Arlo support and endless circle of deception

[JimiW]

So I've been locked in what seems like 12 months but is probably only at least 7 months battle with Arlo support. They took away my membership plan and then finally after 3-4 months restored it at the discount it was meant to be. They lied about local resolution being 4K if you only had a 2K plan and then lied and lied again. Now I am at the situation where my last payment failed because I had it on a debit card that happened to have zero money on it the day they tried to charge it. Now, when you go on the Arlo site to pay, it won't show you any discounts or discount plans at the time of purchase, if you are lucky it will show "credit" at the final payment stage but no indication that this is ongoing. I got burnt before with trying to add a plan to my initial free plan with extra cameras and it took away the free plan. So now why would I want to resubscribe online when there is no indication that my current plan will continue.

And now comes the best part - as part of this I was getting email updates for months going "just checking in on have you got a resolution" and also the "your case will expire if you don't update in 2 days", literally 2-3 times a week. However, the actual responses were generic and non committal. So I got on webchat a week ago and they said sorry we can't resolve this but we will get someone to call you in an hour (they asked me what time). No one called, 2.5 hours later I get on chat again and this agent tells me no, we can't organise calls no one will call you. Then they suggest (knowing full well I'm in Australia) an overseas paid toll line. So I mention I'm in Australia and he gives me an Australian number and tells me they will answer. I call it, knowing that all the numbers divert to overseas and that centre is only open in USA times that are ridiculous hours for Australia, no answer "call centre is closed".

Now, I just get repeated emails saying "just checking if you case has been resolved" and I write back again and again, "no it hasn't because you haven't actually said anything other than has it been resolved". The same answer again and again and again, I swear they are just trying to get me to give up. Every time I did a new chat they opened a new case by itself and none of them have been updated by agent.

So I'm at the situation where my plan is due to run out soon and I have ZERO idea if renewing it online will keep my current discounted plan or if it will wipe it and obviously if I don't update it then it will wipe it anyway.

Well played Arlo, I've never seen an international company play such deception with customers and I am seriously tempted to report to Consumer Affairs in Australia repeatedly until they do something, perhaps even go to the media. I am not one of the people that would normally do this but at this point what other options do I have?

The Ultra cameras are rubbish, always disconnect when you need them, require constant brightness adjustments in the same condition between days, pixelate to no end when you need them with half the screen pixelated or just white noise, I've even had the two halves of one image actually swapped over on the screen so right is left and left is right. Basically, you cannot rely on these at all for security. However I am too deep in with 6 cameras and what am I meant to do with them, sell them for 1/4 the price on market place? not to mention the 2K plan restricting your 4K camera, which I'm pretty sure you can't sell a product then reduce its capabilities based on an ongoing subscription.

I'm just at a loss what to do now other than sell them and cut my losses, which I can't actually afford.

@sarlo 

[jameslite123]

now it is working