Product liability covers the liability for the manufacture of a product for damage caused by that product.  The liability can extend all the way from the manufacturer of the component parts all the way to the retailer who sells the finished product. The goal of product liability laws is to help protect consumers from dangerous products, while holding manufacturers, distributors, and retailers responsible for putting into the marketplace products that they knew or should have known were dangerous or defective. Depending upon the jurisdiction, the liability of the various parties involved as the product passes from the manufacturer to the consumer will vary.  Product liability frequently involves retail items, but can extend to pretty much anything that can be sold.