My experience with Charge 5 and Customer Service

[Lilithcat]

Anyone still having issues with their Charge 5 should just quit wasting time trying to get Fitbit to do the right thing and replace their device regardless of their warranty status. They have absolutely not intention on do anything except trying to extort more money from you despite all the issues with the Charge 5 is a result of it's software update that it released and continued to release even after becoming aware that their software was bricking the Charge 5 rendering them completely useless. Fitbit will continue to give one excuse after another as to why they will not replace your device but their favorite is that your device is likely out of warranty...Well Fitbit, I did not make the decision as to when you were going to release an auto software update and I didn't make the decision to continue to release the same update knowing it was bricking and thus rending the Charge 5 completely worthless, yet you think you have no liability to replace my device as result of your actions and you definitely won't use your failure to live up to the liability you owe me to replace my device no matter what excuse(s) you want to give just in order to think that because you killed my Charge 5 you can extort more money from me in order to have a working device again.

You are liable to us the consumers, you are liable to the insurance companies that their members received their devices from, and you are liable to replace the devices regardless of warranty status...YOU BROKE IT YOU NEED TO REPLACE IT that is your only option on resolving what you did to my device.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[MarreFitbit]

Hello there, @Lilithcat. Thanks for stopping by in the Fitbit Community Forums. I'm sorry to hear about your recent experience with the Charge 5 and our Support Team. We‘re taking your comments and sentiments in regards to our products and services into consideration.

Even though I truly appreciate you took the time to come here and express your feelings towards your experience with the Charge 5 and also want to find a resolution to your issue, my best advice is to wait for a response from our Support Team to the last email you sent. Please note for this kind of inquiries/cases/process, there's no so much we here in the forums can do for you as this is something that our Support Team handles based on our policies. 

Since you already have a ticket open with them it'd be easier to continue the follow up on this matter with them directly. They will tell you what's next! 

For more information about our warranty, see fitbit.com/legal/returns-and-warranty 

Thanks in advance!

[NeilerB]

completely agree with the shady business practices by Fitbit

[CassandraH.]

I just called them and said the same thing.  I purchased my Charge 5 back in November of last year.  It stopped charging before June of this year.  They sent me another one and that one kept burning my skin.  I last used it on August 11th and notified them via phone on August 30th about what it was doing along with sending them pictures.  They never rectified the problem but charged me a subscription renewal fee on today.  I cancelled it but it says it will expire on November 15, 2024.  I asked the rep why I would want a subscription when I can't wear the device that it goes to.  She told me I can use it for workouts.  I asked her how if the watch is to register everything.  She told me I can use it for meditation.  I said you all want me to pay $79.99 for meditation and you never sent another watch or anything when I reported it to yo all about burning my skin.  She said they can't give money back and that they will send me an email to try and resolve the issue.  I clearly let her know that they are only worried about getting people money and not trying to solve the issues at hand; so, I'll make sure I write something explaining how they are operating.  This is just sad that you pay this amount of money for things that don't last and then they just take your money as if you are supposed to be okay and it's not! 

[Lilithcat]

Yah I got several worthless responses from your Support Team. Each one was nothing but excuses and telling me they won't do anything but offer a ridiculous 35% discount off another device since mine was out of warranty when your software bricked my device rendering it completely worthless. Even loved the one response that I received from your Support Team that you closed my case which only proves my point that what Fitbit has done and continues to do is defraud, knowingly brick Charge 5s making them completely worthless, and instead of replacing my Charge 5 and other Charge 5s that were killed and continue to be killed by your knowingly damaging software Fitbit thinks it's a completely acceptable resolution to attempt to extort money from consumers such as myself in order for me (us) to have working Charge 5.

As I have stated in my recent posts YOU broke my device YOU should be replacing it regardless of whether it is/is not within warranty.

But NO you think by your choice to continue to allow the release of an update which you knew was bricking and rendering the Charge 5s completely worthless and as such bricked my device rendering it completely worthless because my Charge 5 was automatically updated with your defective and device killing software that you are going to use your liable action to essentially extort more money out of me in order for me to have a working device again is not going to happen.

Again YOU broke my Device by continuing to allow the release and auto update of software You knew was bricking and rendering Charge 5s completely worthless, and YOU should stop giving excuses and hiding behind your lame "your device is no longer in warranty" line thinking you are going to extort more money from me, and just replace my Charge 5 with either another Charge 5 or another Fitibit Charge line fitness tracker.

How about you get with your Support Team and spend your time to get them to just replace my Charge 5 because at this point I do not intend to waste my time with your worthless Support Team who is going to continue to give the same response of trying to extort more money from in order for me to have a working Charge 5 device again...

My bet is you will not respond to this email nor will you spend your time to get your Support Team to step up and finally just replace my Charge 5 with another Charge 5 or another fitness tracker from the Charge line instead of giving lame excuses that all boil down to extortion.

@Lilithcat

Sent from Outlook<>

[Jorgepino]

I was offered 50% discount and I had my for 15 months
one the biggest problem is that my wife got me the watch months before my birthday and the warranty  starts the day of purchase, not from the time you started using it. so if buying it on advance (eg Black Friday)  and giving it later, you would only x months warranty. 

[CassandraH.]

You are so correct.  They start the warranty from the day the order is placed knowing they haven't shipped it out yet or the fact that you haven't received the device yet.  This is not my first purchase from them; but, after today.... I WILL NO LONGER BUY ANOTHER FITBIT FOR MYSELF OR ANYONE IN MY FAMILY!!!

[Jorgepino]

I contacted my HR person and share the "customer support" text with them. and they will remove Fitbit as choice for our Employee Health program and remove us from the fitbit corporate program. it seems we are all going to get Galaxy Watch6 this Xmas as part of the employees health benefits.

[myradare]

I want to add my experience with Charge 5, mostly to give people a heads up if they are considering future Fitbit purchases.

I purchased my Charge 5 on 11/6/22 along with one year of Premium membership. Everything was fine until my Charge 5 completely died on 11/12/23. Yes, that is 6 days out of warranty. I contacted Customer Support by phone. I was very pleased to actually talk to a person after very little wait time. They reviewed my case and offered to give me a 50% discount on the purchase of another device. They did not offer to replace my Charge 5 because it was out of warranty. I do not wish to purchase another Fitbit device if the quality is so poor that it only lasts for 1 year + 6 days. 

I had renewed my Premium subscription on its annual due date of 11/6/23. Now that my Fitbit device is no longer usable, I contacted customer support about the premium membership. Again, I was able to reach a live person by phone fairly easily. They were not willing to refund my membership payment because my device was out of warranty. They would not consider a pro-rated refund. 

I'm done with Fitbit. For good.