Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Whistle Labs's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Whistle Labs

  114 Sansome St, Suite 1000 San Francisco, CA 94104

• 

  Whistle Labs

  1355 Market St Ste 210 San Francisco, CA 94103-1314

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/06/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  This complaint is in regards to serious deficiencies underlying Whistle's policies, services, and devices. Over a period of years we experienced unacceptable, fraudulent, and dubious responses from Whistle's customer service when seeking to resolve myriad issues with their defective devices and subscription service. Our most present concern: when Whistle proved to be unable to provide the service we paid for, and was presented with evidence of their defunct service, they refused to refund our payment. We are owed a full refund on a terminated prepaid one year subscription that Whistle never delivered on. After reaching a supervisor at Whistle and making good faith efforts to share our valid concerns, the supervisor made spurious claims and continued to unethically deny us the full refund we are rightfully owed, necessitating this formal BBB complaint. We have retained records of our contact with Whistle on this matter. Lastly, it is worth noting that despite having a Whistle account in good standing for over 7 years, with multiple pets, these mounting unacceptable experiences led us to entirely regret ever having been Whistle customers.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/07/2025

  Dear Mr ******************* so sorry you had a negative experience with Whistle. I can see that youve been a Whistle customer since November 2017, for your pets *****, *******, and *****. This complaint is regarding the subscription for the device you used for *****.
  I have reviewed your conversations with my customer support team. They were correct in their explanations that we require pre-payment of subscriptions because Whistle pays AT&T for the service access. After 90 days, weve provided the service sufficiently to no longer allow cancellation.
  Your subscription for ***** renewed annually on February 10. The last renewal you were charged was on February 10, 2024. You contacted us to cancel that subscription on October 4, 2024. That means you had access to the service, which we did provide without issue or interruption, for eight months. There were four months remaining on the subscription term. You told my supervisor ******* that you hadnt used it for two months prior because the device stopped working. I can only base my response on the time that the issue was reported to us. I dont have a way to determine exactly why someone might stop using a device for a period of time, and we dont require an inspection, return, or other way of confirming if a device is actually defective or broken. We take customers at their word to provide the easiest resolution we can. Most other companies dont do this. Since we did provide the service that the subscription charge pays for, I can, as a courtesy, issue a pro-rated refund for the remaining months left on the subscription as of the day you contacted us to report the problem.
  Your subscription was $80 annually. Youre disputing $99 but the subscription for Hollys device was $80. Ive attached a copy of the subscription information to support that, with a screenshot from my billing platform to match the device ID for your confirmation. You had active service from February 10 October 4, 2024 which is eight months. At $6.67 per month x 4 months remaining, I have refunded $26.68 back to your **** on file. It may take up to 10 business days to post to your account, depending on your banks processing times.
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/11/2025

   
  Complaint: 23031911

  We reject the Business Response received 2025-03-07 with explanation below.
  
  Please review our efforts to clarify and correct portions of your response below to ensure that our complaint is properly addressed.
  
  > "This complaint is regarding the subscription for the device you used for *****."  
  As far as compensation, yes. As far as the complaint itself, no - it is regarding serious deficiencies underlying Whistle's policies, services, and devices.  
  > "That means you had access to the service, which we did provide without issue or interruption, for eight months."  
  That is inaccurate. Please do not pretend that our paid subscription therefore resulted in uninterrupted service. Those are two completely distinct things, and in fact we had experienced prolonged outages throughout that past year. See below.  
  > "You told my supervisor [...] you hadnt used it for two months prior because the device stopped working."  
  We informed your supervisor, and/or "Customer Support Advocate Dikshat C." that the Whistle service experienced prolonged outages locally throughout that past year, prior to cancellation. Cellular outages had become common enough to delay the discovery that, yet again, we were completely out of pocket on another prematurely defective Whistle device. A defective device is separate from service interruptions that occurred while the device remained functional.  
  > "We take customers at their word to provide the easiest resolution we can. Most other companies dont do this."  
  In the face of repeated prolonged service interruptions throughout that past year, the easiest resolution is a full refund. Most other _ethical_ companies don't, as policy, routinely deflect and deny responsibility for their defective services and devices, nor do they have a pattern of disparaging their customer's valid concerns, as is the case with Whistle.
  > "Since we did provide the service that the subscription charge pays for [...]"  
  Per above, that is inaccurate.  
  > "Your subscription was $80 annually. Youre disputing $99 but the subscription for Hollys device was $80."  
  > "At $6.67 per month x 4 months remaining, I have refunded $26.68 back to [...]"  
  The $99 disputed amount was in regards to Whistle's $99 annual subscription fee. The most recently billed amount was in fact $80, and while we concede the $19 difference, it is relevant to note that outages were a regular occurrence during our paid subscriptions with a multitude of devices. Were we to actually seek fair compensation for interruptions in your service, such compensation would undoubtedly exceed a typical $99 annual subscription.  
  
  Accounting for the $26.68 partial refund, an outstanding amount of $53.32 has yet to be refunded. Nothing less than a full refund is acceptable.
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/24/2025

  it seems the business (Whistle Labs) decided not to further communicate re: our 3/11 follow-up message.
  There remain concerning issues the business has not responded to, in particular a refund owed for a service they were paid for but did not deliver, as explained in the BBB complaint.
  

  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/26/2025

  Mr. ********************* subscription was a one-year plan at $80 per year (which was a promotional or short-term price). I provided a refund for the time left on the subscription that you didnt use, which is four months, and that refund was $26.68. That means you paid $53.32 for the eight months that Whistle and AT&T provided services to you.
  
  It should be noted that Whistle devices are covered by a 30 day return policy and a one-year warranty (at the time you purchased). The Services, which is what the subscription cost pays for, is not covered under any warranty or refund policy. If you return a device within the 30 day return window, your subscription price is refunded in full if it was purchased at the same time and not activated, but that is the only instance in which a subscription qualifies for a refund under the Terms of Use and Conditions of Purchase.
  You can refer to those here:   **************************************************
  
  They say, in part,  The 30-day guarantee applies only to Products that are clearly designated as subject to the guarantee, and only to orders made through Whistles webstore at **************************. It does not apply to any other Whistle products, and the guarantee does not apply to funds paid for any Services. You must cancel at least one day before your next Renewal Date to avoid being charged for your next subscription period. If you do not cancel by this deadline, you will be charged for your next renewal period, and your cancellation will be effective after that period. Cancellation of your subscription before the expiration of the applicable term may result in a termination fee as detailed in this Agreement and/or your Plan.
  There is, therefore, no refund that we are required to give at all for a subscription charge. Were only required to cancel the subscription at the end of the billing cycle and not renew the subscription and continue to charge you.
  They also state Whistle is not required to give any refunds or credits if the Services are interrupted or if your ability to use the Services is limited based on Whistle's network coverage and availability.
  
  Those are the Terms of Use and Conditions of Purchase set by the company and legally binding, that you agreed to each time you activated a new subscription.
  
  As the Customer Success Manager, part of my job is enforcing the Terms and Conditions.
  But that same role affords me some ability to instill reasonable team policies that may vary from the Terms and Conditions a bit in order to provide a better experience for customers. My team can allow for 90 days from purchase or renewal date to issue a refund for a subscription, and those 90 day refunds are prorated. This is what my Supervisor explained. After 90 days, we will only refund the remaining time left on a subscription if the pet that subscription was purchased for passes away, as we did for you in 2021, and I will consider other impactful situations on a case-by-case basis. We also dont enforce the termination fee. Outside of that situation, there are no refunds after 90 days, and within 90 days, the refund is prorated.
  We have exchanged devices for you without requiring an inspection or return first. You activated a subscription in July 2023 and cancelled it in September 2023 and we provided the full, not prorated, refund at that time. 
  We have issued other courtesy refunds to you a few times over the years; In August 2023, when we exchanged one of your devices, we took you at your word that we have not been able to use our paid Whistle service for 2 months since the issues with the tracker began in July and gave you a refund for those two entire months as a courtesy, even though you didnt report any issues in July or until the very end of August. We had to exchange your device, so it seemed like a reasonable accommodation for a long-term Whistle customer who was continuing to use the service.
  And, I refunded you for 120 full days, not prorated - for your cancelled subscription, even though you initially wanted to continue using the Services but we couldn't offer a discount or a deal. We've made good faith efforts to address and resolve your concerns many times. 
  
  Regarding your claim that an outstanding amount of $53.32 has yet to be refunded, Ive reviewed our server records and AT&Ts service history for your location from February 1 through the first week of October 2024 and there are no records of any short- or long-term interruptions to service provided to you. You dont state what problem(s) you experienced so I checked all possibilities. Since you indicate that youve had outages that were a regular occurrence with a multitude of devices, the issue could potentially be related to your wifi connectivity or network compatibility (which we did review with you extensively in the past), or even geographical interference. There is a lengthy conversation in July of 2023 where we did review all of these with you in detail. And again, the Terms and Conditions state that Whistle is not responsible for refunds or credits in those situations. As the Manager, I prefer to be more understanding and more flexible in whatever ways I can because I know things arent always as simple as just what the rules say, but without any reports by you of any issues in 2024 until October 4 we have no way to identify or confirm. Theres no evidence of outages affecting the service Whistle provided to you, nor from AT&T, so all I have to go on is the date that you did notify us of an issue. I don't think this is unreasonable.
  
  Saying after the subscription is cancelled that there were ongoing, intermittent outages that you didnt report, and yet continued to use the Services the whole time indicates that you did still receive and use the Services that Whistle and AT&T provided, for eight months, so those Services are what you paid for. I refunded the full unused time on your subscription, as a courtesy. I am honestly sorry youve had a poor experience, and Ive tried to accommodate as best as I can, but there is no further refund that is due to you
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/01/2025

  Complaint: 23031911
  

  We reject the Business Response received 2025-03-27 with explanation below.
  
  You wrote a lot of words that essentially boil down to blaming the customer in an attempt to paint ********************** in a good light. It seems that you took the time to review years of our customer service exchanges. To what end? While you're welcome to go back and nitpick and cherry pick some of our customer service outcomes, you left out the hours of wasted effort on redundant, needless, intelligence-insulting preamble, requiring us to jump through hoops during these exchanges, further detailed below.
  
  Some of Whistle's contorted logic here, and its policies wouldn't fly at a used car dealer. To claim that after 90 days, a paid annual subscription is therefore fulfilled, is an incredibly hostile, predatory anti-consumer tactic, just to name one. By the same logic, is it also Whistle policy that staff show up to work for 90 days, take 275 vacation days off, then collect an annual salary? Whistle chose to hitch its wagon to AT&T, yet seems prone to shift blame towards its customers for its own business decisions and lack of awareness about device defects and outages.
  
  We outlined our experience with your faulty service and devices, all in good faith, and with an account in good standing. We paid for a subscription in 2024 that was largely unusable for us throughout 2024, and we assure you this was not a wifi issue, as Whistle is so prone to blame its customers for - nearly every ********************** customer service interaction starts with hours or days of preamble and wasted time blaming customer equipment - all while being unable to use our paid subscription. In 7 years, not once did we have wifi connectivity issues on our network. Our network is correctly configured and remains fully compatible with Whistle device protocols. Rather, Whistle devices routinely malfunctioned internally, requiring premature replacement. We know it's hard to accept that you have defective hardware designs, but you do. In addition, service outages led to periods with a complete loss of access to our paid subscription.
  
  Again - were we to actually seek fair compensation for interruptions in your service, such compensation would undoubtedly exceed a typical $99 annual subscription. Though you claim that "there are no records of any short- or long-term interruptions to service provided to you", that is incorrect, based on our actual experience, as we have already reported. We don't have access to your records, but before we lost access to the Whistle app when service was terminated, we had weeks upon weeks of missing GPS logs that should have been recorded were the service operational.
  
  For additional context, if you must know - and we appreciate BBB's discretion here re: privacy - there was a human cancer diagnosis in 2024, which impaired our efforts to fully troubleshoot the constant faults and loss of service we experienced with our Whistle device. At times we relied on Whistle to keep out pets safe, and it actually succeeded at this in years past, however all of the service and device faults that were out of our control became so troubling - and throughout 2024 for us - that we simply had to give up on Whistle. It is unacceptable to receive anything less than a full refund for the paid subscription that we were unable to use, due to Whistle service and device faults that were out of our control.
  
  Whistle has an opportunity to do the right thing and make things right with a legitimately dissatisfied customer.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/17/2025

  The intention with the previous response was transparency, clarification of our stated terms and conditions, and assurance that we do our best to make accommodations whenever possible.
  Our terms and conditions are consistent with industry standards.
  Because Whistle pays in advance for the access to the service, there are limitations to where and when refunds are possible. We have done our best to accommodate when you reported issues in the past, at the time you said you were experiencing them, and weve always leaned to your favor in those instances wherever we could; meaning we always tried to include as much time to the refund calculation as possible, so we've certainly been fair to you all this time.
  Listening to the recordings of your two calls with us on October 4, 2024 you stated that you didnt want to replace your out-of-warranty device. Instead, you wanted to cancel your subscription and that you wanted a refund for the two months that you said the device wasnt working. After the agent explained the refund policy and that we could not provide a refund after eight months, you asked for a supervisor and said you wanted the two months refunded - plus the remaining time on the subscription.
  We have already provided a courtesy refund for the four months remaining on the subscription. We will extend the courtesy to include the two months you say the device was not working. Your subscription was $80, not $99, so the refund is calculated based on what you paid. There will be a refund of $13.35 in your account within 7-10 business days, depending on your banks processing times.
  There is no further refund or accommodation that we can provide.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/24/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  To Whom It May Concern,I have been a loyal customer of ********************** for nine years, utilizing your services for my beloved dog, ********, who tragically passed away on December 29, 2023. Throughout this time, I relied on Whistle to keep track of her health and activities. As such, the data stored in my account holds deep sentimental and personal value.Following Leighann's passing, I attempted to access my account to download her activity patches and information. However, to my dismay, I discovered that my account has been removed without my consent. At no point did I authorize or agree to the deletion of my account or the associated data. This is deeply concerning, both as a matter of data integrity and respect for customer rights.The details of my initial purchase of a Whistle GPS Pet Tracker for ******** on December 19, 2015, can be confirmed in the attached order confirmation (Order Number: ***********). The account and associated data should remain accessible, particularly given the long-standing relationship I have had with your company.I formally request immediate access to my account and all data related to ********. Additionally, I ask Whistle to provide a thorough explanation of why my account was removed without notice or consent. This mishandling of customer information is unacceptable and warrants urgent correction.Please address this issue promptly, as the information in question is not only valuable but irreplaceable.Sincerely, ***** ***** **********************************************

  Business Response

  Date: 01/10/2025

  Mr. ****** I would first like to offer my sincere condolences on the loss of your beloved ********. At an already emotional time, this situation must be especially upsetting and I am so very sorry for that.
  
  According to our records, your most recent subscription the one in question - was created on November 4, 2019, so it renewed automatically each year on November 4. We send an invoice and two renewal reminder emails in the 30 days before this date so you are informed and prepared for an upcoming charge to your card on file. The email address we have on file is the same email address you included in this complaint.
  
  On November 4, 2024 your payment for the renewal of your subscription failed due to incorrect card number which looks like is because the card on file, a **** ending in 5235, had expired in March 2024. The updated card would have a different expiration date and CVC
  Our system tried eight times to re-attempt the charge in case the card was updated but it failed each time. I have attached a screenshot from our billing dashboard for your account, and your card provider should be able to confirm this.
  We sent eight emails notifying you each time the renewal charge failed. I have attached a screenshot from our server showing the emails that were triggered and that none of them bounced or failed. That email gives instructions how to update your payment method and how to contact Customer Support. When the final attempt on November 25, 2024 failed, the system cancelled the subscription.
  
  This is addressed in the Terms of Use and Conditions of Purchase that can be found on our website here ************************************************** and that you agreed to when activating any new subscriptions. I have referenced only the relevant language here, my use of ellipses indicates that some parts were left out for efficiency, but the full statements are found on the website for your reference and/or record.
  
  Payments: All payments must be made in U.S. Dollars. You may be required to pay in advance by credit card or debit card. All amounts due must be paid by the due date to avoid any late fees and possible deactivation of the Services. We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your access to the Services, deactivate your Product immediately, and report any late payment or non-payment to credit reporting agencies
  
  Our Rights to Limit or End Your Subscription or this Agreement:  WE CAN, WITHOUT NOTICE, LIMIT, SUSPEND, OR END YOUR SUBSCRIPTION OR ANY CONTRACT WITH YOU, including, but not limited to: (i) if you: (a) breach this Agreement, any law, rule or regulation, or rights of us or any third party; (b) make a late payment or, in the case of pre-paid subscriptions, if your credit or debit card is declined;
  
  (Please be assured, we have not, nor will we, report to credit reporting agencies in this case)
  The applicable statements refer to your pre-paid subscription being cancelled because your credit or debit card was declined.
  
  We do take your data and your consumer rights very seriously. And you may feel otherwise at the moment, but we do take your love for ******** very seriously as well. I know that every bit of data about her, every memory is precious. However, business and the law are much less emotional. The only way to access data collected related to ******** would be to reactivate a subscription for the same device and save what is still available in the app via screenshots. Our policy allows a full refund if you contact customer support to cancel, or submit cancellation in the app, within 30 days of activation.  Email Customer Support at *********************************** if you have questions or want more details. Ive noted your account in advance. Our servers only save most data for 90 days or less, so not everything may be preserved there. But, the sooner you access it, the more youll be able to view. I understand this is complicated and inconvenient, but I want you to have the opportunity if you wish to take it.
  
  We are unable to provide anything other than what is seen in the app. We cannot provide any data specifically related to ********. The data isnt collected in a useable format outside of our servers. This is addressed in the Mars Privacy Statement which explains how we handle your personal data and can be found here ****************************
  Personal data, by definition, is data we collect about you. We are not required by law to collect or retain data about pets:
  Pet Data: We may collect data about your pet. Privacy laws relate to personal data about a human. Information about pets, by itself is not personal data and is outside the scope of privacy laws and this Privacy Statement. We collect pet data directly from you when you visit our vets, purchase our pet products or interact with our Sites.
  So, we do collect information about pets from their owners when they use our Whistle products, but we are not required to retain that data as a consumer right because it doesnt fall into the categories of personal identification that we must adhere to.
  
  I understand this is all not what you wanted to learn, but I promise that I have been forthcoming about everything and there isnt anything further I can do. We did do everything we could to contact you in advance and your submission of the same email address we have on file means we were sending these messages to the right place. Customer Support can answer any questions you have about the Terms and Conditions, the Mars Privacy Statement, and anything else you still have questions about. There are also links on the Mars Privacy Statement webpage if you wish to contact anyone else for additional information.
  
  Im so sorry I cant be of more help, but please don't hesitate to contact Customer Support with any and all questions
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/10/2025

   
  Complaint: 22728718
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I tried calling customer support and was not able to contact a knowledgeable person. Please give Whistle an F on how they have handled this matter and let other dog owners know this service is not very friendly.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ********* *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/08/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am writing to file a complaint against Whistle GO for unethical practices and selling defective products. My experience, and those of many others, indicates a pattern of misleading and fraudulent behavior.I purchased a refurbished Whistle GO device, which turned out to be defective. During the warranty, I was subjected to ineffective troubleshooting steps like turning my Wi-Fi on and off. Conveniently, once the warranty expired, Whistle GO conducted a service check and found the device defective. This suspicious timing suggests intentional delay of meaningful assistance until the warranty expired, leaving me with no recourse but to purchase a new device.Research shows that thousands of customers have reported similar experiences. Many have complained about being sold defective products, subjected to ineffective troubleshooting, and denied proper service once the warranty period ended. Whistle GO has a systemic issue with selling defective products and avoiding responsibility by delaying real support until it's too late for the consumer to seek a remedy under the warranty.Additionally, Whistle GO has repeatedly charged me for a recurring yearly data subscription despite multiple attempts to cancel it. I have tried to cancel this subscription five times through their application, but each time the cancellation process fails, and I am charged for another year of membership. This persistent refusal to honor cancellation requests indicates an intentional effort to trap customers into continuous payments.This business practice is unethical and fraudulent. Whistle GO knowingly sells defective products and exploits customers by delaying proper service until after the warranty expires. Their refusal to process subscription cancellations is a clear attempt to unjustly retain customer funds. This behavior erodes consumer trust and undermines the marketplace's integrity.I urge the *** to investigate Whistle GO for these deceptive practices.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/20/2024

  Im sorry you had a bad experience with your Whistle device. These are very serious accusations youre making in this complaint. Ill do my best to address everything.
  Ive reviewed your Whistle account and history, which includes communication from your Whistle device as well as activity youve performed in the Whistle app. This data is stored on our servers.
  I reviewed your subscription and payment history.
  I reviewed your conversation history with our customer support team.
  
  The device you purchased is a Whistle Switch (Health & GPS+). You activated this device and started the subscription on January 24, 2023. The subscription is a recurring charge annually as explained in the process in the app before you confirm.
  
  You canceled the subscription on January 25, 2023, reactivated it on January 26, 2023 and then canceled it the same day. Then you reactivated it again on January 26, 2023 and that subscription has remained active until you canceled it on August 8, 2024
  You were only charged for the subscription that you kept active.
  We can see that your dog **** wore the device and you accessed the app regularly. We have *********** for **** (such as scratching, eating, licking and sleeping) recorded as recently as July 26, 2024. I can see that **** has been wearing the device all year and there are no days with missing or incomplete data, which would happen if the batteries did not work. Since that didnt happen, the device appears to have been usable through all of 2024. I would have to query the server for detailed data from 2023, but you first contacted us in January 2024 so Ill focus on January through August 2024.
  
  When purchased new from our webstore, this device has a ****** manufacturers warranty and comes with two interchangeable, rechargeable batteries.
  You state that you purchased a refurbished device. ********************** does not sell refurbished devices. Devices sold by third party resellers and refurbished devices are not covered by the Whistle manufacturers warranty as we cannot guarantee their performance or condition, so the manufacturers warranty would be voided. This is an industry standard for electronic devices. You would have had to contact the seller from whom you purchased the device to obtain service.
  
  Ill use the most recent device activation date of January 26, 2023 as that corresponds with the date the subscription renewed. IF you had purchased a new device from Whistle.com or an authorized retailer ******** or Chewy), the manufacturers warranty would have expired on January 26, 2024.
  You contacted customer support on January 30, 2024 stating that you were encountering issues with your tracker falsely indicating a dead battery and failing to register a new one promptly. The customer support agent responded by starting with basic troubleshooting questions that yes, include verifying WiFi settings. This is the first thing they have to check because WiFi affects battery life, and it also affects communication between the tracker and the app.
  You opened this email on January 31, 2024 but you didnt reply. The agent sent two more email responses on February 5 and February 8, both of which you also opened but did not reply to. Usually, when customers dont reply to troubleshooting instructions, its because theyve resolved the problem. We can see all the device and app activity during that time so it does appear that everything was working.
  You sent another email on March 11, 2024 saying you were still having the same issue. The agent had already informed you that you could purchase replacement batteries on our website, but this is likely a device issue and you would have to replace it. Please, be very careful when purchasing refurbished electronic devices. If you were still covered by the manufacturers warranty, even three months later we would have considered warranty replacement based on circumstances. But theres nothing suspicious about this timing. We attempted to assist when you first notified us in January, and even with a valid warranty, March 11 is almost a month and a half after the warranty would have expired. However, you say yourself, you bought a refurbished device and ********************** cannot control the quality or condition of refurbished items. The cost to replace the batteries is $49.99 for a set of two, but this could potentially have been resolved with following troubleshooting first.
  
  Your annual subscription is a recurring charge, as you agreed to when you activated the device and chose the subscription plan.
  We do not have any reports or indications of the CANCEL feature in the Whistle app failing. However, since you are reporting it now, I will notify my product teams to investigate.
  Our server logs show that cancellation was started for your account via the ********************** app on August 7, 2024 and I can see that that attempt was incomplete. Another attempt was submitted on August 8 and that was successful. It doesn't indicate that there was an error on the 7th but again, I'm having my engineering team investigate. You could also have contacted Customer Support to request that they cancel the subscription if it was failing in the app. The second step of the cancellation flow in the app gives you an option to send a request to the support team or continue in the app yourself, and we make these options clear in our support pages on our website and via our self-service chatbot (which also would have escalated a ticket for you). We offer multiple ways to cancel to make it easier for customers; we even send out two reminder emails that the renewal is coming up, so customers arent caught by surprise when the renewal is charged. We have no reason to trap you in a subscription, and we certainly never refused to process your cancellation. We cant agree to or refuse something that has not been requested or submitted. There are no reasons why we would ever refuse to cancel a subscription
  
  You purchased your subscription in January 2023 and it renewed January 2024. I checked and we have not repeatedly charged you. You paid for one year in January 2023 and you were charged for the renewal in January 2024. There are no repeated or additional charges made to your account. Your message says, I have tried to cancel this subscription five times through their application, but each time the cancellation process fails, and I am charged for another year of membership, which is patently untrue. There are no logged attempts of cancellation attempts except for the one started on August 7 and the one that completed on August 8, 2024, and you were absolutely not charged multiple times. You were not charged at all at any time other than the exact date of the annual renewal on January 26, which is clearly displayed in your account in the app right next to the Cancel button.
  I understand this has been a frustrating experience for you, but these accusations are unfair and have no basis in facts
  
  I have processed a refund for the current billing period of your subscription since it renewed on January 26, 2024 and you first contacted us on January 31, 2024. As a courtesy, I did not prorate the refund for the three months we didnt hear from you or confirm that troubleshooting was attempted and that we can see regular device usage, which requires usage of the subscription, on our servers between January 26 and July 26 2024. You will see that refund in your bank or credit card account in approximately 7-10 business days depending on your banks processing times. I have also verified that the subscription did, in fact, cancel as of August 8, 2024.
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/25/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 12/7/2023 we purchased a Whistle Switch to replace our older Whistle 3 dog tracker. The device wouldn't connect, so I contacted Whistle. I followed all the steps she instructed, but the device still wouldn't connect. I contacted them again, by phone and email, following the SAME directions over and over. I even had our wifi provider go through all the wifi settings for over an hour to ensure that everything was set correctly for the device. As I explained to the Whistle customer service representative, the previous Whistle connected to our wifi without a problem, but they continued to just send the same instructions over and over, or try to blame me saying that my wifi was the problem or that I didn't follow the steps correctly. I sent them screen shots, followed every instruction, emailed and called, with absolutely no help at all. They refuse to refund my money even though the device has NEVER connected or worked! They are always polite, but completely empty of any real help!

  Business Response

  Date: 03/14/2024

  I'm so sorry you had trouble activating your new device. I do see that you contacted our support team and requested assistance on December 27, 2023. I also understand that it can be difficult, and often frustrating, to troubleshoot wifi via phone and/or email. This is an experience I always endeavor to improve. 
  In reviewing the conversation history, I can see that you had  initially contacted us because the device was damaged. After a few exchanges regarding that issue you told us that the wifi would not connect. There were two different accounts made for your dog Blue with two different emails (one @frontier.net and one @spectrum.net), and one of those accounts was being used to try to connect the device - but the subscription plan was set up on the other account and this seems to be where much of the confusion was happening. However, you eventually stated that you wanted either a replacement device or a refund. The support agent replied and said "I would like to assist you further in resolving this and even adding a free month of subscription for the issue, however, if you wish to proceed with the cancellation and possible order refund as it is almost past the 90 days return period, I can have this processed once I verify the last 4 digits of your credit card on file." They were asking which solution you preferred - and if you preferred to cancel the subscription for a refund, we require that you authenticate the account with the last 4 digits of the credit card on file. It's a security step that is required for all changes to a customer's account. We can see that someone did read that email we sent, but there was no response from you. I have attached a screenshot of that part of the conversation so you can see that we never refused to refund you. The conversation is still open and tagged as "waiting on customer". It has now passed the 90 day cancellation window. In fact, the device has a 30 day return window, and the subscription would not have been eligible since the account was initially created in 2019. I will be more than happy to deactivate the device and refund the purchase. I cannot refund the subscription because the account is too old. Once again, we never refused to refund you. There are steps the agents must follow to issue a refund and someone read the email with that request and chose not to respond, so we could not proceed. Please watch your bank for that post in approximately 7-10 business days

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/15/2024

   
  Complaint: 21343795
  
  I am rejecting this response because, although refunding the item cost is appreciated, it doesn't solve the underlying issue which is that the device did not work like it should and the customer service agents were incredibly unable or unwilling to help.  This is an excerpt of the email I received on Feb. 6th:  

     "Thank you for your response. I certainly do understand your concern and assure
      you I would love to have this issue resolved as quickly as possible.
  
     We still have several activations as recent as today and even similar cases
     where the activations are delayed from not being connected have already gone
     through to connect with the proper steps, however in this case, unfortunately,
     there is not much we can do as we have no way to manually connect your device
     since the Whistle connects automatically if the right WiFi setting is in place
     and I forwarded this to a supervisor for a callback and even they advised the
     same of setting the right connection for the WiFi not only that but I also do
     see the device you wish to set up has not been connected for the activation just
     yet.
     Rest assured once you have your WiFi created as a guest link with 2G (Ipv4 & no
     Wpa3) along with the battery connected to the device as discussed in the steps
     above, the Whistle should be able to connect then during the activation. Please..."
  

  This email doesn't even make sense.  It's full of long, rambling sentences that don't really communicate anything, but seems to suggest (after all the activations "not connected", but "gone through" nonsense) that my wifi is the problem, or that we are trying to use 2 different emails.  Anyone who has purchased a replacement device from ********************** knows that the activation process requires that you select the "replace device" button on the Whistle App, which then walks you through the process.  At no time is there any option to press different buttons or do different things.  It's completely automatic, with no information provided other than success or failure.  Since our previous Whistle Go device used our current email and our current wifi, the replies and suggestions from the agents telling me that the email and wifi were not correct, made no sense whatsoever.  I had requested a phone call from a manager several times.  This request for help was completely ignored and no manager or supervisor ever called me.  I really, really wanted to get the device to work, but these people absolutely could NOT communicate other than continuing to spout the useless instructions from their script.

  In addition, the business response to this complaint references the original "damage" to the device in an attempt to insinuate that I damaged it and caused the problems, and am generally an untrustworthy person.  They didn't provide the entire story, of course.  What happened was this:  I tried to activate the device, but it failed.  I planned to call the customer service agent the following day during business hours, expecting that it would be a simple solution.  In the meantime, I went ahead and put the new collar on my dog.  This was a new device which was the whole integrated collar - very different from the previous device which attached to the regular dog collar, so I wanted to see how comfortable it was for my dog.  While he was wearing it, the battery compartment cover FELL OFF.  Yup, it seems to have just fallen off during the course of normal wear for those few hours, and of course, he chewed it up.  I requested a replacement cover, but also expressed my concern that it had come off so easily within the first few hours of my dog wearing the collar.  The agent obsessed about the fact that it got chewed up, completely ignoring the reality that my dog CAN'T CHEW ON HIS OWN NECK.  Did he scratch his neck thereby causing the cover to come off?  Maybe.  But a dog collar should be designed to withstand scratching as that is a common and normal dog behavior.  The agent refused to acknowledge any weakness or flaw in the product.  I expressed concern that a replacement cover would also come off, but that concern was utterly dismissed and ignored.  Since it was true that my dog had contributed to this problem, I just ordered the new cover and went on, hoping that in the future the device would prove more durable.  Of course, we don't know since it would never connect. 

  I will be satisfied when Whistle acknowledges and takes responsibility for their abysmal performance.  

  In the meantime, BUYER BEWARE.

   

  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/21/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have been a customer for years. I was forced to buy the new tracker when Whistle made the original one non-functional and the new one uses satellite signal for ***** I paid for an annual subscription ($95.40) set to renew on 2024-04-27. My whistle is no longer tracking my pet when he leaves the wifi-range. I have contacted whistle and followed all trouble shooting steps. Once I get home, I can see the tracking history of where he's been, so I know the *** is working. I believe this is a software issue or something else, but I am no longer getting the service I have paid for. I canceled my subscription on 2024-02-21 and am seeking 2 months of proration ($15.90) for the unused service since Whistle is not able to provide me with the service I have paid for.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/19/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased this device in May of 2022. At first, I had no issues with the Whistle Switch. In June/July of 2022, I moved across the country due to military service. While moving, the device could not be connected to Wifi, but I had an active data subscription plan. After this move, the device failed and would no longer connect to wifi or update my pet's location. After attempting to troubleshoot the device, I was given a replacement device. During this time, I was still in the process of moving. The device originally worked when connected to my friend's wifi (I was temporarily staying there during my move). After moving to my permanent address, this device had the same issue the previous one had. After not being connected to the wifi for a while, it would no longer allow me to connect it to any wifi connection or update my pet's location, rendering it useless. I then contacted customer service and spoke to them extensively (including 2 phone calls and countless hours spent troubleshooting). The device was never fixed. I asked for a replacement with a different model device (my other dog had that different model and had no issues) and was refused. I asked for a refund, and I was refused. **************** would not help me fix their defective device, besides giving me the same steps I had already tried over many hours. After this, I got frustrated and did not contact them, as I was serving in the military and couldn't take this issue any further. After separating from the military, I recently contacted them once again trying to troubleshoot this issue. Despite them acknowledging the device is defective, they will not offer any replacement or even a discount. While the device was still under warranty, I requested a replacement or refund per their own warranty terms and it was not provided. This device has not worked since shortly after it was purchased, and they can see that in their data/history for the device.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/11/2023

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Purchased whistle device and have used the app for the last 3 years. The cost of the device as well as the subscription every year for three years. We recently moved to another apartment. We don't have **** currently set up at our new apartment. I was concerned this would drain the device's battery. To my surprise the device is on battery save mode back at our old apartment. When I have walked my dog recently the app registers the location at our new apartment, around the building. When I get inside and settled in, the device pings back to my old apartment. I have attached screenshots showing my current location and the bluetooth proximity showing I am close to the whistle. However the device still showing as being at our old apartment. This was while I used the live tracking feature. I believe the app is using my phones location instead of the device. This is very upsetting. Moving to a new place my dog could very well have escaped and he would not have known where home was. And the app doesn't seem to be capable to locating the device unless by proxy assuming my dog is with me.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/14/2023

  ******, I'm so sorry to learn of the issues you're experiencing with your Whistle device. The health, happiness, and safety of your dog is so important to us. We also want you to feel confident that your Whistle device is performing the way you expect and need it to. 
  I see that you accessed our self-service assistant on June 18, 2023, and this complaint makes it clear that you didn't get the resolution you were seeking. I've asked one of my customer support team leads to reach out to you at the email address you provided here to see if we can help troubleshoot the issue and find a solution. I also confirmed that we have your correct phone number on your account in case we need to call you. If, for some reason, we are unable to reach you via those methods within the next 48 hours (today is Sept 14, 2023), please reach out to ********************************** or call us M-F at ************** 
  I will also be personally reviewing the troubleshooting steps provided by the self-service assistant to see if there are any improvements that will make that service more helpful going forward.
  Thank you for calling this to our attention! 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/31/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am writing to lodge a formal complaint against the Whistle Company for not honoring the warranty of their GPS device for pets, which I purchased through Amazon.After 90 days of use, the device stopped functioning properly. As per the warranty agreement, I contacted Whistle's customer service expecting them to rectify the issues I was experiencing. Instead, they refused to honor the warranty, stating that my purchase had been redirected to a third-party reseller via Amazon.At the time of purchase, I was unaware of this detail and I made my purchase directly from Amazon, a platform I trust and use regularly. I find it unreasonable for Whistle to absolve itself of its warranty obligations based on this technicality. It's natural for a consumer to assume that a warranty is tied to the product itself, not the purchase pathway.I strongly believe that Whistle's actions violate my consumer rights and contradict the principles of fair business practices. The company's unwillingness to uphold their warranty has left me with a defective product and out of pocket for the service fee. I am deeply disappointed and unsatisfied with their service.Through this complaint, I demand that Whistle either repair or replace the defective product or provide a full refund for the product and service fee. I believe that this is a fair and just resolution to the current predicament.Thank you for your attention to this matter. I trust the BBB will be able to help me resolve this issue.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/03/2023

  Dear *************,
  We have reviewed your complaint and we do take these issues very seriously. Whistle devices are designed with the utmost care for the health and safety of pets!
  In reviewing your information, we can see from the receipt you provided that you purchased the device from an Amazon seller called Kasande Beauty Fast Shipping. Please be aware that Whistle never redirects to other sellers. This seller is not an authorized Whistle device seller. We cannot guarantee devices sold through unknown or unauthorized sellers because we cannot ensure the condition of the device. It may be new, but it may be used or even damaged or tampered with previously. We have no way to know from where this seller obtained the device or in what condition they are selling it. Thats why the manufacturers warranty cannot cover these devices. So, when purchasing from third party sellers, any disputes or returns must be handled by the seller or by Amazon.
  We're sorry we cannot accommodate the solution you're requesting. As a courtesy we have refunded your current subscription in full, instead of prorating for the time already used. You should see that refund post within 5-7 business days, depending on your banks processing times.
  
  Whistle Customer Support
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/19/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Purchased a Device that carries a 6 month warranty. The device performed poorly on it's sole purpose: tracking the pet. But it had saved me a couple times in a pinch, so fine. Paid for one year of subscription ($120) instead of monthly. The device broke 5 months in, they have discontinued this device and refuse to replace it even being inside of warranty. Sure- at least give me my money back for a service I won't be utilizing- nope. They refuse to refund me for the service even though if I had paid monthly I would be able to cancel and not pay for those six months. Ridiculous business tactics and they obviously have issues with these devices if they discontinued them. Beyond the fact they won't replace my device. Which is fine- I don't want to do business with them anymore now. I just want my money back for the months of unused service.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/07/2023

  I'm so sorry that you've had this experience with your Whistle device. We do strive to provide the best care for pets and support to pet parents, and so we are always working to make improvements. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee items sold by third-party sellers, so any product refunds or exchanges would have to be handled directly with the seller. I see that you activated the annual subscription for the device on January 7, 2023 at the annual cost of $80. I apologize, but I do not see a charge for $120. The information our agent provided about the terms of cancelling a subscription is correct, but I have gone ahead and initiated a refund for the remaining six months on the subscription. Based on the $80 subscription charge, that is a refund of $40 and you should see that post to your account in approximately 5-7 business days, depending on your bank's processing times. 
  I do apologize again for the poor experience you've had. Please reach out to our support team if you have any other concerns.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/07/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/16/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I just today received notice that the 3g network the Whistle 3 trackers use was shut down in 2022. I never received any notice about this via email, mail, or phone. I have been paying $80/year x2 trackers for nothing! And they never had the decency to cancel my subscription even though it was for an inoperable device. I purchased two trackers in May 2019 for $225, and have paid $480 in subscription fees since then, for a product that worked for only two years then was disabled with no notice or refund. I called customer service and was only offered a $30 coupon for new trackers. Unbelievable. I need a full refund for the unfulfilled subscription services and useless devices.