Tale of Two Fitbits

A few years ago, thanks to my previous employer's healthy lifestyle program, I got more active and started using a Fitbit Charge fitness tracker.  As a numbers person, I really enjoyed seeing my progress and stats.  Within a year, the band started coming apart at the seams and then one day the button control on the side fell out. 

It was still under warranty, so I contacted Fitbit and they sent me another one.  I thought.... Great customer service!

Again, less than a year later, the replacement Fitbit started having issues.  First, the band started coming apart at the seams (around the 9 month mark) and then a few weeks later, I was driving home from work and the band broke and fell off my arm!

This is just one side.  Both the top and bottom edges on the face of the tracker also came loose and there was bubbling under the band.

I went to the Fitbit website to communicate via chat with a customer service rep.  Word to the wise... the "year warranty" does not apply to a replacement Fitbit.  The warranty starts from the time you get the first Fitbit.  As such, the rep offered me a 25% discount to upgrade to a new Fitbit because I was past the one year warranty period.  WTH? If they send me a brand-spanking new Fitbit, it should have a warranty.  The rep wrote his offer with such enthusiasm!  I told him a product so expensive should not fall apart within a year, not once but twice and that there are hundreds of documented cases online.  He assured me he'd accelerate my "case" to a supervisor and follow up in an email with my 'options'.  I had an inkling of what was to come so I insisted on waiting for a supervisor answer.  After repeated attempts on my part, the rep told me no supervisor was available and he wasn't going to re-discuss it.  Really?

The next day, I received the email as promised... and as I thought, the email contained the 25% discount offer!  Peturbed at the run-around, I responded back: 

"As I stated in the chat I will NOT be spending money on another Fitbit replacement. This is a well known issue and a company such as Fitbit should stand behind their products especially since this has happened TWICE on two different devices.  To give me the run around in chat about how I was going to be offered 'options' in email is abhorrent customer service!  Valued Fitbit member indeed."

A few days later, I received another email from Fitbit.  Key points included:

•  Appreciation for speaking my mind (LOL)
•  Fitbit trackers are made to last (What?  A year?), especially the Charge model (which is why it is being replaced by another model)
•  When anomalies such as band peeling occurs, the engineering team is informed so that improvement can be made which is why we have launched new Fitbit models (Apparently, they missed the part where I said my band broke!)
•  They stand behind their product and want to keep me in the Fitbit family
•  After carefully reviewing my case, they will make an "exception" and send replacement 'options' (Isn't this what was offered in chat?) in another email.

True to their word, another email arrived with 'options'.  This time, the options included a 50% discount on a new Fitbit product -or- a replacement Fitbit Charge.  I'm torn between being pleased they upped their offer and irritated that I had to send an email stating my displeasure before they sent the latest offer.

Finally, I gave in and decided to get the replacement. Okay... if a company has access to your history (and yes, they do!), one would THINK they'd look to see what size I've had and check to see if they have THAT size.  I received a third email stating the Charge is being discontinued (I know!) and inventory is limited to size XL in three colors.  I'm not an XL.  ::sigh::  The other alternative is to be relegated to a Fitbit Alta.  Why not just send me the latest Charge 2?

I agreed to the Alta.  Two weeks went by and no confirmation of shipment, so I emailed them.  It does not surprise me that immediately after I contacted them, I received confirmation of shipment.  My guess is they probably hoped I'd disappeared.  I received the Alta in a padded envelope wrapped in bubble wrap. No other packaging, no instruction book.  ::sigh:

While I was going back and forth with Fitbit about the defective Charge,  I did some research regarding how I might fix it (in case Fitbit wasn't going to honor a warranty) and found a YouTube video... Yes, YouTube is my go to for fixing things!  For less than $3, I bought an Alta band and a Charge slipcover on eBay.  I removed the broken band from the Charge and put the other band and slipcover on.  It's not pretty.  It's not water-resistant.  But!  It works.

The silver square was covered with black paint.  In the short time I've had it, it has rubbed off.  Shipped from China -- Can't expect too much.

When the Charge finally stops working, I'll use the Alta.  Meantime, I'm doing research for a different brand of activity band.

Until next time...