Whoop Fitness Tracker: Unhappy Customers Slam Upgrade Policy

An Update on Whoop’s Controversial Fitness Tracker Upgrade Plans

In response to customer complaints, Whoop has made some changes to controversial upgrade plans concerning its Whoop 5.0 fitness tracker.

The Original Upgrade Plans

Originally, Whoop announced that members wishing to switch to the new Whoop 5.0 would have to extend their subscriptions by 12 months or pay a one-time upgrade fee of $49 ($79 for the version with EKG sensors). This was not in line with Whoop’s usual value proposition whereby higher subscription prices (ranging $199 to $359 a year) allowed for free hardware upgrades. It also seemed to contradict a statement on the company’s website that promised free hardware upgrades for users who had been members for at least six months.

Customer Response and Company Reaction

When customers voiced their dissatisfaction, Whoop responded with a Reddit post announcing a more expansive upgrade policy and further clarification of its overall approach.

The New Upgrade Policy

With the new policy, any member with more than 12 months remaining on their subscription qualifies for a free upgrade to Whoop 5.0 (or a refund if they’ve already paid the fee). Those with less than 12 months remaining can extend their subscription to receive the upgrade at no additional cost.

Company’s Reasoning Behind the Changes

While the company stated that these changes were due to the feedback received, it also suggested that the original conditions were tied to its shift from a model centered around monthly or six-month subscription plans to one offering only 12- and 24-month subscriptions.

Acknowledgement of Previous Miscommunication

The company acknowledged that a previous blog post incorrectly stated that any members who had been with them for just 6 months would receive a free upgrade. They clarified that this was never the actual policy.

Mixed Reactions to the Changes

The Whoop subreddit has seen a mixed response to these changes, with a moderator describing it as a “win for the community.” However, some users remain skeptical, with one highlighting that “You don’t publish a policy by accident and keep it up for years. Removing it after backlash doesn’t erase the fact [that] it is real.”

Further Complaints

There have also been complaints from users who had 11 months left on their subscriptions, as they just missed the cutoff for the free upgrade.