Part of it is due to limited stock that is not intended to be replenished, but there’s a bigger concern why Amazon has now decided to start recommending to customers not to replace their Microsoft Band 2 devices. The company may have suffered too much additional cost handling replacement units.
Talking with a couple Band owners today who are facing needing to replace their Microsoft Band 2 devices for the 4th and 5th times due to poor quality materials, Amazon is now offering full refunds instead of replacements. In both cases, the Band sizes needed were out of stock (apparently Medium is just about the only size left), but the Amazon support representatives (two different support people) recommended just taking a full refund because tearing is a “known issue” and it would happen again.
Additionally, according to one other Band owner, Microsoft store employees stated that warranty is not adjusted when a replacement is issued. A warranty is supplied at the time of purchase and follows that specific person, not necessarily the Band. So, even if you have your Band 2 replaced 5 times during the year, your warranty still expires on the day you purchased it – unless, of course you purchased Complete Care.
The Microsoft Band is a revolutionary device – from a software and service perspective only. Microsoft’s idea behind the fitness wearable is excellent. However, the hardware the company chose to accompany its grand scheme is a failure. Failing batteries, dead sensors, and constant rips and tears have turned a solid device into a nightmare for most who dove into the Microsoft hardware ecosystem.
Microsoft is expected to announce its next version of the Band this October. If that’s the case, October can’t come soon enough and what the company delivers can’t be anything less than perfect this time.
