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Spotify won't open-source Car Thing, but starts refund process

arstechnica.com

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Re: Spotify won't open-source Car Thing, but starts refund process

#101

Post by lupire »

elaus wrote: post #38
throwaway48476 wrote: post #32

If every customer is entitled to a refund then why isn't it automatic and automated? There needs to be a term for this kind of malicious refund policy that does everything possible to prevent you from claiming it.

The account in another comments makes it clear why it's done like that: To get a refund you not only have to talk to support (i.e. spending quite some time in some chat interface), then escalate the issue (talking to another support agent once more) and THEN you might get your money. I guess only a very small fraction of people will do this, making it a very cheap way for Spotify to stop any negative press regarding…

Why isn't there an app business that automatically goes through the corporate time wasting obstacles to burn the corpo's money on support calls?

Re: Spotify won't open-source Car Thing, but starts refund process

#102

Post by utensil4778 »

complaintdept wrote: post #15
Philip-J-Fry wrote: post #9

Are they just banking on people not caring enough or knowing about the refund process? Clearly it can't be better off for them to refund hundreds of thousands maybe even 1m+ people. We need laws that step in to make this impossible. Hardware should be designed so that it can be reused. Make it so that people can just reflash the memory at a minimum. There's no reason for something like this to become e-waste. And the…

Write your elected representatives, preferably by snail mail (they take it more seriously that way). With Right to Repair being talked about so much right now, the time could be right to get this into the public mind. Car Thing could be what nucleates anti bricking legislation.

My elected representative is presently busy trying to rig the presidential ballot for my state, I'm not sure he cares -at all- about e-waste

Re: Spotify won't open-source Car Thing, but starts refund process

#103

Post by beaugunderson »

nickthegreek wrote: post #4

I used the support link provided. They tried to give me 3 months of premium instead of a refund. I declined. They replied: >Thank you for waiting! As I can only suggest you for free Premium in your account. The actual Car Thing refund is done by the specialty advisors, so I'll create a case related to your issue and transfer it and the right team will get back to you through email. Sounds good? So I am now waiting fo…

Interesting, I also just used the support link, talked to an agent via text chat, asked for a refund, they asked for a screenshot, I shared a screenshot, and they immediately refunded me. They did not suggest an alternate approach (the 3 months of premium you mentioned). I didn't actually want a full refund because I got some use out of my Car Thing while I had it, I was banking on the 3 months of premium. Oh well. :)

Re: Spotify won't open-source Car Thing, but starts refund process

#104

Post by Apocryphon »

sarchertech wrote: post #39
n3xus_ wrote: post #26

[flagged]

It’s better than the what most marketing departments put out. Would you prefer “Spotify Edge HD by Spotify”.

It's possible for there to be different categories of bad tech names.

Re: Spotify won't open-source Car Thing, but starts refund process

#105

Post by jhp123 »

I wonder if this is connected to the layoffs they've had. Cancelling marginal product lines and focusing on core competencies sounds great in theory, but the actual process can be messy and generate ill will. An "overstaffed" company is surely more likely to "go the extra mile" in a way that customers will often remember (e.g. by assigning a skeleton crew to maintain this thing or open source it).

Re: Spotify won't open-source Car Thing, but starts refund process

#106

Post by throwaway29812 »

Philip-J-Fry wrote: post #9

Are they just banking on people not caring enough or knowing about the refund process? Clearly it can't be better off for them to refund hundreds of thousands maybe even 1m+ people. We need laws that step in to make this impossible. Hardware should be designed so that it can be reused. Make it so that people can just reflash the memory at a minimum. There's no reason for something like this to become e-waste. And the…

> Are they just banking on people not caring enough or knowing about the refund process?

This seems to be the official policy for many retailers, insurance companies, etc. Hide the process, make it difficult, so you don't have to pay out as much.

Re: Spotify won't open-source Car Thing, but starts refund process

#107

Post by dude187 »

dylan604 wrote: post #18
nerdawson wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The slightly clumsy wording would indicate to me that it's a real person rather than a chatbot.

That slightly clumsy wording is what made me think it was a chatbot

Have we passed the turing test?

Re: Spotify won't open-source Car Thing, but starts refund process

#108

Post by stevenae »

jhp123 wrote: post #105

I wonder if this is connected to the layoffs they've had. Cancelling marginal product lines and focusing on core competencies sounds great in theory, but the actual process can be messy and generate ill will. An "overstaffed" company is surely more likely to "go the extra mile" in a way that customers will often remember (e.g. by assigning a skeleton crew to maintain this thing or open source it).

Imagining some parallel to the adage, "the only people who will remember how late you worked are your family". Something like, "the only people who will remember the products you cut are your customers"?

Re: Spotify won't open-source Car Thing, but starts refund process

#109

Post by ToucanLoucan »

keraf wrote: post #96
Philip-J-Fry wrote: post #9

Are they just banking on people not caring enough or knowing about the refund process? Clearly it can't be better off for them to refund hundreds of thousands maybe even 1m+ people. We need laws that step in to make this impossible. Hardware should be designed so that it can be reused. Make it so that people can just reflash the memory at a minimum. There's no reason for something like this to become e-waste. And the…

The lack of care for e-waste produced makes me sick. Spotify should at least open the hardware or sponsor a contest for a smart re-use / open source firmware for the device, would probably cost them less at the end and make them look better.

The photos of landfills full of e-scooters make me physically ill.

Re: Spotify won't open-source Car Thing, but starts refund process

#110

Post by bravetraveler »

Mountain_Skies wrote: post #34
bravetraveler wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Conversely, stop voting for people that need coerced to their job. I know this is reductive - save your fingers. Write, but do the not-vote-thing if they don't listen. The desire to not be hoodwinked has already been expressed. Just not this specific way. Or, expressed more positively I guess, vote for those who don't need goaded to do the obviously good thing.

That's a good idea in theory but most people have dozens of issues that are important to them and there's rarely a candidate for office who is aligned with them on everything, so they have to pick which issues are their most important. And of course their position on every possible issue isn't know when evaluating candidates. Some change their position after being elected. Sometimes issues come up that weren't really…

I dare say we've collectively done that math/valuation very poorly. That's not a judgement. It's actively weaponized against us.

So you say a small number of key issues aren't a good indicator, right? I agree. Stop. Wargames comes to mind - don't play.

Vote, but not on things you think are important. Things that actually are important. Achievements, not tales.

Someone who has a career of making decisions that benefit the public will get my vote.

Ask no questions and you'll hear no lies. I don't want the convincing story rep, I want the one shaping our society for the better - even if it costs me.

We're somewhat poorly served by 'the system', as a peer mentions too. There's only so much we can do.

We've made a fun false dichotomy for ourselves with two parties and FPTP

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