Message to Fitbit Board Regarding Broken Ionic.

[Rich-56]

I am yet another owner of a Fitbit Ionic Adidas Edition.
My story is exactly the same as the 1000's of people on here who own(ed) an Adidas Ionic.

After returning my broken Ionic after just a few months, the replacement has now stopped working and screen gone black.

After a back and forth with an extremely insincere member of the customer "service" team. (At one point I actually had to ask if I was receiving automatic responses due to their bot-like replies)

I was told they are only willing to send out one replacement per purchase, and like most of Us here, the replacement, much the same as the original, was faulty too.

If you work for Fitbit and you see this many unsatisfied customers, all with the same exact issue, at what point do you accept responsibility for producing countless faulty products, and do the right thing?

Surely shareholders are not happy to be linked with a company that not only shows how incompetent their tech department is, but also one that has such distain for their customers? 
Like so many here now, and surely millions more that follow, I shall join the other disgruntled ex-Fitbit customers, and either settle for a "cheap knockoff" who's hardware is probably more reliable than that of this company, or join the not-so dark side of Apple. 

[Kev_01]

Had similar issues but they didn't offer me a replacement, they offered a 10% voucher on the lowest range of devices

https://www.androidauthority.com/fitbit-ionic-faulty-update-1122838/

[KiwiDes]

Hi Rich-56, I don't wish to in any way detract from your feelings towards Fitbit support, but the following worked for me and the Ionic is working as expected in every way. this may help you too....

my brand new Ionic went to a black screen within about a minute of removing it from the original box.  When following a chat support session, the guy suggested rubbing alcohol on the charging pins on the back of the ionic.  All I had was Tackle guard fishing reel spray.  I spayed a couple mls onto the stainless steel bench and soaked a cotton wool bud with the tackle guard.  then rubbed the same over the pins.  I then rubbed the pins with my thumb nail thinking I would scrape off any light corrosion which may have appeared over time.  I then dried the pin area as best I could with a paper towel, connected my charging cable and immediately the fit bit logo appeared on the screen.  Since then I have full charged the battery a couple of times. downloaded via Fitbit Connect 163 songs from my library on my Mac via wifi to the ionic.  Gone for a couple walks with music playing to my bluetooth headphones with no iPhone on me.  This worked for me, hopefully it may work for you too.  regards Des

[Rich-56]

Hi Des

Thanks so much for your help, I tried the alcohol, (Something I think that we all seem to have strangely laying around nowadays) but to no avail. I have even tried putting foil in there as suggested by another person on these forums. But still nothing.

But again, I do appreciate you reaching out. I am glad yours is still working for you, and hope that even message like yours will show the people at Fitbit that although you are trying to help, you are also bringing to the attention that your Ionic broke after MINUTES of being out the box, forcing you to use rubbing alcohol on it to get it working? I mean, does that sound like something you should have to do? Let alone being the, go to direction from their support team. Crazy when you think about it, I can't imagine any of there head office guys would stand for that kind of service when they buy there very expensive sports cars! 

"Oh your Bentley doesn't start first time, open up the bonnet, hit it a few times with a 20" spanner and then pour rubbing alcohol on the battery and you should be fine, but since you have driven it off the lot, you aren't covered on our warranty anymore"

Well thats how it goes in my imagination anyway. Thanks again, and I hope you don't become one of the many statistics on here. 

Regards Rich 

[KiwiDes]

Sure Rich, I understand your pain.  A couple of points.

I think the main thing that got my ionic charging was the fingernail rub on the terminal ends.  Anything similar that is not ferrous and not too abrasive would do too.

As for Fitbit support, or perhaps it was JBHFI support, they have sent me a return post bag in which I return the ionic for a replacement.  They sent that return bag after I told them the ionic was back working again, so my experience of Fitbit/supplier support is different to yours.

My theory of why my ionic was zero charged when received new was that JBHIFI had these as ‘rundown’ stock, so I guess my Ionic might have been a long time from manufacture in storage.  I believe the Ionic needs a minimal charge to start charging.  Perhaps mine was right on the cusp?  Maybe I was lucky.  Perhaps if you fit and remove the charging cable 112 times on the 113th time yours will have tripped over the cusp level and it will charge.  Good luck, glass always half full, never say di_ regards Des

[Gnarlyscoots]

Hi Rich.

I too am in the same boat as you. I had one previously and after around 11 months the screen went black and wouldn't turn on. I done a factory reset and nothing. I contacted the seller and they replaced it for me as it was still under the 12 month warranty. I then had this one which done exactly the same but just over the 12 month period. I done the factory reset, as per fitbit's video guide, and managed to get it to come on but it is now stuck on the start screen and my phone or laptop cannot find it through bluetooth. 

Both of these items have been a serious waste of time for me, and at my initial expense of £260, a total waste of my money. Fitbit are a waste of time and just seem happy to take your money but offer no support for anything over 1 year old, the warranty period.