WHOOP: The Best Wearable in the World That Still Seems to Have a Communication Problem

Here’s my take on the new 5.0 launch as someone who managed marketing communications for WHOOP for almost 6 years.

The WHOOP 5.0 launched a few days ago, and a lot of customers weren’t happy. To be fair, it’s probably a vocal minority making a big stink about the upgrade fees and unclear membership terms, but as someone who managed communications during the 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 launch, I’ve seen this play out before.

Since my departure in 2022, I’ve followed the ups and downs of the company through its fair market valuation, a screenshot someone sent me when 15% of the workforce was laid off via email, LinkedIn posts from former colleagues, and the growth of the WHOOP Instagram (WHOOP had 5,000 Instagram followers when I managed the channel, now they have over 1.5M). They continue to work with the best athletes in the world, and they’ve upped their game with creative production and ability to reach everyday consumers. Although I stopped wearing my WHOOP and miss the initial start-up sparkle I was once a part of, I still believe it’s the best wearable out there. Truly.

So when I saw this Reddit post from former Chief Product Officer Ben Foster on LinkedIn, I was intrigued, but not surprised. The post begins like this:

I am the former CPO at Whoop (2020-2022). I'm writing this as an independent Whoop member -- one who has a lot of familiarity with the inner workings of Whoop from product features to pricing to business strategy. I have not spoken to any Whoop employees before posting this. They will be just as surprised to read this as you. Note that none of my commentary is in any way representative of or even endorsed by the company. This may not be what a lot of people want to hear, but I think the community should hear it anyway.

First off, this is a hilarious thing to see on Reddit. Ben goes on to state that WHOOP is not an evil company, and that their business decisions are completely justified. And I agree with him, because WHOOP is a for-profit company with a mission to optimize peoples’ health. But what I don’t think is understood is that WHOOP members are some of the most dedicated, meticulous customers out there, and they have receipts. WHOOP has a cult-like following, and in my experience, they take everything the company tells them very literally. And WHOOP made a bunch of mistakes with how they communicated to members over the last few years.

Also, when you’re a C-suite executive, you don’t understand what it’s like to work 1:1 with customers every single day. You are only concerned about the VIPs, the celebrities, the investors, and the profit. It’s 100% true that WHOOP (Will, specifically) was obsessed meeting professional athletes and celebrities and having them on his podcast. And I would be too, honestly. But as is true for most companies, there’s a disconnect between leadership and the ground floor and how the community is responding. You don’t understand what customer service goes through as they try to spin the language to overcompensate for the sexy, editorial marketing copy that everyone bought into.

I started at WHOOP in 2016 and managed marketing communications for about 4 years before specializing in growing the running category for the brand (I recruited Tinman Elite back in 2018, and later signed Colleen Quiqley and Gabby Thomas). I wrote the Instagram captions, wrote the emails, refined the language on the website, and wrote a ton of blogs on professional athletes, product updates, research, and data science. I recorded a WHOOP podcast with Head of Performance Kristen Holmes on eating disorders and the impact on performance, and with Mary Cain on the science behind WHOOP recovery. I saw firsthand how the product improved peoples’ lives by monitoring every tag on Instagram and responding to every DM. I crafted the brand voice from the very beginning, and I was extremely meticulous with every public-facing communication for the sake of clarity for members and new customers. It still remains the most incredible job I’ve ever had.

A picture I took of CrossFit legend Sam Dancer at our old headquarters behind Fenway Park. WHOOP dominated the CrossFit space from 2016-2018. I was very lucky to work with some of the best athletes in every sport category.

And even 3 years after I left WHOOP, it appears the company still has issues with communication and trust with members. Because the business model has changed so many times, WHOOP always had difficulty communicating to the various cohorts and adhering to the ever-changing membership stipulations and new tiers. It’s a customer service nightmare, and I genuinely always felt bad for our support staff.

I’m a shareholder in the company, so of course I want it to do well, and I have no ill will towards the brand. I’ve been patiently waiting for the IPO and turning down offers from those companies like Hiive that buy your pre-IPO vested options. I’m not even sure if WHOOP is profitable yet, but if anything, they have the intellectual property that any Google or Amazon would snatch up in a second, if offered. But that doesn’t mean I can’t be a little critical of something I poured my life into for 6 years.

I know that WHOOP will continue being successful, despite what disgruntled members on X and Reddit are saying. It will absolutely continue to grow in valuation. But I completely understand why loyal members are angry. I’m writing this article to share my honest thoughts about the company, give people a peek behind the curtain of what it’s like working for one of the biggest wearables in the world, and maybe try to find some humor in the whole thing, because after all, it’s just a wearable.

Why is WHOOP Facing Backlash?

WHOOP is facing backlash because existing members have to pay a $49 upgrade fee for a product that literally said–hardware is always free as long as you’re an active member (they have since backpedaled and are waiving this fee, from what I understand). Additionally, customers are being asked to extend their membership by a minimum of 12 months (up to $359), even if they have remaining months of their membership left and having been paying customers for years. Several news outlets reported on this, including Bloomberg and TechCrunch.

In a blog post on their website that I wrote in 2020 (you can see my byline), WHOOP originally stated the following:

They have since deleted this as of a few days ago and replaced with the following:

Another blog post, which has been deleted, stated the following:

“Just like other memberships, WHOOP is committed to releasing new and regular updates constantly without requiring the purchase or use of a new device. All updates are available within the app for all members to enjoy. Additionally, instead of purchasing new hardware every time an updated model is produced, WHOOP members receive the next-generation device for free after having been a member for six months or more.”

Then, they posted on X, claiming that the blog post should have never been there and their policy has since changed.

This is actually insane to me, because the premise was always that you get your hardware free as long as you’re a paying member and completed at least 6 months of your membership. I guess they changed that because they did away with the 6-month option, and now you can only do a 12-month option extension. But it appears that loyal customers who have been paying membership fees for years are still being required to pay for another 12 months when they upgrade, on top of an upgrade fee. I get that WHOOP needs to cover the costs of the actual device when sending the upgrade, but it goes against their marketing and promise to customers. Loyal WHOOP members believed they’d get the new upgrade free of charge, including the latest technology, no questions asked, because that’s exactly what CEO Will Ahmed stated. This is the problem with CEOs who make grandiose claims and don’t think about the repercussions and how it not only affects customers, but internal employees and making their jobs more difficult.

This post from u/willowgoose sums up the frustration adequately:

“False advertising at the core of WHOOP’s entire customer proposition (probably the biggest issue): this isn’t a case of changing direction quietly in the background. The promise that WHOOP was a platform that wouldn’t require one to pay for hardware upgrades was front and center (note: I hear you that this wasn’t sustainable in the long-run, but then why make the promise in the first place!?) It was repeated not only in blog posts, but also in podcasts, FAQs, emails, and other marketing material. It was a central part of WHOOP’s unique selling proposition, and what convinced many people to buy into the ecosystem. I know it’s what convinced me to go with WHOOP vs a competitor. The rescinding of that promise has completely broken trust.”

The whole thing is pretty convoluted, and if we take a step back we should remind ourselves that this is a health accessory and WHOOP is a for-profit company. They’re not a health insurance company scamming people out of paying more for their insulin prescriptions. It’s not that serious, but at the same time, it is, because people still feel they’ve been wronged.

The Founding Members Backlash

The 5.0 launch is funny for me to watch from afar, because the backlash is very similar to when we switched over from a one-time purchase to membership in 2019. I spent a lot of late nights and weekends responding to DMs on the WHOOP IG from people threatening to sue us and sending me (well, the WHOOP IG) hate messages. Honestly, a lot of you were fucking insane. It was pretty exhausting. Most of the people sending nasty messages and leaving angry comments were in the wrong and complained about things that were out of control. Our customer service team did everything they could to try and appease people while also sticking to the new membership policy. A bunch of customer service people quit around that time.

Me talking to a “Garett” via the WHOOP account. I’d had enough, clearly.

Before WHOOP was ever a membership, it was a one-time purchase of $500. Early adopters aka “Founding Members” were promised they’d never have to pay membership fees. WHOOP did away with that concept when they launched the 3.0 and transitioned to membership. Founding Members were promised free service for life, but it was then clarified that it only applied to their 2.0, and they weren’t allowed to buy the 3.0 outright. This was the right move by the company, although it definitely felt unfair to people, because they never expected to have to pay for a membership. However, Founding Members shouldn’t have expected to get free devices for the rest of their life at no charge, either. Apple would never send you a free iPhone every time they upgraded. Still, the messaging was not clear from the beginning. Just like we’re seeing now with the backpedaling and the “we’re sorry” stuff, we did the same thing for the 3.0, which had a slew of other issues beyond just the Founding Member debacle.

An old blog post that’s no longer on the website addressing the many frustrations of the 3.0.

The issue, again, was the lack of communication and marketing language that overpromised and underdelivered, in certain cases. I remember having to write and send multiple emails to different member cohorts clarifying the policy and basically apologizing.

Ultimately, I can’t even keep track of all the changes and threads of miscommunication. The majority of customers were and are still really happy with their WHOOP devices. I just can’t help but laugh at all of this from afar, because it’s truly fucking chaotic that people are writing farewell poems to WHOOP on Reddit and trying to organize class action lawsuits. I do personally feel like that energy could be spent elsewhere. I stopped wearing mine because I didn’t want to spend upwards of $300/year for the membership and accessories, and I started working for a competitor COROS afterwards anyway.

WHOOP Is Still By Far, The Smartest Wearable Out There

Have I tried every wearable that exists? I have not. But knowing enough competitor analysis and now having worked for COROS, I believe WHOOP is superior for sleep and recovery data because of how they present it to the consumer. WHOOP succeeded in making a wearable that is completely digestible, interactive, and changes lives. They simplified recovery, HRV, sleep, circadian rhythm, ECG, and more to help people better understand their bodies and take control of their health. Their mission is sound, and the company is full of smart, dedicated people who are doing incredible things in the world of sports science and research. They’re even bridging the gap between male and female research, which is so important.

The WHOOP recovery algorithm is probably one of the most highly coveted proprietary IP in the wearable tech space. Amazon wanted it, and I’m sure other companies have tried to buy Will Ahmed out. The aggregate data they have on the millions, perhaps billions of recoveries and sleeps, could power a small city.

If you want to learn more about your body and are committed to performance optimization, reducing stress, and overall living a healthier lifestyle, you should get a WHOOP. Seriously. You’ll be addicted.

We Live In The Age of Subscription, And Tech Companies Can Do Better

Subscriptions and memberships are the norm, but I think consumers are getting tired of keeping track. There are too many tiers, too many perks, too much fine print. We all have subscriptions that we don’t even know we’re paying for. Just yesterday, I realized I’ve been charged for “Resume Builder” at $20/month that I completely forgot about. I have mysterious monthly Apple charges that I can’t figure out how to stop. I pay for like 8 different streaming services that all still want me to pay more to get rid of ads. It’s absurd.

Our digitally-driven world has forced this kind of economy. Unless you’re a teacher, social worker, or operating heavy machinery at a construction site, your job probably revolves around customer acquisition and retaining them through digital marketing efforts. I was just talking about this yesterday with my friend Alexi, who said that this concept is prevalent in Hollywood where actors and creators still have to commoditize themselves to be successful, versus relying on talent. I guess capitalist society has always operated this way–it’s just accelerated and more complicated thanks to technology. There are new digital platforms and new terms that I can’t even wrap my head around.

As for WHOOP, they should continue elevating their product and trying to make as much money as possible while sticking to their mission of unlocking peoples’ health and performance. I think they’re doing a good job with that. However, they need to provide clarity to consumers and stop backpedaling on their terms. It’s embarrassing and looks messy and jeopardizes trust for the loyal, obsessive followers, which WHOOP has a lot of.

I wish nothing but the best for my WHOOP colleagues, many of whom are still good friends. I wish nothing but the best for the company, too. It’s a great product that’s changing the world with legitimate research and saving lives. Let’s not forget about that.

You can follow me at @allimary on Instagram and let me know what you think about this piece in the comments below.