Whoop's Big Change: Users Feel Tricked

Whoop has a fresh fitness tracker, the Whoop 5. 0, but not everyone is happy. The company had promised free upgrades for long-term members. Now, they're saying that's not the case. Members who want to upgrade from the Whoop 4. 0 to the new 5. 0 will have to pay. This is a big shift from Whoop's usual way of doing things. Most fitness trackers make you buy the hardware and then pay extra for more features. Whoop, however, had been giving away the hardware for free with a pricey annual subscription. The catch was that members could upgrade to new hardware for free, as long as they'd been with Whoop for at least six months. But that promise has vanished from Whoop's website. Whoop's current plan gives members two choices. They can either extend their membership by a year and get the new Whoop 5. 0 for free. Or, they can pay a one-time fee to upgrade. The fee is 49 dollars for the regular Whoop 5. 0 or 79 dollars for the Whoop 5. 0 MG, which has extra sensors. There's also a free upgrade option for those who joined or extended their membership recently. The news has sparked anger among Whoop users. Many feel misled and are considering switching to other brands, like the Apple Watch. This isn't the first time a company has changed its subscription model and faced backlash. Garmin upset customers by adding a paid tier to its app. Oura also faced criticism when it introduced a subscription for its third-gen smart ring. It's a reminder that companies need to be clear about changes to avoid upsetting their customers. Whoop has yet to explain why it changed its upgrade policy. It's a good idea for companies to think carefully about how they communicate changes. Clear communication can help prevent customer frustration and backlash. It's also important for customers to stay informed about the products they use. Knowing the details can help avoid surprises and disappointments. In the end, both companies and customers have a role to play in maintaining a good relationship.