Buckyballs, the three-year-old innovative toy company that makes magnetic desk toys for adults, is in the fight of its life. The Obama administration’s Consumer Product Safety Commission has filed a lawsuit to stop the firm from selling its products and to issue a recall of its toys. Several retailers have yanked the magnets, despite the company’s clear warning that Buckyballs and Buckycubes are for adults — not children.
Buckyballs executives have taken to social media and radio airwaves to save the company.
.@OnSafety: GEEKMOM knows best: keep #buckyballs in business (and in the hands of adults only). http://t.co/DssHW66d #SaveOurBalls
— Buckyballs (@GetBuckyballs) July 30, 2012
@OnSafety: And the support continues! Looks like @NewAmericanMag wants to help #SaveOurBalls, too: http://t.co/uNiFha7H #CPSC
— Buckyballs (@GetBuckyballs) July 29, 2012
@thinkgeek @ToddPM Buckyballs are lawful, safe for sale to adults and available at http://t.co/D9ywsgFY #Copout #SaveOurBalls
— Buckyballs (@GetBuckyballs) July 26, 2012
https://twitter.com/crhopkins/status/230047030662295553
https://twitter.com/crhopkins/status/230046215138582528
I'm supporting @GetBuckyballs !! Just placed an order direct, because retailers like @thinkgeek pulled lawful sales. #copout #SaveOurBalls
— Mr. Anderson (@7nk) July 30, 2012
Big Nanny is everywhere. Stop @OnSafety from banning @GetBuckyballs: http://t.co/6e0hlmkx #SaveOurBalls
— Dave Zawislak (@davezawislak) July 30, 2012
https://twitter.com/hashi856/status/229999196357406721
Buckyballs is also defending itself on YouTube. Spread the word!
Background:
CSPC press release announcing lawsuit.
Buckyballs CEO: “How can this happen in America?”
Buckyballs corporate statement:
CSPC: Thank you for trying to drive a $50 million New York-based consumer product company out of business.
Maxfield is the manufacturer and distributor of Buckyballs® and Buckycubes™, the number one selling brand name in high-powered magnets – recently called America’s “fave desk accessory” by the Washington Post (July 13, 2012), and named “the next big thing in cubicle fidgeting” by New York magazine (July 16-23, 2012).
Before filing the lawsuit and giving Maxfield and Oberton the opportunity to defend itself and its products, CPSC systematically began contacting its retailers giving them 48 hours to tell the government that they would stop selling Buckyballs® and Buckycubes™. Some retailers capitulated to this so-called voluntary request for fear of retribution if they did not acquiesce.
“Obviously the bureaucrats see danger everywhere, and those responsible people – like our company who have vigorously promoted safety and appropriate use of our products – gets put out of business by an unfair and arbitrary process,” said Craig Zucker, Founder and CEO of Maxfield and Oberton “I don’t understand how and why they did this without following their own rules before allowing us to make our case. It almost seems like they simply wanted to put our products and industry out of business.”
Finally, CPSC is giving Maxfield an opportunity to defend its products but only after ruining its retailer base through intimidation tactics.
“We are deeply disappointed that the CPSC has decided to go after our firm – and magnets in general. Magnets have been around for centuries and are used for all sorts of purposes. Our products are marketed to those 14 and above and out of over half a billion magnets in the market place CPSC has received reports of less than two-dozen cases of misuse. We worked with the Commission in order to do an education video less than 9 months ago, so we are shocked they are taking this action. We find it unfair, unjust and un-American,” added Zucker. “We will vigorously fight this action taken by President Obama’s hand picked agency.”
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