I’ve been using Withings smart scales for years—I’ve purchased four Withings scales. In the past I rarely had hardware or software issues, and when I did, it was possible to connect with Withings product support and get things resolved. However, Withings has obviously under-prioritized the importance that it used to place on customer service and support. Its current policies are so far below what is normal in the health products sector that I feel it necessary to share my experiences here.
I purchased a Withings Body Smart Scale in June 2023 that came with a two year warranty. A few weeks ago (January 2024) the scale’s weight accuracy became erratic and its body scanning also became erratic. After going through Withings’ trouble shooting and not solving these issues, I attempted to reach out to the company with a warranty claim. That was easier said than done.
Withings does not publish ANY contact information on its website. No telephone number, no email address, no physical address, no “contact us” form.
Clicking on “Contact Us” loops back to a FAQ list. One needs to wade through and decipher a bunch of URLs to actually find a means to contact Withings customer support.
It isn’t easy to find, but Withings does offer an appointment calendar for customers who need to speak to a customer service or tech support person. I sought an appointment on their calendar. Withings scheduled it THREE MONTHS OUT for a simple warranty claim. So in order to file a warranty claim Withings wanted to make me wait three months???
Withings “Chat” function on their website is not staffed during at least some of the hours that it claims to be open. I waited for 7 hours during one day a few weeks ago and my chat request was never responded to.
In looking through the Withings Forums and at Withings’ BBB complaints, I found that for at least the past two years, customers with tech support questions or warranty claims had found it impossible to get in touch with Withings support staff. Clearly, my experience wasn’t an anomaly—Withings apparently had been treating all of its customers similarly.
After a few days in attempting to reach Withings, I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau based on Withings policy of making it difficult, if not impossible, for their customers to file valid warranty claims.
[Note: the BBB currently gives Withings an “F” rating, down from their “D minus” rating earlier this year. Withings used to have a telephone number and email address posted on their BBB info, but their telephone number and email address have since been removed from the BBB site.]
The day after I filed the BBB complaint, Withings got in touch. They sent me an email asking for details on the warranty claim. I provided the details they requested. Withings ignored the data I provided that evidenced that the scale was not performing to spec, told me that the scale was performing properly and that it did not need to be replaced.
I asked Withings multiple times via email to address the evidence I provided that proved that the scale was defective. At no point in weeks of email exchanges did Withings ever actually address the problems I was having with the scale, and always continued to claim that the scale was performing correctly, even though simultaneous weighings for the same person a few minutes apart varied by more than two lbs, while the scale is supposed to be accurate to +/- .1 lb, the scanning function only functions intermittently, and the scale is only six months into a two year warranty.
The bottom line: there is ample evidence that Withings has policies in place to limit customer interaction and to prevent customers from being able to make valid warranty claims on defective Withings products.
Withings used to have normal service and support, but that has now obviously changed.
Buyer beware.
Withings, it’s sad to see that you’re destroying your brand by so obviously under-prioritizing customer service and support. With so many negative customer experiences similar to mine that are published across the Web, at the BBB etc, it’s hard to imagine how even long term customers who come in contact with your current service policies would ever consider buying anything from Withings again.
Further, there is a legal obligation to process warranties on defective products, and that Withings appears to reject warranty claims no matter how much evidence has been provided on product defects…..Withings is setting itself up for a class action lawsuit, complaints filed with the FTC and state attorney generals. I hope that Withings will return to the responsible and honorable company that it used to be before the informed buyers who make up your historic user base abandon your brand.
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