Report: Jawbone is nearly out of fitness tracker inventory, can’t pay its partners

By Christian de Looper Updated September 23, 2016

jawbone low inventory money wear next 022314 up3

Jawbone is struggling to pay the bills. According to a recent report from Business Insider, the company has almost no inventory of its UP fitness trackers, and it has yet to pay many of its key contractors.

The news follows a report from The Information last month that suggested the company was being sued by Flextronics, a global manufacturer, for breach of contract.

According to the report, Jawbone abruptly cut off its dealings with customer service agency NexRep after Jawbone stopped making payments to the company. Not only that, but the company also sold off part of its Bluetooth speaker business, a business it was known for before it entered the fitness tracking market.

You can tell that Jawbone is running low on stock — the website shows all UP fitness trackers as sold out, as well as all of the accessories for the trackers. That’s despite the fact that Jawbone raised $165 million in funding earlier this year, which likely went to things like solving manufacturing issues. The Jawbone Facebook page is also full of complaints from customers saying that they can’t get in touch with customer service.

On top of money and inventory issues, many of the company’s key executives have left the company, including Travis Bogard, the ex head of product, who left for Uber, according to a report from The Verge.

It’s important to note that none of this necessarily means that Jawbone is going to die completely anytime soon. According to another recent report, Jawbone is working on a medical-grade sensor, which would be used in the medical field rather than for consumers. The company still intends to release that product, according to The Verge, but will sell it through third-parties rather than directly to consumers.

Topics

Christian de Looper

Contributor

Christian’s interest in technology began as a child in Australia, when he stumbled upon a computer at a garage sale that he…

Deals

It’s time to get creative: Get up to 20% off Autodesk software with this deal

Tech Center at Birmingham, Hermle using autodesk software to design.

This content was produced in partnership with Autodesk.
AutoCAD has long been a staple of design and drafting tool sets, from architects and engineers to construction pros. It allows you to both design and annotate your creations, using 2D geometry and 3D models complete with textures, solids, surfaces, and mesh objects. Why does that matter? It massively helps design new physical objects and spaces in a digital form. But AutoCAD goes way beyond that, as do most of Autodesk's software tools. It can be expensive to sign up for access, especially if you have a small to medium-sized team. With the current Autodesk software deal, you not only have the opportunity to try out the tools for free, but also you can get a significant discount, and lock in your price for three years. Between April 17 and 20, you can get 20% off AutoCAD LT and Revit LT Suit, and 15% off AutoCAD. That discount drops AutoCAD's price down to $1,564 -- if paid annually -- saving you nearly $400 ($391). That's an excellent deal but it won't be available for very long so act soon.

This Autodesk software deal nets you access to the company's latest products, namely AutoCAD which is an incredibly useful design and creativity tool. The most important takeaway is that it helps you complete your professional projects faster by unlocking access to automations and customizations. For example, you can fully customize your workspace with add-on apps and APIs that essentially transform the way you create, manipulate, and work with objects in the toolset. You can make things faster, especially the more you use the tool for your designs.

Business

Find exceptional talent: the best hiring platforms for small businesses

For hire sign used by small businesses on hiring platforms to find top-tier talent.

This content was produced in partnership with ZipRecruiter.
Without the right talent or the right people rather, no business could thrive, big or small. But finding top talent is extremely crucial for small businesses, especially when it comes to remaining competitive in today's market. Smaller operations generally have limited resources, so it's necessary to improve productivity and efficiency wherever possible, which is precisely where securing good talent comes into the picture. But how do you find those people? The answer is via hiring platforms a la ZipRecruiter. They not only bring in the talent but also help you better understand the people, their work histories, and their overall expertise. Moreover, they help streamline the hiring process making it easier to find relevant candidates.

In light of that, here are the seven best hiring platforms for small businesses that can help you secure a competitive edge with top-tier talent:

Deals

Need Help? These Are the Best places to hire people online

ZipRecruiter Job Board Lifestyle Post

This content was produced in partnership with ZipRecruiter.
Hiring the right people is a crucial part of developing your business. The best person for the job will be one that shares your vision, is highly responsible, appropriately skilled, and is an efficient worker. You know what you want from your next employee but what do you do when it comes to finding that person? With many different sources out there for finding the best way to hire employees, we've picked out the best places to hire people online including ways to find employees online fast or for a long-term commitment. There are dozens of sites available but it's important to pick the best outlet for the task, so you can spend less time on your recruitment drive and more time interviewing the best candidates for the job. Take a look below at the best places to hire people online.
ZipRecruiter

One of the most reliable names in the job posting world, ZipRecruiter is a great way of finding staff and quickly. It aims to make the hiring process as smooth as possible. It works by connecting to more than 100 job boards so the moment you create a job listing for your firm, ZipRecruiter posts it across the huge network so you're casting the net as wide as possible without having to manually create job listings at numerous sources.