Online Survey

Survey Questionnaire
TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: Consumer Product Safety Survey

[Introduction]
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is trying to improve its communication
of hazards associated with consumer products. By “consumer products,” we are referring to
products for personal use by consumers, such as clothing, toys, furniture, infant products, art
materials, and fireworks. We are not referring to automobiles, food, drugs, cosmetics, or medical
devices.
There are no “right” or “wrong” answers to the questions in this survey. What matters is your
honest and valuable feedback for improving product safety. Your identity will not be associated
with your responses, and it will remain strictly confidential. Your participation in this survey is
completely voluntary. You may end the survey at any time; however, your responses will not be
recorded if you end the survey before completing all of the items. On average, this survey
should take no more than 10 minutes to complete.
Thank you so much for taking the time to help make our country a safer place.
NOTE: You will not be able to go back to previous pages of the survey. Please do not click your
web browser's "back" button.
[General Questions]
1. To what extent do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?
[Likert scale: Strongly agree, Agree, Neither agree nor disagree, Disagree, Strongly disagree]
a. Consumer products sold to Americans are safe because there are regulations in place to
ensure product safety.
b. U.S. retailers verify that the products they carry are safe.
c. Most safety labels are used on products because a few people were injured doing
something they shouldn’t have done.
d. Products intended for older children (older than 12 years old), teens, or adults cannot
contain dangerous levels of toxic chemicals.
e. I read the safety labels on products I own before the first time I use them.
f. I read the safety labels on products I don’t own (such as equipment at a gym) before the
first time I use them.
g. I read all of the safety messages in instruction manuals for products before using them.
h. If a product looks safe, I’m not going to look for safety information.
i. When I buy a product that other people in my household will be using, such as a toaster, I
tell them what’s on the safety label, if there is one.
j. When other people in my household buy a product, they tell me what is on the safety
label, if there is one.
1

2. In trying to decide if a product is safe to use, rank the following with 1 being the best
source of information.
[Response type as provided with drag-and-drop functionality by Qualtrics software)]
a.
Myself
b.
Family, friends, and/or neighbors
c.
Customer reviews
d.
Social media (e.g., blogs)
e.
Safety information that comes with the product (e.g., safety labels)
f.
U.S. government safety notices and messages
g.
Consumer Reports or other similar publications

[Purchasing]
[Programming hint from Qualtrics: ALL product categories they have purchased in a given time

frame, e.g., within the last month at max, can be selected.]

3. In the past 3 months, did you buy products that fit into any of the following categories?
Select all that apply.
a. Apparel and textiles (e.g., clothes, bags, jewelry, blankets)
b. Art materials (e.g., paint, water colors, clay, brushes/rollers)
c. Baby products (e.g., cribs, strollers, pacifiers, rattles)
d. Toys (e.g., dolls, board games, building blocks, learning kits)
e. Sports and recreation (e.g., bicycles, frisbees, musical instruments, dumbbells)
f. Electrical product or electronics (e.g., computers, powered tools, toasters, vacuums)
g. Large appliances (e.g., ovens, refrigerators, washing machines)
h. Large tools and equipment (e.g., lawn mowers, portable generators, all-terrain vehicles,
shovels)
i. Furniture (e.g., chairs, couches, dressers, tables)
j. Homeware (e.g., pots, cooking utensils, non-powered tools, wall décor)
k. None of the above (exclusive) [=> Terminate interview]
4. You mentioned you purchased a product of the category . Where did you purchase this product?
[Programming hint from Qualtrics: In case a participant has chosen more than 1 category, we
would make a random selection out of the categories to be inserted into the question.]

a. Online
b. In person

c. Catalog or other
2

5. Still thinking about this product of the category , was
this product new or used when you bought it?
a. Brand new
b. Used (second hand)
c. Unknown
6. Which of the following did you consider when you purchased this product of the
category ? Select all that apply.
a. Purchase price
b. Additional costs, such as maintenance and operating costs
c. Manufacturer or seller reputation
d. Product safety
e. Convenience
f. Quality
g. Features
h. None of the above
7. Did you rely on any of the following sources of information before buying this product
of the category ? Select all that apply.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.

Product photos
Product packaging
Product ratings
Customer reviews
Recommendations from social media (e.g., blogs about the product)
Recommendations from family, friends, and/or neighbors with the product

8. Which of the following were the top three reasons you purchased this product of the
category ?
[Require 3 or fewer selections.]
a. Purchase price
b. Additional costs
c. Product safety
d. Convenience
e. Quality
f. Features
g. Product ratings
h. Recommendations from others (e.g., customer reviews, social media, friends, family)
i. Other _____ [open-ended]

3

9.

For this product of the category , which consideration
was the most important?
[If only one option was selected in item 8, then item 9 should automatically be answered with
the single response from item 8, and not presented to the respondent.]
●
●
●

[Post-Purchase]
In the following questions, we’ll ask you about your purchase after you received the product.
It’s important for us to see if some types of safety messages are more likely to reach consumers
than others, and what role, if any, the product type plays. There are no right or wrong answers.
10. Regarding your recent purchase from category , the
product:
[Answer categories (in columns)]
● Yes
● No
● Don’t remember
[Statements (in rows)]
a. Came with an instruction sheet, booklet, or similar
b. Had safety label(s) attached to the product
11. [Display logic: Ask 11 a, b, c if answer to 10a is Yes and Ask 11 d, e, if answer to 10b is
Yes.] Regarding your recent purchase from category ,
did you do the following:
[Answer categories (in columns)]
● Yes
● No
● Don’t remember
[Statements (in rows)]
a. I kept the instructions that came with the product.
b. I read all of the safety information in the instructions.
c. I followed all of the safety information in the instructions.
d. I read all of the safety information on the product’s safety labels.
e. I followed all of the safety information on the product’s safety
labels.

4

[Display logic: If 11b = No, 11d = No, or both, then show 11A1. If 11b = Yes and 11d = Yes,
then show 11A2. Otherwise, move to 11A3, 11A4, or 12, as applicable]
11A1. For what reasons didn’t you read all of the safety information for this product from
category ? Select all reasons that apply.
a. The product looked simple.
b. I have used the product or similar products before without injury.
c. I know or have heard of other people that used the product or similar products without
injury.
d. The hazards about this product are obvious to me.
e. I don’t think there is a safety issue.
f. There were too many safety messages.
g. Other ________ [open-ended].
11A2. For what reasons did you read all of the safety information for this product from
category ? Select all reasons that apply.
a. The product looked complicated.
b. I am not familiar with the product.
c. I know or have heard of other people that have been hurt while using the product.
d. I was not sure if there were safety issues I needed to know.
e. I thought there might be safety issues.
f. There were not that many safety messages to read.
g. There were many safety messages.
h. Other ________ [open-ended].

[If 11c = No, 11e = No, or both, then show 11A3. If 11c = Yes and 11e = Yes, then show 11A4.
Otherwise, move to 12.]
11A3. For what reasons didn’t you follow all of the safety information for this product
from category ? Select all reasons that apply.
a. I disagreed with the safety messages.
b. I figured my chances of injury were low.
c. Following the safety messages would have been inconvenient.
d. I have used the product or similar products before without injury.
e. I know or have heard of other people that used the product or similar products without
injury.
f. The safety messages didn’t explain clearly how I could be harmed by not following the
messages.
g. There were too many safety messages.
h. I didn’t read the safety messages.
i. Other ______ [open-ended].
11A4. For what reasons did you follow all of the safety information for this product from
category ? Select all reasons that apply.
a. I agreed with the safety messages.
5

b. I figured my chances of injury were likely enough to warrant following the safety
messages.
c. Following the safety messages was convenient.
d. I was not familiar with the product.
e. I know or have heard of other people that have been hurt while using the product.
f. The safety messages explained how I could be harmed by not following the messages.
g. There were many safety messages.
h. I didn’t read the safety messages.
i. Other ______ [open-ended].

12. Have you ever seen a product recall notice about an item you own or used to own?
(Please do NOT include food, medications, or street automobiles.)
a. Yes
b. No
c. Don’t remember
[If 12 = a, then show 12A through C, and 12C1, if appropriate. Otherwise, move to 13.]
12A. What type of product was it? If there was more than one notice, think about the one
that you saw most recently.
a. Apparel and textiles (e.g., clothes, bags, jewelry, blankets)
b. Art materials (e.g., paint, water colors, clay, brushes/rollers)
c. Baby products (e.g., cribs, strollers, pacifiers, rattles)
d. Toys (e.g., dolls, board games, building blocks, learning kits)
e. Sports and Recreation (e.g., bicycles, frisbees, musical instruments, dumbbells)
f. Electrical products or electronics (e.g., computers, powered tools, toasters, vacuums)
g. Large appliances (e.g., ovens, refrigerators, washing machines)
h. Large tools and equipment (e.g., lawn mowers, portable generators, all-terrain vehicles,
shovels)
i. Furniture (e.g., chairs, couches, dressers, tables)
j. Homeware (e.g., pots, cooking utensils, non-powered tools, wall décor)
k. Other _______ [open-ended]
12B. Which of the following actions did the recall notice ask you to do? Select all that
apply.
a. Return the item.
b. Discard the item.
c. Get a replacement item from the company or store.
d. Fix it yourself according to the instructions in the notice.
e. Use the product in a way that avoids the hazard.
f. Other ______ [open-ended]
12C. Did you do everything the recall notice asked you to do?
6

a. Yes
b. No
c. Don’t remember
[If 12C = b, then show 12C1. Otherwise, move to 13.]
12C1. Thinking about the actions you chose not to do, why didn’t you do what the recall
asked you to do? Select all that apply.
a. It was inconvenient to follow the safety notice.
b. It was expensive to follow the safety notice.
c. It required me to modify the item.
d. I didn’t agree with the safety notice
e. The hazard was something I could avoid.
f. I stopped using it, but still have it.
g. I threw it away.
h. Other _____ [open-ended]
13. Sometimes recalls involve consumers using tools to fix the products. Do you own any of
the following tools? Select all that apply.
Note: You can see example photos below [if not automatically showing, then add
explanation for showing the photos]. Your tool may vary from these photos. We are
interested in the capability rather than the specific tool. For example, your hammer
may have a built-in nail remover, in which case you would select both “b. Hammer”
and “e. Nail removing tool.” [Add photos]
a. Tape measure
b. Hammer
c. Flathead screwdriver (non-powered)
d. Crosshead (Phillips-head) screwdriver (non-powered)
e. Nail-removing tool
f. Pliers
g. Utility knife
h. Step ladder
i. Hex (Allen) key/wrench set
j. Adjustable wrench
k. Powered drill
l. Powered flathead screwdriver
m. Powered crosshead screwdriver

[Demographics]
Lastly, we have a few demographic questions. Your responses will help us determine if we are
underserving specific groups of consumers.
7

14. Do you currently have children under the age of 18?
a. Yes, children living in the same household with me (either part or full-time)
b. Yes, children living in a different household than me (full-time)
c. No children under the age of 18
[If 14 = a or b, then show 14A and 14B. Otherwise, move to 15.]
14A. How many children under the age of 18 do you currently have?
a. 0
b. 1
c. 2
d. 3
e. 4
f. 5 or more
14B. My youngest child is ____ [open-ended] months [clickable element] or years [clickable
element] old.
15. What is your age?
a. 18 - 24
b. 25 - 34
c. 35 - 44
d. 45 - 54
e. 55 - 64
f. 65 - 74
g. 75 - 84
h. 85 or older
16. Are you … ?
a. Male
b. Female
c. Prefer not to answer
17. What is your ethnicity?
a. Hispanic or Latino
b. Not Hispanic or Latino
18. What race(s) do you consider yourself to be? Select all that apply.
a. American Indian or Alaska Native
b. Asian
c. Black or African American
d. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
e. White
8

19. My annual household income is:
a. Less than $20,000
b. $20,000 to $44,999
c. $45,000 to $99,999
d. $100,000 or more
e. Don’t know
f. Prefer not to answer
20. What is the highest degree or level of education you have completed?
a. Less than high school
b. High school graduate or equivalent (e.g., GED)
c. Some college, no degree
d. Trade/technical/vocational training
e. Associate’s degree
f. Bachelor’s degree
g. Graduate or professional degree
h. Doctorate degree
i. Prefer not to answer
[Final]
Thank you so much for completing this survey! Your responses may help to improve the way
the CPSC reaches out to the public about product hazards.

9

Q 13: Photos of Tools

10