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On, a popular brand known for its trendy running shoes, is facing a lawsuit from dissatisfied customers who claim the footwear has a significant defect. According to the plaintiffs, the shoes produce a “loud, embarrassing, and difficult-to-stop squeaking sound” with every step.
The class action suit was lodged on October 9 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon. The dissatisfied customers argue they would not have purchased the shoes had they been aware of the noise issue. The complaint points to the company’s CloudTec shoe design as the source of the problem. This design incorporates “hexagonal, octagonal, and oval-shaped holes” in the shoe’s external surface, which allegedly leads to the squeaking sound.
According to the lawsuit, the rubber components within the CloudTec design rub against each other as the wearer moves, creating a “noisy and embarrassing squeak.”
On, a Swiss company with its U.S. headquarters in Portland, Oregon, has declined to comment on the pending legal proceedings.
Many other customers have also voiced their frustrations with the squeaky shoes on online platforms like Reddit, where users have shared potential solutions to mitigate the noise. The two individuals who initiated the lawsuit claim they stopped wearing their On shoes shortly after purchase due to the sound, which they found embarrassing.
When wearers take a step, the rubber within the CloudTec design rubs together, resulting in a “noisy and embarrassing squeak,” the lawsuit claims.
On, a Swiss company with U.S. offices in Portland, Oregon, said it doesn’t comment on ongoing legal matters.
Other customers have complained about the noise in online forums such as Reddit, with some posting hacks for trying to stop the shoes from squeaking. The two consumers who filed the lawsuit claim they stopped wearing their On running shoes shortly after purchasing them due to the noise, which they both described as embarrassing.
The lawsuit also points out that the On running shoes cost a premium, with its CloudTec shoes retailing between $140 to $180 a pair, higher than the average running shoe price of $132.90.
The complaint names 11 types of On shoes made with CloudTec that could experience squeaking:
- Cloud 5
- Cloud 6
- CloudMonsters
- Cloudtilts
- Cloudsurfers
- Cloudeclipse
- Cloudleap
- CloudSky
- Cloudswift
- Cloudzone
- Cloudrunner
The lawsuit claims that consumers haven’t been able to successfully return the shoes based on the squeak because On’s warranty “does not extend to defects due to the wrong fit, normal wear and tear,” with the company allegedly describing the squeaking as “normal wear and tear.”
The complaint is seeking compensatory, statutory and punitive damages for what it believes are likely “thousands of people” who purchased On shoes with the CloudTec design.
