6-months free Premium issue

[RonaldM]

In the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic Fitbit offered free access to Fitbit Premium to all Fitbit users. A great and generous offfwr I really appreciated. Now a 6-months free trial Premium is offered when buying a new Fitbit Sense, but only for new Premium users. I guess this rules out a majority of current Fitbit owners who accepted the Covid-19 pandemic offer earlier this year. Is my assumption correct or will this be now issue? 

[Giampi71]

Yes you're correct. The 6 months premium applies only to new users.

[RonaldM]

It sounded to good to be true 

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @RonaldM. it's great to see you around. @Giampi71, thanks for stopping by to share your insights.

@RonaldM, we're glad that you enjoyed the Premium subscription offered in the Fitbit app due to the recent events and thanks for your interest in our newest Fitbit Sense. I understand how much you'd like to have it available when purchasing a new Fitbit device. Your feedback has been passed along to our team so they can look into this. Once I have more details, I'll update this thread.

If you have any other question, please don't hesitate to let me know.

[Raz124]

Hi @LizzyFitbit and @RonaldM and @Giampi71 

I spoke on the phone with Fitbit customer support about this a few weeks ago, and posted in a different thread about it. @Giampi71 I think you also saw this thread though perhaps not the post I'm replicating (with slight tweaks) below. Just to note in case it affects the replicability of the advice I was given - I'm based in the UK not the US (and spoke with UK customer support). 

I spoke directly with Fitbit support after my initial webchat conversation (where I was told that I'm not a new subscriber).  I've added (below) their post-call summary (emailed to me by Fitbit) of my eligibility.

Their post call summary doesn't capture the full detail of the call I had with customer support - what's omitted below is that they said during the call that because my most recent trial was for an existing device, was only short (one week) and had expired before 2020 (I think they specifically said May 2020, but it could have been March) I would in effect be considered a new subscriber now. I got the sense too that this may not have been the case were I to be simply seeking a new free trial for my existing device - I had been at pains to point out that the purchase of a new £299 device was a fairly serious decision and it would be a shame if customer loyalty wasn't reciprocated. 

The reply does seem to be more encompassing than what we discussed on the phone - the suggestion here (and I hope it's not misleading) is that anyone with an existing Premium account may also swap to the free six month trial. 

REPLY FROM FITBIT:

Thank you for your inquiry surrounding the Fitbit Premium subscription. As we had discussed earlier , here a brief overview of eligibility.

If you’re a current Fitbit Premium subscriber, you can start the free trial after you cancel your premium subscription and set up your new Fitbit Sense or Fitbit Inspire 2.

If you purchased your Fitbit Premium subscription on:
- fitbit.com: contact us to get an extension of the billing date for your subscription.
-your app store (Apple App Store or Google Play Store): cancel the subscription in your store of purchase. Note: You’ll see your free trial offer for Fitbit Premium in the Fitbit app after your current subscription period ends (up to 30 days later, depending on when you canceled your subscription.)

If you’re not a current Fitbit Premium subscriber, you can start the free trial after you purchase and set up Fitbit Sense or Fitbit Inspire 2.

[Raz124]

I spoke directly with Fitbit support after my initial webchat conversation (where I was told that I'm not a new subscriber).  I've added (below) their post-call summary (emailed to me by Fitbit) of my eligibility.

Their post call summary doesn't capture the full detail of the call I had with customer support - what's omitted below is that they said during the call that because my most recent trial was for an existing device, was only short (one week) and had expired before 2020 (I think they specifically said May 2020, but it could have been March) I would in effect be considered a new subscriber now. I got the sense too that this may not have been the case were I to be simply seeking a new free trial for my existing device - I had been at pains to point out that the purchase of a new £299 device was a fairly serious decision and it would be a shame if customer loyalty wasn't reciprocated. 

The reply does seem to be more encompassing than what we discussed on the phone - the suggestion here (and I hope it's not misleading) is that anyone with an existing Premium account may also swap to the free six month trial. 

REPLY FROM FITBIT:

Thank you for your inquiry surrounding the Fitbit Premium subscription. As we had discussed earlier , here a brief overview of eligibility.

If you’re a current Fitbit Premium subscriber, you can start the free trial after you cancel your premium subscription and set up your new Fitbit Sense or Fitbit Inspire 2.

If you purchased your Fitbit Premium subscription on:
- fitbit.com: contact us to get an extension of the billing date for your subscription.
-your app store (Apple App Store or Google Play Store): cancel the subscription in your store of purchase. Note: You’ll see your free trial offer for Fitbit Premium in the Fitbit app after your current subscription period ends (up to 30 days later, depending on when you canceled your subscription.)

If you’re not a current Fitbit Premium subscriber, you can start the free trial after you purchase and set up Fitbit Sense or Fitbit Inspire 2.

[AngeldeToronto]

It really sucks, I have been a paying premium member for over 1 yr almost 2 , adn when people got it for free due to Covid, Isadi well I guess its fair. BUT WHAT IS NOT FAIR is that I still have to pay the PREMIUM membership today even if I bought the SENSE. I went as far as placing the order and then said forget it NO FAIR. I should at least get the 6 months for being a loyal fitbit user for so many years, my wife and 3 sons use fitibit because of my recommendation. BUT Iam on Amazon now looking for alternative to SNES and if I find it am gone.

[CheshireRose]

I took up the offer of a free 6 month membership but ensured I cancelled it before it ended. Because this is my first fitbit I wasn't completely sure which of the things were free and which were chargeable and I wanted to understand what I was getting for my money before I decided to subscribe or not. 

Today I saw on my credit card statement I got charged for a years subscription anyway even though I cancelled! 

Who do I contact about this? It's a lot of money to have to find unexpectedly and I really can't afford it at the moment

[Belle-R-Bob]

This answer displays a blatant disregard for current users of the service and is a discouraging reason to purchase the new Sense, which while it may be the most advanced product produced by Fitbit it is not the best product out there when you weigh cost and functionality,

[Belle-R-Bob]

Reading the message board I have come to believe that customer loyalty to Fitbit is reaching or had reached a plateau at the same level of loyalty Fitbit displays to its users. I do not ask for something for nothing but to be treated with some respect snd consideration after purchasing 3 Fitbit devices in the past 10 months.

[Raz124]

Hi @Belle-R-Bob . All the indications are that if existing subscribers cancel their existing Premium subscription they will be able to benefit from the free 6 month premium subscription offer if they purchase the Sense.

Hopefully this is borne out in practice.

[Belle-R-Bob]

Very interesting but what happens to the unused dollars in ones
subscription if it is cancelled early. Not a great way to make ones
customers happy. They could offer a discount on the renewal price for new
Sense purchasers. Terrible way to make customers happy.

[Raz124]

Good point - hadn't thought about that and agree that it doesn't look good in terms of rewarding customer loyalty!

[Drew_Watkinson]

Canceling early just will not renew. 
Your sub will be active for 1 year from date of purchase. 
Mine comes up for renewal Oct 14th and I canceled last night. 
So now to see if I get a prompt for 6months free. 

[Woodsta4]

I canned my premium and submitted a refund request to apple based on teh free premium version for 6 months offer, premium is still running on my device despite the subscription showing as cancelled and apple refunded the charge without question.  Maybe Fitbit are listening.

[SunsetRunner]

I have a similar issue

I purchased a Charge 4 in September of this year and got 3 month premium included

Today I purchased two Sense, one for me and one for the wife, and both of these come with 6 months premium

The wife has signed up for hers no problem but I'm stuck with the 3 months that came with the Charge 4 which means I'm short by at least 3 months which really doesn't seem fair

It even says on the boxes that 6 months premium is included, maybe that should be amended to let loyal customers know it doesnt apply to them

All told I've spent £900 on fitbits since February this year and I'm feeling a bit cheated

[mikchaos · Accepted solution]

@SunsetRunner You just need to let your existing trial expire before you can sign up for the 6 month trial that comes with the Sense. In the end you'll get 9 months of trial which is a pretty good deal

[SunsetRunner]

in that case I feel much happier 😀

thanks for your reply 👍

[slconline15]

Did you get a 6 month free offer after your subscription expired on 10/14? I'm in the same situation  - my subscription renews on 11/19, and I'm trying to see if cancelling it will work. 

[slconline15]

@Drew_Watkinson   Did you get a 6 month free offer after your subscription expired on 10/14? I'm in the same situation  - my subscription renews on 11/19, and I'm trying to see if cancelling it will work. 

[Drew_Watkinson]

@slconline15  I did get the 6 months after canceling. It was a bit weird as I waited a couple days for a prompt and didn’t get one. 
I did however click on the premium tab in the app and found it there.