Sense battery casing cannot be opened

[TeriPDX]

Dear Fitbit Community
I've been a Fitbit fan for at least a decade. I purchased my Fitbit Sense, with the Heart Monitor in12/20. No doubt it's a great smartwatch. However, less than 2 years later, my Sense Smartwatch stopped working and I assumed the battery died.

After a series of emails and calls to the "Fitbit Support Team" the only response I recevied was a smarmy sales pitch to purchase another Fitbit Sense for a reduced price of 35% off. I was stunned. No explanation was provided. Just, "Hey buy another watch from FItbit!"

No offer to replace the battery, run a diagnostic test, nothing.

I paid $300 for this particular Fitbit Sense, and it lasted less than 2 years. As a person on a fixed income, this was a major purchase for me,

What I subsequently found out is that Fitbit does not offer a battery replacement for the Sense. In fact, it seals the battery asing so it is inacessible, and has a built-in an issue that drastically curtails the life of its so-called "Smartwatch." Additionally, I discovered there are batteries for the Fitbit Sense Smartwatch, around $15, but the labor to open the casing is likely to be in the $100's.

This lack of Fitbit customer support to stand behind its product has left me without a needed wellness tool, and I will never buy another Fitbit Watch.

Moderator edit: all-caps

[Guy_]

Hi @Dreasimy - in watches that get excessive battery drain, it is rarely the battery at fault. There is generally some other more serious issue, so in fact replacing the battery may not even cure the issue and probably not worth the risk/expense of doing it, as it couldn't be guaranteed to fix it or be waterproof afterwards.

Agreed if it were actually a common issue with the battery it would be a good idea to make them repairable but with the cost of labour to do it [without any guarantee] it makes more sense to buy a new one with a full guarantee.

The very small number of the millions made where the battery does fail would not justify making all the watches have replaceable batteries as it would increase the cost of the watch where it is not necessary.

Better quality control might make them more robust against water intrusion or unstuck faces which could avoid many resulting failures which appear as a bad battery. Improved software control also would avoid them using more battery than they should. Hopefully Fitbit will address this first.

[Guy_]

@TeriPDX- it is true that the battery cannot be replaced, if it could it would be a much more expensive watch.

The same is true of most modern watches, they are built to a price point, in order to be competitive, which doesn't include battery replacement option, as in general it is not justified, due to the failure being elsewhere.  Admittedly there is room for improved reliability such that watches don't suffer excessive drain. For that reason, exceptionally, there probably is no best answer to this topic.

If a battery does fail it will most likely do it during the first year and the watch can be replaced under warranty.

[mem1220]

I feel your pain. I am in the exact same situation, and I am done with Fitbit. I also purchased a scale which is no longer serviced. They got me twice — and didn’t offer a refund when they overcharged me several months for the pro plan after I had cancelled. Their customer service SUCKS. 

[TeriPDX]

So sorry to learn of your experience w/ Fitbit’s “Customer Service.”

Their pattern seems to be uncaring and inflexible. The best thing I know to
do is to post your experience, truthfully, and let it see the light of day.

Maybe it will take the masses for Fitbit to wake up and provide better
products and services or lower their prices.

🙏🥰💃🏻

--
Teri ~