By Christopher Elliott
Can I get a refund for my broken NordicTrack?
When the console on Suzanne Kailey’s NordicTrack stops working, the company tries to fix it. But it can’t. Is a refund in order?
Q: I purchased a NordicTrack elliptical last year. While it was under warranty, the console stopped working. ICON Health & Fitness (NordicTrak’s manufacturer) sent a technician to my home twice. They replaced the console. But the problem persisted.
I spent more than eight hours on the phone with ICON trying to get the console fixed. Yesterday, a manager told me it was a software problem they could fix. I had already spoken with the software department and had been told it was clearly not a software issue.
Today, I sent a detailed email to ICON’s director of customer service and its vice president regarding the issue. I requested a full refund and stated I would file a complaint with the BBB as a last resort if I could not get a satisfactory resolution.
I would like a full refund of my $2,277, which covers the purchase price plus shipping and setup. Earlier, I would have been happy with a replacement, but I never want to have to deal with this company again. — Suzanne Kailey, Welches, Ore.
A: ICON should have fixed your NordicTrack promptly. It looks like it tried, and tried, and wanted to keep trying. But you’d had enough.
Your case raises an interesting question: How long do you give a company to fix something under warranty? How many attempts do you give them before throwing in the towel and asking for a refund?
I think you were plenty patient. ICON had sent two technicians to replace the console, and it still wasn’t working. By the way, it’s not clear if ICON would have been obligated to refund the elliptical. <a href=”https://www.nordictrack.com/warranty-terms-and-conditions”>Have a look at the warranty.</a> It says the decision to repair or replace is “at ICON’s discretion.” In other words, it doesn’t have to give you a refund if it doesn’t want to.
I think you might have given the managers you contacted a little more time to get back to you. And that was my recommendation for your problem — give the ICON folks a little more time to respond to your appeal.
Written appeals can work wonders. I think a brief, polite request would have been effective, minus the threat about contacting the BBB. Threats, and especially legal threats, can send your complaint to the company’s legal department, where it languishes until you file a lawsuit.
By the way, here are the <a href=”https://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/icon-health-fitness/”>executive contacts at ICON Health & Fitness</a> from my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org. I should note that you got those contacts from my site, and I’m happy you found the information helpful.
An ICON representative contacted you and offered to replace your NordicTrack elliptical. You accepted the offer.
Christopher Elliott is the chief advocacy officer for Elliott Advocacy. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help with any consumer problem by contacting him at http://www.elliott.org/help
