In a major move during the holiday shopping rush, Amazon made headlines by removing one of the season’s most sought-after toys from its platform. The online retail giant is taking further steps to ensure that unsafe hoverboards, which have posed serious risks, are no longer in circulation. Customers are now being urged to recycle these faulty devices at electronics recycling centers and are being offered a full refund within three days.
Hoverboards surged in popularity recently, capturing the attention of kids eager for the latest trend that appears to be a recipe for disaster. These self-balancing scooters, often mistaken for skateboards, have motors that allow riders to glide effortlessly without physical exertion—who needs a workout when you can glide? Despite the name “hoverboard,” these devices don’t actually hover at all.
Sadly, along with their rise in popularity came a troubling trend: reports of hoverboards catching fire. Many of these devices are manufactured in China, where the rush to meet global demand has compromised quality control. Faulty charging plugs have been identified as a significant issue, leading to overheating and, in some cases, combustion. The fallout has been severe, with multiple house fires reported in various regions, including a dramatic incident at a mall in Washington that was caught on camera.
In Alabama, a woman lost her home due to a hoverboard fire, while a man in Louisiana experienced a similar fate while riding his board. And let’s not forget the unfortunate holiday mishaps—several people shared stories of injuries sustained while attempting to ride these gadgets, with some dads hilariously failing to impress their kids on social media.
In response to these alarming reports, Amazon has issued an apology via email, providing instructions for recycling the hoverboards and assuring customers that refunds would be processed within three days for those with defective plugs. This incident has solidified hoverboards’ reputation as one of the biggest gift fails of the 2015 holiday season.
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In summary, if you’ve purchased one of these hoverboards, it’s time to heed Amazon’s advice: recycle the device and secure your refund. Safety should always come first, especially during the holiday season.
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