Feedback about Fitbit Versa - My experience

[LeoSimon]

The versa is described as a low cost alternative to the apple watch.        Perhaps the reason why it's low cost is that it's a piece of crap?      I purchased mine in July 2018.    Yesterday the bottom right button stopped working.     I called fitbit:  the response was:   it's out of warranty,  I responded that the web says the warranty is two years.    Ans: that's if you bought it in Europe.  but since you've been such a loyal customer,  we'll give you a 25% discount on a new one, i.e., $50.      Super generous, since  you can get a $70 discount from the top-line ad on google.   ​_

I thought I'd hang onto it for a while since I could manage without the button.     But today, the watch itself died an agonizing death.     Now it's completely unresponsive.         Why would anybody knowingly put out $200 for a product that lasts 18 months?    No wonder the warranty was for only 12 months.

I've just tossed in in the trash and bought myself an apple watch;   I wise person would have done that 18 months ago

Moderator edit: Subject for clarity

[RicardoFitbit]

Hi @LeoSimon welcome to the Community Forums! Sorry for the delayed reply.

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts and personal experience with your Fitbit device, I understand your situation and how frustrating this matter can be for you. I'd like to let you know that we are always striving to improve the Fitbit experience with our products and services, therefore, the feedback that's shared here in the Community Forums is always appreciated and really helpful for us to evaluate our procedures and make sure that we are delivering what our users want and need.

Since you already received assistance from our Customer Support team, I suggest you to contact them back if you require further assistance or if you have any additional questions about the outcome of your case. Also, for a better understanding of the information they provided to you, please check our warranty policies here. 

Let me know if you have any additional questions, I'll be around.

[Chubasco]

I had the same experience with an Apple watch.  The main differences were that the Apple Watch cost nearly $800 and only lasted 366 days before failing to completely work.  Apple was gracious enough to offer to fix the Apple Watch for just under $300...which would have brought the total to  ~$1,100.  The Apple Watch was the worst tech purchase I’d ever made, and I’m an Apple household and have been an Apple customer since the 1990’s.

The FitBit Versa has been a far superior smart watch, especially for fitness purposes.  The following short list makes the Versa a no-brainer by comparison:

1. Apple Watch requires charging every night, which is why they don’t offer a sleep tracking feature

2. Silent alarms on FitBit have been a relationship saver.  Can’t sleep with Apple Watch, so...

3. FitBit Versa is slimmer, smaller, sleeker, lighter.   Makes the bulky Apple Watch feel clunky.

4. Price.  Apple Watch costs 3x the Versa despite being arguably inferior.

[LeoSimon]

Thanks Ricardo, I did call Fitbit and learned that my Versa was out of
warranty, even though it was only 18 months old. I wasn't willing to risk
having the same thing happen to a replacement Fitbit, so I bought an apple
watch. It does everything the fitbit did and more, and I am extremely
happy with it.
_____________________________________________________________________

Professor Leo Simon
Agricultural and Resource Economics
714 University Hall # 3310
University of California at Berkeley
Berkeley CA 94720-3310
leosimon@Berkeley.EDU
(510) 917-2916 (cell)