. With POTOO’s enhanced visibility, monitoring and tracking of the product recall process, your brand will be prepared and protected if a crisis occurs.