Voluntary Safety Recall of Fitbit Ionic Smartwatches

[FitbitCommunity]

Fitbit, in conjunction with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), announced a voluntary recall of Fitbit Ionic smartwatches, which the company introduced in 2017 and stopped producing in 2020. The battery in the Ionic smartwatch can overheat, posing a burn hazard.

The health and safety of Fitbit users is our highest priority. We are taking this action out of an abundance of caution for our users. We will offer a refund to Fitbit Ionic customers.

This voluntary recall is specific to Fitbit Ionic devices. It does not impact any other Fitbit smartwatches or trackers.

If you have an impacted Fitbit Ionic device, please stop using it and visit our webpage where you’ll find:

• Answers to common questions
• Information on how to receive a refund 
• Access to a special discount on select Fitbit devices, bands, and services, if available in your region, for a limited time.

[gseale]

0hwll - I received this 2/28, so any day now.

Dear Valued Customer,

We received and processed your return and verified your device is one of the impacted devices. We’ll process your refund within the next 10 business days and send it to you by the method you selected during registration.

[Dudley23]

Good evening

i received a redemption code last week for my fitbit refund which took me to a site called b4b payments ,, they do not recognise the code or myself,, saying I’m not on there database and it won’t let me register,,, so I’m stuck with an invalid redemption code for my refund,, no one from fitbit ionic will respond to my emails,, and I cannot get through to customer services at b4b payments site,, this was 5 days ago,, I’m stuck with a code that does not work? Does anyone on here have any clearer information as to what I do next to obtain my refund?? Very poor customer service fitbit !

[TomDuke]

@0hwell - As far as I'm aware from reading all of the posts on this thread since the recall began only one user in the US has reported getting his rebate (@pizzacheeks who I believe has signed off of this forum) last week.  Like him, I learned of the recall the day it was announced and registered my 3 Ionics for the refund, received registrations numbers and the email with the access & discount codes for the Ionic Recall webstore 2 March.  I was able to order two Sense devices, two free bands (only one shipped but the other appeared to be on backorder and I'm still waiting) on 3 March.

  I received the return kits for each Ionic and sent them back on 10 March from a UPS store and got a receipt (also made copies of the UPS shipping labels too).  UPS tracking showed one Ionic delivered 14 March, another 15 March, and the third showed it was stuck in Plainfield, IN with no movement past the 15th.  Calling the Fitbit Ionic Recall Line (1-888-240-2819) on 23 March confirmed that Plainfield is on the outskirts of Indianapolis where Sedgwick is located and that all three of my devices had been received and were being processed.  Unlike @gseale below I never received any email confirmation that my Ionics were being processed.

  Considering the stated 3-6 weeks time period for receiving a refund the earliest I would expect to have gotten anything would be today for the device delivered on 14 March.  If I still have nothing by 26 April, 6 weeks then I'll start to worry.  It would have been nice to have gotten a confirmation email (and yes, I do check my spam folder daily).  All we can do is standby at this point I suppose.  Good to see our overseas friends are starting to get their money (although not without complications) which should have happened quickly since they didn't have to return their Ionic.  Hang in there everyone.

[FitnessPassion]

I’m from the UK.

I registered and received my email saying I had completed Step 1 on the 4th March. On the same day I received my email for the discounted devices. (I tried a few times before this worked). 

Ordered the Charge 5, however it did not pick up a consistent HR. (I have tattoos on both hands and arms). I decided to get the Inspire 2 which picks up my HR consistently and records my sleep properly also. (Just an FYI)  

On the 7th March I go an email stating they had authorised the recall and I would get the refund within 3-6 weeks. I opted for the gift card (Mastercard). 

Then on the 31st March I received the Mastercard via email. It equated to £223.72

Hope this helps if anyone is after a timeline. 

[Dudley23]

Did you receive a redemption code first? Or am I waiting for another email to activate? My redemption code from Mastercard does not work?

Sent from my iPhone

[Troubleuk]

Am from uk did mine on the 8th of March got my code for the discount I used to to buy bands for my sence what I had already bought selected PayPal as refund and am still waiting 

[NormT]

@TomDuke I will attempt to attach a copy of the letter I received below. Your attitude is much better than mine. My history with the single Ionic recall was much like yours. I did buy a Sense with the 40% discount and am awaiting the back ordered free band. Now I am trying to wait patiently to see if the refund ever arrives and not looking forward to the complications experienced by users across the pond. Echoing Tom’s advice to hang in there!

Moderator edit: format

[TomDuke]

@NormT - Thanks for reaching out and sharing this.  I have not seen any email resembling what you have posted here which is a bit concerning since I think you, @pizzacheeks, and I had all registered and returned our Ionics the same time.  Again, this is just three weeks in and I'm sure they've got thousands and thousands of these things to sort through and who knows how many employees are handling the load?  I imagine it takes time.  So now I know to look for this email for each of my three devices confirming they have been processed to start the 10 day countdown to payment.  

[FitnessPassion]

@Dudley23 I just got the one email and the redemption code was on there. The only thing I can think of if it isn't working, is to try doing it again using a supported internet browser. I followed the process using GoogleChrome. Hope this helps. 

[Voodoorising]

Hi Like most of us on here I had my recall notice went through the process without issues ordered a Fitbit Sense some extra straps but not all of them arrived and the free 12months Premium like I say it all arrived apart from some straps and I have had my Sense now fore about 3-4 weeks but as of yet I have not received or heard anything about my refund which I requested as a Mastercard, has any one in the UK received there refund ?

[Barbara256]

I've now got my refund (I'm in the UK). I had an email on 1 April with a link to b4b payments and a redemption code. I now have an e-card containing the refund (MasterCard/Eurocard - but not a debit or credit card). I did a test purchase on Amazon UK and it worked no problem.

[retiredatlast]

In AU....Update

Hi everyone. With emails to both Only1 and Fitbit over the last 4 days both my wife and myself have had success. Only1, ie Blackhawk Network advised that Fitbits payment processor was not setup to process Visa Virtual Accounts and that was the reason for all the rejections when ordering.

My wife and I both went online this morning ( Tues 5th ) and proceeded to go through the ordering process from the original email advising how to do so. After clicking the order screen and waiting a while the order went through. 

I hope everyone else has the same success....

[Satheesh5381]

@Prameet 

I have completed refund registration on March 6th and got refund mail from Paypal on March 30th

But once we click on claim your money, it says "transaction no longer exists"

Since, then I have been in constant touch with Fitbit chat support and they asked me to call UK customer care number (strange!!!)

No update so far

[Satheesh5381]

@Kakshay92 

Even am facing similar issue, I have verified Paypal account

Still once I click on claim your money, it says "transaction no longer exists"

I have even tried calling UK customer care service number, but call gets disconnected soon after selecting language from IVR 

Already spent 10$ just to listen IVR voice, and Fitbit chat support is totally waste....they don't even know what to respond.... they always have same answer....

[oxmushmushxo]

Hi, I’ve received an email with gift card. However the status has been stuck at “on its way” for the past 120 hours though it states to “allow up to 24 hours”.. please advice. Thank you.

please do not ask me to call refund centre at +44 country code. I’m from +65 Singapore and it will incur heavy international calling charges. Online chat didn’t not manage to solve my issue either. Surely there’s an email for me to write in to?

the support given to overseas consumers is just not there. 

[VineethV]

Hello, I am also in exactly same soup and from India. PayPal was showing
everything ok till the refund was issued. In that mail, they mentioned
about KYC completion to be completed. After completing that, PayPal said to
contact fitbit to reissue the refund again. Tried fitbit Twitter and other
customer care options but every time getting redirected to contact ionic
recall specific UK customer care. Even tried that number but always getting
automated voice reply that local office is shut. Very much frustrating and
don’t have any clue what to do now. How the hell can they expect Is to keep
trying ISD number and keep wasting our money for an issue caused by them.
Please let me know if y get any resolution or update from Fitbit. --
Thanks and Regards
VV

[MelbournePB]

Hi Guys,

Is anyone else having a massive delay in receiving their Ionic Replacement?

I ordered a Sense from the Ionic replacement discount store on March 7th - currently have no idea of a shipment date and I've checked in on live chat 3 times with no success.

Most recently I've been told the warehouse is shut due to COVID....! Where on earth is this warehouse???

[Mikeni77]

Hi mate. What was the email address of the refund email? Just want to check mine is legit. Thanks

Get Outlook for Android

[retiredatlast]

Hi Minxy26.

In AU....Update

With emails to both Only1 and Fitbit over the last 4 days both my wife and myself have had success. Only1, ie Blackhawk Network advised that Fitbits payment processor was not setup to process Visa Virtual Accounts and that was the reason for all the rejections when ordering.

My wife and I both went online this morning ( Tues 5th ) and proceeded to go through the ordering process from the original email advising how to do so. After clicking the order screen and waiting a while the order went through. 4.51pm it has now been shipped.

I hope everyone else has the same success....

[justsimplykg]

I am facing the exact situation as you 😅