The Swiss athletic footwear company, On, is facing a major class-action lawsuit in the US over an alleged defect in its premium-priced CloudTec running and lifestyle shoes. The complaint, led by two consumers who bought models like the Cloudmonster and Cloud 5, alleges that the signature hollow-pod sole design causes the shoes to produce a "loud, embarrassing, and difficult-to-stop squeaking sound" with every step. The lawsuit asserts that this noise, often caused by friction or trapped moisture within the sole's air pockets, renders the shoes—which retail for over £150—unfit for their ordinary purpose. The plaintiffs accuse On of deceptive marketing and fraudulent business practices by knowing about this widespread problem (as evidenced by numerous online complaints and "DIY fixes") but failing to warn buyers, refusing to remedy the issue, and excluding the "squeaking defect" from their warranty coverage. The lawsuit is seeking over $5 million in damages and demands that On be required to fix or replace the defective shoes and warn future customers. The complaint argues that no reasonable consumer would pay the premium price for the shoes knowing they would be so noisy and unusable in public.
BBQ - Is the customer always right? What do you think On should do?
