A small family business selling washable swim diapers on Amazon was ruined after the e-commerce giant resold a used, faeces-stained diaper to a customer, according to a report from Bloomberg.
Paul and Rachelle Baron, owners of Beau & Belle Littles, say their once-thriving company has been devastated by a single one-star review left in 2020. The customer received a diaper “covered in poop stains” that Amazon had apparently failed to inspect before reselling as new.
The review, which included photos of the soiled diaper, quickly gained traction as other shoppers marked it “helpful.” This boosted its visibility in Amazon’s algorithm, overshadowing hundreds of positive reviews.
“The last four years have been an emotional train wreck,” Paul Baron told Bloomberg. The couple says they are now $600,000 in debt, barely making enough to pay down loans and order inventory.
‘Damaging review’ stayed for years
Amazon’s policy requires inspection of all returned items before resale. However, consultants told Bloomberg that selling used products as new is a growing problem on the platform. The sheer volume of returns makes thorough inspection difficult, according to a former Amazon employee.
Despite repeated pleas from the Barons, Amazon reportedly refused to remove the damaging review for years. The company finally took it down hours after Bloomberg published its report on Monday.
What Amazon said
In a statement to Bloomberg, Amazon spokesperson Chris Oster said they have since improved their returns process and updated policies to prevent resale of certain returned products. He called such incidents “extremely rare.”
While Amazon’s marketplace provides small businesses access to millions of customers, the case highlights that sellers have little recourse when things go wrong. Some critics say Amazon’s algorithms and review system can amplify isolated incidents, potentially ruining businesses over a single mistake.
For the Barons, who once appeared on national television as an Amazon success story, the damage has already been done. They are now seeking additional work to make ends meet.
“Amazon talks a big game about helping small businesses,” Paul Baron said. “But they really don’t.”
Paul and Rachelle Baron, owners of Beau & Belle Littles, say their once-thriving company has been devastated by a single one-star review left in 2020. The customer received a diaper “covered in poop stains” that Amazon had apparently failed to inspect before reselling as new.
The review, which included photos of the soiled diaper, quickly gained traction as other shoppers marked it “helpful.” This boosted its visibility in Amazon’s algorithm, overshadowing hundreds of positive reviews.
“The last four years have been an emotional train wreck,” Paul Baron told Bloomberg. The couple says they are now $600,000 in debt, barely making enough to pay down loans and order inventory.
‘Damaging review’ stayed for years
Amazon’s policy requires inspection of all returned items before resale. However, consultants told Bloomberg that selling used products as new is a growing problem on the platform. The sheer volume of returns makes thorough inspection difficult, according to a former Amazon employee.
Despite repeated pleas from the Barons, Amazon reportedly refused to remove the damaging review for years. The company finally took it down hours after Bloomberg published its report on Monday.
What Amazon said
In a statement to Bloomberg, Amazon spokesperson Chris Oster said they have since improved their returns process and updated policies to prevent resale of certain returned products. He called such incidents “extremely rare.”
While Amazon’s marketplace provides small businesses access to millions of customers, the case highlights that sellers have little recourse when things go wrong. Some critics say Amazon’s algorithms and review system can amplify isolated incidents, potentially ruining businesses over a single mistake.
For the Barons, who once appeared on national television as an Amazon success story, the damage has already been done. They are now seeking additional work to make ends meet.
“Amazon talks a big game about helping small businesses,” Paul Baron said. “But they really don’t.”