Need URGENT advice - I fear a parent wants to buy my pin cushions as toys! ~

Hi there,
I recently had an order for a handful of my items including one of my magnetic pin cushions. Obviously we can’t always know who exactly our items are gifted to, but the buyer has just messaged me now thrilled with my items they had just bought, and are wanting to place another order for possibly 10 more pin cushions! :smiley_cat:

Only isuue is they have stated they would be for their 7 year old… and I’m a bit unsure what to do now because my pin cushions have never been advertised as toys and even my photos/descriptions all show/mention sewing pins or needles and how it’s to be used for sewing projects. I’ll add an example photo of one.

What should I do? It could possibly be a big order, but morally I don’t feel right selling them in case they only intend to use them as toys. I’m going to mention this to the buyer of course but if they still want to go ahead with the order using their own discretion, would I be covered either by stating this through message with them or with my public/product insurance?

Thank you in advance for any advice/opinions! ~

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Could their 7 year old have started learning to sew maybe? I did when I was 6 and my mum bought me a sewing box with all the sewing bits in, including pins, embroidery scissors etc xx

edit - though if all 10 were for the 7 year old, that’s a lots of pins they’d be using them for!

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I was thinking the same, they might be learning to sew. They might also be stocking up of letterbox gifts (they are a great price)

Like you say, we can never know for sure how our pieces are gifted, or used but the images you have showing the use of your pin cushions are very clear and to me there is no suggestion they could be used as toys- I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about.
For future listings, maybe consider if you would add anything like, ‘not suitable for ages x-x’ as an example if this reassures you from a sellers perspective.

Yay for the big order :clap:

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It is possible that the customer is teaching the child to sew; I’ve taught a whole class of 6 and 7 year olds to sew! Perhaps add a line to each listing now stating that these are not toys?

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That did cross my mind, as I too started sewing at a very young age myself :smiley_cat: Exactly and that’s what concerned me is the buyer asking for 10 pin cushions as if they are all for their child, but I don’t want to decline the order in case they are being used for sewing and the kid just wants various designs to swap around/use at different times ~

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That is a possibility, it was the quantity which threw me off because it sounds as if the 10 pin cushions are being bought for just their child. Also thank you, I’m actually looking to increase my pin cushion prices because I’m swapping to more expensive/eco friendly materials so I thought I would discount the ones I have left over before then :smiley_cat:

I’m happy you think that because I tried my best to show that in my photos, and I think I was more worried with the fact I heard if you sell items which could be mistaken as toys you might still be liable (like how you must state food shaped soaps/candles aren’t edible). I used to have a warning in my descriptions to state they aren’t toys, but I must have removed that info in the Christmas rush and will definitely be adding it back in now.

Thank you for your opinion/advice! :smiley_cat: ~

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Yes that could be true, it was the quantity which threw me off because it sounds like all 10 pin cushions are for the one child. But I recall as a child I used to pick favourites with things so maybe they are going to be used for sewing but each at different times, I used to have a warning that they weren’t toys and must have accidentally deleted that part when updating my listing descriptions so will definitely add that back in now :smiley_cat: ~

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I also learned sewing around that age but I also wondered if they were planning to use them as a decoration or educational aid - e.g. would they stick to a metallic board? I don’t know what the official line is on this but I’d hope you’d be ok as long as you’ve stressed they’re not a toy and advised that if they choose to let their child use them it should be with supervision. They are really lovely :smile:

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As others have said they could be teaching children to sew. But as long as you have stated they are not toys you have done your duty. I see lots of items for sale on Folksy and elsewhere, that can be used as toys and the sellers are not putting the correct warnings on. Many state not suitable for under 3 or 5 when actually it should state 14

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They could well be using them for educational purposes! If so that would make me happy because I prefer to draw vulnerable/endangered animal species and some of my most popular designs have been my Okapi and Tapir drawing :smiley_cat: I have since messaged the buyer back about the next order they want to place, and light heartly mentioned that as a seller I must state my pin cushions are for sewing/display purposes only and are not toys. Also Thank You! :heart_eyes_cat: ~

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They very well could be! :smiley_cat: My concern was because they came across as buying 10 pin cushions for just that one child and the designs were apparently chosen by the child too, so I just wanted reassurance that if they still wanted to buy them after my warning would I still be liable or would it then fall under their own discretion. The advice here has given me confidence that I should be fine, and have since replied to the buyer about their next order as well as stated that my pin cushions are for sewing/display purposes only and are not toys :smile_cat: ~

To cover yourself, put a disclaimer in your product description that they are not suitable as toys etc. I would imagine they may be buying them as toys, but as long as you have explicitly stated that in the product description and in this case the email to customer, then that’s really all you can do I would say!