Fitbit User Struggles to Track Down Refund After Voluntary Recall

A North Texas consumer asked NBC 5 Responds for help tracking down a refund for a recalled product.

REFUND OFFERED AFTER RECALL

Jody Brown of Granbury said he struggled to find out what happened to the smartwatch he sent away as part of a voluntary recall.

In March, Fitbit announced the voluntary recall of Fitbit Ionic watches because the company said the battery could overheat and become a burn hazard.

Brown said he called and confirmed his watch is part of the recall, then requested a return kit. Brown said he mailed his Ionic in, following instructions, in June. Then, he waited.

According to this FAQ on Fitbit’s website, consumers get a $299 refund three to six weeks after the company receives the consumer’s recalled watch. Brown said he called to check the status multiple times and was told the recall receiving center received the watch on June 16.

“I went through several phone calls with them. Got anywhere from responses of 'we don't have it, we're still processing it, we really don't know what the problem is,'” Brown told NBC 5 Responds.

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REFUND DELAYS FOR SOME USERS

NBC 5 Responds reached out to Fitbit with the claim number Brown provided.

A spokesperson wrote back saying, "We're aware there are delays with refunds for some users and are actively working with this customer to process his refund. We continue to work on making the process as easy as possible for our users."

“Hopefully, this will maybe let Fitbit be more aware of what's going on and they can get it corrected going forward,” Brown said.

Generally, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said if consumers aren’t able to get the remedy offered in a recall, try the CPSC to resolve the issue. The CPSC said consumers should read the recall release carefully to follow the instructions.

If you have a Fitbit Ionic, you can more information from the CPSC here.

You can access the Fitbit Ionic refund registration page here.

NBC 5 Responds is committed to researching your concerns and recovering your money. Our goal is to get you answers and, if possible, solutions and a resolution. Call us at 844-5RESPND (844-573-7763) or fill out our customer complaint form.