I bought a Ring Battery Doorbell Plus, mounted it on the wall, and went to add it in the app. The app told me the device belongs to another account and that I should request a transfer.

I called support. To help me, they needed the MAC address, so I had to take the doorbell off the wall I had just installed it on, while on the phone, to read it. After that, they told me someone else had set this device up about 5 months ago, and that it has been disconnected ever since.

So Ring can see that the device has been offline for 5 months, and that I'm the one physically holding it with a receipt. Even so, the only options support gave me were to request a transfer and wait for the previous owner to respond, or take it back to the store and exchange it.

What a great way to waste people's time. I did everything t something Ring can solve. A device that has been inactive for months, with the current owner verified by proof of purchase, should be something support can release on the spot.

I'll be going back to the store, but I'll be walking out with a doorbell from a different brand.