How an Amazon worker’s stomach-churning mistake destroyed successful mom-and-pop swim diaper business
A successful family business has gone under after an Amazon employee’s disgusting mistake resulted in a customer receiving a used swim diaper, the owners claim.
Paul and Rachelle Baron, owners of Beau and Belle Littles washable swim diapers, say the mistake led to a scathing one-star review, causing sales to plummet.
The couple claim their $1 million empire – which was even featured on Rachael Ray’s show – is now $600,000 in debt because the mistake scared off other clients.
The Barons’ nightmare began when Amazon accidentally sent a used, feces-covered diaper to a customer, which was presumably returned by another customer.
The disgruntled buyer then uploaded a one-star review, along with a stomach-churning photo of the product. It read:: ‘The diaper had been used and was covered in poop stains. Nothing was more disgusting!!
Paul and Rachelle Baron, the creators of the Beau & Belle Littles washable swim diaper, watched helplessly as their once thriving business, which had generated $1 million in sales and landed them a spot on The Rachael Ray Show, was now barely surviving — all because of an Amazon employee’s mistake.
A thriving family business has gone under after an Amazon employee’s disgusting mistake resulted in a customer receiving a used, feces-stained swim diaper — and the subsequent review sent sales plummeting
“I’m assuming someone brought it back after using it and the company just didn’t check the item and then sent it to us like it was brand new. These weren’t small blemishes either. I was extremely sickened by it.”
The couple claims the review is the reason for the declining sales figures.
Baron told Bloomberg: ‘The last four years have been an emotional disaster.
“Customers may think they can get their money back by returning a dirty diaper to Amazon, but we are a small family business and this is how we pay our mortgage.”
Despite the Barons’ pleas, Amazon refused to remove the damaging review.
“We’re sorry to hear that a seller feels their return was not properly assessed and that it resulted in a negative review,” Amazon spokesperson Maria Boschetti said in a statement to the outlet.
“We encourage sales partners to contact us if they have any concerns. We listen to their feedback so we can continue to improve the sales experience.”
Now Amazon’s returns inspection process is coming under scrutiny after similar incidents came to light.
Amazon insiders told Bloomberg that warehouse workers, pressured to work quickly, often don’t have time for thorough checks.
If the packaging looks sealed and unused, they often don’t check, the source said.
The Barons founded their company ten years ago after enrolling their son Beauregard in swimming lessons.
They discovered that his swim diapers were too tight around his legs and they had to remove them like underwear, making cleanup a mess.
They came up with the idea of a reusable swim diaper with snaps, making it adjustable and easier to remove.
At their peak, they were making $1 million in revenue, appearing on The Rachael Ray Show, and even getting a profile in Forbes.
Their entrepreneurial dream arose because Rachalle wanted to stay home to raise the children.
The review was first posted in 2020 and received over 100 upvotes from shoppers who found the review “helpful.”
This negated the hundreds of positive reviews the company had received and the algorithm now began working against the company.
The customer reportedly received a used, stained diaper and wrote a scathing review: “The diaper arrived used and was covered in poop stains,” the customer wrote in the one-star review.
The Barons worked all year to have the review removed without help from Amazon — and now the couple is trying to keep their business afloat
The Barons worked all year to have the review removed without Amazon’s help, even trying to reach founder Jeff Bezos directly.
A month later, they received an email from another customer who also claimed to have received a used diaper. However, he did not share his story in an official review.
“Amazon talks big about helping small businesses,” Paul said Bloomberg. ‘But they really don’t. We started this as a dream to make enough money so Rachelle could stay home.
“It should make sense,” Rachelle added. “Why would something like a diaper ever be put back into inventory to be resold?”