Spotify offers refunds for Car Thing before it stops working

What do you want to know

• Customers can obtain a refund for their Car Thing purchases by contacting Spotify customer support with proof of purchase.
• Spotify shut down Car Thing five months after its release and the devices will stop working on December 9.
• Spotify aims to streamline its products and focus on new features, likely due to cost cuts following layoffs and rising prices.

If you bought Spotify’s Car Thing and it’s about to become a paperweight, here’s some good news: Spotify is now offering refunds for the $90 device.

Spotify said TechCrunch that they have started refunding anyone who contacts customer service and presents proof of purchase, such as an email receipt. Car Thing launched in early 2022 after quietly rolling out for free to select Spotify Premium subscribers in late 2021.

The device was designed as a solution for cars that did not have a built-in screen with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. It acted as an external remote control with voice commands and preset buttons on a four-inch color touchscreen.

But Spotify pulled the plug on Car Thing just five months after its release. Last month they announced to their customers that their devices would stop working on December 9th.

Spotify said in a support page that the move is part of its efforts to streamline its products and focus on new features for a better user experience. This appears to be a cost-cutting measure after a difficult year marked by layoffs and rising prices.

The move upset many users, leading to a class-action lawsuit filed May 28 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The lawsuit claims Spotify misled its customers by selling a device that would soon be obsolete without offering a refund.

Initially, reports indicated that there would be no refunds, but Spotify’s FAQ page now states that customers can contact support with proof of purchase to discuss refund options.

Interestingly, Spotify said it began processing refunds on May 24, a few days before the lawsuit was filed, suggesting they may have started doing so to avoid legal issues.