4 ms·

Jawbone Cancels All Pending Up Orders, Refunds Unhappy Owners

75 points by sahillavingia 15y ago

cloudwalking 15y ago
This is pretty incredible customer service. I'm on my second Up now--my first one died after two days. It's a fun idea but it's not really implemented that well. There are a couple fundamental problems both with the device (why do I have to turn on sleep mode? can't it figure that out itself?) and the app (why can't I use Facebook to find friends?). I'm glad Jawbone is standing behind their reputation and improving this product. And even though it's not that useful, I still wear it everyday. I like the way it looks :)
- grinich 15y ago
  And even though it's not that useful, I still wear it everyday. I like the way it looks. This comment is such a huge win for Jawbone. Technology == jewelry. Next step? Wristwatches.
  - cloudwalking 15y ago
    When I was younger I wore an ethernet cable, without the outer sheath, around my wrist :) Similar: http://www.etsy.com/listing/68508659/recycled-ethernet-cable-necklace-cat5 http://www.etsy.com/listing/68508659/recycled-ethernet-cable...
eridius 15y ago
This is pretty awesome. I'd never even heard of the Up before, but when they finally start taking orders again, I may just have to buy one after seeing customer service like this.
jinushaun 15y ago
All companies should work like this. Good on Jawbone.
baddox 15y ago
I suspect there will be lots of these devices on eBay soon, since it doesn't sound like they're making any real effort to make sure people aren't claiming refunds and also reselling the device.
- neuroelectronic 15y ago
  Anyone who buys one of these deserves what they get. The product was obviously rushed for xmas and is going to take some reengineering before it can be rereleased.
openbear 15y ago
I'm glad to see Jawbone taking customer satisfaction seriously, but I hope this doesn't negatively impact them moving the product category forward. I've been using an Up for about a week now and really like it. Yes, the battery life is half of what they claim (I only got 5 days on a fresh charge, not 10). Yes, it is annoying that it doesn't use Bluetooth LE for data transfer. Those two negatives aside, it is IMHO a good first generation product.
biesnecker 15y ago
I was trying to order myself one of these for Christmas a few days ago, and kept getting strange errors when I tried to check out. I finally gave up... looks like it was the right move!
smackfu 15y ago
Good job in handling the crippling hardware flaw in your product. Yay to Jawbone! And I'm still trying to figure out why that little battery powered bluetooth speaker thingie they are pushing heavily costs $200.
olefoo 15y ago
I've had mine for a month, and was wearing it pretty much all the time. I actually found it pretty useful for making me aware of how much activity I was logging. I was even exploring the unofficial api to grab as much of the raw data as possible. http://eric-blue.com/2011/11/28/jawbone-up-api-discovery/ http://eric-blue.com/2011/11/28/jawbone-up-api-discovery/ Saw the announcement this morning, and discovered that the device would no longer sync this afternoon. Things I'll be looking for in a replacement: 1. inductive charging 2. wireless sync - whether bluetooth, nfc, wifi or optical 3. direct access to the raw data - preferably without having to go through the manufacturers website. 4. less annoying buzzer While a watch display would be nice, and a watch would be a reasonably good form factor for this device I don't feel an absolute need to have a display on wrist. On the other hand I wouldn't want both a watch and one of these.
wickedchicken 15y ago
I wish WakeMate would have done something like this. Their customer support has been a black hole for the past 2 months; the solution[1][2][3] is to first ping them on twitter, then email random co-founders and hope for a response. It kind of sucks since it was a great idea but terrible execution. [1] https://twitter.com/#!/wakemate/status/139012967692894209 https://twitter.com/#!/wakemate/status/139012967692894209 [2] https://twitter.com/#!/wakemate/status/114720498511912960 https://twitter.com/#!/wakemate/status/114720498511912960 [3] https://twitter.com/#!/wakemate/status/114463267061104640 https://twitter.com/#!/wakemate/status/114463267061104640
- spydertennis 15y ago
  I apologize for this. We've been having trouble with our customer support. If anyone has any issues please email me directly - arun [at] wakemate [dot] com and I will reply immediately.
  - ComputerGuru 15y ago
    I think apologies would have worked 2 years ago. Wakemate just has a terrible, terrible reputation at this point with how they handle their customers and their preorders. This isn't "trouble with customer support," it's "failed customer support."
  - nodata 15y ago
    Stop inventing new ways to get the problem fixed - fix the problem! WakeMate has been a train wreck in terms of keeping customers happy since before it launched. Your problem now is that customer service is broken. The solution is to fix customer service, not invent yet another new way for users to contact you.
  - wickedchicken 15y ago
    In Arun's defense, he did correct a customer service issue as soon as I contacted him.
tvon 15y ago
They could put "WakeMate" in the headline, it's not the only product Jawbone offers.
- thickwebb 15y ago
  Wakemate =/= Jawbone's "Up"
  - tvon 15y ago
    Oh, crap.
- fredoliveira 15y ago
  The product name is in the title. The product is called "Up"
chauzer 15y ago
Hopefully they'll have their Android app out by the time they re-release.
AznHisoka 15y ago
Haven't tried Jawbone, but aren't all these devices just helping mostly people who are health-conscious in the first place, rather than helping those who need it the most?
ivankirigin 15y ago
I have one without major problems, and I like it. A pretty annoying thing is that a single charge session lasting 45 minutes doesn't make it last 24 hours. That is not acceptable for a device with no display and no radio.
10dpd 15y ago
Looks like the Lean Startup philosophy doesn't work for hardware.. ;)
suprgeek 15y ago
This is the perfect way to Build brand loyalty rather than damage it. Lot of speculation that this may damage the Jawbone brand is without merit. Considering what they are offering - We will refund your money AND you can still keep the product. I am one of the people who will jump on the newly re-designed UP if it ever becomes available.
vijayr 15y ago
Is there any other product that is better than this, and in the same price range?

75 points by sahillavingia 15y ago

This is pretty incredible customer service. I'm on my second Up now--my first one died after two days. It's a fun idea but it's not really implemented that well. There are a couple fundamental problems both with the device (why do I have to turn on sleep mode? can't it figure that out itself?) and the app (why can't I use Facebook to find friends?). I'm glad Jawbone is standing behind their reputation and improving this product. And even though it's not that useful, I still wear it everyday. I like the way it looks :)

grinich 15y ago
And even though it's not that useful, I still wear it everyday. I like the way it looks. This comment is such a huge win for Jawbone. Technology == jewelry. Next step? Wristwatches.
- cloudwalking 15y ago
  When I was younger I wore an ethernet cable, without the outer sheath, around my wrist :) Similar: http://www.etsy.com/listing/68508659/recycled-ethernet-cable-necklace-cat5 http://www.etsy.com/listing/68508659/recycled-ethernet-cable...

eridius 15y ago

This is pretty awesome. I'd never even heard of the Up before, but when they finally start taking orders again, I may just have to buy one after seeing customer service like this.

jinushaun 15y ago

All companies should work like this. Good on Jawbone.

baddox 15y ago

I suspect there will be lots of these devices on eBay soon, since it doesn't sound like they're making any real effort to make sure people aren't claiming refunds and also reselling the device.

neuroelectronic 15y ago
Anyone who buys one of these deserves what they get. The product was obviously rushed for xmas and is going to take some reengineering before it can be rereleased.

openbear 15y ago

I'm glad to see Jawbone taking customer satisfaction seriously, but I hope this doesn't negatively impact them moving the product category forward. I've been using an Up for about a week now and really like it. Yes, the battery life is half of what they claim (I only got 5 days on a fresh charge, not 10). Yes, it is annoying that it doesn't use Bluetooth LE for data transfer. Those two negatives aside, it is IMHO a good first generation product.

biesnecker 15y ago

I was trying to order myself one of these for Christmas a few days ago, and kept getting strange errors when I tried to check out. I finally gave up... looks like it was the right move!

smackfu 15y ago

Good job in handling the crippling hardware flaw in your product. Yay to Jawbone! And I'm still trying to figure out why that little battery powered bluetooth speaker thingie they are pushing heavily costs $200.

olefoo 15y ago

I've had mine for a month, and was wearing it pretty much all the time. I actually found it pretty useful for making me aware of how much activity I was logging. I was even exploring the unofficial api to grab as much of the raw data as possible. http://eric-blue.com/2011/11/28/jawbone-up-api-discovery/ http://eric-blue.com/2011/11/28/jawbone-up-api-discovery/ Saw the announcement this morning, and discovered that the device would no longer sync this afternoon. Things I'll be looking for in a replacement: 1. inductive charging 2. wireless sync - whether bluetooth, nfc, wifi or optical 3. direct access to the raw data - preferably without having to go through the manufacturers website. 4. less annoying buzzer While a watch display would be nice, and a watch would be a reasonably good form factor for this device I don't feel an absolute need to have a display on wrist. On the other hand I wouldn't want both a watch and one of these.

wickedchicken 15y ago

I wish WakeMate would have done something like this. Their customer support has been a black hole for the past 2 months; the solution[1][2][3] is to first ping them on twitter, then email random co-founders and hope for a response. It kind of sucks since it was a great idea but terrible execution. [1] https://twitter.com/#!/wakemate/status/139012967692894209 https://twitter.com/#!/wakemate/status/139012967692894209 [2] https://twitter.com/#!/wakemate/status/114720498511912960 https://twitter.com/#!/wakemate/status/114720498511912960 [3] https://twitter.com/#!/wakemate/status/114463267061104640 https://twitter.com/#!/wakemate/status/114463267061104640

spydertennis 15y ago
I apologize for this. We've been having trouble with our customer support. If anyone has any issues please email me directly - arun [at] wakemate [dot] com and I will reply immediately.
- ComputerGuru 15y ago
  I think apologies would have worked 2 years ago. Wakemate just has a terrible, terrible reputation at this point with how they handle their customers and their preorders. This isn't "trouble with customer support," it's "failed customer support."
- nodata 15y ago
  Stop inventing new ways to get the problem fixed - fix the problem! WakeMate has been a train wreck in terms of keeping customers happy since before it launched. Your problem now is that customer service is broken. The solution is to fix customer service, not invent yet another new way for users to contact you.
- wickedchicken 15y ago
  In Arun's defense, he did correct a customer service issue as soon as I contacted him.

tvon 15y ago

They could put "WakeMate" in the headline, it's not the only product Jawbone offers.

thickwebb 15y ago
Wakemate =/= Jawbone's "Up"
- tvon 15y ago
  Oh, crap.
fredoliveira 15y ago
The product name is in the title. The product is called "Up"

chauzer 15y ago

Hopefully they'll have their Android app out by the time they re-release.

AznHisoka 15y ago

Haven't tried Jawbone, but aren't all these devices just helping mostly people who are health-conscious in the first place, rather than helping those who need it the most?

ivankirigin 15y ago

I have one without major problems, and I like it. A pretty annoying thing is that a single charge session lasting 45 minutes doesn't make it last 24 hours. That is not acceptable for a device with no display and no radio.

10dpd 15y ago

Looks like the Lean Startup philosophy doesn't work for hardware.. ;)

suprgeek 15y ago

This is the perfect way to Build brand loyalty rather than damage it. Lot of speculation that this may damage the Jawbone brand is without merit. Considering what they are offering - We will refund your money AND you can still keep the product. I am one of the people who will jump on the newly re-designed UP if it ever becomes available.

vijayr 15y ago

Is there any other product that is better than this, and in the same price range?