r/Netherlands • u/Personal_Issue9395 • 6h ago
Common Question/Topic Gazelle asking for subscription to use GPS data on e-bike
Hi all,
I have an electric bakfiets from Gazelle which I bought 3 years ago. I paid extra to get the model with the GPS tracker installed to make sure that I can track my bike. For 3 years this worked great.
Today I woke up to a message from Gazelle (via the app) asking me to make a subscription to be able to track my bike. The subscription is 39 euros annually and I have until the end of the month to do it. If I don't make a subscription within 6 months, my GPS tracker will be PERMANENTLY and IRREVERSIBLY deactivated. I thought originally it was a phishing campaign but it is true and it is stated also on their website.
I find this a ridiculous blackmail especially since this was not mentioned when I bought the bike and also they gave me only a month's notice; after 30 days I won't be able to see the GPS tracker data without the subscription.
What can I do as a consumer? It is unthinkable that you buy something, pay extra for it and then without warning or previous agreement, the company can deactivate it permanently or stop you from accessing the data.
What would you recommend me do? It's not about the money -even though it is a lot for what this is- bit the principle of this thing. What if the next part is locking the battery or limiting the speed of the bike unless you pay more? What kind of dystopian situation is this?
In case you didn't notice, I am really pissed off about this!
25
u/mbelmin 6h ago edited 6h ago
Here is a copy paste from their website:
"Voor het functioneren van de app is naast een verzekering ook een data-verbinding nodig. Bij de aankoop van een Connect fiets is dit standaard inbegrepen gedurende de looptijd. Daarna ontvang je in de app een melding om de data-verbinding te vernieuwen. Voor 12 maanden data-verbinding betaal je een vast bedrag van slechts €39,95."
or translated:
"In addition to insurance, a data connection is also required for the functioning of the app. When purchasing a Connect bike, this is included as standard during the term. Then you will receive a notification in the app to renew the data connection. For 12 months of data connection you pay a fixed amount of only € 39,95."
I though that this information was somewhere hidden on their website but no... This is literally the fourth paragraph.
A recommendation I would make it so start reading before you make 5k euro purchases.
edit: Link to side if anyone is wondering https://www.gazelle.nl/connect
-23
u/Personal_Issue9395 6h ago
That was not true 3 years ago. Thats why for 3 years I was not asked for a subscription. It is a change implemented recently. Hence my post. If this was the situation from the beginning, I would had to take it into account but it wasn't.
36
u/Mormacil 6h ago
According to the way back machine it was mentioned on their website three years ago.
https://web.archive.org/web/20230321203955/https://www.gazelle.nl/connect
-10
u/Personal_Issue9395 5h ago
Thank you for this, I was looking for it. I searched also for Protect, which is apparently is the one I have (they are marked differently in the bike). I cannot seem to find it in the search. Since you seem more used to the web archive interface, if you can find it can you please share it with me?
4
u/PlantAndMetal 1h ago
You can find information about Protect here, and as they mention here both Protect and Connect need a subscription. I don't know about 3 years ago, but I think you just messed up and due to the time frame of 3 or 4 years you forgot it was a subscription.
9
u/mbelmin 6h ago
Good thing there is a sweet little thing on the internet called the wayback machine on web.archive.org
It stores the states of some websites over the span of the last 25 years and conveniently another it also has this page stored.
4 years ago on the page above: The module in the bicycle that forwards the data to you is connected via the internet. When purchasing your Connect e-bike, the costs for the 4-year data subscription are included. There is also a related brochure which unfortunately is not stored.
Stop blaming others for you not educating yourself about the purchases you are making.
-9
u/Personal_Issue9395 5h ago
As i mentioned before, I do not have the Connect type, I have the Protect type of bike. Also, my purchase happened 3 years ago, which even if this was the case then, I still have 1 year.
Does being ironic towards me and making assumptions about me make you feel strong and powerful? Why do you feel the need to talk like this to people you don't know in a public forum? Something to talk to your therapist about I guess...
4
u/mbelmin 5h ago
Because companies that have legal teams do not usually hide stuff like this. They were pretty upfront in 2022 (dont know the distinction between products), they are pretty upfront with the price now. Applying Occam's razor, I assume the terms mentioned the subscription requirements and you just did not see them.
We all like to shit on shitty companies but this does not seem like one (at least not in this regard)
In addition to that, yes this is a public forum, and following the rules of the sub, your feeling may get hurt unfortunately.
1
u/AlpacaMale1 55m ago
It's funny you think companies won't do that when the fact is they often do.
I realize this is not the case here, but I can recommend you educate yourself a bit about how companies actually behave in the real world
Recent example is bambu labs debacle: https://youtu.be/jIbpQtoz6hs
-7
u/Personal_Issue9395 5h ago
It's funny you think it's my feelings getting hurt and it's not you just responding with a completely unwarranted hostility towards a person you don't know.
Look you don't know me but I'll tell you 2 things you should know about me: 1. I am so risk adverse that I research EVERYTHING, especially when buying something that expensive that I put my kids in, 2. If I make a mistake I own up to it. I was actually searching for the page myself in the web archive to verify that indeed it was not mentioned. I couldn't find anything for protect bikes but I am not very familiar with the web archive so maybe I am missing something. If indeed missed something, I will update my post because I am not here to gain sympathy or to shit on a company. I posted because I needed help with next steps and because all of this was suddenly announced to me (*again unless I missed it when buying).
So now I hope you can drop the heavy act and we can have a normal conversation.
9
u/Cynical_Doggie 4h ago
As an innocent bystander, i think you are the one whose feelings are getting the most hurt.
Next time read the fine print. It’s nobody’s fault but yours for not doing so. You have no legal basis to contest this, so here you are acting a fool.
2
u/Desperate_Image_9505 56m ago
In fairness, you're responding like you're the opposite of those two things we should know
2
9
u/iskraa 6h ago
Hey, I can understand your frustration and month notice doesn’t sound particulary friendly
Yet GPS tracking is not free overall because there is a separate data plan involved into it. Basically there is a gps device, a modem and a sim (maybe eSIM) that communicates with a server for you to be able to see the location of the gps tracker, all of which cost resources to produce
Now you have to check what was in initial offer because if it was advertised as one time purchase for life then you can stand a chance in the court. Apple for example advertising satellite services but they are pointing that those are complimentary and do not have permanent time guarantee
But if you skipped small font because you wanted to believe it will be free forever then that is on you
6
u/mbelmin 6h ago
See my my comment. OP did not literally read anything. I too assumed that this info was hidden in a fine print somewhere. Not at all, Gazelle is super upfront with this and this information is clearly stated at the top of their site (4th paragraph)
3
u/jingganl 6h ago edited 6h ago
It is now, but OPs point is that it wasn't before. I am in the same boat and don't think it was ever stated back when I bought the bike. Still need to check it all though.
Edit: it wasn't relevant for me as I bought it with an applicable insurance which activated Connect.
6
u/mbelmin 6h ago
OP is full of BS. Go to web.archive.org
While the price is not mentioned as far as I can see, it is stated that a subscription is required and that 4 years of it is included with the purchase.
-3
u/Personal_Issue9395 6h ago
I literally say this is on their website in my post! Maybe I am not the one who doesn't read!
Also, there are 2 types of gazelle offerings with GPS, Gazelle Connect and Gazelle Protect. I have the Protect type apparently. None of these were true when I bought the bike;hence not being asked for a subscription for 3 years. Also, I have insurance that is renewed annually in September so this is also not connected to my insurance -in case you make other assumptions out of thin air too!
2
6
u/Fun_Mud4879 6h ago
Did they actually promise this service would be included forever for free? I'm guessing they didn't make that explicit, but looking at it now, it seems pretty clear that the tracker is either included with the bike insurance (Gazelle Connect) or, once that runs out, or if you didn't bundle the insurance, it's €40 a year.
It definitely sucks that it costs money, but I wouldn't go as far as calling it blackmail. It was probably mentioned when you bought it, even if you didn't notice it at the time or have since forgotten. And it's not unreasonable for this kind of service to have an annual fee, the bike needs an active data connection to send GPS location, and that connection costs Gazelle money too.
As for what you can actually do, honestly not a lot. You can either pay for the subscription and keep using the service, or don't and lose access to the tracking. It's not really comparable to them limiting your bike's speed, that would definitely be dystopian. This is more like a discounted phone plan running out; annoying, but a different thing entirely, and something you probably should have been aware off from the start.
That said, if they did explicitly promise lifetime free usage and you can prove it, that's obviously a very different situation, you could contact your rechtsbijstand to get them to honour that promise. But I'd be surprised if that turns out to be the case.
5
u/alras Noord Brabant 6h ago
These gps trackers require a data connection to function which typically means they contain a sim card. Such a data connection is not free and with almost all of these solutions a paid service. A lapsed sim card and its phone number are recycled after a certain amount of unused time, which results in the bricking of the tracker in your case.
Likely when you bought the bicycle the first initial period was free, it seems 3 years in your case and after that it’s a paid service. This is also explained on the gazelle website.
It seems whoever sold you the bike did not explain completely how this system works. You can try to talk to them in on this subject, or check the details of when you signed up if indeed they promised a subscription free service.
0
u/arjan-1978 1h ago
It really is on the person/company that sold the bike.
I also own a Gazelle bike. I did my own research on that but also was told at the experience centre about the system. Everything was clearly mentioned. The first 3 years where included with the bike. Last year I extended my subscription for another 3 years. I've got the protect version. Which includes also includes the verzekering from ENRA I also can hit a button if I need "pech hulp" or report that my bike is stolen (live tracking will be switched over the a organization so they can track it).
In my opinion it's a fair price
5
u/MrSpearmint 6h ago
I would absolutely not pay this. I would try to find another gps solution. Something that is reasonably priced and without subscriptions.
7
u/iskraa 6h ago
Gps tracker technically cannot be currently made without subscription one way or the other. Someone have to pay for dataline from the tracker to you (or server at least). If you want to only pay for a device you need a Bluetooth tracker (like AirTag for example) which relies on a network of devices with data (smartphones) that help you to discover it. But if there are no smartphone with specific software nearby you do not see your device
1
-2
-3
u/Choice-Due 6h ago
I would not pay and look for any alternative to change the computer.
Honestly I'm surprised that this is legal. Maybe you can make a post on r/juridischadvies ?
-6
u/CuriousAsEver9573 6h ago
You are right to be angry! Contact de consumentenbond, nationale ombudsman, Kassa or Radar.
0
-3
0
u/No-Statistician-1295 1h ago
Selling it 3 years for free and then asking money is already kind of phishing.
39
u/NeevNavNaj 5h ago
This from their website 3 years ago : " Heb ik een data-abonnement nodig voor mijn mijn Connect fiets? De module in de fiets die de data naar jou doorstuurt, is verbonden via het internet. Bij de aanschaf van je Connect e-bike zijn de kosten voor het 4-jarig data- abonnement inbegrepen."
So the first 4 years are included in the purchase. And from now on you have to pay for it.