Versa Screen Falling Off - Last Straw.

[GeorginaColeman]

I have owned a Fitbit and been a loyal Fitbit advocate since 2009. And in that time, I have had many Fitbits not withstand regular daily use - sometimes Fitbit replaced them and sometimes I just had to buy a whole new tracker. My husband and my son also wear Fitbits as a part of their overall health routine and maintenance. I think this issue of the screen falling off of my Versa is really just the final straw.

It's time to move to the Apple Watch.

It didn't take very much investigation to see forum after forum, many of which are in your own "Fitbit Community", where people were complaining that, with no extreme use, the screens were falling off of their Versa's. It is a KNOWN problem.

I don't swim with my Fitbit on. I know that the Versa is rated to be water-proof to 50m, meaning one can swim and shower with it - but I have also owned Fitbits for 12 years and I guess I don't trust that water-proof rating. Right now, I am holding my Versa screen on with electrical tape while I went through the decision-making and ordering process of a new tracker/smart watch. Had I been swimming or showering when the screen fell off, I am 100% certain that it would no longer function during my transition.

I run everyday and I workout and play tennis everyday. After every exercise, I wipe down both the tracker and my wrist.

And even though Fitbit doesn't mention it anywhere, when I am in the sun, I turn my tracker around to be under my wrist so that it doesn't take the full brunt of the Canadian sunshine and heat.

Ultimately, I guess I have learned to baby my Fitbit. And I guess finally I am realizing that this is not a reasonable expectation.

I have loved being a part of the Fitbit community, and I will be sad to leave. But enough is enough and I have spent hundreds and hundreds (eeeek, when I really think about it, I am likely into the thousand mark) of dollars to be a part of that community. After 12 years, I genuinely expected the overall quality and robustness of the product to improve, and sadly I just don't think it ever will.

[JaneOQ03]

Hi Georgina

Just wondering if you were able to get any response from Fitbit for this issue? My Versa screen fell off this morning and I am shocked, I would really expect this to be replaced by Fitbit. As you say, these are expensive devices so I would expect better quality.

[GeorginaColeman]

Hi Jane -

I was offered 35% off of a new tracker. And I'll be honest, I appreciated the offer - my tracker is out of warranty. But I have had Fitbits for 12 years, and every single solitary one of them had to be replaced because it broke. Some of them I have had replaced under warranty and some of them I have had to have replaced at my own expense. When I really stopped and thought about it, I have spent A LOT of money on Fitbit trackers.
And now the market is flooded with fitness trackers and smart watches. I still love Fitbit, and it will be very hard for me to switch both the device and the app. But I can't keep buying a new tracker every 1-2 years, it just doesn't make any sense.
All of the issues that I have experienced with my Fitbits (including this latest issue) are experienced by many other people as well. These are known issues. That is where they are really losing me. All sorts of people have screens falling off but you want me to buy a new one? Nope, sorry.

[JaneOQ03]

I would love to hear from Fitbit directly on this issue. 

I phoned customer service two weeks ago and was promised a response by email which I have not received. 

I have been no.1 in line for online chat with customer service for 2 hours this morning but I have not yet spoken to anybody. 

The screen of my Versa fell off recently and the device is no longer charging. I am totally shocked by the poor quality of the device and the customer service!

[GeorginaColeman]

So, I had the thought of getting another Fitbit (I know - I am starting to think I am a glutton for punishment). Fitbit had provided me with a 35% off code, and for Father's Day, the Charge 4 was $40 off. The combination, had me just about convinced that I may as well take the leap .... again.
I added the Charge 4 to the cart at the $40 off price.
I applied the "special" 35% off code.

It removed the $40 off.

Sigh, it would not allow both. I know that you can't apply 2 promo codes etc in any instance. But given that the tracker was just straight up on sale, and given that the 35% off appeared to be some form of retention benefit, I had honestly thought they could both be used.
Genuinely disappointed.

Please let me know when you do hear back from Fitbit on this issue.

[Davezeurorail]

My screen is falling off too.  Maybe related to sunscreen use. I don’t wear in the water.

[GeorginaColeman]

I know that mine was not related to sunscreen use. I also did not wear mine in the water.

[JaneOQ03]

I still did not receive any response from Fitbit on this issue. To be honest I gave up trying. 

I wore my device in the water from time to time but I don’t believe this is related because the device is waterproof and even has a swim function. 

The fact that the same issue has happened to multiple people makes me more suspicious of the quality of these devices. 

Did you have any success with customer service?

[GeorginaColeman]

The only response that I got is posted above - very disappointing.