“On Track USA” Exposed! China Company Misrepresenting “USA”
I love toys. I love sustainable toys, toys that are made for the benefit of the children, the community, and the environment. One thing I cannot tolerate is seeing companies on Amazon pretending and misrepresenting themselves like “On Track USA” exposed. In this article, I am going to expose them and why you should not purchase toys from them. Please do your due diligence with children’s toys and Amazon sellers. Making conscious purchases in your life and for your family is a must now more than ever. We support all parents purchasing toys from any respectable sustainable toy company.
I honestly do not care where you purchase from my shop. We only care if you make conscious sustainable toy purchases anywhere. I feature some toys on my site that I sell and others I don’t. I will walk you through a few simple steps that can help identify Chinese companies in disguise.
Are there sustainable toy companies that manufacture in China? There are a few and I have highlighted why in my article “Are China toys safe?”
I write about wooden trains in many articles. I highlight them everywhere I can. They are classic and fit into any playroom. I do a lot of research and my favorite part is “testing” trains with my children. If you search Top Wooden Trains, you will most likely see my article near the top of the google rankings. I have put 100s of hours into my research and “testing.” It blows my mind when I see a wooden train on Amazon called “On Track USA” with 100s and 1000s of reviews. Only about 5% of people leave a review if that. Simple math equates to 1000s of these trains being sold.
This caught my eye because I have detailed articles on the Top Sustainable Toy Companies and the Top USA-made Toys. This company crossed my research on train articles and needed further investigation. First things first, I click on “Visit the On Track USA Store.”
| Product Dimensions | 14 x 11 x 8 inches |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 8.11 pounds |
| ASIN | B01MXRRMF9 |
| Item model number | DT4003 |
| Manufacturer recommended age | 3 years and up |
| Best Sellers Rank | #11,427 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games) #14 in Kids’ Play Trains & Trams #164 in Preschool Car, Truck, Boat & Plane Toys |
| Customer Reviews |
676 ratings
4.6 out of 5 stars |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Manufacturer | On Track USA |
Step 1: Review Amazon Listing
The first thing I notice is that most of the toys are unavailable. Interesting, but could be sold out by the Holidays. The price is $65. Any comparable train set sustainably made is going to be $120-$240. This price point cannot be made without sacrificing materials, labor, or the environment. Next thing is to notice the brand on the right side of the screen. “Sold by Crystal Deals.” What? Sold by Who? We will continue to drill down for yet another company. This is a common disguise that Chinese companies use.
A quick google search of “On Track USA” and Crystal Deals” returned no results. No such company is to be found. So, a company selling “10k trains” has no website. Well, that doesn’t make any sense at all. NO way to learn about the company and its mission. This may not be important to many parents but it should be. These are toys that children play with. A few minutes of due diligence is always worth it!
Step 2: Review Sold by Company
Step 3: Review detailed Seller Information
Now after we click on Crystal Deals, we scroll down to see the detailed seller information. “Hutton Toys LLC” with an address in New York City. Sometimes you get lucky and it lists the Chinese Company.
Step 4: Google Search
A quick google search shows the following:
Step 5: Check the URL to see if any websites exist
This looks promising as a real company but wait, it gets better!
Step 6: Google Search further down for clues
If I click on the Hutton website address, it returns this invalid and malicious website. This is a defense mechanism for an illegitimate website or company. If you look at the 3rd web address down, this company was sued for copyright infringement. The 4th link down is a LinkedIn profile mirroring a successful businesswoman in New York. The profile has no picture and has never been posted but the name is similar to that of another individual that is not related. Another dead end…
Step 7: Review the Bill of Lading
A few lines down on Google, I found a gem of data. An importer company for Hutton Toys yet Hutton is spelled with a “yoys” instead of toys. Again, this is to obfuscate the origin and does not link it back to Hutton Toys. It is the exact address of Hutton Toys as mentioned above with the invalid web address. One more gem! If you scroll down, you will see the Chinese Exporter. This could certainly be any toy but confirms its a Chinese company importing to a Chinese company in my opinion.
Step 8: Review Buzzfile records
Buzzfile records indicate the following:
New York, NY 10001
| Contact: | |
| Title: | |
| Phone: | (929) 488-4800 |
| Website: |
No contact name or website. The telephone goes to voicemail. Cannot verify if there is an actual physical address or a real person behind the phone.
Step 9: Verify and Read Legit Reviews. Sort from Most Recent or Read 1 & 2 Star Reviews
A few real reviews:
Q: Where is this made?
A: Made in China. This toy complies with ASTM F963. Safety tested. Lead-Free.
Made in China, we will return it.
By Lauren n December 25, 2020…It says clearly on the tiny print Made in China. I hate it.
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 11, 2020
I was trying to get toys safe for my grandchild. These trains were stated “Lead-free” in the description and the USA in the name caused me to believe they were made in the USA. Upon receipt, I see that this is not true. They are made in China. When I tried to find the company online, there is no contact information whatsoever! It is just another pass-through way to get toys that are not guaranteed safe into the hands of kids. I returned them and bought another set from NameTrains, which are made in VT and guaranteed safe. They were more expensive but are of much higher quality. As they say, you get what you pay for.
Step 10: Purchase Toys Made in the USA
Why purchase toys Made in the USA?
Many people often ask the question “What toys are made in the USA.” Years and years ago, companies such as Fisher-Price were manufactured in the USA. Most toy companies have stopped manufacturing locally and have left for overseas operations in China. Today, however, you can still find toys made in the USA. Also, the good news is that some new toy companies are starting up in America. A recent trend toward sustainability and supporting the local economy will drive the growth of more toys made in the USA.
When products are made in this country, you can be more certain that workers are being treated fairly and that the products they make are safe. In the past, many recalls have been made on toys made in China with high levels of lead paint. This practice of making toys with lead paint continues today as it is not possible to test every toy that is manufactured overseas and shady business practices allow such behaviors. I recently wrote an article titled Are “Made in China” Toys Safe? | Are Chinese-made Toys Bad? A recent study in India showed nearly 67% of imported toys have failed the testing survey of the Quality Council of India (QCI) coming from China. Click here to read more.
Summary:
Honestly, I am not saying all China toys are bad. I am hoping parents will consider conscious purchases for their children. Many top-name toy companies have rigid standards and employ factories in China with high standards. Unfortunately, many don’t use savory and ethical business practices which jeopardize the children, the community, and the environment. Stick with trusted and reputable brands. Also, simply taking their name for it on Amazon is sadly not enough. You normally cannot go wrong with Made in the USA assuming they ARE made in the USA.
I know that it is unrealistic to make all of your purchases from toys made in the USA. However, every bit helps with the economy and supports local businesses. It’s like the saying “it’s more effective for a lot of people to change a bit than if a small number of people changed a whole lot!” If most of us choose to buy even a few toys made in the USA products over ones made overseas this holiday season, there would be change.
I started The Baby Penguin to highlight the amazing sustainable toys and companies that chose to put our children, the environment, and our communities ahead of the bottom line. There are so many amazing benefits to sustainable toys. I hope your try one soon. To see my Top Sustainable Toy Companies, Click HERE.
