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My feedback on IONIC and Customer Service

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My Ionic stopped reading my heart rate after about 2 weeks of use. I had to be on a chat message for over 2 hours before Customer Service would authorize a return. This is a $300 item. When FB shipped it to me, they used SmartPost, which took about 10 days to get to me. Now, they tell me the only way to get a return is to use Smartpost to return it to them, then, they will review it, then, I assume, send it back out via SmartPost. Smartpost is a complete joke. I dropped off the returned fitbit, and it took 3 days before it left OKC. Then it went to Dallas, then to Wichita, then to Olatha. Now, it is meandering to San Francisco. Using Smartpost for shipping out a $300 item, first of all, is insulting. Then, using it for an RMA is maddening. It will likely take somewhere around 3 weeks for a turnaround. Are you kidding me? Not to mention, the device is barely functional. There are known issues with Device Sync, notifications, weather app, and Wifi, with the Samsung Note 8. They haven't been able to fix these problems. They also didn't disclose the fact there were known issues to me, until I had spent more than an hour on chat, going through their problem solving steps. Why put me through all of that, if they knew there was a bug, and it wasn't going to work with my phone? Geez. So far, I am highly unimpressed with the IONIC, and even more so, with Customer Service.

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11 REPLIES 11

I just upgraded to the Note 8.  Have not used the Ionic since I've acquired it but will make it a point to wear it this week to see what's up.  This is disappointing news for sure.  I go back and fourth between my Gear S3 Frontier and the Ionic.  Obviously the former works flawlessly as it's also made by Samsung.  I decided to take a Ionic holiday due to the sync issues I was having before my phone upgrade. Keeping it around in hopes that this improves with firmware updates. 

 

Sorry to read about your return woes. Hope it takes less time than 10 days for you.  

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Just in case anyone is interested, here it is, 8 days after I dropped my Ionic Fitbit RMA package at the local USPS, airport location, and my RMA package continues to show "hits" at various post offices. It is presently in California, and "pinged," at it's 12th location. Isn't that grand!

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Was the package addressed to FitBit ? I sent three days ago and it was received by Fitbit today.

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Yes. I printed their label.

Smartpost apparently has high variability.

Travel History
 
 
Date/Time
Activity Location
 
11/07/2017 - Tuesday
6:10 pmIn transit LODI, CA
  
2:57 amIn transit STOCKTON, CA
  
 
11/06/2017 - Monday
2:56 pmIn transit CALIFORNIA CITY, CA
  
2:48 amIn transit NEWBERRY SPRINGS, CA
  
 
11/05/2017 - Sunday
3:41 pmIn transit FLAGSTAFF, AZ
  
3:32 amIn transit VAUGHN, NM
  
 
11/04/2017 - Saturday
5:29 pmIn transit ROSE HILL, KS
  
2:58 amDeparted FedEx location FEDEX SMARTPOST OLATHE, KS
  
 
11/03/2017 - Friday
7:48 pmArrived at FedEx location FEDEX SMARTPOST OLATHE, KS
  
2:46 pmIn transit WICHITA, KS
  
1:17 amDeparted FedEx location FEDEX SMARTPOST DALLAS, TX
  
12:33 amArrived at FedEx location FEDEX SMARTPOST DALLAS, TX
  
 
10/31/2017 - Tuesday
9:12 pmAt U.S. Postal Service facility OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
 
In transit to shipper/merchant
8:09 pmAt U.S. Postal Service facility OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
 
In transit to shipper/merchant
4:17 pmAt U.S. Postal Service facility OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
 
Accepted by U.S. Postal Service - Tracking ID 9202396343461221532636
11:05 amShipment information sent to FedEx 
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I underestimated the length of time to deliver the IONIC FB on my RMA: It looks like it is going to take 13 days, one way. Pathetic!

 

Travel History
 
Date/Time
Activity Location
 
11/09/2017 - Thursday
12:48 amDeparted FedEx location FEDEX SMARTPOST SACRAMENTO, CA
  
 
11/07/2017 - Tuesday
8:48 pmArrived at FedEx location FEDEX SMARTPOST SACRAMENTO, CA
  
6:10 pmIn transit LODI, CA
  
2:57 amIn transit STOCKTON, CA
  
 
11/06/2017 - Monday
2:56 pmIn transit CALIFORNIA CITY, CA
  
2:48 amIn transit NEWBERRY SPRINGS, CA
  
 
11/05/2017 - Sunday
3:41 pmIn transit FLAGSTAFF, AZ
  
3:32 amIn transit VAUGHN, NM
  
 
11/04/2017 - Saturday
5:29 pmIn transit ROSE HILL, KS
  
2:58 amDeparted FedEx location FEDEX SMARTPOST OLATHE, KS
  
 
11/03/2017 - Friday
7:48 pmArrived at FedEx location FEDEX SMARTPOST OLATHE, KS
  
2:46 pmIn transit WICHITA, KS
  
1:17 amDeparted FedEx location FEDEX SMARTPOST DALLAS, TX
  
12:33 amArrived at FedEx location FEDEX SMARTPOST DALLAS, TX
  
 
10/31/2017 - Tuesday
9:12 pmAt U.S. Postal Service facility OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
 
In transit to shipper/merchant
8:09 pmAt U.S. Postal Service facility OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
 
In transit to shipper/merchant
4:17 pmAt U.S. Postal Service facility OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
 
Accepted by U.S. Postal Service - Tracking ID 9202396343461221532636
11:05 amShipment information sent to FedEx
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Yikes it almost appears if the US Postal service is taking your ionic device for a demonstration in various cities. I live in Lincoln Nebraska and probably should have taken almost the same trail but didn't. I in fact have gotten the refund for the watch. My transit was 2 1/2 days. FitBit does not influence this other than having an umbrella contract but FedEx is to blame. 

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Can add that my Ionic stopped working after one month of gentle usage.  Customer support trying to put me through hoop after hoop of sending a less than 25 MB video that's 20+ seconds (good luck) proving it does not work.  They do not trust their customers word or ability to type "Fitbit Ionic does not turn on" into a search engine.  Returning the Fitbit Flyer headphones today and will never buy another Fitbit product.

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I think the issue is when Fitbit bought out Pebble they took on their support staff.  Support on the Ionic is much worse in my experience than regular support.  When I had an issue with my Surge, the replacement was shipped out 2-Day and before I even returned my original.  They just took my credit card number in case I didn't return my original.

 

Now that I have an issue with the Ionic, I'm experiencing your same problem.  I'm required to return by Smartpost and once they receive it they'll send out a replacement.  But what leads me to think they are using Pebble support staff rather than their own for the Ionic is my return instructions indicated:

 

"We have sent you a prepaid shipping label. Please return the Smart Watch Pebble only."

 

Not even referring to their product by their product name.

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That would make sense.  I see posts from years ago where people actually get devices replaced.  My support experience is nothing like that and it almost seems like I am dealing with scammers on the internet that are clueless about technology and just point to knowledge base articles.  I'm sure upper management is patting themselves on the back for all the "savings" on contracting out to a low bidder.

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@SKrueger wrote:

my return instructions indicated:

 

"We have sent you a prepaid shipping label. Please return the Smart Watch Pebble only."

 

Not even referring to their product by their product name.


Just wondering, was it an upper case or lower case “p”? The term pebble can be used as a reference to the watch body only, ie no straps.

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I returned the Fitbit Ionic today to Best Buy and they gave me a refund NO QUESTIONS ASKED even though it was three days beyond their return policy window.  I also returned the Fitbit Flyer headphones I had bought to go with the Ionic and bought the Jaybird X3 headphones.

 

My household will NEVER buy a Fitbit product again.

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