It's been a week since Spotify discontinued its Car Thing audio streaming hardware and asked users to throw it away. The company said Car Thing hardware will stop working after December 9, 2024, and advised users to reset it to factory settings before disposing of it.
However, at the time, the Swedish music streaming giant didn't compensate or refund users for the hardware it turned into a $90 paperweight. Social media posts from annoyed and disappointed Car Thing owners populated the web, and some users even managed to get refunds from the company.
I realize I'm like one of 5 people who actually use Car Thing but... why? The decide connects to my phone via Bluetooth and has zero strain on @Spotify's servers. Just let the people using it continue to do so. pic.twitter.com/kpLwgxJRis
— Jonばruby (@Jonbaruby) May 23, 2024
Now, Spotify has updated its support page to make it official that it's handing out refunds for the discontinued Car Thing hardware. You need to get in touch with Spotify's customer support team with proof of purchase to get your refund.
"Individuals seeking a refund can contact customer support with proof of purchase to discuss their options," the company says. Speaking of the refund options, one way is Spotify will give you subscription credits equal to the amount you paid for the device. This can spread over the coming months or cover the past subscriptions you have already paid for.
PSA: If you bought a Car Thing (doesn't matter when), contact Spotify to get a refund. I did it last night. They'll give you a "refund" in the form of crediting you for the next few months equal to what you originally paid or refund you credit for past subscriptions that you… pic.twitter.com/fB1xeIxcsC
— Ray Wong (@raywongy) May 31, 2024
This change of heart comes after the company faced a class action lawsuit in a US District Court over its discontinued device. According to a Billboard report (paywalled), the lawsuit claims that Spotify deceived customers by selling them a product that will soon become obsolete and didn't offer any refunds.
Spotify Car Thing was launched in the US in February 2022, with a price tag of $89.99, however, its manufacturing was stopped just five months later. On top of the hardware cost, Car Thing required users to have a Spotify Premium subscription to stream content such as songs and podcasts.
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