Amazon Is Pulling Hoverboards From Its Store Pending Safety Review

If you’ve been considering buying or bringing along a hoverboard, those two-wheeled boards that don’t really hover, for the holidays, you might want to rethink your decision or buy them from somewhere other than Amazon. Or at least until Amazon receives indubitablre proof of their safety.

According to one hoverboard seller, Swagway, the online retailer has required manufacturers to provide documents proving that their vehicles “are compliant with applicable safety standards”, with particular focus on the battery and chargers for the units.

Swagway further says that the products it is offering meet such certifications, and the company is also “happy” that Amazon is filtering out sellers who offer cheaper hoverboards that can, in turn, pose fire risks. As safety is always on the forefront for Swagway, we’re glad that this is taking palce, especially in light of recent concerns with the fires with the poor quality batteries.

Swagway said they were working on ways to assist customers in identifying authentic Swagway boards, and warned that many imitation boards are adding the Swagway logo to unauthorized boards. Meanwhile, we ask that consumers only purchase from authorised retailers as an added precaution.

Swagway, one ridiculously-named hoverboard brand yanked from Amazon, gave a statement to The Verge regarding their product’s removal.

Amazon has reportedly pulled hoverboards from sale on its site over safety concerns surrounding the popular device. The company did not respond to Quartz’s earlier requests for comment after the incident.

There are no less than 10 reported cases of hoverboard linked to fires in nine states in the past several weeks, and the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission is vigorously conducting investigations on the situations.

A number of cities have banned the use of such boards in public spaces, including London and New York City.