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Fitbit Issues Recall for Fitbit Force Over Skin Irritation Reports

J

JAT

macrumors 603
Dec 31, 2001
6,473
124
Mpls, MN
the8thark said:
Only to those who do not understand it.

Companies prevent people trying to scam money out of them. That's the facts.
Click to expand...
You know, you can both be correct. Example: Costco. They used to have a lifetime, no questions return policy. But people took advantage of that for electronics, buying a TV and returning it when a new model came out, so they had to modify it to protect themselves. They still have a liberal policy, but it is only 90 days for certain electronics. And companies like Zappos shoes have a liberal return policy with the caveat that the product has to be 'like new'. Otherwise, they will charge you something for the damage you've wreaked on a returned product. Which makes complete sense to me.

I'm trying to decide if I should use Costco's policy for a snow brush I bought this season, which just broke at a ridiculously weak spot. (didn't realize it was so weak when I bought it) I might modify it to work better rather than returning it.

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PinkyMacGodess said:
his wife wasn't impressed with his attempts at humour.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a keeper. :rolleyes:
 
IJ Reilly

IJ Reilly

macrumors P6
Jul 16, 2002
17,909
1,496
Palookaville
the8thark said:
Only to those who do not understand it.

Companies prevent people trying to scam money out of them. That's the facts.
Click to expand...

No, I understand what you are saying -- it just makes no sense, if for no other reason than it isn't the way most businesses operate. And that's just the facts. Sorry, but you are just wrong.

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PinkyMacGodess said:
No they don't. There are laws specifically allowing customers to return certain goods. To sic a 'legal team' on someone that buys a pair of shoes that decides they don't fit after a couple of days would remind me of living in a country I wouldn't want to live in. And I'd predict you, as a corporate CEO, would be ejected from the company so fast, your head wouldn't have a chance to spin...
Click to expand...

The law doesn't have a lot to do with it. Most companies (the successful ones, anyway), aren't going to make someone keep a product that hasn't met their expectations, for whatever reason. How ever much profit they'd have made on not taking the product back would be more than offset by the bad taste it would leave in the mouth of the customer who couldn't return it -- and everyone he or she knows. Lots of companies are explicit about their "at any time, for any reason" return policies. Others will do it within a reasonable amount of time for just about any reason, simply because it's good customer relations.
 
the8thark

the8thark

macrumors 601
Apr 18, 2011
4,628
1,735
IJ Reilly said:
No, I understand what you are saying -- it just makes no sense, if for no other reason than it isn't the way most businesses operate. And that's just the facts. Sorry, but you are just wrong.
Click to expand...

Read below

JAT said:
You know, you can both be correct. Example: Costco. They used to have a lifetime, no questions return policy. But people took advantage of that for electronics, buying a TV and returning it when a new model came out, so they had to modify it to protect themselves. They still have a liberal policy, but it is only 90 days for certain electronics. And companies like Zappos shoes have a liberal return policy with the caveat that the product has to be 'like new'. Otherwise, they will charge you something for the damage you've wreaked on a returned product. Which makes complete sense to me.

I'm trying to decide if I should use Costco's policy for a snow brush I bought this season, which just broke at a ridiculously weak spot. (didn't realize it was so weak when I bought it) I might modify it to work better rather than returning it.
Click to expand...

I am not wrong, I am just stating the facts.
 
anjinha

anjinha

macrumors 604
Oct 21, 2006
7,324
205
San Francisco, CA
joekun said:
I stopped using the flex a few months back due to skin irritation and frustration trying to get it in the charger just right. No recall on those?
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No official recall but I contacted Fitbit support after developing a rash from my Flex and they offered me a full refund or exchange for another Fitbit. I decided to exchange for the Fitbit One.
 
Chupa Chupa

Chupa Chupa

macrumors G5
Jul 16, 2002
14,835
7,396
Just occurred to me that Fitbit was set to push out an update any day now to the Force to let it display caller ID. Anyone know if this "recall" has any effect on that update?
 
oogje

oogje

macrumors 6502
Jun 4, 2002
260
36
nyc
Chupa Chupa said:
Just occurred to me that Fitbit was set to push out an update any day now to the Force to let it display caller ID. Anyone know if this "recall" has any effect on that update?
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A few days ago Fitbit removed the Force FAQ entry that stated Call Notification would launch in February. Now there is no mention of Call Notification in the FAQ. But Call Notification Coming Soon is still seen in the Force product page.

Given they hadn't released the update yet, that they stopped selling the Force, and removed mention from the FAQ, I'm betting we will not see an update.
 
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I

icerabbit

macrumors regular
Jul 2, 2006
230
266
quietstormSD said:
I actually didn't like the fitbit force for several reasons:
...
too big/felt heavy, I always knew I was wearing it,
...

After about a month of wearing it, i returned and "downgraded" back to the FitBit Flex, which I absolutely love.
Click to expand...

The Fitbit Force was TOO BIG & TOO HEAVY ?!

31 grams is too heavy?
but 15 grams is fine?

I agree there's a bunch wrong with the Force, clasp, rash/burn issue, several things that need firmware fixes, Fitbit delaying a recall for a month, etc.

But calling the Force too heavy and big?

I guess you won't be wearing a Pathfinder, dive watch ... or smart watch any time soon.

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vjl323 said:
There is a long thread at https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Force/Fitbit-burned-arm/m-p/172781 which explains how this is not a nickel allergy reaction. The wound is much more like a burn and takes forever to heal [i'm on my 6th week now]. FitBit has been very silent and doing everything they can to avoid admitting any fault, but this is not a nickel allergy, as many Force users have been tested before and after their injuries, and they are still not allergic to nickel. More than likely this is a battery leak, as I had been wearing mine since November and the issue didn't start until mid-January.

I had been a fan of the company, using their original FitBit Ultra from 2012, but with the way they've handled this problem for the last 3 months, I can't recommend anyone doing business with them.
Click to expand...

It indeed takes forever to heal. My wife was similary affected by the Fitbit Force Rash/Burn over the holidays, after about 4 weeks of use, and now has a big scar on her wrist 5+ weeks after she stopped wearing it.

It took over a month and a lot of pressure from affected consumers to get a recall issued.

I will never buy or recommend a Fitbit product again due to the way they handled this issue. They have knowingly let additional hundreds of people get the same rash / burn since early January, continued to sell it, never warned anybody, ... Hundreds if not thousands of completely preventable injuries.

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Chupa Chupa said:
Just occurred to me that Fitbit was set to push out an update any day now to the Force to let it display caller ID. Anyone know if this "recall" has any effect on that update?
Click to expand...

Word over at the Fitbit forums up to yesterday was that there will be no updates. The device is being recalled. EOL.
 
L

leehal

macrumors member
Jan 30, 2009
73
7
My Vivofit arrived yesterday.

First impressions are positive, missing the Myfitnesspal integration though.

Still waiting for my refund on the Force.
 
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