PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A popular Oregon shoemaker is heading to court after customers complained their sneakers are excessively squeaky.
A class action lawsuit filed in federal court last week alleges that On Inc.’s CloudTec sneaker design causes “a noisy and embarrassing squeak” not covered by the company’s warranty.
“No reasonable customer would purchase shoes as highly priced as Defendant’s—or paid as much for them as they did—if they needed to make DIY alterations to make the products wearable, or cease wearing them completely due to the squeaky noise defect,” the lawsuit said.
The running shoes, which can cost nearly $200, are designed with hexagonal or, in some cases, octagonal or oval holes in the sole. The lawsuit’s plaintiffs allege that the sneakers create so much noise that the shoes are unwearable without “significant DIY modifications.”
In court documents, one plaintiff alleged that he wore a pair of the shoes for three months before he noticed “a squeaking with every step that he has been unable to stop.”
He said he is now unable to wear the shoes due to embarrassment and annoyance, and that he would not have paid as much as he did for the shoes if the company had disclosed “immense squeaking.”
Another plaintiff noticed the squeaking after wearing the shoes just three times, and said she is now unable to wear them. She, along with the other defendant, alleges they were injured by the price premium they paid for the shoes.
On is a Swiss company with offices in Portland. CloudTec is the brand’s signature design. Earlier this year, the company was reportedly outperforming Nike and Adidas in shoe sales.
The lawsuit alleges that it isn’t just the plaintiffs who have experienced the endless squeakiness, either. As noted in the court documents, there are several Reddit threads dedicated to the issue, as well as TikTok videos and webpages dedicated to DIY solutions intended to help customers stop the squeak.
The lawsuit cites multiple online reviews and comments from customers claiming they contacted the company about the issue and were told it does not fall under their warranty.
When reached for comment, a spokesperson for the company said they do not comment on ongoing legal matters.
