Car Thing Owners Will Be Getting A Refund After A Week Of Bad Press For The Company
The Spotify Car Thing was a device made about two years ago to bring Spotify support to cars that couldn’t get it any other way. For instance, if you’ve seen the inside of a 2002 Toyota Camry, you’ll realize that the easiest way to get Spotify integrated while keeping your phone free for navigation is to get a Car Thing. Unfortunately for Car Thing owners, the company stated that it was going to be killing off the device and it would become a useless brick with knobs by December 9th.
The company added insult to injury by “advising” users on how to safely dispose of their now useless Things. Needless to say, this brought forth hot outrage and it seems under the weight of that, the company has decided to step back on its initial decision and provide compensation for customers who were affected by this move.
As long as you have proof of purchase of your Spotify Car Thing, customers will be able to “discuss their options”, according to a new section on the Car Thing FAQs page. A full refund would be the best option. Some users mentioned reaching out to Spotify’s support channel on X and being offered months of a free Premium subscription, which is likely the second-best option.
Spotify Also Has A Class Action Lawsuit To Contend With
Another aspect of Spotify’s current reality that more than likely contributed to its decision to offer refunds is a class-action lawsuit from users over the Car Thing bricking. The claim is that Spotify “duped” customers into buying a useless product, which, considering the short lifespan of the product, is a valid complaint, especially as the company previously refused refunds.
The Year Of Living Dangerously: Spotify Has Been Making A Lot Of Bad Moves In 2024
Spotify has been making notoriously poor decisions this year and the Car Thing debacle is just the latest one in a string of odd moves. For instance, you certainly remember the furor about Spotify’s decision to paywall lyrics, a feature that was always free.
On top of that, do you remember that Spotify brought a price increase to the table last year? Well, the music streaming service looks set to do so again this year. Then, there was also the choice of the company to release a pretty head-scratching audiobook plan that isn’t worth its weight in cow dung.
That’s not even getting into the layoffs either. Spotify’s press has been consistently poor this year and the Car Thing only added to that. Sure, they’ve stepped back on that choice, but that doesn’t push off the poor public perception.
