Comments on: Is the Zeo “Personal Sleep Coach” a Scam?

By: More on the Zeo Personal Sleep Coach | Bob on Medical Device Software

More on the Zeo Personal Sleep Coach | Bob on Medical Device Software — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 04:09:35 +0000

[...] though it has been over 6 months, my Zeo scam post is suddenly getting some comment traction. I thought I’d respond to some of these as well as [...]

By: RobertF

RobertF — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 14:53:32 +0000

Bob, your POST is the scam (not really) but it sure is is opinionated.

1. What is the “Red Flag”? The Personalized Sleep Coaching Program and SmartWake™ Alarm (optional) or the Zeo 7 Steps to Sleep Fitness? What is “Red Flag” about ANY of them?

2. You seem to think Zeo’s not being approved by the FDA to treat sleep disorders is somehow evidence of this being a scam? How so? I can perfectly well imagine a device that records and displays someone’s sleep phases NOT being approved by the FDA as something “to treat sleep disorders”. The FDA is NOTORIOUS for ridiculously high requirements for something to be officially approved as a “treatment”.

3. You seem incredulous that a head-worn device is simply able to pick up brainwaves and detect what phase of sleep you’re in with reasonably accuracy. I don’t know. Based on what is already out there, that doesn’t seem like such a dubious proposition.

4. If you think you need “clinical validation” to determine whether lifestyle changes affect your sleep, I think you need to get yourSELF clinically validated (joke). Either that, or just do some basic research on sleep.

5. If you think the only people who will pay money for this device are those who suffer from sleep disorders then you don’t make as much money as many others do. Or maybe you just don’t value the feedback it gives as much as others do.

6. And re it just being a scam: Have you seen who is on their advisory board? http://www.myzeo.com/pages/48_about_us.cfm Among others,

Charles A. Czeisler, PhD, MD – Director, Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Daniel Aeschbach, PhD – Assistant Professor of Medicine,
Harvard Medical School

John W. Winkelman, MD, PhD – Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
and Medical Director, Sleep Health Center of Brigham
and Women’s Hospital

Yes…you’re right…it MUST be a scam!

P.S. – And I have no connection to the Zeo company.

By: Sergey Shelukhin

Sergey Shelukhin — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 08:06:29 +0000

The device is clearly aimed at yuppies like me, not average consumer, so no need to decry the pricing…
I don’t sleep a lot so I used to make sleep tables, that with any luck would map sleep duration to easy awakening; however while there is quantifiable improvement in number of times you wake up refreshed as opposed to groggy from them it’s not nearly 100% successful (I am guessing it’s due to both inexact timing and difference in environment/time to fall asleep/caffeine/alcohol/etc), so I this thing helps me wake up better at that time by tracking in realtime that would be well worth it.
If not $249 it costs now is not THAT much money.

By: Kruntz

Kruntz — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 11:05:47 +0000

Bob is an idiot. Lifestyle changes do affect sleep quality. That his been documented for years by people far smarter than Bob. Ask anyone with nightime GERD if sleeping on a different bed or eating at different time affects there sleep. The machine does not claim to diagnose a medical condition. So what is the problem. Bob does not provide one credible source that says the sleep staging does not work. He just makes the claim for the hell of it.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:49:58 +0000

It is not a scam. It probably only says that as a precaution. Think about brushing your teeth. Although it’s very good if you do you still have to go to the dentist 2 a year for a check up. Modern machines still don’t replace doctors.

By: Zeekrey

Zeekrey — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:44:03 +0000

Here is my conversation with a customer support conversation regarding this issue. This is not a scam. You’re assets are safe.

Corey(me):
But you’re saying that if I open up the product and take all of the contents out of the protective packaging I can still then return into the severed packaging and return it free of charge other than my own shipping fee?

Paul:
Yes.

If you dont believe me go to the the Zeo site and select the “live online chat support” and ask like I did.

By: Konrad

Konrad — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:29:55 +0000

Patsy, did your husband try it?? I’m not as concerned about the return policy as whether it works as claimed.

By: Patsy

Patsy — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:54:33 +0000

Whoops, I meant “components,” not “compartments.”

Thanks for this write-up!

By: Patsy

Patsy — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:52:17 +0000

By the way, if you read their website’s “30-Day Return Policy,” it clearly says:

“Returned merchandise must include all original accessories, literature, documentation and packaging in the same saleable condition in which it was received by you.”

OR THEY CHARGE YOU 30% for a “RESTOCKING FEE” — $90, PLUS you have to pay return shipping!

My husband, who loves buying all of these ridiculous gadgets without reading the fine print, ordered one of these items. There’s a lot of small compartments that come in sealed blister-packages that would render it NOT in the “same saleable condition.”

This is a scam. I don’t care what the New York Times says about it. It’s a scam.