If you supply consumer products in Australia, product safety is not just the manufacturer’s problem. Importers, retailers, distributors and online sellers all need to take reasonable steps before a product is listed or supplied.

A practical first review can help identify obvious gaps early, reduce the chance of unsafe stock reaching customers, and avoid avoidable escalation later. 

1. What exactly is the product?
Start with the most reliable information you have, even if that is only a supplier description, catalogue listing, specification sheet, website page, photos or sample images. The key is to look beyond the marketing name and ask what the product appears to be in substance, how it is likely to be used, who it may be used by, and whether any visible or described features raise product safety issues. For example, check whether it appears to be for babies or children, contains small parts, magnets, batteries, cords, sleep-related features, stability risks, chemicals or warning-label requirements. If the product description is vague or the images do not clearly show the product, packaging, labels or instructions, that is usually a reason to ask more questions before ordering.

2. Is the product captured by a mandatory standard?
Some products can only be legally supplied in Australia if they comply with a mandatory safety or information standard. Do not assume a supplier has already worked this out. Check whether the product category is regulated and whether the exact product appears to fall within scope. You can search current standards here: Product Safety Australia - mandatory standards.

3. Is the product banned in Australia?
If a product is banned, it must not be supplied in Australia. This should be checked early, especially for baby products, toys, novelty items, magnets, candles and other higher-risk categories. A low-cost or imported product can still create serious legal exposure if it falls within a ban. You can check banned products here: Product Safety Australia - banned products.

4. Has the product been recalled or linked to a current safety alert?
A quick recall and safety check should be part of the pre-sale review, especially for products for young children, household goods, electrical items and seasonal stock. If a similar product has been recalled, that should trigger closer review before sale. You can search recalls here: Product Safety Australia - recalls.

5. What evidence do we actually have?
Supplier reassurance is not enough on its own. Ask what evidence supports safety and compliance, such as test reports, product specifications, warning-label review, instructions, declarations, certifications or inspection records. The key question is whether the evidence answers the real compliance question, not whether a supplier has simply said the product is compliant.

6. Does the test report match the actual product?
A report is only useful if it covers the correct product, the correct standard and the correct configuration. Check product identification, model numbers, materials, packaging, warnings and instructions. A report that says "pass" is not enough if it relates to the wrong product or only part of the compliance issue.

7. Does the evidence cover every variant?
Do not assume one report covers every colour, size, material, packaging version or SKU. Variant coverage is a common gap. If the product differs in a way that could affect compliance, safety, warnings or instructions, extra review may be needed before relying on the same evidence.

8. Have the warnings, labels and instructions been checked?
For some products, compliance is not only about physical testing. Packaging, warning statements, permanent markings, age grading, instructions and online listing content may also matter. A compliant product can still create risk if its warnings or instructions are missing, unclear or inconsistent.

9. Are there any obvious red flags that mean the product should be placed on hold?
Examples include missing test evidence, unclear product scope, inconsistent supplier documents, unclear variant coverage, safety warnings missing from packaging, child-use risk, battery risk, or overlap with a known recall, ban or high-risk product category. If key evidence is missing, do not guess.

10. Who will escalate the issue if something does not look right?
A first-level screening process only works if there is a clear next step. Teams should know who to go to when the answer is not obvious, what documents to preserve, and when a product should be paused, held or removed from a listing pending further review.

A product should usually be placed on hold until further review if you do not know whether a mandatory standard applies, the product may be banned, supplier evidence is missing or inconsistent, the test report does not clearly cover the exact product, variant coverage is unclear, safety warnings or instructions appear incomplete, or the issue cannot be resolved confidently by the buying, sourcing or ecommerce team alone.

A short, disciplined first check can help businesses identify risk earlier, ask better questions of suppliers, and avoid preventable problems before stock goes live. It is also important to remember that a checklist is a screening tool, not a substitute for technical testing, specialist advice or formal escalation where higher-risk issues arise.

If you need help checking whether a product may be regulated, whether a test report is fit for purpose, or whether a product check form should be used before supply, Watchdog can help. We provide product safety guidance documents, product check forms, supplier evidence reviews and broader compliance support for buying, sourcing and ecommerce teams.